SAconnects, Volume 2, Number 10 by The Salvation Army: SAconnects

VOL. 2, NO. 10 • DECEMBER 2016

the magazine

Christmas

A time for giving page 19

a message from General André Cox your December Advent calendar

page 1

page 15 SACONNECTS.ORG

C A L L E D TO P R O C L A I M C A N D I D AT E S ’ S E M I N A R 2 0 1 7

the General’s Christmas message

Christmas For children in many countries around the world, Christmas is a time of great anticipation and excitement. Christmas is rightly emphasized with the joy of children, for the wonderful story of Christmas is about the coming of the Christ– child of whom we read in Luke’s Gospel:

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18–19

FEBRUARY 3–5 For more information or to register, go to: saconnects.org/candidates College for Officer Training 201 Lafayette Avenue, Suffern, NY 10901

USA Eastern Territory Commissioners William A. & G. Lorraine Bamford Territorial Leaders

‘ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told’ (Luke 2:1–20 NIV).

IN focus

2016

Una versión en español de este mensaje navideño del General está disponible ahora en saconnects.org.

The Christmas story is for all people of all ages and cultures, and is about how God came into our ordinary, everyday world as a little baby so that he could live with us and share in our lives. The coming of Christ at Christmas changed the course of human history. We love to look at what we think is an idyllic and beautiful picture of that first Christmas. Yet a stable is hardly a good place for a baby to be born. The reality is that there was no room for Jesus. That reality is still true today with the over–commercialization of Christmas to the point where most of our time, energy, and attention is focused on other things. We are so busy that we have no space or time left to remember that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Christ–child. God came into the world for the poor, ordinary people, not just for kings and princes. The announcement of the angels concerning the birth of God’s Messiah is to a group of shepherds. What a wonderful thought that God came into the reality of our human existence and came, without discrimination, for the humble, ordinary people. James Irwin, one of the few astronauts to have walked on the moon, was asked about his experiences in space. He spoke about the importance of space exploration and how mankind has been helped with medical research, new technologies, and a greater understanding of the universe in which we live. He went on to describe the wonder of gazing at our small blue planet from such a distance in space and realizing just how beautiful and unique it is. He also spoke about the wonder of standing on the moon in 1971 and seeing an earthrise. He said that it is important for the good of mankind that it is technically possible for a man to walk on the moon, but how much more important it is that God, in Jesus, came into our world and walked upon earth. The arrival of Jesus in our world makes many things possible: It is possible for us to know hope and love; to enjoy a personal relationship with God the Creator; to experience forgiveness for the wrong things that we do; and it is possible for us to experience a sense of peace and belonging in this troubled world. Sadly, we see still so much injustice, hate, violence, and

corruption in the world that at times we are brought to utter despair. If only the world would see and take hold of the greatest gift that God gives us in Jesus. The words of Major Joy Webb’s song “Come into our world!” reflect a longing and a plea, for without God our world is a sorry place: All around us, seemingly, darkness holds its sway; Truth and love are faltering, peace in disarray; And if we needed you, we need you now! Come into our world, Come into our world, now, Lord Jesus! People sit in loneliness, children cry for bread; Men fight men in hatred, by suspicion led; And if we needed you, we need you now! Faced with such confusion, hope has slipped away; Men have stopped believing, forgotten how to pray; And if we needed you, we need you now!

Thankfully it does not need to be like this. Our world can be different, but if that is to happen it requires each of us to experience a change of heart, to be changed and transformed so that the life God intended for us becomes a reality through his Son, Jesus. No wonder that the angels rejoiced and sang: ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven…’ (Luke 2:14).

— General André Cox

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2016 DECEMBER

Vol. 2, No. 10

CONTENTS DECEMBER 2016 12

IN focus

1 the General's Christmas Message

3 our leaders 4 from the editor 6 sound doctrine

ON file

5 relevents Soldier Mabel López talks about the Fortissimo Music Program and the role of music and arts in ministry.

8 Willing to Pay the Price The Urban Mission Team in Cincinnati's Price Hill neighborhood is helping to revitalize people's lives at the corps.

12 Women at 'The Well' Jenny Clark is called to help human trafficking victims and give a voice to the voiceless in Portland, Maine.

15 Advent Calendar

Count down the days until Christmas with quotes and poems celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. COVER STORY

19 A Time for Giving

Read some inspiring stories about the Army's work in helping "the least of these" at Christmas. Para leer más artículos en español por favor visite

SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

DECEMBER 2016

30 testimony Major Lloyd Stoops has given away over 800 handmade wooden crosses, as a reminder of Christ's love and ultimate sacrifice.

32 testimony Captain Cindy Lou Drummond shares reflections on her extraordinary visit to the Holy Land.

FAITH in ACTION

24 Welcome to Cadets

"Messengers of the Gospel" tell their amazing stories and inspire listeners to trust God with their lives.

26 What a Birdie Can Tell You

Learn how being "bird sleuths" helped kids in Philly discover the value of tweeting in the real world.

28 Linked for Life

Thanks to "Others," seven women from the USA Eastern Territory made friends with women in Kenya.

30 28 Cover: Red Shield Toolkit

features

our leaders

IN focus

聖誕快樂

Jwaye Nwèl

Merry Christmas

축성탄

Feliz Navidad

These are the languages in which the Gospel is preached in the USA Eastern Territory. In any language, the message is the same. For a believer, this simple Christmas greeting expresses one’s desire to share the joy that comes from a personal relationship with the Babe of Bethlehem—who became our Savior. In many countries where Christianity is not the major religious influence, similar greetings are more of an expression of New Year’s wishes. People are unaware of, or uninterested in, this season in which we celebrate God’s gift of salvation coming to the world. Sadly, even in the U.S., the “merriness” often has little to do with the joy God intended for His beloved creation. Christmastime affords opportunities for The Salvation Army to be even more visible and engaged to meet human need in Christ’s name. So, once again, we pray that each toy distributed, each clang of a kettle bell, every food basket given or meal prepared, and all of the compassionate visits to homes and hospitals may express the real joy that comes from God and truly makes Christmas “merry.” To you who deliver God’s joy, thank you for being the hands and feet of Christ. May His joy be magnified in you this Christmas.

— Commissioners / Comisionados Bill y Lorraine Bamford Territorial Leaders / Líderes Territoriales

Estos son los idiomas en los que se predica el Evangelio en el Territorio Este EUA. En cualquiera de ellos, el mensaje siempre es el mismo. Este sencillo saludo navideño, para el creyente, expresa el deseo de compartir la alegría que surge de una relación personal con el Niño de Belén, el cual se convirtió en nuestro Salvador. En muchos países donde el cristianismo no es muy influyente, saludos como este son una expresión de buenos deseos para el Año Nuevo. La gente en esos países no conoce o no siente interés por esta época del año, en la que celebramos la salvación que Dios nos regaló y que vino al mundo. Es triste constatar el hecho de que incluso en los Estados Unidos, la "alegría navideña" a menudo tiene poco que ver con el gozo que Dios quiso darle a su amada creación. La temporada de Navidad brinda oportunidades al Ejército de Salvación para que sea aún más visible y para que supla las necesidades humanas en el nombre de Cristo. De modo que, una vez más, oramos para que cada juguete que entreguemos, cada tintineo de la campana de la olla roja, cada canasta con alimentos, cada plato de comida y cada una de las compasivas visitas que hagamos a los hogares y a los hospitales puedan expresar el verdadero gozo que viene de Dios y que hace de la Navidad una experiencia realmente "alegre". A ti, que llevas la alegría del Señor a los demás, gracias por ser las manos y los pies de Jesucristo. Que su gozo se magnifique en ti en esta Navidad.

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2016 DECEMBER

IN focus

¡ TRIUNFARÁN !

from the editor

‘Run with Perseverance’ Corramos con Perseverancia Sports are excellent tools to help build healthy bodies, minds, and spirits. Fitness in these three areas is essential for optimum performance in life. In January, SAConnects will show Salvationists who use a variety of fun and exciting sports to keep their bodies fit temples of the Holy Spirit. From archery, to basketball, to disc golf, to swimming, to soccer, to flag football, you’ll see people explore the limits. Other exciting stories will show how Salvationists keep their visionary muscles strong. You’ll read powerful reflections and testimonies from the “Fuego: a catalyst experience for young adults” event. Our report on this year’s Empowerment Conference, which celebrated 144 years of Salvationism among people of color in the United States, will inspire you to flex your faith. In this issue, you’ll see captivating photos and read thoughtful reflections from Captain Cindy Lou Drummond on her recent trip to Israel with Eastern Territory officers. Their long walks where Jesus walked and their heartfelt prayers where He knelt and prayed literally exercised everyone’s body, mind, and spirit. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

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

DECEMBER 2016

Los deportes son excelentes instrumentales que ayudan a fortalecer la salud de nuestros cuerpos, mentes y espíritus. El buen estado de estos tres aspectos es esencial para nuestro óptimo desempeño en la vida. En su edición de enero, SAConnects mostrará a algunos salvacionistas que practican una variedad de deportes entretenidos y apasionantes para mantener sus cuerpos en buen estado, en su calidad de templos del Espíritu Santo. Desde el tiro con arco al básquetbol, al disco golf, a la natación, al fútbol soccer y al fútbol americano de banderines (flag football); podrás conocer a diversas personas que se atreven a superar los límites. En otras historias cautivantes verás lo que hacen los salvacionistas para mantener los músculos de su espíritu visionario en buena forma. Leerás varias reflexiones y testimonios poderosos en torno al evento conocido como “Fuego: una experiencia catalizadora para jóvenes adultos”. La conferencia de empoderamiento de este año, que celebró 144 años de salvacionismo entre las personas de color en los Estados Unidos, te inspirará a poner tu fe en acción. Además, veráfotos cautivadoras y leeráreflexiones ponderadas de la Capitana Cindy Lou Drummond en su reciente viaje a Israel con los oficiales del Territorio Este de Estados Unidos. Sus largos recorridos por donde Jesús caminó y sus oraciones sinceras en los lugares en los que Él se arrodilló y oró, literalmente ejercitan el cuerpo, la mente y el espíritu de cada persona. “Por tanto, también nosotros, que estamos rodeados de una multitud tan grande de testigos, despojémonos del lastre que nos estorba, en especial del pecado que nos asedia, y corramos con perseverancia la carrera que tenemos por delante. Fijemos la mirada en Jesús, el iniciador y perfeccionador de nuestra fe” (Hebreos 12:1–2).

The Hispanic Ministry of The Salvation Army “Colonel Frank Payton has captured the compelling story of God’s blessing on the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army to Spanish–speaking people in the United States and Puerto Rico. By publishing ¡Triunfarán! we honor those faithful servants of the Lord who have devoted their lives to this work. Their valiant efforts have borne much fruit for the Kingdom. Today, the Army’s Hispanic ministry is a vibrant expression of Salvationism. May this historical account of the Army’s growth inspire us all to seek new places and new ways to spread the Gospel! ¡Adelante, pués, Ejército de Salvación!” — Commissioner William A. Bamford III Territorial Commander, USA Eastern Territory

NOW AVAILABLE

on Amazon.com as an ebook for $3.99 in both Spanish and English

relevents

ON file

interview by Hugo Bravo

Soldier Mabel López, creative arts coordinator for The Salvation Army Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands Division, talks with SAConnects about the role of the arts in worship, the book of Jeremiah, and God’s plan for all of us.

Creative arts can turn imagination into a game people of all ages can play. I’ve always loved acting and watching Broadway shows. I also teach classes in “pandereta’” (timbrel). I love the role the tambourine has in Salvation Army history. Salvationist women used this simple musical instrument to create powerful worship. Even back then, the Army used creative arts in street ministry. Now, when I see artists perform on the streets of Puerto Rico, I think, Is there a way we can incorporate this as a form of worship for the Army?

I was a student in the Fortissimo Music Program in San Juan. The lessons helped me when I joined a marching band in college. I feel proud to have been a Fortissimo student and to have returned to the program as a creative arts teacher. When children spend an hour practicing the arts, that’s an hour they’re off the streets. They learn about God’s love and His presence. I was an only child. But because of Fortissimo, I always felt as though I had many brothers and sisters.

My husband is awesome! Soldier Richard D. López and I started our relationship as best friends. One day, we just clicked and realized we could be much more. We’re so different; he’s outgoing, and I’m the serious one. Our marriage has been a beautiful blessing. We learn more about each other every day. I can always be myself around him. A marriage like ours has its trials as we’re young and have many responsibilities at our corps. But the opportunity to serve the Lord together and to work for Him has helped everything fall into place. We met while worshipping the Lord, and we continue to work together for His Church.

In the book of Jeremiah, God tells us He knows the plans He has for each of us. At times when I experienced difficulties, I’ve forgotten this truth. But through Him, I strive to be the woman He wants me to be to my family and to His Church. God uniquely created us and has given us a purpose, which is to share His Gospel.

“

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart; I

”

appointed you as a prophet to the nations. — Jeremiah 1:5

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My mother Maura and I are the only members of our family now living in Puerto Rico. She has always been important in my life, even though for part of my youth, she lived in Spain and I lived in the Dominican Republic. She has been my counselor, my teacher, and, during the most difficult times, my rock.

2016 DECEMBER

IN focus

Sound Doctrine by Colonel Richard Munn

the magazine

Tres Caminos de Santidad La instantánea y progresiva paradoja de la gracia santificadora se describe en “Tres caminos de santidad”. Cada modelo constituye un punto de vista wesleyano legítimo. El camino más corto. – La santificación al momento. Esto se trata de un robusto optimismo wesleyano, el cual recalca que podemos experimentar la santificación plena de modo inmediato, gracias a una combinación de consagración y fe. El resultado es la liberación de nuestra inclinación interior al pecado; el énfasis está puesto en la inmediatez de la experiencia. Los pioneros salvacionistas y las primeras ediciones del Manual de Doctrinas del Ejército reflejaban este punto de vista. El camino intermedio. – La santificación que se busca y se recibe. Esta perspectiva no disminuye el optimismo de “El camino más corto”, sino que incorpora la necesidad de gracia adicional y de un lapso de tiempo mayor. En cierta medida, sirve de filtro a la capacidad que tienen los humanos de persistir en la inmadurez y en la inconstancia. No obstante, supone la confianza de que en virtud de una búsqueda y un espíritu de oración sinceros, la santificación se experimentará y se recibirá. El camino más largo. – La santificación a través de un proceso y del crecimiento. Aquí el énfasis está puesto en la santificación como resultado de una peregrinación y un proceso de formación espiritual. La presencia intratable del pecado obstinado y tenaz ejerce su influencia en este camino. En este modelo, el crecer en la gracia y la madurez a través de las disciplinas espirituales dan cabida a la santidad. Esta modalidad es cada vez más prevaleciente entre los estudiosos wesleyanos de hoy, y ello se refleja hasta cierto punto en las ediciones recientes de nuestro Manual de Doctrinas. ¿Al momento? ¿Pronto? ¿Más tarde? Parafraseemos a Pablo: “El que comenzó tan buen camino en ustedes lo llevará a feliz término”.

Three Holiness Journeys The instantaneous and progressive paradox of sanctifying grace is outlined in “Three Holiness Journeys.” Each model is a legitimate Wesleyan viewpoint. The Shorter Way – sanctification now. Here is robust Wesleyan optimism, emphasizing that we can experience entire sanctification immediately, through a combination of consecration and faith. The outcome is deliverance from our inner inclination to sin, and the emphasis is on the immediacy of the experience. Salvationist pioneers and early editions of the Army’s Handbook of Doctrine reflect this viewpoint. The Middle Way – sanctification by seeking and receiving. This perspective does not diminish the optimism of “The Shorter Way,” but incorporates the need for further grace and more time. In some measure, it filters humans’ capacity for immaturity and fickleness. However, there is confidence that with earnest searching and prayer, sanctification will be experienced and received. The Longer Way – sanctification by process and growth. Here the emphasis is on sanctification as the outcome of pilgrimage and spiritual formation. The intractable presence of obstinate and stubborn sin influences this journey. In this model, growing in grace and maturing through spiritual disciplines mediate Holiness. Such an approach is increasingly prevalent in current Wesleyan scholarship, and is somewhat reflected in the recent editions of our Handbook of Doctrine. Now? Sooner? Later? Let’s paraphrase Paul: “He who began a good journey in you, will bring it to completion.”

your connection to The Salvation Army

USA EASTERN TERRITORY TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner William A. Bamford III Commissioner G. Lorraine Bamford CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Kenneth O. Johnson, Jr. COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY Colonel Janice A. Howard 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 MANAGING DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Keri Johnson, Karena Lin, Joe Marino CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brenda Lotz, Major Young Sung Kim CIRCULATION Deloris Hansen COMMAND NEWS CORRESPONDENTS ARCC Major Charles Deitrick PENDEL Major Kathryn A. Avery EMP Jaye C. Jones GNY Major Susan Wittenberg MASS Drew Forster NNE Cheryl Poulopoulos PR & VI Linette Luna SNE James Gordon WEPASA Captain Kimberly DeLong Territorial Music Liaison Derek Lance Territorial Youth Liaison Captain Gillian Rogers New command correspondents will be appointed

CFOT, NEOSA, SWONEKY, NJ

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’s 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. 10, December 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 © 2016 by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission.

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DECEMBER 2016

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THE WHOLE WORLD MOBILIZING GO FORWARD! COMMENCING JANUARY 2017 VISION To mobilize the global Salvation Army to go forward in mission. General André Cox dreams of an Army where every officer, soldier, adherent, employee, youth, and child is actively mobilizing: • To spread the good news of the Gospel • To reach out in practical ways • To minister to the needs of our communities • To daily put our faith into action.

THERE ARE SIX MOVEMENTS IN THE CAMPAIGN: 1. INTEGRATING The development of a dedicated, responsive website will provide a space where the mission endeavors and resources of The Salvation Army around the world can be integrated. 2. MOTIVATING This movement will encourage and inspire Salvationists around the world to get involved and participate in the campaign. 3. CULTIVATING The third movement will focus on the cultivation of the skills and strategies needed for Salvationists to engage in mission in their local communities. 4. ACTIVATING This stage encourages Salvationists to get actively involved in mission in their local community and beyond. 5. CELEBRATING This movement highlights and celebrates the work of God in the lives of individuals and corps, division, command, and territorial locations. 6. DEDICATING This movement brings the campaign to a climax, celebrating victories and providing an opportunity for Salvationists to dedicate themselves again to the continued expansion of the Kingdom of God.

willing to

Chris (left) and Curtis Zarmbus with some kids at the Cincinnati West Side Corps

PAY the PRICE photography and story by Robert Mitchell

he Price Hill neighborhood is one of Cincinnati’s worst—a mix of drugs, gangs, prostitution, and transients. Heroin overdoses are setting records. “It’s not a safe place when the sun goes down,” says Captain Doug Richwine, the co–pastor of the Cincinnati West Side Corps. “It’s just a really rough neighborhood.” Into this tempest, the corps has sent a four–member Urban Mission Team as an outreach to the troubled community. The team includes James Eller, 22; Kyle Mottinger, 23; and twin brothers Curtis and Chris Zarmbus, 21. The Salvation Army has a similar Urban Mission Team in Dayton, Ohio, a program initiated by Major Larry Ashcraft, commander of the Southwest Ohio and Northeast Kentucky (SWONEKY) Division.

NEW LIFE

Captain Doug and his wife, Captain Patricia (Patty) Richwine, say the Urban Mission Team has revitalized the corps by reaching out to at–risk teens. “There’s been slow growth and the bedrock is the Urban Mission Team,” Captain Doug said. “That’s what’s bringing vitality to this corps. It’s helped our corps immensely. There’s life in it now. There’s purpose.” While Eller and Mottinger are new to the neighborhood, the Zarmbus brothers grew up there. They lost their parents to illness in the last few years, but have found new purpose in their lives.

DECEMBER 2016

“Both of these guys got saved coming here,” Captain Doug said of the brothers. “They were not churched, and they got saved in this building. Now they’ve turned it around and they’re leading others. “I’m a pastor, teacher, discipler, and mentor,” the captain continued. “I give evangelistic messages, but I’m not an evangelist. These guys are evangelists. People get saved under their ministry.”

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

Captain Patty said the brothers have grown spiritually and socially, adding, “They get out in the streets and they know how to talk to people.” The Zarmbus brothers said growing up in the neighborhood is an advantage in their outreach. “They can relate to us,” says Chris. “They know we come from the same background. We lived in the neighborhood and they know us.” The corps didn’t have many teens before, but now

anywhere from 10 to 15 show up Tuesdays for Bible study, Fridays for video games and pizza, and Saturdays to play card games. They also come to church on Sundays. Some of the teens show up on Thursdays to help teach children in the Kid’s Club. “[Attendance] continues to grow,” said Curtis. “Every week, we get two or three more.”

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Many are already memorizing Scripture in Corps Cadets and Senior Soldier classes. A new drama program has been a draw. “Once we get a solid group, we’re going to start performing,” Eller said. “They’re really invested in the corps and they’re also sharing the Gospel with their friends, who have come to church.

“

The corps has taken some of the teens to Youth Councils and other divisional events. “We’ve had a few profess to be saved,” said Captain Doug. Eller, who has been a part of the Urban Mission Team since 2014, teaches the teen Bible study and said he has seen growth. “They were engaged right from the beginning,” Eller said. “Most of them knew nothing about the Bible and they knew nothing about Jesus or Christianity. It’s been a year now since they first came and the improvement has been tremendous.” Eller said the teens are involved in Bible Bowl this year.

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There’s been slow growth and the bedrock is the Urban Mission Team. That’s what’s bringing vitality to this corps. There’s life in it now. There’s purpose. — Captain Doug Richwine

”

2016 DECEMBER

(Top) James Eller (bottom) Kyle Mottinger (Right) The Zarmbus brothers chat with the Captains Richwine about urban mission.

A SHINING LIGHT

“They’re growing and they’re engaged and they’re investing in this church and I believe it’s changing their lives.” Kyle, who started with the Urban Mission Team in August, said his favorite activity is helping out with Kid’s Club, where children come for crafts, gym, snacks, and the Bible. “A lot of the kids grow up without fathers and get influenced by drugs and violence,” he said. “I see The Salvation Army as a beacon of hope amid the darkness. I’m just trying to make a difference in the community where I’m living. “My main goal is just to build relationships with some of the kids and adults in the area and just be a positive influence and a friend.” Kyle, a student at Cincinnati Christian University, met The Salvation Army there during a ministry fair. He lives in the neighborhood with James and the Zarmbus brothers. “We often walk through the neighborhood and talk to people,” Curtis said.

BRINGING IN THE SHEEP

Many teens hang out at a local library. Chris remembers reading his Bible at the library when three teens asked him questions. He invited them to church, but was surprised when they showed up at his house at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday ready to go. “They came to church and heard the sermon,” he said. “It kind of drew them in. They’ve been here ever since. I love doing what God asked us to do.” One of the first things Curtis and Chris did was invite the teens to the corps on Saturday to play a card game called

DECEMBER 2016

Yu–Gi–Oh. The event drew 18 teens the first week and 15 every Saturday since. “All of this from a card game,” said Captain Doug, shaking his head in amazement.

JUST BEING THERE

On Friday nights, the teens can enjoy an open gym and also eat pizza and play video games, board games, charades, and lip sync. “It’s a time to hang out and talk, and if anyone has any problems, they can come to us,” Curtis said. Many of the teens have difficult home lives, and the team is around for encouragement and prayer support. “Coming to the corps gives them an opportunity to get out of that environment and into a good environment, even if it’s only for a few hours a day,” Curtis said. “They do know that there are people here who love them and we’re going to be here for them and help them and pray with them. To be able to speak Scripture with them is great.” Curtis said some of the teens have confided that they bounce around from house to house and don’t always get to eat. The Salvation Army meal goes a long way in their lives.

A PLACE OF SAFETY

“They ask for prayer a lot,” he said. “They know that even though their home life is not the best, they have a family with us and with The Salvation Army.” Captain Patty said that, for many of the teens, the corps is an oasis from what goes on outside. “There is stability here,” she said. “They know they can

count on these guys.” The road each member has traveled to the Urban Mission Team is unique. Curtis said he came to the corps three years ago to stand kettles, but he admits his only motivation was to make money. “Once I started working with them, it just changed my life,” he said. “I got to see where the money goes and how it helps. It completely changed me. I suddenly wasn’t doing it for the money anymore; I was doing it to help people.”

FINDING THEIR CALLING

Curtis said the Richwines helped him deal with the loss of his parents and to discover his spiritual gifts. “What is calling me to continue doing this is seeing the faces of the people we help,” he said. “It’s just so amazing to see the lives that have been changed.” Chris said, when he and Curtis were young, his family struggled. There wasn’t a lot of food, clothes, or even money to do laundry. He remembers sitting in his room and praying for his family to be closer. “I didn’t get a personal family, but I got a spiritual family,” he said. “I have gotten a family with this corps … and that’s how I know God exists. I know He is looking out for me.” Chris said he feels called to officership. “I want to help save as many people as I can,” he said. “I feel officership is the best opportunity for me to do that.” Mottinger, a native of Indianapolis, had dropped out of Ball State University and was living as an “agnostic” when his father invited him to church.

PURSUING HOLINESS

“I felt the love of God for the first time through the people in that church,” he said. “It changed my life.” Mottinger said that’s the kind of selfless love he wants to show the people of Price Hill. “I’m very aware that being in the trenches of a rough area and reaching out to these kids, I know it’s going to deeply impact me,” he said. “It’s going to change my perspective. It’s going to hopefully draw me closer to Jesus and help me with my faith.” A fourth–generation Salvationist, Eller grew up in Dayton. Before coming to Cincinnati, he was a dishwasher at the Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in his hometown. His life changed dramatically at age 16 when Lieutenant Stephen Mayes, who was then a youth pastor in Dayton, taught him about holiness. Eller wrote, “My goal in life is for people to look at me and see Jesus.” He kept the written goal in his room. “From then on, I began a journey toward holiness,” he said. “I’ve come a long way, but I still have a long way to go. The work I do for the Urban Mission Team, and everything I do here is just a part of that journey.”

dispuestos a

PAGAR EL PRECIO Price Hill es uno de los peores barrios de Cincinnati, allí impera una mezcla de drogas, pandillas, prostitución y vagabundos. Los casos de sobredosis de heroína han alcanzado niveles nunca antes vistos. “No es un lugar seguro después que cae la tarde”, dice el Capitán Doug Richwine, copastor del Cuerpo West Side de Cincinnati. “Lo digo con toda franqueza: es un barrio tremendamente duro”. El Cuerpo ha enviado al corazón de ese tormentoso vecindario un Equipo Misionero Urbano, conformado por cuatro miembros, con el objetivo de establecer una obra comunitaria de ayuda a esa atribulada colectividad. El equipo incluye a James Eller, de 22 años; a Kyle Mottinger, de 23; y a los gemelos Curtis y Chris Zarmbus, de 21. El Ejército de Salvación cuenta con un Equipo Misionero Urbano de características y funciones similares en Dayton, Ohio, donde surgió como programa gracias a la iniciativa del Mayor Larry Ashcraft, Comandante de la División del Suroeste de Ohio y Noreste de Kentucky (SWONEKY, por sus siglas en inglés). El Equipo Misionero Urbano ha abierto varias brechas con los adolescentes de Price Hill. El Cuerpo no contaba con muchos adolescentes antes de eso, pero ahora se presentan entre 10 y 15 chicos todos los martes para participar en las sesiones de estudios bíblicos. Otros tantos asisten cada viernes para disfrutar de videojuegos y pizza; y los sábados para practicar diversos juegos de cartas. Además vienen a la iglesia los domingos. “La asistencia al Cuerpo y a los servicios dominicales ha seguido creciendo”, informa Curtis. “Cada semana, se integran dos o tres jóvenes más”. El Capitán Doug y su esposa, la Capitana Patricia Richwine, dicen que el Equipo Misionero Urbano ha revitalizado al Cuerpo gracias a su trabajo entre los adolescentes de la comunidad que se encuentran en situación de riesgo social. “Hemos tenido un crecimiento lento pero sostenido y su impulsor ha sido el Equipo Misionero Urbano”, explica el Capitán Doug. “Eso es lo que le ha infundido vitalidad a este Cuerpo. Ha sido una ayuda inmensa para nuestra congregación. Ahora está rebosante de vida. Y es porque lo impulsa un gran propósito”.

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

Photo by Ryan Love

Jenny Clark enjoys a cup of coffee at The Well in Portland, Maine.

Women at ‘The Well’

by Robert Mitchell

“Thank you for saving my mom’s life.” — daughter of a client

enny Clark had been living in Portland, Maine, for just one week. While attending an evening service at the Portland Citadel Corps, what felt like the hand of God tapped her for a huge assignment. The speaker was Dee Clarke, a human traf-ficking survivor who now runs a non–profit organization in Portland. As Clarke delivered her riveting testimony, Jenny knew she wanted to help. The timing was right. Lt. Colonel Patricia LaBossiere, who was then stationed in Portland, was launching an anti– human trafficking program. Jenny volunteered to help. Today, she is the anti–human trafficking ministries coordinator for the Portland Citadel Corps. “It was just really God bringing people all together at the right time,” Clark said. The first effort to combat human trafficking in Portland was the establishment of a street outreach modeled after a Salvation Army program in Columbus, Ohio. “For a few months, we just drove around and prayed,” Clark recalled. “We didn’t really see a lot of people. We weren’t really sure what to look for.”

MAKING FRIENDS

The situation soon changed. In the last year alone, The Salvation Army has had 80 interactions with women and distributed 74 gifts, including toiletries, snacks, clothing—and

shared a lot of conversation and love. “People wanted to talk to us,” Clark said. “We’ve really seen a relationship and a reputation build.” One night when a woman needed medical help, Clark traveled to a local drugstore for ointment and bandages. “It was like the story of the Good Samaritan,” she said. “It’s cool to see how God works within this ministry. “People have learned to trust us. We offer love to them. Today, they seek us and know we care about them—no matter what.”

FINDING ‘LIVING WATER’

A loving relationship opened the door to “The Well” day center, a popular program replicated from Columbus, Ohio. Once a week, a few women drop by the Portland Citadel Corps to escape sexual exploitation. “It’s a time when women have coffee and do crafts and build relationships with us,” Clark said. The day center got its name from the story of a woman who met Jesus at a well (John 4). Clark said the story inspired her. “Jesus treated [the woman] as an equal and made her His ambassador to that community,” Clark said. “He engaged her worth and value. She developed into a person who spread His Gospel. “That’s what our ministry is about—helping these women develop and contribute to our community.”

COVERING THE PAST Jenny Clark’s mother, Beth Stumpfel, started an organization called Restoration Ink, which provides cover–up tattoos for women escaping human trafficking. Find the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/restorationink.

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2016 DECEMBER

“

They are the victims of human trafficking. They’re the people whom no one

”

really sees. I’ve been called to serve them. — Jenny Clark

SPIRITUALLY SEEKING

Some of the women have worked kettles and gone to Salvation Army camp. Others come to the corps for Sunday worship. They also ask Clark questions about God. “A lot of the women seek a relationship with God or desire to be more spiritual,” Clark said. “If they don’t come to the corps, I still have those conversations to encourage them.” Clark said some of the women are growing in their faith, thanks to a young adult Bible study at the corps. “It’s been amazing to see them engage the Word,” she said. “For the first time, some women have prayed out loud at the Bible study. “I’ve worked with women, one–on–one, and I’ve seen tremendous growth in their lives.” Clark said the women drop by the corps to get food, clothing, and housing assistance—or just to talk to employees.

MINISTRY OF PRESENCE

“The employees are loving and compassionate toward the women,” Clark said. “The corps is a space where women feel love and compassion rather than judgment. Being present with them is really the heart of our ministry.” Clark extends her relationship with the women outside the corps by supporting them at meetings and during court appearances. She has taken them roller–skating and organized baby showers. “We were at the hospital with a woman who had a baby. We made it a happy occasion,” Clark said. The Salvation Army partnered with other churches and provided Christmas presents for 19 women and their families. Clark was surprised when the daughter of a woman who had been trafficked and addicted to heroin thanked Clark for getting help for her mother. “Her daughter said to me, ‘Thank you for saving my mom’s life.’ ” Clark said. “That makes it all worth it.”

DECEMBER 2016

ROOT CAUSES

Clark said many of the women she helps were sexually abused as young girls and were often in and out of foster care. “They’re women the community has failed,” Clark said. “They’ve been ostracized. They’ve missed the love, compassion, and support everyone receives. My mission as a Christian is to restore their humanity and dignity.” Clark said she is drawn to the Good Samaritan story in Luke 10. “These women aren’t just people I care about,” Clark says, “they’re my neighbors. I want to welcome them into our community and embrace them as citizens and sisters in Christ. I think one of the biggest injustices these women face is being excluded from our communities.”

A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE

Clark, 25, grew up in northern Maine and majored in intercultural studies (with an emphasis on missions) at Houghton College in Caneadea, N.Y. Her interest in human trafficking and other social justice issues germinated at Houghton. She also met The Salvation Army there and learned it bussed Houghton students to a nearby corps. Clark said she and her husband, Chris, are drawn to The Salvation Army’s mission “for the least, the last, and the lost.” “They are the victims of human trafficking,” Clark said. “They’re the people whom no one really sees. I’ve been called to serve them.”

finding new life Katie, a young woman who lived on the streets, now attends “The Well” day center, where she hopes to make a new life for herself and her son. Learning to trust people has been a slow process, but she continues to embrace the nurturing staff and officers. She worked as a bell ringer last Christmas and now volunteers at the Portland Citadel Corps. Katie said for all the help she has received—which includes a Christmas meal, gifts for her one–year–old son, and assistance in finding an apartment— she wants to give back. She now attends a young adult Bible study and is learning about God and how faith can guide her. Having participated in Life Skills classes, her goal is to find fulltime work. “I’m really grateful to The Salvation Army,” Katie says. “I don’t know where I’d be right now without it.”

Do you have the

Christmas spirit? And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. —LUKE 2:7 (KJV)

My siblings and I used to ask each other this question every year. The Christmas spirit wasn’t automatic. It wasn’t connected to a date on the calendar. It was a mood. A feeling. A sense that Christmas was coming and you were excited about it. My brother would say, “It just doesn’t seem like Christmas until it snows.” A sister would say, “I just can’t get into the Christmas spirit this year.” But one day, someone would come home from the shopping center and say, “They were playing Christmas carols in Filene’s! That really put me in the Christmas spirit.” Later, we’d see the Christmas banners on the light posts downtown and the decorations in church. We started buying presents for each other. We put up our tree. Mom pulled out the Bing Crosby record and started baking treats and the kitchen smelled wonderful. We put the manger scene on the table in the hall. Mom would read us the Christmas story, “… And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Now we had the Christmas spirit! It wasn’t the sights, the sounds, the smells, or the activities. In the end, it was the baby in the manger that really got us into the Christmas spirit. Our prayer for you is that these quotes, songs, and Scriptures, (along with the sights, sounds and smells) will point you to the baby in the manger and help you to find the Christmas spirit. — Lt. Colonel Patricia LaBossiere

Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day. We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To you we say, “Come Lord Jesus!” —Henry J.M. Nouwen

DECEMBER “Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King…” Joy to the World

“Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus.”

The King is coming; Jerusalem prepares herself for His coming; behold, He stands in your midst.

Neal A. Maxwell

Advent Liturgy

“No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear child enters in.” O Little Town of Bethlehem Phillips Brooks

“O souls amid earth’s busy strife, the Word of God is light and life; Oh, hear His voice, make Him your choice, hail peace on earth, good will to men.” Henry W. Longfellow (1864) Alt. & vs. 5 & 7 by Harland D. Sorrell

“Home is where Christ is.” George Buttrick The Longing for Home

Christmas Eve Prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson

Lord Jesus, Light of the world, John told the people to prepare for you when you were very near. As Christmas grows closer day by day, help us to be ready to welcome you now. Amen.

“Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled. Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel!” Hark, the Herald Angels Sing Charles Wesley

“Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to.” Fred Gailey Miracle on 34th Street

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” W. T. Ellis

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Elf Buddy the Elf

“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.” Train Conductor, The Polar Express

“Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

“The giving of gifts is not something man invented. God started the giving spree when he gave a gift beyond words, the unspeakable gift of His Son.”

“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you. Yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.”

Robert Flatt

Mother Teresa

“The stars in the bright sky look down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.” Away in a Manger

“…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

“Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas.” Dale Evans Rogers

“Advent is a journey toward Bethlehem. May we let ourselves be drawn by the light of God made man.” Pope Francis

People, look East, the time is near Of the crowning of the year. Make your house fair as you are able, Trim the hearth and set the table. People, look East and sing today, Christ, the Lord, is on the way.

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol

“The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.” C.S. Lewis

“And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen His glory, glory of the only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Light From the East (Ancient French Carol)

DECEMBER 2016 SACONNECTS the magazine

Let Every Day Be

Christmas by Norman W. Brooks

Christmas is forever, not for just one day, for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf. The good you do for others is good you do yourself. Peace on Earth, good will to men, kind thoughts and words of cheer, are things we should use often and not just once a year. Remember too the Christâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;child, grew up to be a man; to hide him in a cradle, is not our dear Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan. So keep the Christmas spirit, share it with others far and near, from week to week and month to month, throughout the entire year! Contributions are from the Spiritual Life Development Department Lt. Colonel Pat LaBossiere, Major Marie Larrinaga, Major Young Kim, Chris Stoker, Matt Hodgson, Joanna Polarek, and Miosotis Hernandez.

CHRISTMAS a time for GIVING

by Robert Mitchell and Hugo Bravo photography provided by Red Shield Toolkit

ADOPTED FAMILY GIVES THANKS

Last year in Carlisle, Pa., a family’s Christmas looked bleak. So the parents requested assistance from The Salvation Army for themselves and two boys. The father had been laid off. His unemployment compensation was still pending. The mother worked a part–time job to help support the family. “They knew it would be difficult to provide gifts,” said Trinette Ream, the Army’s social services director in Carlisle. Eventually, the family was selected for the Adopt–A–Family Program. A local businessperson shopped for clothes and toys for the children and purchased a gift card for their Christmas meal. Ream said the Army later received the following thank you note from the mom: “Words cannot express what you did for our family. We were truly afraid of having to ruin our children’s imagination of Santa. This year was one of the most stressful years for us. I cannot thank you enough for caring about complete strangers. Last year, I lost my mother and my stepfather six days before Christmas. I can only imagine the smiles you brought to them in Heaven. I plan to use the tree you gave us as a memorial for them. God Bless.”

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2016 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS a time for GIVING GIVING UP FOR OTHERS

Tosha West, a client from Carlisle, Pa., shares her Christmas testimony.

“In June of 2014, I switched jobs. My new position required a physical. Three days before I began work, I received a phone call from the doctor. He said I had leukemia. I felt lost. What was I to do? As a single mother of three children, I was frightened by my upcoming health challenge. I wondered how I would continue to support my family. I had no short–term disability or health insurance. It was a rough time for us. By the time Christmas came around, I was clueless as to how I would provide Christmas for my children. I reached out to The Salvation Army for assistance and they adopted my family. I couldn’t have been more thankful. My kids now had gifts under the tree. They were as happy as can be on Christmas morning! I am forever grateful to The Salvation Army for providing gifts and Christmas dinner to us. My leukemia has been in remission since April 24, 2015. I am hopeful my life will soon be back to normal. I would like nothing more than to help The Salvation Army in any way I can. It helped my family when we were in need.”

KENTUCKY FAMILY ‘PAYS IT FORWARD’

As a single mother, Angie Tillman works hard to support her family, including her 5th–grade daughter Kendyl and her elderly grandmother. The family is often able to make ends meet, but when work becomes scarce, Tillman turns to The Salvation Army’s Central Kentucky Area Services for help. She is currently looking for full–time employment while volunteering at the Salvation Army’s Jessamine County Service Center. She’s paying forward to people who need the help she has received. Kendyl also has a heart for serving others. A few years ago, she asked her elementary school principal for permission to organize a food drive. Kendyl carefully followed the school’s procedures and ultimately presented her idea to the local school board. In the end, she and her classmates gathered 10 large boxes worth of donated food. This past Christmas, Kendyl again put her kind heart and organizational skills to work. She organized a toy drive to benefit The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program. Kendyl isn’t sure what she wants to be when she grows up, but there’s one thing she knows for sure—she wants to continue helping others and making a difference for her community, just like her mom. —by Melissa Childs, The Salvation Army in Lexington, Ky.

DECEMBER 2016

A NEW HOME ON CHRISTMAS

My mother tried to steady herself as she penned a short note. She sealed it, put it in my hand, and said, “Take this to your father.” But I was a curious 12–year–old. On my way to his house, I stopped and opened it. The note simply read:

I’ve had the kids long enough. Now, it’s your turn. My mother, who struggled with alcoholism, was already separated from my father. When I read the note, I realized she also no longer wanted to be a single parent of her four children.

Soon, my siblings and I arrived at my father’s doorstep. We were to live with him, his girlfriend, and her seven kids. At first, we were happy to play with so many fun kids. But I knew we couldn’t stay for long. There simply wasn’t enough room. I remember bargaining with my father, “You work, and we’ll cook and clean, but please—just keep us together.” Keep us together was the one thing my father did not do. He called his mother and sister. On Christmas day 1974, they divided us. My father sent us to stay with aunts, uncles, and grandparents. My two brothers went to an orphanage. I remember putting all of my belongings in a few grocery bags and loading them in the back of a station wagon. As I contemplated my sad story, I felt broken. A married couple falls out of love; their children lose their parents; and then, the children lose each other. How do you fix someone who felt as broken as I did? The answer is love. I moved in with an aunt and uncle who were Salvation Army officers. Over time, I went from not wanting to be loved, because I had seen firsthand how it could hurt you, to saying “yes” to their love, and to the love of God. Arriving at the home of my aunt and uncle was the work of God the redeemer. On Christmas day, at the most difficult time in my life, He led me to people who would show me the best kind of love—the love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. —by Major Joyce Hartshorn

BRINGING JOY TO 6,000 FAMILIES

The Salvation Army in Central Ohio delivers help and hope at Christmas through its Christmas Assistance Program, which is the largest distribution operation of its kind in the region. Each Christmas, nearly 6,000 families receive new toys and all the fixings for a meal. More than 1,800 volunteers run the toyshop and food distribution lines. They toil behind the scenes to ensure families have a festive holiday. Last January, The Salvation Army received a “thank you” card from a woman named Frances. She described how her family had suffered through an eventful year. Someone had stolen her car, and without it, she lost her job due to a lack of transportation. As a result, her family spent several nights in a homeless shelter. Having Christmas gifts and even food seemed impossible. Then a caseworker told Frances about The Salvation Army’s Christmas program. “She was able to pick toys for her children. She also received a food box with a delicious meal to share with her family on Christmas day,” said Kelli Trinoskey, community and public relations director for The Salvation Army in Central Ohio. Frances thanked The Salvation Army. “We experienced a miracle at Christmas time. What these kind people did for my family and for many other people is something special. It means a great deal to us. Thank you so much.” This year’s Christmas Cheer program runs from Dec. 16–22 at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. “We are busy organizing toy drives, scheduling volunteers, and securing corporate donations to ensure this year’s holiday is merry and bright for the families in need whom we continue to serve,” Trinoskey said.

FROM CRYING TO REJOICING

In October 2015, I walked into the Salvation Army’s Newport, Ky., Corps seeking food for my grandchildren. My car’s gas tank was empty. My eyes were overflowing with tears. Captain Misty Simco invited me into her office, gave me food for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and helped me get gas for my car. She then asked if I would be interested in volunteering a few days a week during the Christmas season. I immediately said, “Yes.” I volunteered a few days a week. Captain Misty got me on an adopt–a–family list. I was so excited because my grandchildren would have something for Christmas. I was waiting on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from Social Security, so being a part of this program was such a blessing for me. Then two weeks before Christmas, I got a call. My adopted family had backed out of the program. My heart was broken. Captain Misty said, “You’re a lot of help to us. I know God will see you through this because our God is good.” A few days later, I found a pile of wrapped presents on my desk. They were for my grandchildren and me. My heart was overwhelmed with joy. Captains Daniel and Misty Simco were truly a blessing to us. I thank the good Lord for them every day. Since then, my life has turned around. I now have full custody of two grandchildren. Before Christmas, the third one will permanently be mine. In April this year, my SSI came through and I was hired to work part time at The Salvation Army. The Army helped me find safe housing for my new inherited family. I have been truly blessed. Last year one sad and dreary day, God led me to The Salvation Army. Every day in prayer, I thank Him and Captains Dan and Misty Simco. — by Candy Smith

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2016 DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS a time for GIVING

‘ NATURAL ALLIANCE’ by Robert Mitchell

The Salvation Army and Lions Club International’s

Corning, N.Y., chapter have what Club President Bob Thompson calls a “natural alliance.” The club’s logo, “We Serve,” and a popular Salvation Army motto, “Others,” are both displayed at the club for all to see. The community’s love and respect for the Army comes from its compassionate response to a flood that overwhelmed the area in 1972. Many club members remember the event and go out of their way to raise money each year for The Salvation Army through its Charity Christmas Auction. This year’s auction will take place Dec. 15 at the Radisson Hotel. “The Lions Club is very generous to us in Corning,” says Patience Thai, donor relations director for the Army’s Empire State Division. Each year, club members stand kettles, and later hold the auction. How the tradition started in the early 1980s is “the stuff of legend.”

TAKING ACTION

One year, George Kapral, a 44–year member of the club, stood kettles. However, he was a bit disappointed after counting the money. “The kettle only had a couple hundred dollars in it,” Kapral remembers. “I thought, there’s not enough money in that pot. So I reached in my pocket and pulled out a bill and said, ‘Let’s see what we can do to match this.’ ” Dr. Edward Cordes, a retired optometrist and 40–year member of the club, recalled a few more salient details. “We were disappointed by the amount just from the kettle donations,” Cordes said. “George said, ‘That’s not good enough. We need to do better than this. I’ve got five dollars, if anyone will match it.’ That led to an evening of people matching money back and forth. We ended up raising another couple hundred dollars. “It became an annual tradition.” The next year, Kapral said, club members brought gifts to auction and he became the auctioneer.

A FUN NIGHT

iStock

“Sometimes the gifts were wrapped and were nice things. Other times they were gag gifts,” Kapral said. “All the money would go to The Salvation Army.” Cordes said the auction has raised as much as $8,000, but it usually brings in about $6,000 to $7,000 annually. “It kept getting bigger and bigger,” Kapral said. “It was something the club really loved because of the fun we had with it.”

DECEMBER 2016

Captains Francisco and Wanda Rivera, the corps officers in Corning, said the money raised at the auction goes to support a food pantry, soup kitchen, a Kid’s Café after–school program, a summer day camp, and for utility and emergency assistance. The Riveras, who have been in Corning since last year, are also members of the Lions Club. “That’s the best club I’ve ever seen,” said Captain Wanda. “They support and love The Salvation Army.”

LONG MEMORIES

Kapral said when the 1972 flood knocked out power to the area, finding something to eat was difficult. The Salvation Army became the place to go for Kapral and his then 12–year–old son. “The Army would put out a hot meal,” Kapral said. “They didn’t care how dirty or muddy we were, they would just feed us. That stuck in our minds. “I’ve always thought a lot of The Salvation Army. Anytime there’s a problem anywhere, they bring their trucks and serve coffee and donuts. I just said, ‘It’s time we do something for [the Army].’ The auction was one of the ideas—and it stuck.” Cordes and his wife, Gail, didn’t move to Corning until 1977, but they heard about The Salvation Army’s flood outreach. “The Salvation Army helped the people of Corning. They inspired the rest of us who were not directly involved to have the same motivation to reach other people in need,” Cordes said.

COMPASSIONATE HEARTS

Cordes said club members come from “various professions,” but all have the same outlook when it comes to serving organizations such as the Army. “We all have a strong sense we’re pretty lucky. There are other people in the world not as fortunate as we,” Cordes said. “As responsible members of the community, we have an obligation to give back. “That’s why Lions do what we do.” Each year, the club buys turkeys at Thanksgiving and helps The Salvation Army distribute them. “The Army does a great job helping everybody. That’s what we’re about too,” said Thompson, the current club president. “It’s a natural alliance.”

A Life of Vision and Service Two years ago, Dr. Edward Cordes retired after 40 years as an optometrist in Corning, N.Y. He also spent his life giving back to others through Lions Club International, where he served on its international board of directors. He also established a foundation for vision screenings called Lions KidsSight USA. A medic in Vietnam, Cordes saw his life change forever when he helped deliver medical supplies to rural villages. “We were the only health care these people had,” he said. “We learned pretty quickly the rest of the world is not like middle class America where I grew up. That was my motivation for being in the Lions Club my whole career.” Cordes and his wife, Gail, have gone on five mission trips to developing nations to provide vision care. In 2014, the international president of Lions Club International asked Cordes to streamline several vision screening programs. Since he founded Lions KidSight USA, vision screenings have jumped from 500,000 to 1.5 million around the country. KidSight USA will soon have nonprofit status. “My motivation is to help kids avoid lazy eye or amblyopia and to continue my professional interest and my professional work to help people and stay active at a high level,” Cordes said.

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2016 DECEMBER

FAITH in ACTION

MESSENGERS of the

GOSPEL welcomed to CFOT

by Warren L. Maye

“ You’ll be entrusted with

the sacred message that will bring transformation to people’s lives.

“

—Commissioner William A. Bamford, territorial commander

During the Welcome to Cadets events, September 8–9, audiences at the College for Officer Training (CFOT) in Suffern, N.Y., and at Centennial Memorial Temple (CMT) in Manhattan listened to representative speakers from among the 51–member “Messengers of the Gospel” session. Some listeners reacted to the message by praying at the mercy seat. Others stood on the platform to signal their commitment to become soldiers or officers in The Salvation Army. At the CFOT, Major Richard López, territorial candidates secretary, underscored the Army’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. “We thank God for bringing people from all these countries together for a single purpose—to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ,” said López. (See sidebar).

FATHER GOD Cadet Melissa Lowell from the Old Orchard Beach (Citadel), Maine, Corps, had waited for confirmation of her call to officership. Having had a plethora of father figures appear and then disappear from her

Photos by Jefferson Siegel/NY Daily News via Getty Images

Alonzo Hardy (left and below in red shirt), responds to Commissioner Bamford’s soldiership invitation.

DECEMBER 2016

life, the idea of trusting God as “Father” seemed impossible. “How could I tell people with confidence that God would never leave or forsake them if I truly didn’t believe it for myself?” she said. When Melissa was a 4th grader, a classmate invited her to the Old Orchard Beach Citadel Corps Vacation Bible School program. “I knew I had found my home,” she said. “I found my safe place.” Even during her tumultuous middle school and later high school days, the corps remained her balm in Gilead. “I could count on it to be my place of peace and goodness,” she said. Then at Youth Councils, “God showed me how deep was His love through the sacrifice of Jesus,” she said. “That day, I gave my heart to the Lord.” At Camp Sebago, Melissa found self–worth. Later, at a candidate’s seminar, she felt the call to fulltime ministry. But for 12 years, Lowell waited for her call to come to fruition. Then she had an epiphany. “My mom would push men away before they had a chance to break up with her. I realized I was pushing God away before He could abandon me.” Lowell’s breakthrough came when she understood God would never abandon her. “Today, I can declare with confidence—He is faithful!” she said.

CONTAGIOUS INSPIRATION After seeing Cadet Jonathan Tirado’s video testimony, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause. Among them was Alonzo Hardy. Life had dealt him a bad hand. At 57, he was an ex–con, diagnosed with mental illness, unemployed, and living in a dangerous Brooklyn, N.Y., shelter. “I felt like I was among the living dead,” he said. “It was like a graveyard where people, under the influence, would transform into creatures.” Last year on Father’s Day, one such person brutally beat Hardy and left him

Photos by Ryan Love

Messengers of the Gospel to die. “He struck me from behind. I fell to my hands and knees. While I was down, he kicked me squarely in the chin as if my head was a football.” The impact fractured Hardy’s jaw on both sides. Unconscious, he fell across a bed. The next day, he awoke in excruciating pain. “I had to push my jaw up with my hands and run to the hospital.” Police later arrested the man, reported the New York Daily News. Following Hardy’s recovery, he volunteered at the Army’s Staten Island (Stapleton), N.Y., Corps. “On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we did pantry,” he said. One day at the pantry, Hardy’s attacker walked in. Suddenly, everything Hardy had absorbed while volunteering quickly came to mind. “I had learned patience, mindfulness of the wants and needs of others, and to read Scripture,” he said. “ I had already prayed to God to take all fear away. I walked in the light of

God. My life was in His hands.” When Hardy looked into his attacker’s eyes, he saw dread. However, he also saw need. “He had no idea I’d be in the pantry. He wanted food for himself and his mother who lived nearby.” Hardy gave him food. The man extended his hand and humbly asked, “No harm done?” Hardy’s response was, “No harm taken.” At CMT, Cadet Tirado’s video inspired Hardy immensely. His fellow Stapleton Corps member’s message was powerful. When Commissioner William A. Bamford, territorial commander, invited seekers to join him on the platform to become soldiers, Hardy made his way from the balcony to the Commander’s side. I feel I’m now part of the family of God, the body of Christ, Hardy thought. I feel the Holy Spirit in my heart. One day, I’m going to stand here—in uniform.

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CADETS 51 (average age, 30) and 4 cadet spouses MULTINATIONAL SESSION US, Guyana, Haiti, Norway, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, UK CHILDREN 19 PREVIOUS OCCUPATIONS hairstylist, administrative assistant, welder, assistant manager, intern, secretary, receptionist, youth ministry coordinator, security, corps assistant, storehouse manager, medical biller, prison guard, event coordinator, English teacher, gardener, nurse, and others SALVATIONISTS 2 fifth–generation, 6 third–generation, 11 second–generation, 32 first–generation, 12 children of officers DEDICATED IN THE SALVATION ARMY 24

2016 DECEMBER

FAITH in ACTION

What a

birdie can tell you by Warren L. Maye

“Since being in the program, I look for birds all the time.” “At home, I look at birds outside my windows.” “Mockingbirds make a lot of different sounds and noises.” “ After making these bird feeders out of seeds and peanut butter, I’m going home now to make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!” “I like making bird feeders out of bottles.” “ I know the name of the red bird at my house. It’s a cardinal!” “ I saw a big eagle on top of my next door neighbor’s house.” ‘Feeding the fowls’ as an ‘extension of God’s hand.’

“Birds eat yucky worms and bugs!”

These are just a few of the many comments you’ll hear when you talk to kids from the Salvation Army’s West Philadelphia, Pa., Corps. This summer, they participated in “Bird Sleuth,” a bird feeder watching education program. Under the theme, “Migration,” the corps partnered with The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, a member–supported unit of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., which studies birds and other wildlife. “We also created and observed pollinator gardens,” said Shirley Williams, corps liaison to the program. These gardens provide a safe haven for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other endangered species. “Members of

DECEMBER 2016

the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Philadelphia and Chester Beekeepers Societies have offered their educational support to our pollinator garden,” Williams said. Bird Sleuth is a science curriculum kit. Kids engage in the study of real data collection. Using scientific processes, Williams encourages them to answer their own questions about nature. They also spend time outdoors to see fascinating sights, hear intriguing sounds, and analyze the surprising and peculiar behaviors of birds. “I saw a woodpecker in my backyard!” “We had fun making snow owls with cotton balls and pine cones.” “The squirrels try to eat up all the

birds’ food.” “Birds are in the sky, trees, and on the ground.” Envoy Tony Lewis, who is in charge of the corps, said, “Here at the West Philadelphia Corps, we deal with exposing children to God’s gift of creation. We allow them to feed the fowls and then explain the unique experience to everyone.” Lewis said connecting science with Scripture is a key component of the program. Doing so helps build character, confidence, and self–esteem. “In Matthew 6:26, Jesus reminds His disciples, ‘Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?’”

Shirley Key Williams (center) with Envoys LaVerna and Tony Lewis, who are in charge at the West Philadelphia Corps.

Kids engage in a ‘hands–on’ project at the Sharon Hill Free Library.

Inspiration from

Photos by Susan Magnano

Michelle Obama

Lewis also said the act of “feeding the fowls” instills in the kids a sense of responsibility and purpose. “God provides for those birds as they arrive here at the corps. Therefore, we are an extension of God’s hand as He feeds His creation.” Williams said it’s all about literacy. “The program encourages kids to read more. ‘Look Who Grew in Our Garden,’ our original project, was acknowledged by First Lady Michelle Obama (see sidebar). We’re doing Bird Sleuth to continue our emphasis on literacy. As the kids do hands–on projects, what they do and read sticks with them better.” She said another benefit is each child is more aware of his or her surroundings. “They look down and see the variety of bugs on

the ground. When they look up, they see birds—and they identify them by name.” Williams said she underestimated just how much fun the kids would have as bird sleuths. “A four–year–old boy said to me, ‘I know what talons are!’ When I asked, ‘What are they?’ he widened his eyes and proceeded to tell me all about them.” Williams said she’s also having fun making toy birds with the kids. “The opportunity allows us time to talk. In turn, they have conversations with their parents and are reporting in school. It’s a three–legged–stool approach: church, home, and community.” Williams recommends corps do similar projects. “Because it doesn’t take much and birds are all around us.”

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Shirley Key Williams serves as the literacy consultant at the West Philadelphia Corps and as president of the Sharon Hill Free Library. She recently earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in human services. In 2011, Williams received a letter from First Lady Michelle Obama. Williams had written to Obama the previous year to explain how her White House garden and book The First Family had inspired Williams to write Look Who Grew in Our Garden, a book about a community garden project at the corps. Obama’s letter read, in part, “Thank you again for your letter. The White House kitchen garden has given us a chance to shed some light on the important food and nutrition issues that we need to address as a nation, as well as have a lot of fun.” The corps garden provided fresh vegetables for seniors and other members of the community. It was also a learning opportunity to teach kids language arts, math, history, science, and technology.

2016 DECEMBER

FAITH in ACTION

Photos courtesy of April Foster

(Left) Major Heather Garrett with a daughter of a Dorcus Bead group member.

Linked for life

the women of Others On August 12, 2016, a team of seven women from the USA Eastern Territory journeyed to the Kenya East Territory. Among their belongings were handcrafted key/prayer chains made from stunning beads. Women in Kenya had made the attractive beads. Now, the beads were on their way back to Kenya, linked together as beautiful jewelry. At the end of 10 days, the women who carried these gifts would ultimately return to the United States profoundly connected to the women of Kenya, both socially and spiritually. “During our visit, we were privileged to meet Commissioner Henry Nyagah, territorial commander, who graciously welcomed us,” said April Foster, director of Others, the Salvation Army’s global

DECEMBER 2016

social enterprise. Under the “Others Trade for Hope” brand, as many as 1,600 women in Kenya, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Moldova make beautiful handcrafted items and export them for sale around the Army world. Foster said the team also contributed a financial gift. “We presented $5,117, which was raised by friends and Salvationists from across the Eastern Territory.” The funds will be used to purchase sewing machines and related equipment for the producer groups in Kenya. The purpose of their visit was to create an opportunity to know the women in Kenya who are involved in producing Others products and for them to know the women of the US team. Even before the team embarked, they had received beautiful handcrafted

by Warren L. Maye

beads from Africa to make chains. “The beads for the chains were made in Kenya,” said Major Gayle Senak, corps officer of the Dayton, Ohio, Kroc Corps and Community Center. “They were then sent to the US, where women in the Massachusetts Division used them to make prayer chains.” The team took the beaded chains back to Kenya, where they shared them with women in the Kithituni Corps. “It was a powerful connection,” Senak said. On the first day in Nairobi, the team marched to an open–air meeting at a typical bus stop. Amid the hustle and bustle of the busy station, they boldly preached a gospel message. As they shared personal testimonies, people at the station were spiritually moved—and they prayed. Marching to such meetings happens

The Others team members pictured at left with Captain Mary Muindi and Captain Paul Musau are Colonel Paula Johnson, Major Gayle Senak, Captain Kimberly Smith, Major Martha Wheeler, Captain Amy Merchant, Major Heather Garrett, and April Foster.

every Sunday in every corps in Kenya. Here in the USA, marching opportunities for Salvationists are limited. The Kenyan Salvationists repeatedly reminded the team to “check your legs!” as they endeavored to stay in step. In the following days, the team visited four locations where women make Others products. In Makadara, a suburb of Nairobi, the women make handbags from recycled plastic collected at local dumpsites. In Kilome, a rural area two hours outside of Nairobi, women make beautiful reindeer–like ornaments from colorful beads (beaded reindeer) and Easter Chicken decorations. The visit to Dorcus Beads, a micro–enterprise initiative, was an eye–opening experience. The group saw beautiful baskets woven from strong, vibrantly dyed sisal plant fibers. From the comfort of their humble homes, the Kenyan women told passionate stories of personal transformation and inspired the team. “My biggest surprise was learning what a difference just a few purchases from Others makes in the life of the individual crafter, family, and community,” said Captain Kimberly Smith of the Boston, Mass., South End Corps. “I think I would have been skeptical of the lasting impact if I hadn’t had the honor and privilege to hear these women’s personal experiences.”

women welcomed and accepted us.” Major Martha Wheeler said, “Everywhere we went, I gave pieces of my heart away to wonderful women in exchange for pieces of theirs. In the small, two–room home of Ruth, she told her story. After joining a women’s group, she became a maker of Dorcus paper beads. Ruth now supports herself financially. The fellowship has also given her great joy. I left a piece of my heart with Ruth.” Major Heather Garrett of the College for Officer Training said, “I was surprised how similar the group dynamics were to what we experience at home. The connection was instantaneous as we shared concerns about our families, health, and passions. We prayed and worshiped as sisters in Christ.” Some men are also involved in helping Others. For instance, Foster said Noah Kinuthia was actually the first Others producer in Kenya. “As we watched him make beautiful nativity sets and angels from banana leaf and sisal, we truly saw what handcrafted means,” she said. “Today, Noah has seven fulltime employees who assist him in making Others products.” “The visit to Kenya has been the fulfillment of a dream,” said Smith. “I’ve been profoundly blessed by the Kenyan people’s hospitality. I’m different now because of this visit. I’m challenged to be as determined and as joyous as the

Major Gayle Senak and Others group members at the Kilome Corps.

people we’ve met. Others has a local and global impact and is perfectly named.” Garrett said, “God’s design for us is to be in relationship with people and journey through life not as individuals, but as part of a whole. This idea is exemplified in the way the people I met in Kenya experience life.” Captain Amy Merchant of the Southern New England Division said, “Today, when doing Others in our division and at corps, it has so much more meaning. I’m able to share true experiences from the ladies of Kenya, which has sparked more questions and excitement for the products.”

SHARED HEARTS “Going to Kenya was an amazing opportunity, which far exceeded my imagination,” said Smith. “In full anticipation of God’s blessings, my heart and mind were still blown away. What touched and changed me the most was the joy and ease in which the

Make others a part of your ministry! TRADE FOR HOPE

usa.tradeforhope.com

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CONTACT April Foster, Others Director at

April.Foster@use.salvationarmy.org

2016 DECEMBER

Photo by iStock

In 2008, I made a pastoral visit to a patient in a nursing home. She had suffered a nasty fall in the woods while walking her dog. As I ministered to her, I noticed a small wooden cross on the night table beside her bed. Engraved on the back of the cross was a notch. She said it was there to accommodate her thumbprint. Placing her thumb in the notch made it easier for her to hold the cross during prayer time. At that moment, I thought, I could make these crosses. I asked her if I could take a pencil and paper and trace her cross. I wanted to duplicate it in my home workshop. Today, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made and given away nearly 800 small crosses. I make them from all shades, types, and colors of wood. I get the wood from people I know. I ask them to give me scraps of wood from their home. It only takes a small piece of wood to make a cross. During religious services, I sometimes place at the back of a church an easel displaying 100 or more crosses. I then insert markers in selected church bulletins, with an announcement inviting people with the marked bulletins to take

testimony

The Cross Maker

ON file

by Major Lloyd Stoops

El Hacedor de Cruces

a cross from the easel. Other times, I hand the crosses to first–time visitors, or to people who I know need prayer for a particular need. I’ll also leave the crosses at the bedsides of hospital patients, or leave them as gifts in homes. I’ve given them to Sunday school children along with just one instruction: “Show your new cross to your parents, friends, and neighbors, and say, ‘Look what I got in Sunday school today. This cross means God loves me, and He loves you too.’” I’ve seen my crosses in all sorts of places. I’ve seen them on walls, hanging from rearview mirrors in cars or in golf carts, on nightstands, dashboards, and in the hands of people on their way to surgery. Cross making is a hobby and an important part of my ministry. When I hand someone a cross, I also tell him or her about the Cross of Christ and the love He showed all of us as He died on it. I pray everyone who has received my crosses will be reminded that God loves them. Hopefully, they will give their hearts to our Lord Jesus Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice to save us from sin.

En 2008, hice una visita pastoral a una paciente, en un hogar de ancianos, que había sufrido una terrible caída en el bosque cuando paseaba con su perro. Mientras le ministraba, noté que —en la mesita de noche adyacente a su cama— había una pequeña cruz de madera que tenía una hendedura detrás. Me dijo que estaba ahí para acomodar su pulgar. Así, cuando oraba al Señor, le era más fácil ponerlo en la hendedura para sostener la cruz. En ese instante pensé que podría fabricar ese tipo de cruces. Así que le pregunté si me permitía usar lápiz y papel para copiar la forma de su cruz. Quería reproducirla en el taller que tengo en casa. Hasta hoy, he hecho y regalado unas 800 cruces. Las hago con madera de diversos tonos, tipos y colores que recibo de mis conocidos. Les pido que me traigan pedazos de madera de sus hogares. Basta con un pequeño trozo para hacer una cruz. A veces, durante los servicios religiosos, coloco un caballete en el que exhibo 100 o más cruces en el patio trasero de la iglesia. Inserto un anuncio en los boletines de la iglesia, con lo que invito a la gente a elegir una de las cruces que se exhiben para que se la lleven a casa.

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Otras veces, se las doy a los visitantes o a las personas que sé que necesitan orar por alguna necesidad particular. También suelo dejarlas junto a las camas de los pacientes en los hospitales o como regalos en los hogares. Se las he dado a los niños que asisten a la escuela dominical con la siguiente instrucción: “Muéstrales tu nueva cruz a tus padres, a tus amigos y a tus vecinos, y diles: ‘Mira lo que recibí hoy en la escuela dominical. Esta cruz significa que Dios me ama y que también te ama a ti’”. He visto mis cruces en todas partes. En las paredes, colgando de los espejos retrovisores en los automóviles o en los carritos de golf, en las mesitas de noche, sobre los paneles de control y en las manos de personas que van a hacerse una cirugía. Hacer cruces de madera es un pasatiempo y una parte importante de mi ministerio. Cuando le entrego una cruz a alguien, también le hablo acerca de la cruz de Cristo y del amor que mostró por todos nosotros cuando murió en ella. Oro para que todos los que han recibido mis cruces recuerden que Dios les ama. Mi ferviente deseo es que todos ellos entreguen sus corazones a nuestro Señor Jesucristo, que hizo el sacrificio supremo para salvarnos del pecado.

2016 DECEMBER

where Jesus walked

Photo by iStock

testimony

by Captain Cindy–Lou Drummond

“ I want to see, smell, taste, and feel the things that Jesus saw, smelled, tasted, and felt.”

“I want to be closer to God.”

“See the archeological sites.”

These were just a few of the expectations voiced before we, a group of Salvation Army officers, embarked on a journey of biblical proportions. It is common to hear people who have been in Israel say, “I will never read Scripture the same way again.” When I heard this, I was skeptical. So often, travel to other countries is initially exciting, but soon the memories diminish and are relegated to the past tense. Nonetheless, I kept an open mind. As it turned out, Israel proved to be unlike any place I’d visited in the world. I’m not sure if it’s the “all of your heart, soul, and spirit” connection I have with the Lord or if it’s the intense history on which Christians and Jews base their faith and their lives. In any event, it felt like home; so familiar, yet new. Never before had I seen an ancient civilization revealed. As we walked through Beth Shean, we saw the remains of this city, which centuries ago had been destroyed by an earthquake.

DECEMBER 2016

Stone pillars and buildings stood just as they had when archeologists found them recently. Caesarea Philippi changed the way I thought about Matthew 16:13, “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” This question, posed in the backdrop of the cultic worship of Pan, is of tremendous significance and reveals God in the most unlikely place. In addition to exercising our intellect, we also rolled up our sleeves. The activity I enjoyed and would like to pursue further was the archeological “dig.” Under Israel’s layered civilizations await more historic treasures. When the Dome of the Rock was being built at the site of the Temple in Jerusalem, earthmovers “dumped” the layers of history in a landfill. Bucket by bucket, the earth is scoured in the Temple Mound sifting project. Found were bone fragments (sacrificed animals), coins (three found by people in our group), clay pottery,

“Swim in the Dead Sea.” metal, special stones, and mosaic tile pieces. To actually hold these discovered artifacts and then imagine the history behind them was pure joy. At the conclusion of our journey, we summarized it in several three–word phrases. “Awe, joy, sadness” “Inspired, educated, challenged” “Abraham’s everlasting legacy” “Pray for peace” “Revelation, reverence, resilience” The Salvation Army has enriched our lives. We are better equipped now to preach and to live the Word. Our hopes and expectations were exceeded. Seeing through Israel’s geographic lens brings Scripture to life. Today, as I prepare a sermon or study God’s Word, my new insight transports me to a vivid place in my imagination. I can now realize a richer experience. I can literally sing, “I walked today where Jesus walked…and felt Him close to me.”

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**Monthly charges exclude taxes and Sprint Surcharges [incl. USF charge of up to 17.4% (varies quarterly), up to $2.50 Admin. and 40¢ Reg. /line/mo. and fees by area (approx. 5–25%)]. Surcharges are not taxes. See sprint.com/taxesandfees. Activ. Fee: Up to $30/line. Credit approval req. Sprint Unlimited Freedom Plan: Includes unlimited domestic Long Distance calling, texting (on capable tablets) and data with mobile optimized video, gaming and music streaming and 5GB of high-speed Mobile Hotspot, VPN and P2P data. After the 5GB, MHS, VPN and P2P usage limited to 2G speeds. Third-party content/downloads are add’l charge. Select int’l svcs included see sprint.com/globalroaming. Plan not available for tablets/MBB devices. Available on discounted phones for add’l $25/mo/line. AutoPay: To receive $5/mo/line discount you must remain enrolled in AutoPay. Quality of Service (QoS): Customers who use more than 23GB of data during a billing cycle will be de-prioritized during times and places where the Sprint network is constrained. See sprint.com/networkmanagement for details. Usage Limitations: To improve data experience for the majority of users, throughput may be limited, varied or reduced on the network. Sprint may terminate service if off-network roaming usage in a month exceeds: (1) 800 min. or a majority of min.; or (2) 100MB or a majority of KB. Prohibited network use rules apply— see sprint.com/termsandconditions. $5 SDP Discount: Select SDP. Receive a $5/mo/line discount for phone lines 1–10 on Unlimited Freedom Plan. Excludes tablet lines. Avail. for eligible company employees or org. members (ongoing verification). Discount subject to change, avail. upon request and applies to monthly service for Unlimited Freedom Plan. No additional discounts apply. Account must remain in good standing to receive svc credits. Other Terms: Offers and coverage not available everywhere or for all phones/networks. May not be combined with other offers. Restrictions apply. N165671 See store or sprint.com for details. © 2016 Sprint. All rights reserved. Sprint and the logo are trademarks of Sprint. Other marks are the property of their respective owners. MV1234567

Remember George Bailey? He Made a Difference . . . And So Do You. Our simple acts of kindness change lives, even when, like George, we don’t realize it. Our gestures take on a life of their own when we reach out to others. Some affect the “here and now,” but others are acts that reach out to children not yet born.

You can leave a legacy that transforms By the simple act of remembering The Salvation Army in your will or estate plan you will provide love and support to future generations . . .

It’s A Wonderful Life

to future victims of hurricanes and floods, to the hungry, the homeless and the abused. Your gift can be the channel for God’s grace.

Yes, please send me free information about a gift through my will or estate plan.

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