SAconnects, Volume 2, Number 2

VOL. 2, NO. 2 • MARCH 2016

the magazine

twelve days in

SACONNECTS.ORG

doce días en la

INDIA

IN focus

our leaders

the language of heaven el lenguaje del cielo We sang in the Garden of Gethsemane.

I was with a group of tourists. We were a homogenous group, all Salvation Army church members from the Midwestern United States. A tour of Israel brought us to the Garden, where we enjoyed a lovely devotional. Our voices rang out in American English. We could also hear other tour groups singing in French, German, Portuguese, Hindi, and more. That afternoon, I often heard people say, “This is what Heaven will sound like!”

In this edition of SAConnects, we’re going global, covering the work of U.S.A. Eastern Territory Salvationists who’ve ministered abroad. I look forward to reading about what we, as North Americans, have learned about the Spirit’s breathing in other countries and cultures.

Traveling to other nations (40 within the last ten years) and participating in the ministry of The Salvation Army, has stretched my life. I’ve received so much—wonderful hospitality, indigenous food, inspiration from musical expression in all forms, strength from personal faith stories, and spiritual depth through prayer.

Now, back to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Is such singing really what Heaven will sound like? Will nations be clumped together, sorted by nationality and language and church affiliation? I think not.

The glory will be that we’ll realize the almighty Father and the transcendent Christ and become one just as they are One. We’ll sing in the language of Heaven, in the tongue of Love. “In a loud voice they sang ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’” (Revelation 5:12).

And that will be what Heaven sounds like.

I only wish I had time to talk about the instruments of the Kingdom—strings or brass?

— Commissioner / Comisionado Sue E. Swanson Territorial President of Women’s Ministries Presidenta de los Ministerios Femeninos

Cantamos en el Jardín de Getsemaní.

Estaba con varios turistas. Formábamos un grupo homogéneo, pues todos éramos miembros de la Iglesia del Ejército de Salvación, procedentes del medio oeste de Estados Unidos. Un recorrido por Israel nos llevó al jardín, donde disfrutamos de un hermoso devocional. Nuestras voces resonaron en nuestro inglés con acento estadounidense. Al mismo tiempo, podíamos oír otros grupos que cantaban en francés, alemán, portugués, hindú y otros idiomas. Esa tarde, pude escuchar a varias personas decir: “¡Esto es lo que se escuchará en el cielo!”

En esta edición de SAConnects, nos transportamos a nivel global, cubriendo el trabajo de varios salvacionistas del Territorio Este de EUA que ministran en el extranjero. Espero leer acerca de lo que nosotros, como estadounidenses, hemos aprendido en cuanto a la manera en que el Espíritu está obrando en otros países y culturas.

El hecho de viajar a otras naciones (40 en los últimos diez años) y participar en el ministerio del Ejército de Salvación ha ampliado mi perspectiva. Es muchísimo lo que he recibido en todos esos lugares, una maravillosa hospitalidad, comida autóctona, inspiración derivada de una variedad increíble de expresiones musicales, ejemplos de fortaleza interior al escuchar historias personales de fe y profundidad espiritual a través de la oración.

Ahora, de vuelta al Jardín de Getsemaní. ¿Es este tipo de canto lo que se escuchará en el cielo? ¿Serán agrupadas las naciones, unas con otras, aunque separadas por nacionalidad, idioma y afiliación denominacional? Creo que no.

Lo glorioso será que veremos tanto al Padre todopoderoso como al Cristo trascendente y que todos seremos uno, así como ellos son Uno. Cantaremos en el lenguaje del cielo, en el idioma del amor. “Cantaban con todas sus fuerzas: ‘¡Digno es el Cordero, que ha sido sacrificado, de recibir el poder, la riqueza y la sabiduría, la fortaleza y la honra, la gloria y la alabanza!’” (Apocalipsis 5:12). Y eso es lo que se escuchará en el cielo.

Desearía tener tiempo para hablar sobre los instrumentos musicales que hay en el cielo: ¿los de cuerda o los bronces?

the General’s 2016 Easter message

Breaking the Power of Sin AROUND the world on Easter morning, many Christians will gather for a sunrise service in which the proclamation will be made: “He is risen!”

What a glorious celebration Easter Sunday represents for each one of us! God, in raising Christ, has broken the power of sin and set us free. God, in raising Christ, has established a sure eternal future for each one of us.

The chorus to Robin and Bill Wolaver’s song, “Make His Praise Glorious,” says, “Shout with joy to God all the earth, sing glory to His name. Tell aloud His marvelous worth, His righteousness proclaim. Glory and honors and blessing and power be unto the Lord! Come and let us make His praise glorious.”

As we celebrate the reality and the glory of the risen Christ, our hearts are filled with praise and worship as we gain new insight and understanding of God’s eternal purposes and His plan of salvation for the world.

For many people, religion is nothing more than an intellectual philosophy—something that we do only on special occasions or in a specific context, which, sadly, has no bearing on the way that we live and act in our lives.

Sadly, too easily we can miss the point, for the whole message of Easter tells about life–changing power. It is not about philosophy or religion; it is about a personal relationship with God, made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross!

Paul, in writing to the Colossians, says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (3:1–3 NIV).

Our relationship with Christ and His life within us enables us to look at things from a different perspective. Christ has become the center of focus for our lives. It is far more than going through the motions, observing rituals, and spiritual disciplines.

Things of this world are viewed with a different perspective, and this profoundly changes the way that we think and act.

Here, Paul deals with the very practical matter of how men and women who have been reconciled with God should live.

It is as our spiritual eyes are opened that we gain ever more understanding of God’s eternal purposes and through faith, we truly begin to experience triumph over darkness and despair.

Through the eyes of faith, we have a greater understanding of God’s redemptive plan for the world as we find it in the Gospel message: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not

perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:16–18).

Sadly in this world, we do experience times of sorrow, loss of faith, and despair. That, however, should not be the Christian norm! Sometimes we, like Mary, can look in the wrong place: ‘“Why do you look for the living among the dead?”’ (Luke 24:5).

Do we, at times, seek the Lord in places where He is not?

We have all known what it is like to be burdened, weighed down with worry and care, not always realizing that Jesus is actually with us!

We are, or should be, people with a resurrection gospel to proclaim. We are, ourselves, resurrection people; people who have experienced life–giving transformation in a personal encounter with the risen Christ. People experiencing the power and presence of the risen Christ in our lives! We are on the winning team. Do you believe it?

We are destined to be people of victory, not despair. Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection on that first Easter morning broke, once and for all, the power and domination of sin. Christ’s resurrection broke the chains of death and darkness. That remains true today, no matter what we may see and experience in this world.

We are called to experience for ourselves the power and victory of the resurrection in our everyday lives. Let us lift up our heads and live as people who daily experience the victory that was won for us at Calvary!

— General André Cox

Encontrará la versión en español del mensaje del General para la Pascua de Resurrección: “Rompa el poder del pecado” en saconnects.org

TRADE FOR HOPE

Each purchase of an Others product contributes directly to the financial well being of a woman, her family, and her community. If you are interested in making Others a part of your ministry, please contact April Foster, Others Director, at April.Foster@use.salvationarmy.org.

usa.tradeforhope.com Others - USA

@othersusa

Vol. 2, No. 2

CONTENTS MARCH 2016

1

IN focus A message from the General General André Cox sends us an Easter Message from his office in ENGLAND.

30

ON file Wholly living

20

IN focus inside cover Leader letter

Commissioner E. Sue Swanson visits the Garden of Gethsemane in ISRAEL.

The true story of St.Patrick, who became a servant of God in IRELAND.

FAITH in ACTION Ministry Around the World

Reports from VANUATU, INDONESIA, RUSSIA, and the CONGO, as well as from youth in CUBA, NEPAL, HONDURAS, and INDIA.

RUSSIA ENGLAND IRELAND MONGOLIA

ISRAEL MEXICO

5

ON file Relevents

CUBA

KOREA

MIDDLE EAST

NEPAL INDIA

PUERTO RICO

HONDURAS

Josué Flores talks about his life as a soldier at the San Pedro Sula Corps in HONDURAS.

8 Healing in

HONDURAS

The ministry of the Raymond brothers provides medical and spiritual healing to the city of San Pedro Sula, HONDURAS.

REPUBLIC of CONGO

32

ON file Testimony

SUMATRA INDONESIA

ZAMBIA

General André Cox welcomes 30 new soldiers at the San Juan Corps in PUERTO RICO.

12 Reflecting God’s Love

Joseph Pritchard, Keri L. Shay, and Alyssa Keeling from the USA Eastern Territory’s Communications Department share experiences from their 12–day trip to INDIA.

VANUATU

Cover: Keri L. Shay

PARTNERS IN MISSION

The USA Eastern Territory is aligned with several territories around the Salvation Army world. This is a practical application of the Philippians 1:5 “Partnership in the gospel.”

The following regions (shown in gold) are designated as Partners in Mission: India Central, Korea (with Mongolia), the Middle East, Mexico, and Zambia.

The 2016 World Services/Partners in Mission Tool Kit is now available through your corps. Use it creatively and challenge people to give generously as you teach them from God’s word about missions.

Para leer más artículos en español por favor visite

SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

IN focus

from the editor the magazine

your connection to The Salvation Army

USA EASTERN TERRITORY

a living Sacrifice un Sacrificio vivo In our next SAConnects, you’ll get a glimpse of what Romans 12:1 (“... offer your bodies as a living sacrifice ...”) looks like when people take it to heart. Actually in this case, it’s a kidney belonging to Lieutenant Kate Esker.

You’ll read how she helped save the life of Mike Reimer, a former police officer and now the Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) director in Pittsburgh, Pa. When it became clear that, without a transplant, his amazing ministry to college students—and his life—would come to an end, Esker stepped in.

As a colleague of Reimer’s, Esker saw firsthand how he had encouraged college students to play an integral part in the Salvation Army’s EDS ministry.

You’ll read what happened next when they put their trust in God. In “Sound Doctrine,” a new monthly column debuting in this issue, Colonel Richard Munn, the territory’s Secretary for Theology and Christian Ethics, sheds light on the foundation of our faith and reveals the motivation behind the selfless actions of Salvationists.

Be sure to read his “Protestantism,” the story of Martin Luther’s reformation movement that, 500 years ago, changed the world’s cultural, political, and religious landscape and eventually birthed such holiness denominations as The Salvation Army.

— Warren L. Maye Editor in Chief / Editor en Jefe

En nuestro próximo número de SAConnects, podrás ver lo que significa Romanos 12:1 (“... ofrecen sus cuerpos como sacrificio ...”) cuando la gente lo hace suyo de todo corazón. En este caso, en realidad, se trata más bien de un riñón, el de la Teniente Kate Esker.

Leerás cómo fue que ayudó a salvar la vida de Mike Reimer, un ex oficial de policía y ahora director de los Servicios de Emergencia en Casos de Desastre (EDS, por sus siglas en inglés), en Pittsburg, Pensilvania. Cuando se hizo evidente que, a menos que se le practicara un trasplante, su extraordinario ministerio entre los estudiantes universitarios —y su vida—llegaría a su fin, intervino Esker.

Como colega de Reimer, Esker pudo apreciar de primera mano la manera en que animaba a los estudiantes universitarios a jugar un papel integral en el ministerio de EDS del Ejército de Salvación. Leerás lo que sucedió después cuando ambos depositaron toda su confianza en Dios.

En la nueva columna “Sana doctrina” (que hace su debut en esta edición), el Coronel Richard Munn, Secretario de Teología y Ética Cristiana de nuestro territorio, arroja luz sobre el fundamento de nuestra fe y revelará la motivación que impulsa las acciones desinteresadas de los salvacionistas.

Asegúrate de leer su “Protestantismo”, la historia del movimiento reformista de Martín Lutero que hace 500 años cambió el panorama cultural, político y religioso del mundo y que, al final, daría a luz denominaciones de santidad cristiana como el Ejército de Salvación.

TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner Barry C. Swanson Commissioner E. Sue Swanson CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel William A. Bamford III SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Lt. Colonel Cheryl A. Maynor EDITOR IN CHIEF Warren L. Maye MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo KOREAN EDITOR Lt. Colonel Chongwon D. Kim ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines PUBLICATION DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Keri Johnson, Karena Lin, Joe Marino PHOTOGRAPHER Keri L. Shay CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brenda Lotz, Major Young Sung Kim CIRCULATION Deloris Hansen COMMAND NEWS CORRESPONDENTS ARCC Major Charles Deitrick

PENDEL R andall Thomas Major Kathryn A. Avery EMP Jaye C. Jones

MASS Drew Forster

NNE Cheryl Poulopoulos PR & VI Linette Luna SNE James Gordon

WEPASA Captain Kimberly DeLong NJ Siran Farrar

Territorial Music Liaison Ronald Waiksnoris

Territorial Youth Liaison Captain Gillian Rogers New command correspondents will be appointed soon for

CFOT, GNY, NEOSA, SWONEKY

THE 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.

SAConnects is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory. Bulk rate is $12.00 per month for 25–100 copies.

Single subscriptions are available. Write to: SAConnects, The Salvation Army, 440 W. Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739.

Vol. 2, No. 2, March Issue 2016. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SAConnects, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SAConnects accepts advertising. Copyright © 2015 by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission.

www.saconnects.org/magazine www.facebook.com/saconnects

4

MARCH 2016

www.twitter.com/saconnects

relevents

ON file

Photo by Javier Gonzalez–Rivera

Josué Flores

Music is a big part of me. However, when I was a child, I told my father that I never wanted to learn music. Nonetheless, he forced me to take my first lesson, and I remember crying during that class! But after crying, music awakened something in me and I continued the lessons. Today, when I see my father, music is always part of our chats. Sometimes I even play while he sings. It’s so much more than just an activity. Music is a way to touch hearts, bring joy to a congregation, and worship the Lord. It’s a privilege to play for Him.

I work as a receptionist in a luxury hotel, and my co–workers know that I am a Salvationist. Having the peace of God with you is always good, but when dealing with others who may be angry or frustrated, His peace becomes a useful workplace tool. For example, I had a challenging relationship with a boss. But I kept being myself and doing the best work I could do. One day, she asked me about my relationship with God, and I told her about the Army. Afterwards, she began seeking God in her life, and even started going to church. Now, she begins her work shift with a prayer, as do I. What a beautiful way to start the workday! In our jobs and careers, God places us where He needs us to be His voice, and where we can do the most good.

Everyone who comes to visit the San Pedro Sula Corps, such as officers, doctors, and pastors from other churches, say there is something about the corps that leaves a positive influence on their lives. We present ourselves as a church, and even more so as a family, welcoming you to our home. We’re simply young people who love Christ.

(far left), a soldier at The Salvation Army San Pedro Sula Corps in Honduras, talks about music, his relationships with doctors and officers who visit Honduras to help the poor, and the importance of God’s presence in the workplace.

The doctors and nurses from the Ohio medical brigade have been coming to the San Pedro Sula Corps for many years, providing care to the most needy people of Honduras. The first year they came, they were cordial but strict and by the book. It was clear that they had a job to do. But the second year and every time after that, I could feel something more coming from them. It was like having family visit. We learned more about each other’s lives, and the love that we share for our corps. Today, talking to Dr. Russ Raymond [of the Raymond Foundation] is like talking to a second dad. The time that he, the doctors, and Salvation Army officers spend here inspires all of us to work harder all year long.

My mother’s favorite Bible verse, Josué (Joshua) 1:9, reads, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” She reminded me of this when I told her that I was scared to leave Guatemala and live in Honduras. I didn’t feel that I was prepared for the challenges. When I arrived Every time I talk to my in Honduras, I read that mother on the phone, she same verse in a Salvation reminds me from Guatamala Army publication. It was a that she’s praying for me. She sign. No matter where I go, asks God to watch over me, God will be with me. and I tell her that her prayers have always been answered.

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2016 MARCH

5

IN focus

Sound Doctrine

Sound doctrine

A new monthly column by Colonel Richard Munn “It is the dogma that is the drama” […] “set it on an open stage to startle the world.”— Dorothy Sayers, Anglican novelist This monthly column will seek to set on the SAConnects stage the drama of doctrine that exerts influence on our thinking, and on the script of ethics that governs our behavior.

Somewhat akin to the wedding guests at Cana sampling the water turned into wine, we might just be startled in the process.

We’ll aim to reinforce the tried and trusted doctrines and also review the provocative. We’ll mix Martin Luther, John Wesley, and Catherine Booth with Rob Bell, Richard Dawkins, and Oprah Winfrey, and see what emerges.

We may not always come to a neat, hermetically tight conclusion, but we can be confident we’ll be asking the important questions.

Five times Paul uses the word doctrine in his New Testament writings; four of those times he exhorts us to “sound doctrine.” So, this is important—the foundation may not be as artistic as the gilded window dressing—but without it, the house comes tumbling down.

Let’s silence our cell phones, sit back and relax—“Sound Doctrine” may just unfold great drama. “Lights, camera—action.”

PROTESTANTISM Next year, 2017, will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, recalling that on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 theses on the front door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany, rebutting the established Catholic Church.

This symbolic act, prompted by wideranging religious institutional corruption, proved to be the catalyst for what came to be known as Protestantism. It exerted revolutionary change on the cultural, political, and religious landscape.

Evolving over subsequent years, the basic tenets of Protestantism emphasize

 The capacity for individuals to receive grace directly from Christ.  Salvation by grace through faith alone.  The supremacy of the scriptures.

In so doing, the movement rejected priestly mediation, church tradition, and Papal authority.

These values are often referenced as the ‘Solae’  Solus Christus (Christ Alone)  Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)  Sola Fide (Faith Alone)  Sola Scriptura (Scriptures Alone) Some quite beautiful Protestant outcomes would include the conviction

that each believer should possess and read for themselves scriptures written in the common language and that preaching should be a primary component of worship. This resulted in reduced church ritual and a distinctly versatile expression of the Christian faith, quickly becoming a global missional movement.

Protestantism has now multiplied into many expressions that defy reduction to a simple scheme.

Salvationists are Protestants. So, what better way to celebrate our 500th birthday than by treasuring the reading and preaching of the word, and by receiving and sharing the good news of salvation?

Soli deo Gloria! (Glory to God alone!)

— Colonel Richard Munn is the Territorial Secretary for Theology and Christian Ethics

6

MARCH 2016

La sana doctrina

Una nueva columna mensual por el Coronel Richard Munn “En el dogma está el drama […] preséntalo sobre un escenario abierto a todos y sorprende al mundo." — Dorothy Sayers, novelista anglicana Esta columna mensual tiene como objetivo presentar, en el escenario de SAConnects, el drama de la doctrina, la cual ejerce su influencia sobre nuestra manera de pensar y sobre el guión de los preceptos éticos que gobiernan nuestra conducta.

Así como lo que pasó con los invitados a las bodas de Caná, que probaron el agua transformada en vino, podríamos ser sorprendidos en el proceso.

Apuntaremos a reforzar las doctrinas probadas y atesoradas; y también revisaremos las que resultan más provocadoras. Combinaremos a Martín Lutero con John Wesley y a Catherine Booth con Rob Bell, Richard Dawkins y Oprah Winfrey, y veremos lo que resulta de ello.

Puede que no siempre lleguemos a una conclusión clara y bien ajustada, pero podemos confiar en que las preguntas que planteemos son importantes.

Pabló usó cinco veces la palabra doctrina en sus escritos del Nuevo Testamento; cuatro de esas veces nos exhorta a seguir "la sana doctrina". Por ello —y esto es lo importante— puede que los cimientos no sean tan bellos como los aspectos más vistosos; pero sin esos cimientos, la casa se vendría abajo.

Silenciemos nuestros teléfonos celulares, sentémonos cómodamente y relajémonos.

La “sana doctrina” puede desplegar un drama grandioso. “¡Luz, cámara, acción!”

EL PROTESTANTISMO El próximo año, 2017, se cumplirá el 500° aniversario de la Reforma, en el que se recuerda el 31 de octubre de 1517, cuando Martín Lutero clavó las 95 tesis en la puerta de la Iglesia del Palacio de la ciudad de Wittenberg, Alemania, rebatiendo a la Iglesia Católica establecida.

Este acto simbólico, motivado por la corrupción religiosa e institucional de toda la Iglesia, resultó ser el catalizador de lo que se llegaría a conocer como protestantismo. Este ejerció un cambio revolucionario sobre el panorama cultural, político y religioso de toda Europa.

Como resultado de un proceso evolutivo de varios años, los principios básicos del protestantismo ponen énfasis en:  La capacidad de los individuos para

recibir la gracia directamente de Cristo.  La salvación por la gracia a través de la fe sola.  La supremacía de las Escrituras.

Al hacer suyos estos principios, el movimiento rechazó la mediación sacerdotal, la tradición eclesiástica y la autoridad papal.

Estos valores se conocen como las cuatro ‘solae’:  Solus Christus (Cristo solo)  Sola Gratia (la gracia sola)  Sola Fide (la fe sola)  Sola Scriptura (la Escritura sola) Algunas de las hermosas consecuencias protestantes de esos preceptos incluirían la convicción de que cada creyente debe poseer y leer

por sí mismo las Escrituras vertidas al idioma que todos hablamos y que la prédica debe ser un aspecto esencial de la adoración. Esto tuvo como resultado una reducción del aspecto ritual de la iglesia y una expresión singularmente versátil de la fe cristiana, lo que redundó en que el protestantismo se convirtiera rápidamente en un movimiento misionero de alcance global.

El protestantismo a estas alturas se ha multiplicado en una variedad de expresiones que desafían toda reducción a un esquema sencillo.

Los salvacionistas somos protestantes. Y es por eso que la mejor manera de celebrar nuestro 500o aniversario sea atesorando la lectura y prédica de la Palabra, además de recibir y dar a conocer las buenas nuevas de salvación. ¡Soli deo Gloria! (¡Gloria a Dios solo!)

— El Coronel Richard Munn es el Secretario Territorial de Teología y Ética Cristiana

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2016 MARCH

7

healing in

HONDURAS

by Hugo Bravo

Photo by Robert Mitchell

F

or 17 years, the Raymond brothers—doctors Frank, Clifford, Jonathan, Norman, and Russell—led by Major Richard Shafstall, a retired Salvation Army officer, have engaged a team of nurses, medical specialists, and Salvationists from the USA Eastern Territory to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. They’ve provided free medical care and spiritual healing to its most needy residents. Frank, Clifford, and Norman are OB/GYNs; Russell is an interventional cardiologist; and Jonathan is a behavioral psychologist and a former university president. Alongside Norman is Jackie, his wife, who is a registered nurse. Also helping blaze the way in this medical missions endeavor are Karen and Marcia, who are Russell and Clifford’s wives, respectively.

Twenty years ago, Honduras suffered unimaginable destruction from tropical storms. And due to gang violence, today the country is widely considered one of the most dangerous in the world.

Despite this reality, the Raymonds continue their missions.

With each trip, the brothers and their team bring with them more than $500,000 worth of prenatal medicines, vitamins, skin medications, and other supplies. Typically, they remove cancerous skin moles, treat a wide variety of infections, and administer check–ups. They have also treated bullet and machete wounds in the field. In less than a week, they’ll see as many as 4,500 patients, many of whom will see a doctor for the first time.

“It is Christ’s message of love for one another that excites us in this mission,” says Norman, corps sergeant major at the Army’s Chapel at Worthington Woods in Columbus, Ohio.

“Jesus said, ‘When I was hungry you fed me, when in prison you visited me. And when I was naked you clothed me. When

2016 MARCH

9

you’ve done it unto the least of these, you’ve done it unto me …’ Even a cool cup of water, medicine or a pair of shoes, in His name, means the world to people who have nothing.”

THE STORM

The Salvation Army has been in Honduras since the 1950s.

But when Hurricane Mitch hit the country in October of 1998, officers from Northeastern Ohio asked the Raymond family to help.

“I remember that we couldn’t even make it to Honduras until January of 1999, because for several months the airport was under deep flood waters. Planes couldn’t leave or land,” recalls Russell.

When the brothers arrived in January, they saw firsthand the damage that Mitch had done. Ninety percent of Honduran businesses and industry were lost. Salt water had killed the agriculture and contaminated the once fertile land.

The fresh, clean water supply was gone. Thousands of people had lost their lives.

“In one day, 10,000 people died,” says Norm. “Families were literally washed away. The people who survived had run into the mountains to escape the flooding. That’s why you see so much poverty the higher up you go in Honduras. They’re the people who lost everything.”

Norman remembers meeting a woman who had lost two sons and her husband. He had been a successful banker who provided for the family, but because she had no education or work experience, she was forced to live in the mountains with her surviving daughter. The only material possession the mother owned was her wedding ring, which she held dear.

“This woman had gone from a comfortable, upper–middle class way of life, to complete poverty,” says Norman. “Her story was one of thousands.”

THE MISSION

Since 1980, the Raymond Foundation, a charity of Cliff and Marcia Raymond, helps to fund the trip to San Pedro Sula.

The foundation’s initial goal was to help young people attend Christian high school and medical school. But through the years, the Honduras mission trip became the focus.

The brothers bring other doctors and nurses from Chicago, New York, Cleveland, and Columbus, their home city. Says Cliff, “The trip is always a blessing for us. It’s a privilege to help and to serve. It’s also a way to work together with colleagues and to learn from each other away from a traditional clinic.”

Cliff says that the team sees situations unheard of in the states, such as a patient who obviously had a severe case of bilateral cataracts. Cliff felt God’s presence during an opportunity to cure this woman. “At the time, there was no Army corps in Honduras. So earlier in the week, we had attended a service in our own hotel. There, we met a wonderful ophthalmologist who had taught in the United States, and now had a practice outside of San Pedro Sula, in a town called El Progreso.”

The Raymonds took the woman to the ophthalmologist’s clinic, where he said hers was the worst case of cataracts he had ever seen. That day, when one of the patient’s cataracts was removed and the lens replaced, she emerged with 20/20 vision in one eye for the first time in 12 years.

“The risk was too great to do the operation in both eyes so soon,” recalls Cliff. “But the next year, we returned to the same village, brought the woman back to the same ophthalmologist, and replaced the other lens. Helping this woman brought real joy to the team, and to the village.”

The Raymond Foundation provides annual funds for two children to travel from Honduras to the Cleveland Clinic to be treated for congenital cardiovascular disease through open–heart surgery. The clinic and the foundation split the cost of the flight and for the procedure. To date, 27 children have received such operations in Cleveland.

Frank, Clifford, Norm, and Russell Raymond.

10

MARCH 2016

The Salvation Army and the Raymond Foundation have worked together to continue the Honduras mission trip.

Grants and donations provided clothing, food, and Bibles.

Officers from the Eastern Territory travel with the doctors and serve as assistants, translators, and healers.

Says Russell, “When the physicians who come with us participated in other missions, they were required to pay for their own expenses. Here, The Salvation Army helps to pay for accommodations and for transportation. This allows us to afford making the trip year after year.”

The Raymonds realized early on that San Pedro Sula

Photos by Robert Mitchell

THE ARMY

Sanidad en

HONDURAS

was home to many Salvationists. The brothers assisted these Salvationists in establishing a corps, which eventually also became a school.

There are currently plans to build a second and larger Dr. Norman Raymond and a nurse school, which will work with patients in Honduras. enroll 400 children.

“Before we head out to the villages, we hold a morning service at the San Pedro Sula Corps. It’s a wonderful way to say ‘thanks’ to the Army, and it also helps get the word out about our mission,” says Russell. “Many of the soldiers here were kids that saw us help their friends, neighbors, and family members.”

When children come from Honduras to the Cleveland Clinic for treatment, an officer from the Army spends time with the child’s family, providing comfort or guidance.

Says Norm, “Realizing the overwhelming service to others, Commissioners Barry and Sue Swanson, USA East leaders, have really embraced this ministry. In turn, they have been a blessing to thousands of impoverished Hondurans.”

Dr. Russell Raymond looks forward to continuing the missions, despite any risks. “There is danger, just as there is danger in our large U.S. cities. But I’m happy to say that I have never heard of any mission team harassed or even approached by gangs. They know that we come to help their families.”

Dr. Cliff Raymond says that the work of the doctors directly carries on the Salvation Army’s original slogan, ‘Heart to God, and hand to man.’

“When we started these trips, we dedicated all this to our father, a devoted Christian pastor for The Salvation Army.

His faith, we’ve always believed, is one of the reasons why God has been so good to us. We’ve accepted Jesus as our Savior and have the desire and the knowledge to do these trips for His children,” says Cliff.

Dr. Norm Raymond is confident that there will be other Salvationists who will carry on the work when he and his brothers are gone. Many of the next generation of Raymond doctors and nurses have begun to make this journey.

“We trust that there will be other physicians who have heard about what we do. They will come to Honduras, and maybe even be helped by boys and girls whom we’ve treated as patients, or shared worship at the San Pedro Sula Corps, or who attended Salvation Army schools. God has a plan. I’m sure of it.”

Photo by Javier Gonzalez–Rivera

THE FUTURE

El Ejército de Salvación y la Fundación Raymond han estado trabajando mano a mano, en la ciudad hondureña de San Pedro Sula, durante los últimos 17 años. Allí atienden las necesidades médicas y espirituales de la población. Si bien el Ejército opera en Honduras desde el año 1950, y la Fundación Raymond desde 1980, fue el devastador paso del Huracán Mitch en 1998 lo que los llevó a sumar fuerzas para impulsar esta misión de apoyo médico y espiritual en forma mancomunada. A partir de ese año, el equipo de profesionales de la salud liderado por la familia Raymond y asistido por miembros del Ejército de Salvación han estado llevando a San Pedro Sula suministros médicos de todo tipo, así como también realizando

exámenes y tratamientos médicos completamente gratuitos para todo tipo de enfermedades. Desde simples revisiones médicas a atención ginecológica y obstétrica, tratamiento de enfermedades de la piel, cardiopatías y curaciones de heridas producidas por bala y machete, algo relativamente común en un país que es hoy por hoy uno de los más violentos del mundo. A las secuelas todavía visibles del desastre de 1998 en la destrucción del hábitat y el empobrecimiento generalizado de la gente, y al estado de constante violencia en que vive la población, la Fundación Raymond y el Ejército han respondido con el espíritu de Mateo 25:35–40, fortaleciendo cada año su capacidad de servicio a la comunidad de San Pedro Sula y los alrededores tanto en el aspecto médico como en lo social y espiritual. Estas instituciones se han preocupado por asegurar la proyección de esta misión a las próximas generaciones.

Este es un resumen del artículo. Para leerlo completo en español, por favor visite saconnects.org/enespanol .

reflecting God’s love

by Robert Mitchell

photography by Keri L. Shay

LAST YEAR, a media team from the USA Eastern Territory’s Communications Department spent 12 days in the India Central Territory. They collected video footage and photographs for use by the Salvation Army World Services Office (SAWSO) and for the USA Eastern Territory’s 2016 World Services Tool Kit, which includes a variety of resources for corps, such as sermon outlines and bulletin inserts.

Joe Pritchard, media director; Alyssa Keeling, videographer; and Keri L. Shay, photographer, chronicled stories from Salvationists that will help raise awareness of the Eastern Territory’s influence in India as well as in other Mission Partner nations.

These stories evoked tears of joy from the team.

Mrs. Padma, a field organizer for the Community Empowerment Program (CEP), and members of the the Self Help Group (SHG) sprinkle flowers at the Gilakaladindi Corps in the Machilipatnam District.

2016 MARCH

13

Major Premaiah, an officer in the Vijayawada Division, rides his motorcycle to a corps.

JOE PRITCHARD never imagined that he would be the trip’s team leader, but when SAWSO’s personnel had to pass on the assignment, he was thrust into that role. Once in India, he was also surprised by requests from corps leaders that he deliver sermons. They also asked that he raise a Salvation Army flag at a corps founded by Booth Tucker, who in the early 1900s pioneered the Army’s work in India.

Pritchard, the son of Salvation Army officers, was moved when he saw people who had converted from Hinduism to Christianity stand firm on their new commitment, despite the challenges inherent in leaving India’s dominant religion. The new Christians must make a public proclamation of their faith to friends, to family, and to the government.

“When they do that, they may lose jobs, friends, and their place in the caste system,” Pritchard says. “When you understand the full commitment they are making, it really impacts you. That is a true commitment of faith.

“They lose a lot, but here in the United States, we don’t really understand that. It really makes you question the commitment you have in your life. How devoted or committed are you to your beliefs and to Christianity? And how can you profess that commitment daily?”

(L–r) Major B. Mercy, Major J. Mary Kumari, Captain K. Swarupa Rani, and Mrs. Padma gather at the Gilakadindi Corps. (Right) children from the Boys Hostel in Bapatla greet the Communications Department team.

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

Vasanthe Kumari, a CEP field organizer, stands in front of the Nagayalanka Corps Prayer Hall in the Divi District.

2016 MARCH

15

“

”

God, just show me what You see.

—Keri L. Shay, photographer

KERI L. SHAY came to The Salvation Army last year after living for seven years in Korea to build her photographic portfolio. She grew up in Chicago and has traveled to more than 30 countries.

Children are her favorite photographic subjects. “Jesus had a lot to say about not turning children away, and He talked about caring for them,” says Shay. “Whenever I’m abroad, the kids always have such an impact on my heart because they’re just so friendly and loving. They are so good for my soul.

“There are so many kids in this world and God keeps track of them all and cares for them all and loves them all. When they don’t have much … there’s just something different. They always have so much joy.”

Before every photoshoot, Shay prays silently, “God, just show me what You see.”

“I believe God uses the gifts that we’ve been given to share a piece of His heart, or His perspective,” Shay says. “I feel the reason I can do photography is because I can literally reflect Him. It’s not my perspective, it’s His.” Shay says she also likes to photograph food, weddings, and portraits.

“They’re all a reflection of God’s beauty and His blessings,” she says. “I think that in everything I shoot, I try to be a reflection of what God sees or hopefully what He wants to show.

“I think photography is like a window into people’s lives. You can make a connection with people and tell their story.”

Sri Lakshmi at the Girls Hostel in Machilipatnam where she lives.

A SHG member draws water from a well at the Seetha Nagar Corps in the Vijayawada Division.

ALYSSA KEELING saw the trip to India as a long– awaited missional adventure.

“I’ve always been mission–minded and I wanted the opportunity to travel and to tell people’s stories,” she says. “I believe film production is best when it’s used to bridge cultures.”

Keeling, who had previously traveled to Ethiopia with her megachurch in 2013, continued, “Whether we’re here in the United States in our territory, or bringing these stories back from other countries, I think it’s so important that we make people aware of what else is happening in the world.

“I feel like I’ve been given a very specific skill set with filmmaking and it’s for a reason,” she says.

“It’s to be able to tell stories, to make an impact, and to open people’s eyes to the things they otherwise wouldn’t have thought about.

“It’s my goal as a videographer to help change people’s perspective of the world and to open their eyes to who God is.”

A SHG member sells dry fish at the Gilakaladindi Corps in the Machilipatnam District. She’ll use the funds to help feed herself and support her older husband.

18

MARCH 2016

SUPPLYING ALL HER NEEDS Mariyamma’s (left) bright clothes and radiant appearance made her a standout during a small church service in the town of Sitanagram.

Later that day, Mariyamma’s story brought the media team to tears. Her husband had lost his job with the railroad. Then he fell ill, losing his mobility and speech. Soon, the family could no longer afford his medical care.

They sent a daughter to college, hoping she would eventually make enough money to help. But because of her hometown’s poor reputation, students bullied her and forced her to actually leave the school. Tragically, she committed suicide.

Mariyamma soon found a Salvation Army program through SAWSO that loaned her enough money to start a small clothing business.

“She’s built this business so much that she is now making more money than her husband had ever made in the railroad business,” Pritchard said. “She is now supporting herself, two children, her mother–in–law, and her husband. She paid back all of her debt and is paying all of his medical bills.

“She has such a wonderful smile and spirit about her that you would think she is the wealthiest person on earth. And she is so grateful to The Salvation Army.”

Mariyamma started attending a Salvation Army corps, where she found Christ.

“She equates the complete success of her life and her family with the Army and the love of Jesus Christ,” Pritchard says. “We were all in tears during a rooftop interview. I’ll always remember that story. It will always be so powerful.”

Alyssa Keeling was equally moved.

“She’s now self–sufficient, thanks to The Salvation Army,” Keeling says. “It was really powerful to hear someone who literally had nothing but God and, through faith, she found everything that she needed.”

Pritchard, who studied photography at the Rochester Institute of Technology, says the potential of The Salvation Army to reach people through its publications, video, and social media is “beyond our comprehension.”

“What motivates me is the desire to make a video that has a spiritual component that may change somebody’s life,” he says. “I may not even know about it, and I’m okay with that. But God knows somebody out there who is going to be moved to change their life just by watching that video or seeing a picture or hearing a song.

“That’s really what motivates me—the potential that we have to reach an enormous number of people.”

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2016 MARCH

19

FAITH in ACTION

ministry

around the

WORLD

RUSSIA

NEPAL

CUBA

INDIA

HONDURAS REPUBLIC of CONGO

The Salvation Army operates in 127 countries and provides services in 175 different languages.

For World Services Month, SAConnects interviewed Salvationists who are spreading the Word of God across the globe.

SUMATRA INDONESIA

VANUATU

Interviews by Hugo Bravo

20

MARCH 2016

(Left) Photo by Keri Shay; (Right) Photo courtesy of Marcos Lopez

Jeevan ‘Roy’ Pitta is a fourth–generation Salvationist and a soldier of The Salvation Army’s Central Corps in Chennai, India.

Having seen my father [Lt. Colonel Samuel Rathan] preaching the Gospel has had an enormous impact on the person I am today. I am indebted to my family, which brought me to The Salvation Army and encouraged me to attend every program and meeting in our corps.

I have been blessed to complete my higher education in English literature and in social work. But the path of giving back to the Army has given me so much. Today, I work as coordinator of the Community Empowerment Program (CEP) for the India Central Territory. My role is to direct holistic outreach to needy children in the area. My job gives me immense joy and satisfaction.

It is also rewarding to help women handle their own finances. When they learn how to do that, it changes their way of thinking about other aspects of their lives. They become more focused on helping their families. Unfortunately, helping to empower women in India has been difficult to do. Sometimes it is even more difficult when that help is coming from a Christian church. For example, if we go into a community while wearing our Salvation Army uniforms, they may not accept us, because sometimes a government comes to power in India that strictly prohibits teaching of the Gospel. We have to introduce ourselves, and let the leaders know that we are here to help the women. As we help, they learn that we are following the teachings of Jesus, and that is how they learn about Him. Through The Salvation Army, I have been able to use my life experience, talents, and schooling to help bring souls into the Kingdom of God, feed the hungry, educate young minds on social issues, and help our sisters take control of their lives.

I have been saved through the ministry of The Salvation Army. I place myself into the hands of God and pray that He continues to lead me in my role.

Photo by Javier Gonzalez–Rivera

JOY, SATISFACTION, AND FAITH IN INDIA

‘HE NEEDS ME IN HONDURAS’ Sara Flores is a soldier at the San Pedro Sula Corps in Honduras.

Although I was born in Guatemala, at some point in our lives my siblings and I have called a dozen different corps all over Latin America “home.” It’s one of the perks of having officer parents. Each of those corps was special in their own way, and they prepared me for my time here in Honduras.

Five years ago when I came here, the corps family immediately drew me in. To see the members of the San Pedro Sula Corps is to see God’s love at work. They radiate the Word of the Lord. Despite their young age, they are active in the church, helping to organize events that you would expect a team of more experienced officers to do. They organize outreaches and programs for people their age and for older folks who suffer from addiction. The soldiers coordinate, plan, and even raise the money needed for these events. It fills my heart with joy to see this.

I am studying to be a systems engineer, and I know that someday my career may take me to a different part of the world. No matter where I go, I will always carry San Pedro Sula in my heart.

The Salvation Army will always be my church. Its work and mission will always be my work and mission. God is my constant and He has a perfect plan. I will serve wherever He needs me to serve.

But today, He needs me in Honduras.

In 2013, Jon Avery, divisional youth program specialist for the PENDEL Division, visited Nepal as part of a yearlong ministry trip to 11 countries. In April 2015, Nepal suffered its deadliest earthquake since 1934.

I heard about the earthquake in Nepal during a divisional youth councils meeting in the U.S. At that moment, it was hard for me to process everything. From Facebook, I learned that nine people I knew were actually in the affected area, but only three had checked in to confirm that they were safe. It was a couple of days before I was able to contact anyone there. I was able to contact a worker from the children’s home I had visited in Nepal. Even though she spoke little English, she told me that my friends were okay.

However, the children’s home was destroyed, and many of its residents had to sleep outside. When I had visited the capital city of Kathmandu, I saw the final stages of a 3–story Bible college being built. It’s gone now.

Four major churches in the area were also completely destroyed. The earthquake happened on a Saturday, which, tragically, is the day when people gather to worship in church. Saturday is the only day the government gives the people time off from work. And when those churches came down, many lives were lost.

The death toll in Nepal has been enormous. Recovery will take many years. I pray for the families of people who have lost their lives. I pray that those families will rebuild their churches and continue to gain help and maintain hope. I pray that people who survive will stay healthy from disease. Infection is a great danger after events like these.

I pray that God will allow me to return to Nepal to help however I can.

Photo courtesy of Jon Avery

TRAGEDY IN NEPAL

SPREADING GOD’S MESSAGE IN CUBA Marcos Lopez is a soldier of the San Juan Corps and a member of the Puerto Rican Youth Band that visited Cuba in 2015.

Visiting Cuba as a member of the Salvation Army’s Puerto Rican Youth Band was an amazing opportunity. Because of what was the prevailing political climate between the United States and Cuba, traveling directly there was prohibited for U.S. citizens. So it’s amazing that a large group of Christians were able to go to Cuba and share their love and talents, now that international law has changed.

Cuban culture is quite similar to Puerto Rican culture. The people in Cuba were kind and open. And the Salvationists there were enthusiastic about their mission.

What made their enthusiasm all the more astounding was how they ministered in a country that has suffered under a 50–year–old embargo. In the capital city, I saw all around me infrastructures in desperate need of rebuilding. Technologies seem stuck in the past.

During prayer, I saw much love and devotion expressed toward God. I admire that. Every day now, I strive to see God in my own life, as I believe the Cuban people see Him in their lives.

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2016 MARCH

21

A river that had turned into a raging torrent is now a swimming site for children. (Bottom) Alastair Bate assesses damage in the ‘21 Jump Street’ community.

Contentment through Disaster: Surviving Cyclone Pam

by Alastair Bate

On the evening of March 13, 2015, Cyclone Pam, a Category 5 event with winds reaching 165 mph, battered the Southwest Pacific island chain of Vanuatu. This country of 240,000 people, one of the poorest in the Pacific Basin, suffered immense damage.

Fortunately, a well–designed national warning system and evacuation plan kept the death toll low. However, the devastation to the livelihoods of so many people was profound and will be long lasting.

In the capital of Port Vila, the storm blew away roofs, toppled walls, beached boats, and uprooted and stripped trees.

By some accounts, 90 percent of the crops were wiped out. The worst damage was seen in the southern provinces, particularly on the islands of Tanna, Anatom, and Erromango. Efate, the island on which the capital of Port Vila lies, was also hit hard.

Within a week, Salvation Army

22

MARCH 2016

personnel were on the ground with other agencies, such as World Vision, Save the Children, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA), and Samaritan’s Purse. I came from the USA Eastern Territory and joined Majors Brad Watson and Darren Elsley, two officers from the Australia Eastern and Australia Southern Territories, respectively.

Damaris Frick from the International Emergency Service Office at International Headquarters and Craig Arnold and Mike Shiffler, international deployment volunteers, arrived shortly after the disaster.

Craig Finnigan, from the Greater New York Emergency Disaster Services office, also joined the team.

Immediate assessments identified the greatest need on the islands of Tanna and Anatom. Projects were established to help fund relief work.

Arnold and Shiffler focused on three remote villages on Tanna. They

provided five tons of food and restored drinkable water through the purchase and installation of three miles of piping.

The logistical problem of transporting these items has been immense.

With the help of a French military helicopter, supplies were delivered directly to this remote area, bypassing washed out roads. As the response turned to recovery, rebuilding some 200 homes on Tanna became the goal.

Elsley focused on Anatom, where a high school sustained extensive damage. Providing food, seedlings, and other items greatly helped students and their families.

Transportation was a challenge.

The availability of small charter planes was at a premium. Undamaged transport boats offered limited space. With increased demand but fewer options, prices were high.

I focused on the “21 Jump Street” community in Port Vila. Most dwellings in this community are flimsy huts made

Photos courtesy of Alastair Bate

ministry around the WORLD

of corrugated iron. An assessment of the 130 families in the community revealed a tragic loss of possessions and income.

A small river turned into a raging torrent and swept away homes, destroyed vegetable gardens, and flooded dwellings. The lack of clean water caused sickness rates to soar. The Army’s response focused on providing water, seedlings, hygiene packs, and help with reconstruction.

Brad Watson, the team leader, was instrumental in coordinating with the National Disaster Management Office, and he attended daily cluster meetings to ensure the Army’s work was being effective.

The Army’s work will continue in Vanuatu. Donations from around the world are helping long–term recovery projects. The devastation is immense, but the resolve of the Ni–Vanuatu people is strong.

ARMY’S BEGINNINGS IN VANUATU The Salvation Army became a known entity just four years ago in Vanuatu.

On Efate Island, the Army has a fledgling work in the small community of “21 Jump Street,” a collection of ramshackle corrugated iron dwellings housing some 130 families. Several houses are positioned around a central yard and 21 adjoining yards, which give the community its name.

William and Lilly Rose Sarilobani live in one of these yards. Each weekday morning and on Sundays, they invite children and adults in to sing worship songs, pray, and learn from the Bible.

William is a minibus driver and Lilly Rose and other family members make handicrafts for sale to cruise ship tourists. The Sarilobanis share what little they have with neighbors.

Lilly Rose also visits prisoners.

When the need for Bibles in the prison became evident, she purchased them with money she made from selling food on the roadside—prepared from produce grown in her garden.

One evening while watching TV, the Sarilobanis saw a documentary on the Salvation Army’s worldwide ministry.

Lilly Rose realized that she and William were already Salvationists at heart!

Around the same time, Ian and Marion Dooley, Salvationists from the Tweed Heads Corps in Australia, had come to assist the poor they had encountered on a previous vacation to Vanuatu.

A friend introduced the Dooleys to Lilly Rose during one of her prison visits.

Lilly Rose finally met someone from The Salvation Army! Before long, the Dooleys; Major Darren Elsley, corps officer of the Tweeds Heads Corps; and a few other Salvationists helped to establish a small outpost in Lilly Rose’s yard where they constructed a meeting shelter.

So far, 3 soldiers and 16 junior soldiers have been enrolled and several more are ready to take classes. Even Chief Donald, leader of the community, occasionally attends the worship where one of his grandchildren is a junior soldier.

Although the cyclone flattened William and Lilly Rose’s home and tore off the meeting shelter’s roof, they repaired the damage and continued their ministry.

Today, with such dire need in the community of 21 Jump Street, people turn to the Sarilobanis for assistance.

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

The Islands of Vanuatu.

Most of the devastation occurred in the southern provinces of Tanna, Anatom, Erromango, and Efate, home of Port Vila, the capital city.

The most important thing Lilly Rose and William offer is encouragement— news that all is not lost. There is hope.

SHELTER AFTER THE STORM In August, The Salvation Army completed the construction of its first shelter on Vanuatu as part of an ongoing effort to rebuild. On Tanna Island, three remote villages will each receive 15 shelters. The Army is working in partnership with Liberty for the Nations, a Christian relief agency that has been on the island since the early 1990s. “It was great to see the first shelter built,” said Captain Dale Murray from the Australia Eastern Territory. “This project has been a team effort with a number of logistical challenges due to the remoteness of Tanna Island and the three villages.” The construction of more shelters is planned for other areas of Vanuatu.

The Ni–Vanuatu people understand and live out what Paul revealed to the Philippians: “… I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation … I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” (4:12–13 NIV)

2016 MARCH

23

ministry around the WORLD Major David Payton (left) disciples Battle School students in Russia (circa 1997).

to prepare pastors, the battle school would train soldiers in becoming effective disciples.

Payton needed $6,000. “We wrote a curriculum, translated it into Russian, and were prepared to teach it. But the money just wasn’t there,” he said.

He had raised $600 through random donations, but further monies were needed to rent dormitory rooms and to make the school truly residential. Within two months of the scheduled opening, Payton and his staff grew anxious.

‘A SCHOOL OF FAITH’

An Act of FAITH How a World Services donation helped to start a battle school

by Warren L. Maye

He spent 11 years in Russia during a time when the country struggled economically, suffered from unrest due to the Chechnyan conflict, and was engaged in a critical presidential election. But his most vivid memory is of a seemingly insignificant contribution he made to Salvation Army World Services there in the late 1990s.

Major David Payton was faced with the familiar challenge of discipling new converts. To meet this need, he had been working with “Youth with a Mission,” a para–church organization in Rostov–on– Don, a port city in southern Russia.

Although Payton had sent people there, he and his colleagues realized that their plan was failing to produce people with a mindset for Army ministry. “It wasn’t working,” he recalls. “They weren’t coming back ‘Army.’ They had a ‘heart to God,’ but no ‘hand to man.’”

The concept of philanthropy does exist in Russia, “[but] certainly not to the extent to which it exists here in the United States of America,” said Payton.

“The Russians have Rotary Clubs and there are numbers of people—men and

24

MARCH 2016

women of conscience—who are financially able to contribute to causes and they are quite willing to do so.”

But for Payton, the predominant cultural and political climate there made it difficult if not impossible to conduct Christmas kettle campaigns on the streets of Moscow. “In fact, people would actually be offended if they knew that the monies were going toward helping homeless people and other people who might be addicted to drugs or alcohol,” said Payton. Their thought was, I’m a law– abiding citizen, why shouldn’t the money come to me? I’m hard–working and contributing to society. Why should those homeless people receive assistance when I need it and could use it myself?

To address these perceptions and more, Payton and his staff determined that they would do the training themselves. “This was a challenging undertaking. It took two years to put it together,” he said. Their vision was to open a “battle school” and to teach personal, experienced–based discipleship. Quite different from an officer training school, which was designed

Once a year in December, the Army sponsors a Self–Denial ingathering, a fundraising campaign for World Services. Against what Payton thought was his better judgment, he donated some of the battle school funds. “When the offering plate first came, I put nothing in it,” he remembers. “I was thinking, this is donated money, it’s not really mine.” Finally he thought, if this is going to be a school of faith, it’s going to have to start on an act of faith. He placed in the plate $100 of their meager funds.

A week later, something amazing happened. “I got an email from a corps officer in the USA Southern Territory indicating that he wanted to give $5,000 to the school.” Another week later, Payton received a note from General Paul A. Rader, then the international leader of The Salvation Army.

From his discretionary account, Rader contributed $5,000 more to the school.

In February 1999, the school opened. And for the next two years, it completed four sessions, two in spring and two in fall. The Army soon reassigned Payton to the training school where he would later meet Cadet Marika Safarova, who would become his wife. Payton turned over leadership of the battle school to capable hands who carried on the work for another three sessions before it closed.

Photo courtesy of Oxana O’Gara

FROM RUSSIA TO USA The school’s effect was widespread and continues today. “I kept hearing about it for years,” recalls Payton. In fact, one of the graduates, Captain Oxana O’Gara, is an officer serving in the Massachusetts Division (pictured).

Originally from the Chifinau Central Corps in Moldova, the–then Oxana Pismeniuk had been inspired to join the Army as a teenager. Her prior religious experience had been with the Russian Orthodox Church. “It was like a museum,” she remembers. “I saw the beautiful icons, elaborate pictures, and the majestic structures, but I had never read the Bible.”

It was through the Army that Oxana discovered Christ. “And after that, my life was never the same,” she said.

Oxana vividly remembers the day when General Rader enrolled her and more than 100 other soldiers during a ceremony in Ukraine. At a youth gathering, she received an invitation to attend the battle school. For the next three months of her six–month training session, Oxana

immersed herself in intensive courses led by Major Payton. For the latter part of her training, Payton sent her and another student to Romania to start a work for the Army. “It was exciting and scary at the same time!” said Oxana.

Oxana was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful reception she and her colleague received when they walked the streets of Bucharest in uniform. A woman, originally from England who had married a Romanian, stopped them and said, “I cannot believe The Salvation Army is here. I’ve been praying that you would come. You are so needed here!” For her first Bible study, Oxana had 15 people. And for the next three months, the Lord revealed to her what He can do through The Salvation Army. She said, “The battle school helped me grow to spiritual maturity.”

In 2000, Oxana came to the U.S. as a youth worker, took on varied assignments from Brooklyn to Middletown, N.Y., and was accepted to the College for Officer Training where she met Patrick J. O’Gara, her husband–to–be. Today, the Captains O’Gara serve at the Adult Rehabilitation Center in Worcester, Mass., where Captain Oxana is the director of program and residential services.

On August 1, 2015, a significant change occurred to the structure of the Salvation Army in Eastern Europe with Russia becoming a command on its own under the leadership of Lt. Colonel Alexander Kharkov, the first Russian commanding officer. Prior to this change, Russia had been a territory under the Eastern Europe Command.

During the Christmas and New Year period, a number of corps supported refugees entering Russia after the political turmoil in Ukraine. Emergency relief funding from International Headquarters was a blessing, and the physical needs of many people were met.

The Russia Command continues to move toward self–financing through the Norwegian Fretex program (SPAtex) in the St. Petersburg and Murmansk corps with a vision to expand across Russia. SPAtex is a second–hand store chain that is assisted by the government labor department in rehabilitating physically challenged people in various communities.

Photos courtesy of Major David Payton

(Left) Battle School graduates receive their certificates. (Below) Young Salvationists show their enthusiasm.

The Russia Command Today

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2016 MARCH

25

ministry around the WORLD

‘You’ve Come Home’ Captain Dwayne Barnes, assistant candidates secretary in the USA Eastern Territory, traveled to the Congo (Brazzaville) Territory to attend a week–long Holiness convention and a Brengle Institute. The following story describes how his first visit to Africa revealed what is possible in a growing Salvation Army.

On a Sunday morning, Captain Barnes opened his eyes and was immediately reminded that he was on the great continent of Africa. He and Commissioners Stewart and Hope Mungate, former territorial leaders of the Salvation Army’s Republic of Congo Territory, were being hosted

by Commissioners Onal and Edmane Castor, territorial leaders. Barnes dressed himself in his blue uniform and entered a vehicle headed for the convention.

Commissioner Onal Castor said, “Captain Barnes, I want to remind you that this morning, you’re going to enroll 70 junior soldiers. Barnes immediately thought, Oh my goodness! And before he recovered from that surprise, Castor continued, “And while you are enrolling the junior soldiers, I’ll be enrolling 370 senior soldiers.” At that moment, Barnes

26

MARCH 2016

realized that he would witness firsthand the explosive growth that is taking place in the Congo (Brazzaville) Territory with its nine divisions and two districts.

An audience of nearly 10,100 Salvationists gathered for the convention.

Seven thousand people assembled in the convention hall. Many more delegates sat outside under tents where they heard the events via a public address system.

“I led all the seminars for young people 15–30 years old,” recalls Barnes. “For three days, we explored the topic of holiness. We talked about what Samuel Logan Brengle (legendary Salvation Army teacher) taught on the subject. In my seminars, we had a total attendance of 800 Salvationists.”

Barnes kept the task from being overwhelming. “I had them split up into smaller groups. After they talked

by Warren L. Maye

among themselves, a representative of each group asked their questions, and I gladly responded to these questions.”

Through interactions with delegates, Barnes learned of the challenges many of them have in reconciling the differences between their traditional religious beliefs and New Testament Christianity.

Many young Congolese Christians want clarification on how to live a life of holiness in the 21st century.

Hearing this teaching from Barnes was an added incentive. “They were excited and upbeat because they were hearing this from someone of a different culture, country, and point of view on life.” His African ancestry also excited them. “Someone would always remind me, ‘You’re African!’”

Later at a men’s rally, Barnes was greatly moved by their depth of worship and love for the Lord Jesus.

Adorned in traditional clothing that was decorated with repetitive patterns made of Salvation Army emblems, Barnes took a seat on the platform beside Commissioner Onal Castor and

“

If we live a holy life, the Lord will bless The Salvation Army.

And the Army will bless others.

Photos courtesy of Captain Dwayne Barnes

Captain Dwayne Barnes (above, kneeling) and in photo left (seated at right), said, ‘Every minute of every meeting moved me. And in every meeting, there was a new expression of love.’

Commissioner Mungate.

“These delegates had their own dance, which they choreographed around a large basket in the middle of the room in front of the pulpit. As they moved in a circle, they dropped into the basket a variety of fruit. And they sang a familiar harvest song, Bringing In The Sheaves, ‘We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves!’”

When the basket was full, the men brought it to the platform and said to Barnes, “We don’t have much, but this is for you. We want you to enjoy these fruits while you’re here in the Congo.”

Barnes remembers, “We stood, lifted the basket, and ate some—right there!”

They put an African chief’s hat on Barnes and said, “You’re a chief!” He was awe–struck. “Every minute of every meeting moved me. And in every meeting, there was a new expression of love.”

Near the end of the meeting, they brought Barnes a suitcase full of African outfits. Again, someone said, “We don’t have much, but whatever we have, we want to share it with you.”

That evening at a Youth Night service, Barnes spoke from Romans 12 about being transformed by the renewing of your mind. He also shared from the book of Acts on how believers came together as one as the Holy Spirit empowered them to influence the world.

“The young people were completely engulfed,” Barnes remembers. “They all came to the center of the chapel and

”

knelt at a seekers’ table shaped like a cross.” After they prayed, delegates spent time together in fellowship, talking about the Bible.

Barnes will forever remember the march on Sunday morning.

“Salvationists from the nine divisions and two districts gathered. They came with their youth bands, territorial bands, and divisional bands. There were so many people marching!

“Their song sounded like a cry. I asked Commissioner Edmane Castor, ‘What are they saying?’ She said, ‘If we live a holy life, the Lord will bless The Salvation Army. And the Army will bless others.’”

Captain Barnes hopes to return to Africa with his family. “I wish all of my colleagues could have had this opportunity to be nurtured, mentored, and encouraged as I was. I said to my wife, ‘We have got to go to Africa!’”

Captains Hervé Michel and Naty Dorcias Ahouyanganga are believed to be the youngest divisional leaders in The Salvation Army.

At ages 38 and 32 respectively, they opened the work in Togo, West Africa. In just two years, their corps had grown to 1,200 soldiers. And following similar successes that involved reviving the business community through strategic entrepreneurship, they received appointments as divisional leaders for the Pointe–Noire Division, which includes the second–largest city in the Republic of Congo. When asked about their vision, Captain Hervé Michel said, “To grow spiritually and to create funding for the work.”

When asked, “How will you do it?” he said, “With prayer and hard work!”

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

2016 MARCH

27

ministry around the WORLD

Shekinah Glory

in INDONESIA

Mount Sinabung erupts, killing 15 people and forcing the evacuation of thousands more. (Below) Major James Cocker (third from right) and Bram Bailey (center) meet with local leaders and Salvationists.

On July 28, 2015, just a day after authorities had said volcanic activity was decreasing and allowed thousands of villagers who had been evacuated to return to its slopes, Mount Sinabung erupted. It spewed fire, lava, and billows of hot ash into the air for miles over the Kabanjahe region on the western Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Panicked residents ran for their lives down the side of the mountain. The pyroclastic cloud killed 14 people and left two others with burn wounds. Two more people died in its aftermath. Thousands more were evacuated to shelters on safer parts of the island.

Three weeks after the eruption, Major James B. (Jim) Cocker and Major Marcia J. Cocker arrived to serve as the territorial project officers and to check on projects and the refugee emergency relief work. Bram Bailey from the Salvation Army World Services Office (SAWSO) at National Headquarters accompanied them. The following is Major Jim’s recollection of what happened after Mount Sinabung’s second major eruption since September 2013.

28

MARCH 2016

Photo Barcroft Media/Getty Images; (inset) courtesy of Major James B. Cocker

by Major James B. Cocker

Authorities evacuated as many as 3,500 people from the other side of the mountain. The government gave the Army responsibility for 350 families, totaling 2,000 more people to our care.

One of the biggest concerns was the falling ash.

To protect themselves from it, the people wore masks. The city of Berastagi, which is 18.6 miles away, was inundated with ash.

Only after 20 minutes during a visit to the foot of the mountain, my Army blue uniform trousers became gray with ash. I was thankful for the mask, but I thought about the people living in constant exposure to the ash.

I was proud of our Salvation Army workers who had been on duty for a year. And now, there were even more refugees who needed our help.

Each evening, rice was cooked in a large kettle and distributed to the families living in temporary shelters.

In one large room, there were 50 families living together and each family had an 8 x 10 ft., area with all of their belongings piled up around them. At night, their babies cried.

During my walk around the camp, I talked to and prayed with the refugees. And I was struck by how, even in this setting, they were trying to make the most of it.

Homes, schools, and clinics need to be built. And

refugees need to be relocated to safer areas. We’re proposing income–generation programs so the farmers who have lost their land can again become self–supporting.

The corps officers have worked alongside the soldiers of the Kabanjahe Corps and, along with a doctor from the government, have been providing daily medical aid. It’s been a real blessing to see the officers and soldiers working together.

In an evening worship service, I was asked to share God’s word. About 125 people crowded into a small room and sat on the floor. But then, we suddenly lost electric power. Without missing a beat, they quickly lit candles, which cast a beautiful glow on everyone’s faces. My interpreter was top–notch.

And the service was led by the Holy Spirit.

I spoke on Psalm 46:1–10 and included the following verses: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way, and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, and the mountains quake with their surging.”

How well our friends in the service related to those words! The most important verses for them were vs. 10–11: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Of the five people who came forward to receive Christ, two of the men were Muslim. About 50 percent of the refugees are Muslims and I believe the Army is making a real impact on them through our hands–on ministry.

That night as the people made their way back to the dorms, there was a Shekinah glory (God’s presence) that radiated from them.

The next day, the press attended a public gathering. Dignitaries meet with Jokowi Widodo, the newly elected president. He also met with members of the refugee camp and promised to set aside land to be used by The Salvation Army.

I met with the district governor who promised to work alongside The Salvation Army.

I was proud then to be a Salvationist and even prouder now to know that Marcia and I will have a part to play in the long–term rebuilding project for the refugees of Mount Sinabung.

ON file

wholly living

‘ Before God and Men’ Thoughts for St. Patrick’s Day This month, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Chicago will literally dye a river green. College students will—well, they will do what they do.

People will wear green to work and to school and other people who forget to do so will suffer a pinch or two.

However, there’s a forgotten story amid all the friendly banter, a story that’s both profound and simple. It’s a story that shows us how grace plays out through suffering. It’s a story that shows us how blessing comes from obedience, not circumstance.

“Cast thy thought upon God, and He shall sustain thee.” — John A. Hardon (1987) At the age of six, a boy who would become a people’s saint was abducted from his home in Scotland and taken to an island. Enslaved on this island, the boy named Patrick was enlisted as a shepherd. Days and weeks on end, he walked through the woods and mountains of Ireland with the sheep, through rain and snow, in daylight and at night, alone with his animals and his thoughts. This is when Patrick began to pray earnestly.

He writes, “And my spirit was moved so that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many in the night…because the Spirit within me was fervent.”

—The Confession of St. Patrick (1996) One night, Patrick ran, fueled by a voice in his head that said “See, your ship is ready.” Patrick traveled 200 miles and found a ship willing to give him passage. But when they found land, he was once again taken captive, this time for two months. Freeded from captivity, for the next two years, he found fellowship,

30

MARCH 2016

by Chris Stoker

Christ Be With Me Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ where I lie, Christ where I sit, Christ where I arise, Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Christ.

May your salvation, Lord, be ever with us.

— St. Patrick's famous prayer

followed by traumatic spiritual assault within an order of priests. Ever confident that God had greater purpose in mind for him than suffering, Patrick endured.

“So I’ll never stop giving thanks to my God, who kept me faithful in the time of my temptation. I can today with confidence offer my soul to Christ my Lord as a living victim.”

Patrick continued to face rejection from spiritual leaders and close friends.

He doesn’t go into tremendous detail about these experiences in The Confession, but instead he grows more and more confident in God’s presence and purposes for his life.

Rather than dwelling on all the pain and struggle he had endured, Patrick writes, “I did not go to Ireland of my own accord, not until I had nearly perished; but this was rather for my good, for thus was I purged by the Lord; and He made me fit so that I might be now what was once far from me that I should care and labor for the salvation of others, whereas then I did not

even care about myself.” In the midst of his own misfortune, he clung to higher purposes and found divine meaning and motivation in every moment.

Throughout The Confession, Patrick continually writes from a humble place.

“I am Patrick, a sinner, most unlearned, the least of all the faithful, and utterly despised by many.” He often asks “Who am I to…?” and he perpetually refers to his own inadequacies in education, training, and knowledge. Yet his words are full of wisdom and experience.

“Therefore I give Him thanks who hath strengthened me in everything, as He did not frustrate the journey upon which I had decided, and the work which I had learned from Christ my Lord; but I rather felt after this no little strength, and my trust was proved right before God and men.”

After studying in Britain and Europe, Patrick would go back to Ireland as a missionary. He is said to have baptized thousands. He built churches in towns and villages that had been dedicated

Detoxifying x

Your SOUL

A parishoner leaves clovers by the statue of St. Patrick at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, following a St. Patrick's Day mass.

to pagan worship. He would return to the place where he had found so much pain and rejection with a message of hope, redemption, and grace.

The Catholic Church has never officially “canonized” Patrick as a “saint.”

However, his name is on the “List of Saints” and his undeniable influence has endured the test of time. Catholic writer Anita McSorley says, “And so it was that a young Briton named Patricius died an Irishman named Patrick. And neither Ireland nor Christianity was ever quite the same.”

So on St. Patrick’s Day when you wear your green sweater or that shamrock pin, may you also be guided to a faith that is unshakeable. Whether you pinch, or are pinched, may you also be reminded of a God that is faithful to each of us.

“So I’ll never stop giving thanks to my God, who kept me faithful in the time of my temptation. I can today with confidence offer my soul to Christ my Lord as a living victim.”

If you’ve ever watched a home makeover TV show, you’ve seen some clutter. And you’ve seen how eliminating it becomes essential. Oftentimes, a professional organizer helps to keep the homeowner focused and on track. The process always requires some purging.

They look at each item and the organizer helps the homeowner assess its value, and if necessary, cut his or her sentimental ties to the item, and get rid of it.

This process is especially important for people who tend to be hoarders. Typically at the end of the show, the homeowner says that the procedure was a difficult one, but well worth the effort. To get the “Big Reveal,” every homeowner must fully participate in this process.

We all need a “personal organizer” in our life. It may be someone or something that keeps us on task so that we avoid becoming overwhelmed, lose focus of the mission, and miss the “Big Reveal.”

Staying focused is a must when it comes to eliminating distractions from our spiritual health and wholeness.

Attention to spiritual growth implies an ongoing journey of spiritual rhythms that help us live out the truth found in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (MEV), “But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord.” We must be careful to draw our attention toward God, rather than to the latest religious fad that is devoid of biblical foundation. Such fads can distract us from seeing Jesus.

Focus means singleness of purpose.

With so many “good” things vying for our attention, how do we sift through them to find what is best for our spiritual growth? Paul speaks to this sifting

find us on facebook / estamos en facebook / 페이스북 방문 환영 www.facebook.com/saconnects

Staying Focused part two of a five–part series

by Major Lauren Hodgson

process when he says, “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ…” (Philippians 1:9, NIV) To thrive or flourish in godliness, we must be aware of Christ in us and working through us.

What is it that you need to do to stay focused on Jesus? Few of us are called to live a monastic lifestyle devoted to contemplation and prayer. How do we live Christlike lives as we take the dog to the vet, stand in the grocery line, travel to the office, and go to our kids’ soccer games? The answers to those questions are as diverse as we are many in number. Here are some ideas to remind you of Christ’s presence: • Carry a small cross in your pocket.

It will remind you that you are connected to Christ.

• Whenever you hear a phone ring, allow your thoughts to take you to the “throne of God.” • Set your watch to alarm at specific times during the day. When it goes off, do something to reconnect with the Lord.

• Place in strategic places sticky notes with scriptures written on them.

Our adversary would like us to feel burdened by all that we “must” accomplish, or feel disappointed as we fail to measure up, or feel anxious as we struggle to manage a perfectionist’s attitude.

“Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor” Hebrews 12:2 (VOICE).

2016 MARCH

31

ON file

testimony ‘We are welcoming you into the family,’says General André Cox to the 30 newest soldiers in Puerto Rico.

the first step on a journey The San Juan, P.R. Corps concluded its Friday night celebration of General André Cox’s first visit to Puerto Rico by blessing 30 new soldiers from various corps on the island.

“I believe this is the first step on a journey, and it will be exciting to see what God has planned for each one of you,” said General Cox. “It’s almost like being in a baseball stadium, but instead of being in the crowd watching the game, you are now being asked to be a player on our team.

We are welcoming you into the family.”

Some of the new soldiers were graduates of The Salvation Army’s San Juan Adult Rehabilitation Centers (ARC) program. The General acknowledged their unique path to becoming soldiers, and reminded them that, despite any struggle, God will be with them through

32

MARCH 2016

every step.

“I know some of you have encountered difficulties and disappointments, but the love of God has never stopped seeking you. You are all unique, and if you continue to place your trust in the Lord, I can guarantee that your future is bright.

“I will pray for you, pray that God will use you, and I receive each of you as soldiers of the Army in camaraderie under the ‘Blood & Fire.’

“Sometimes when we look at the world, we despair and we forget that His Kingdom is growing. To see each of you wanting to be soldiers and make a commitment is a sign of God’s love and grace. God is still calling, God is still reaching out to us,” said the General.

Among the new soldiers was Lexir Diaz, a 7–year old junior soldier from the Fajardo Corps. He stood next to the

by Hugo Bravo

General as he addressed the congregation. The General took special notice of Lexir, the youngest soldier in the group, and said to him, “Who knows? You may very well be a future General of The Salvation Army!” Loud cheers erupted from the audience.

“Future General, but maybe not the next General—I can’t wait that long!”

General Cox said, smiling.

Lieutenant Marlene Diaz is Lexir’s mother and corps officer of the Fajardo Corps. She said that, for months, Lexir had looked forward to becoming a junior soldier.

“When I heard that Lexir would have this opportunity with the General, I immediately thought, This is something that he [Lexir] will look back on for the rest of his life,” said Diaz. “It will have an enormous impact on his future.”

Commissioning 2016 June 10-12 | Hershey, PA

Led by

Commissioners Barry C. & E. Sue Swanson Special Guests

COMMISSIONERS MERLE & DAWN HEATWOLE AND

Colonels F. Bradford & Heidi Bailey

Livestream Event www.saconnects.org #MessengersOfLight

LAY LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2016

The kingdom of God is within you.

–Luke 17:21

JULY 30–AUGUST 6 UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 2016 OOB CAMP MEETINGS

COST: $100 TO REGISTER GO TO :

saconnects.org/lead/ GOING DEEPER

COLONEL RICHARD MUNN

Educate

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

CAPTAINS KEITH & PAM MAYNOR

SKILLED LEADERSHIP

Empower

CAPTAINS KEVIN & TAWNY ZANDERS

Encourage

Is it Really possible to give a gift that offers a child

ILD SPO CH ORSHIP NS

Yes!

OVERSEAS

food, friendships, faith and a future? and you can do this!

Here’s how: Sponsor a child, children’s home, or school in another country.

Doesn’t every child deserve a chance? Only $25 per month (100% goes to the child, children’s home, or school).

OverseasChild@use.salvationarmy.org