SAconnects, Volume 4, Number 8

VOL. 4, NO. 8 • OCTOBER 2018

Teaching the Gospel from beyond the cell. page 8

SACONNECTS.ORG

the magazine

This book portrays 58 years in the life of Major Maurice E. Smith, son of pioneer Salvation Army officers, and the first African–American officer (minister) to be commissioned from the Southern Territory’s School for Officer Training.

The book describes his journey as a single, married, and finally, as a singleparent officer. It is divided into five sections. The first three address: living in Memphis during racial segregation (1948–1960); living in Washington, D.C. during the civil rights struggle (1960– 1968); and living as a cadet at the Army’s School for Officer Training in Atlanta (1966–1968). The next four sections follow his service as an officer in all four Salvation Army USA territories: in the South (1968–1973); the West (1973–1978); in the Central (1978–1980) and in the East (1980–2005). The story, which includes his courtship and marriage to Captain Ana Flores (1978–1985), is told through songs he remembered and how they influenced him along his journey.

Available on Amazon.com Kindle – $5.99 Paperback – $16.95

vision perspective

Impactful Worship Adoración Impactante Encourage Spirit–focused, well–planned, diverse worship that draws people to God.

Promueva una adoración enfocada en el Espíritu, bien planificada y diversa que atraiga a la gente a Dios.

In his book, Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster defines worship as “… a breaking into the Shekinah (glory) of God, or better yet, being invaded by the Shekinah of God.” I want to be invaded by God’s glory, and I pray you do too! The 20/20 Vision goal lays out three ways to help make this happen at our corps.

En su libro, Celebración de la disciplina, Richard Foster define la adoración como “…un irrumpir en la Shejiná (gloria) de Dios, o mejor aún, ser invadido por la Shejiná de Dios”. Quiero ser invadido por la gloria de Dios, ¡y oro para que usted también quiera lo mismo! El objetivo de la Visión 20/20 establece tres maneras de ayudar a que eso suceda en nuestros Cuerpos.

ORSHIP IS WELL PLANNED. Impactful worship requires W preparation, both in putting elements together and in focusing our minds and hearts on worship. Notify participants ahead of time of their involvement. Implement a worship calendar so that all groups can plan according to the theme.

Begin the worship meeting with a time for silent meditation or corporate prayer. We can’t be ready to break into God’s glory if we’re still thinking about the game we played in Sunday school.

ORSHIP IS DIVERSE. Impactful worship will reflect our conW gregation and community. Language, music style, order of elements—all of these items should be open to change.

The consistency of our Army around the world is a wonderful asset, however there is also strength in its flexibility.

WORSHIP IS SPIRIT–FOCUSED. A former corps officer of mine printed at the bottom of a Sunday program, “Subject to change by the Holy Spirit.” Planning and preparation are important, but let’s not forget the goal – to hear the voice of God and respond to it. Impactful worship requires freedom from time, space, and traditional constraints so the Spirit has room to move.

— Kris Hevenor Corps Sergeant Major, Lowell, Mass., Corps Sargenta Mayor del Cuerpo de Lowell, Mass.

DORACIÓN BIEN PLANIFICADA. Una adoración impactante A requiere planificación, tanto en la tarea de reunir los elementos necesarios como en la de enfocar nuestras mentes y corazones en la adoración. Notifique a los participantes con suficiente antelación. Implemente un calendario de adoración de modo que todos los grupos puedan planificar de acuerdo con el tema. Empiece la reunión de adoración con un momento de meditación en silencio o con una oración corporativa. No podemos estar listos para irrumpir en la gloria de Dios si seguimos pensando en lo bien que la pasamos durante la última sesión de la escuela dominical.

DORACIÓN DIVERSA. Una adoración impactante debe reflejar A lo que es nuestra congregación y nuestra comunidad. El lenguaje, el estilo de la música, el orden de presentación de los elementos, todos esos aspectos deben poder ser cambiados cada vez que sea necesario. La consistencia de nuestro Ejército alrededor del mundo es un bien muy preciado, pero también su flexibilidad es una muestra de fortaleza.

ADORACIÓN ENFOCADA EN EL ESPÍRITU. Un ex oficial directivo mío solía imprimir al pie de la hoja del programa dominical la frase: “Sujeto a cambios por el Espíritu Santo”. La planificación y la preparación son importantes, pero no olvidemos el objetivo: escuchar la voz de Dios y responder a ella. Una adoración impactante requiere mostrarse libres de las restricciones de tiempo, espacio y tradiciones, de modo que el Espíritu tenga oportunidad para moverse.

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Hurricane Florence caused massive flooding in the Carolinas and surrounding areas. During that time and even now, The Salvation Army is hard at work, providing food, shelter, and hope. As an aggressive hurricane season continues, more devastated areas will need the Army’s ongoing help.

After the unspeak able,

we speak hope.

DONATE NOW

to The Salvation Army relief effort

$10 feeds a disaster survivor for one day. $30 provides a box of staple food to feed a family of four. $1000 keeps a Salvation Army canteen fully operational for a full day.

The Salvation Army does not place an administrative fee on disaster donations. During emergency disasters, 100 percent of designated gifts are used to support specific relief efforts.

OCTOBER

contents VOLUME 4 | NUMBER 8

in every issue

The UNBOUND: NYC rooftop worship team praises God in song high above the Manhattan skyline.

1 vision perspective 4 from the editor 5 relevents 6 army jargon 30 wholly living

departments 7 an active army

A community garden grows in Williamsport, Pa.

24 FAITH in ACTION

Picture a ‘Ministry Moment.’

28 Q & A

Jamie Manirakiza attacks human trafficking in her new role at THQ.

30 wholly living

How to keep ‘showing up.’

32 LEAD

Leadership milestones: What is your story?

8 Bible

behind bars

The Salvation Army reaches people in prison with the Gospel through handwritten letters.

12 C orning

Kids Café

The children of Corning, N.Y., have a safe and fun place to go after school and during the summer.

16 Pottstown

Works

Pottstown Works is helping pull people out of poverty. Read two inspiring examples.

21 Boys

& Girls Club

The next big Broadway star may come from Newark, N.J., thanks to Program Director Zelia Oliveira.

Para leer más artículos en español por favor visite SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

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from the editor the magazine

A Different Person Una Persona Diferente Recently, an elderly woman revealed how in 1940 she had met her husband on a blind date. He would become an optometrist and she would become a beautiful stage actress.

Then came the war. He went off to boot camp. She took a job at a defense plant to make ball bearings for planes.

Undaunted, the couple “tied the knot.” He then went on a four–year deployment in Europe.

That’s where the fairytale ends.

“When he came back, he was a different person,” she said.

In the 40s, Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was decades away from becoming a household term.

Nonetheless, it was real.

Today, PTSD is the leading cause of depression and suicide among men and women in the armed forces.

In 2015, veterans accounted for 14.3 percent of all deaths by suicide among U.S. adults, according to the Veterans Administration (VA).

Every day, about 20 veterans and one active service member commits suicide.

In the our next issue, read about Salvationists Captain Frenie Antoine and Lieutenant Charmaine Romano and about Beverly Franklin, whose son died by suicide at Fort Hood, Texas.

These women are doing something about the problem. They’ll share how you can help too.

By the way, for the remainder of his life, that WWII soldier courageously battled PTSD. I know, because he was my father.

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

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Una anciana reveló, recientemente, cómo fue que conoció a su marido en una cita a ciegas en el año 1940. Él se convertiría, más tarde, en optometrista y ella en una hermosa actriz de teatro.

Luego vino la guerra. Él se fue al campamento de entrenamiento militar. Ella consiguió trabajo en una planta industrial del departamento de defensa donde fabricaban los rodamientos para los aviones.

Sin desanimarse, la pareja se casó. Luego, él fue enviado por cuatro años a Europa.

Fue ahí donde terminó el cuento de hadas.

“A su regreso, él era una persona diferente”, cuenta ella.

En los años 40, el Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (PTSD por sus siglas en inglés) estaba a décadas de ser reconocido como un término de uso corriente. Sin embargo, era una realidad.

En la actualidad, el PTSD es la causa principal de depresión y suicidio entre hombres y mujeres en las fuerzas armadas.

En 2015, los veteranos de guerra constituían el 14,3 por ciento de todas las muertes por suicidio entre los adultos en los EE.UU., según datos de la Administración de Veteranos.

Cada día, unos 20 veteranos y un miembro del servicio activo cometen suicidio.

En nuestro próximo número, podrás leer acerca de oficiales salvacionistas como la Capitana Frenie Antoine y la Tenienta Charmaine Romano, y acerca de Beverly Franklin, cuyo hijo murió por suicidio en Fort Hood, Texas.

Estas mujeres están haciendo algo para lidiar con este problema. Ellas te contarán diversas maneras en las que tú también puedes ayudar.

Dicho sea de paso, por el resto de su vida, ese soldado de la Segunda Guerra Mundial que mencionaba hace un momento luchó valerosamente contra el PTSD. Y lo sé porque era mi padre.

IN THE NEWS HELP VICTIMS OF HURRICANE FLORENCE More than 50 mobile feeding units from around the country are stationed along the east coast to serve communities affected by Hurricane Florence. Each mobile feeding unit has the capacity to serve 1,500 meals, for a total of about 80,000 meals each day.

Trained disaster relief staff and volunteers are ready to provide food, shelter, hydration, clean–up kits, and hygiene supplies to support survivors and first responders.

The Salvation Army continues to serve in shelters, Emergency Operations Centers, and wherever local emergency management officials request mass feeding and hydration support.

Right now, the best way to support the survivors of Florence is by making a financial contribution.

This allows items to be purchased through cost–efficient partnerships.

At a later time, in–kind gifts may be necessary.

DONATE to disaster relief efforts: VISIT HelpSalvationArmy.org CALL 1-800-SAL-ARMY Make a contribution through ALEXA to, “The Salvation Army” TEXT “STORM” to 51555 100 percent of designated gifts will be used in support of people affected by Hurricane Florence.

Follow us on Facebook for our most up–to–date information.

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relevents interview by Hugo Bravo

Alexis Baergas, president of the Salvation Army Student Fellowship (SASF) in Houghton College, talks about mission trips to the Columbus, Ohio, Corps, hosting parties for the community, and seeking guidance from the book of Exodus.

I’m the third child of four girls in my family.

I have two older sisters, ages 24 and 25, and a younger sister who is 15.

I like having two older siblings who I can look up to while also having a younger sibling to look after. I am a role model who is still learning from other role models. I see this as good preparation for entering the workforce someday. I want to pursue occupational therapy. In that field, I could lead a team while I still answer to and learn from others.

For this year’s SASF mission trip, we visited the Columbus, Ohio, Corps to meet families, host game nights, and participate in their music and Bible studies.

Before our first day, I prayed to God and admitted that I was scared. I didn’t feel I had enough experience as president of the SASF to lead this team. Then God brought to mind the story of Moses. God could have simply reminded Moses that he was qualified and worthy of being a leader.

Instead, God wanted him to know that in His name, Moses could do all things. That’s when it clicked. Though I may feel unsure of myself, God does miracles far beyond my understanding. I can have faith in Him. From the first day in Columbus until the end, God made our trip a success.

Halloween parties have become a tradition for the Houghton SASF and the Salvation Army Wellsville, N.Y., Corps. The event is as large as a block party, with rides, free food, and games for families in the community. We also host prayer booths, and keep the corps doors open at night. Last year, I was in charge of a game table, and I could see how happy the chilI was intentional about choosing Houghton dren were to participate. Their families College. Four years ago, I wanted to go somewere surprised that we were doing place where I would experience spiritual this for free. These parties are a powgrowth. In high school, I had never been around erful ministry for the SASF. We reach Christians. To me, Houghton was a spiritual out to children in a way that speaks to Disneyland. Like many young people, I thought them. They know that they can dress going to college would be a defining moment in costumes; learn about God’s love; in my life. In reality, Houghton was a stepping and celebrate in a fun, safe place. stone to developing my identity and becoming the person who I want to be.

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The book of Exodus is a story about people unsure of their future. As I finish college, I am also unsure of my next step in life. But as God transformed Moses into a leader, I know that God also has a plan for me. I’m taking His plan, one step at a time. I know I won’t be disappointed.

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ARMY jargon

by Colonel Richard Munn the magazine

your connection to The Salvation Army

USA EASTERN TERRITORY

COMMISSIONED COMISIONADO It makes for stirring pageantry– uniformed people standing in front of banners, receiving orders, and publicly binding themselves to mission. It happens in plush auditoriums. It happens in humble outposts.

Commissioned—it’s part of our Army jargon.

Sometimes, the participants are cadets, ready to be deployed anywhere as officers. Many times, the participants are soldiers, committing themselves to a local community.

The lineage is heroic. Joshua, the original military man, is commissioned to “be strong and courageous” as he leads the people of Israel into the long– awaited promised land (Deut. 31). The Apostle Paul declares his service to the Church with certitude, “by the commission God gave me” (Col. 1).

In a sense, the “great commission” of Jesus extends to all who follow Him to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt.

28). We are in co–mission with Christ.

In Church growth parlance, The Salvation Army is a sodality rather than a modality; we are propelled by a specific mission, rather than by a general presence. That mission is none other than the salvation of the world, a permanent mission to the unconverted.

The commissions of both officer and local officer use the same phrase, “the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ.”

Maybe in contrast to eking out a day–to–day existence, God has a daring commission for you?

This is your mission, should you choose to accept it.

TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioner William A. Bamford III Commissioner G. Lorraine Bamford CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Kenneth O. Johnson, Jr. COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY Major Tonie Cameron EDITOR IN CHIEF Warren L. Maye

Es emocionante ver la ceremonia de las personas uniformadas de pie ante unos hermosos estandartes, siendo ordenadas y comprometiéndose públicamente con la misión. Dicho acto se realiza en lujosos auditorios como también en modestas Avanzadas.

Comisionado: este vocablo es parte de la jerga de nuestro Ejército.

A veces, los participantes son cadetes que están listos para ser comisionados a cualquier lugar como oficiales. Muchas veces, los participantes son soldados que se comprometen a servir en una comunidad determinada.

El linaje es heroico. Josué, el militar original, es comisionado por el Señor con estas palabras: “Esfuérzate y sé valiente” para llevar al pueblo de Israel a la largamente esperada tierra prometida (Deuteronomio 31). El apóstol Pablo declara su servicio a la Iglesia con plena convicción: “por la voluntad de Dios” (Colosenses 1).

En cierto sentido, la “Gran comisión” de Jesús se extiende a todos los que lo siguen: “Vayan y hagan discípulos de todas las naciones” (Mateo 28). Estamos en “co-misión” con Cristo.

En términos de iglecrecimiento, el Ejército de Salvación es una sodalidad (o fraternidad) antes que una modalidad; lo que nos impulsa es una misión específica más que una presencia general. Esa misión no es otra que la salvación del mundo, una misión permanente con los no convertidos.

Las comisiones tanto de los oficiales como de los oficiales locales emplean la misma frase: “El avance del Reino de Cristo”.

Quizás en paralelo con la necesidad de ganarse la vida día a día, ¿será que Dios tiene además una audaz comisión para usted?

Esta es su misión, si decide aceptarla.

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 STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Love CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brenda Lotz, Major Young Sung Kim CIRCULATION Doris Marasigan COMMAND NEWS CORRESPONDENTS PENDEL Major Kathryn A. Avery EMP Jaye C. Jones GNY Major Susan Wittenberg MASS Drew Forster NNE Cheryl Poulopoulos PR & VI Linette Luna SNE Laura Krueger WEPASA Captain Kimberly DeLong Territorial Music Liaison Derek Lance Territorial Youth Liaison Captain Gillian Rogers

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. 4, No. 8, October Issue 2018. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SAconnects, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SAconnects accepts advertising. Copyright © 2018

by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission. All scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless indicated otherwise.

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an active army

by Hugo Bravo

The Williamsport Salvation Army’s Red “We’re looking forward to teaching Shield Community Garden is a unique the next generation about preparing ministry that is on its way to becommeals with vegetables from our garden, ing the largest community garden in and breaking the chain of unhealthy Pennsylvania. eating,” says Major Paula.

“Williamsport is not really a big city, “There’s pride in being part of a but it’s not quite a rural town either,” garden,” says Major Donald. “When you says Major Donald Spencer, corps offihelp something grow, and use it to feed cer at the Williamsport Salvation Army yourself or others, you feel a sense of Corps. “A garden like this is an outreach value in yourself. Even just standing in a to people who may not be able to have garden, you feel a deep connection with a garden themselves.”

God. Nature has a way of bringing us Says Major Paula Spencer, “It would closer to Him.” be difficult to replicate this type of garden The Red Shield Community Garden ministry in every corps. You won’t always has also been a way to bring souls to The have the land, the space, and the people with experience to help it succeed.”

The Red Shield Community Garden, less than a mile away from the Williamsport Corps, is about three–fourths of an acre. It hosts 20 raised beds and plots tended by individual Tomatoes grow in one owners. Various community of the 20 agencies also own plots. They raised beds, grow produce, flowers, and tended by a community experimental crops. member.

This year, owners harvested a thousand pounds of food from the garden. That number is Salvation Army. For many of them, the expected to double by the end of 2018. garden is their only connection to church.

The Williamsport Corps gives vegeta“There are many people in bles to local food banks and pantries.

Williamsport whose first memory of Anyone who uses a plot receives guidThe Salvation Army is coming to play ance from members of the Penn State basketball in the corps gym. That’s how Master Gardeners who help develop they remember us; they mention that and maintain the garden. when they walk through our doors.

Major Paula hopes that they can “The Red Shield Garden is that same someday start a program on healthy type of ministry,” says Major Donald. eating at Williamsport and show people “Twenty years from now, we may have how the food they eat can also come volunteers return to serve with us again from the ground, rather than from a and tell us they used to tend vegetables can or a box. in our community garden.”

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Grow Your Own Vegetable Garden Here are tips for growing your own vegetable garden, whether it’s for your local Salvation Army corps, or in your own backyard.

CHOOSE YOUR LOCATION CAREFULLY. Most vegetables need at least six hours of direct sunlight every day, so make sure your garden is in a sunny place. Avoid areas that might easily flood, dry out, or where strong winds can knock over young plants and keep pollinators away.

USE GOOD SOIL. Roots can grow and penetrate easier in soft dirt. Use compost on your soil to provide it with important nutrients.

THINK IN ROWS. After deciding how much space you have for your garden, plant your vegetables in rows. Also, run them north and south. This will help your crops get as much sun as possible.

START SMALL. Unless you’re an experienced gardener, planting too much too soon can be overwhelming. Some vegetables, such as beans, carrots, lettuce, and spinach, may even yield more than one crop per season.

READ YOUR SEED PACKET INSTRUCTIONS. They will usually include useful information, such as the best times of the year to plant certain vegetables, and how much space you should set aside for each crop.

WATER PROPERLY. It may take time to learn how to avoid watering too much or too little, but maintaining a delicate balance will give your garden the best results.

CONSIDER ADDING COMPANION PLANTS, such as marigolds. They have been known to help keep pests such as beetles and nematodes (roundworms) away from your vegetables.

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Freedom for the

captives

by Robert Mitchell

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

—Hebrews 13:3 (ESV)

Photo by Alaina DiGiacomo

Today’s world is a mobile one. We use our phones to send emails, to text messages, and to access Facebook and other social media platforms.

One thing we don’t do anymore is sit down, put pen– to–paper, and actually handwrite letters. When was the last time you wrote one?

However, for incarcerated men and women, such writing is a way of life. Scripting a letter, placing it in an envelope, affixing a U.S. postage stamp, and sending it via “snail mail” is the way they complete the USA Eastern Territory’s Bible Correspondence Courses.

Participants complete a lesson, which includes several Bible verses. Then they finish a written test from a workbook and handwrite the answers.

They tear these pages from their workbook and mail them to Territorial Headquarters (THQ), where volunteers carefully and prayerfully grade them.

Graders mail the results to the inmates, along with other items, such as a Bible or Christian books.

Although correspondence is a word rarely used these days by the Z or even the Millennial generations, the “Bible Correspondence Courses” remains aptly named.

Major Sylvia Rebeck is now retired and teaching music in Alliance, Ohio, but she still fondly recalls her days spearheading the course.

That’s easy to believe when you consider Rebeck did the job for 27 of her 42 years as a Salvation Army officer. What

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A HOLY CALLING

inspired her was a simple, yet profound principle.

“My motivation was, these inmates need the Gospel,” Rebeck says. “They need to be told about it. I felt the Bible correspondence courses were one way of doing that.

“There was a burning within my heart. I was just excited about going to work. I wasn’t sure what I was going to get each day or what would come in. Sometimes the testimonies they would write on their lesson pages would bring me to tears.

“Corrections is still on my mind and one of those things I feel very deeply about.”

ADDING DISCIPLES

It may surprise people to know the Eastern Territory has 3,257 active students—both men and women—enrolled in its Bible correspondence courses, says V. Figueroa, the territory’s Bible Correspondence Program studies specialist.

“Some of the inmates take longer than others to complete the program,” Figueroa says. “They move around a lot, so it’s just a matter of keeping in contact with them.”

The program has averaged 538 new students per year over the last six years—or about 45 a month.

Figueroa said The Salvation Army is in contact with 61 correctional facilities, but services 1,122 around the territory.

The 12–course program features six basic and six advanced lessons. The basic courses include “Life of Christ,” “The Christian Life,” “The Early Church,” “The Early Beginnings,” “History of a Nation,” and “Survey Course.”

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Figueroa, who has worked at Territorial Headquarters (THQ) for seven years, mails the 12 courses and also handles all the correspondence with inmates, chaplains, graders, and others.

“At first, this was for the sake of a job. But then, it became much more than that,” Figueroa said. “It’s really been my ministry here, and I try to do as much as I can with what I have.

“What relates me to the inmates is the fact that I’m also a growing Christian. My journey really began when I started here.

I find myself growing a lot with them as I pray for their requests when they come in.”

Figueroa said she has a heart for the inmates, many of whom could be incarcerated on false charges or due to their addictions.

“For them to find a spiritual connection to help them walk through it, I think that’s very important,” she said. “People have made mistakes, but they also can repent.”

Figueroa said she often sends inmates copies of Salvation Army magazines such as SAconnects.

“When they ask for reading material or prayer, those stories really touch a special place in my heart,” she said. “I realize that, just by giving them a book or a Bible to read that has the Christian message in it, that’s a blessing in itself.

“In actually looking for the answers in the Bible and in their studies, the inmates also look for the answers within their lives.

They’re connecting the Bible to their actual lives, which is a beautiful thing.”

Once an inmate completes a course, it is mailed back to THQ. Figueroa then can call on a team of 23 graders, including two who come to THQ every Friday—retired Lt. Colonel Lois Rader and her sister, Jean Pullen.

“The Bible Correspondence Courses are the best kept secrets in the Army,” Rader says. “We used to do a lot of open–air ministry. In some ways, it’s like we’re entering the lives of these people and going beyond the locked doors through these means.”

SEEING LIVES CHANGED

Rader started grading lessons 11 years ago and said her motivation is an extension of her long career as an officer.

“My call to The Salvation Army was because I wanted to help people who maybe other churches didn’t reach,” she said.

“I have always had a heart for needy people.”

Rader said that reading testimonies from inmates gives her a lift.

“We have people who are converted through our lessons,” Rader said. “We have people who say, ‘If it weren’t for me coming to prison, I wouldn’t have come to know the Lord.’

That’s very inspiring.”

Rader said the lessons require inmates to name influences in their lives. At least two have mentioned Mark Chapman who in 1980 shot and killed John Lennon. Chapman is now a Christian and helps other inmates.

OPENING GOD’S WORD

The lessons start simply because many inmates are not biblically literate and some do not read well, Rader said. However, they get progressively deeper and branch out into different aspects of the Christian life. Rader said requiring the inmates to look up Bible verses is important.

“That’s the key—to get them into the Word,” Rader said. “I will often write at the end of the lesson, ‘Keep in the Word.’”

Rebeck, who played an integral part in writing and revising the lessons over the years, agreed.

“The reason this program is so important is there’s so much to it,” she said. “I feel it gives inmates a chance to change their lives around. One thing you need to do when you come to the Lord is study His Word.”

Rebeck said the lessons help prisoners develop a consistent devotional life—and send a message to other inmates.

“You need to start right where you are,” she said. “Show other inmates that your life has changed. It gives them a basis for when they get out of prison.

“They need to see how God works. It says to them, ‘This is something I need to do daily. It’s something I need to do for the rest of my life.’”

Each lesson gives inmates a chance to make a decision for Christ and to apply what they’ve learned to their lives.

“I thought that was important,” Rebeck said. “It’s one thing to study the Word, but it’s another thing to be able to put it into action.”

A certificate is mailed to inmates who complete the courses.

Sometimes, volunteers hand–deliver the certificates.

NEW OFFICER

The new officer in charge of the correspondence courses at THQ is Major Philip Ferreira. He agreed that the call in Matthew 25 to visit the “least of these” in prison drives most people involved in the corrections ministry.

“We’re called to minister to ‘whosoever’ and that’s not an exclusive group,” he said.

A fourth–generation Salvationist, Ferreira remembers when every division had corrections secretaries. He also recalls growing up in New Bedford, Mass., when his corps would hold monthly services at a local jail.

“Somehow over the years, our prison ministry has fallen off,” Ferreira said. “I’m trying to look and find what ministries are involved in the corrections system, what they’re doing, and where the gaps are. I want to explore ways in which The Salvation Army can help fill some of these gaps. It’s essential.

You not only have the prisoners who need help, but you also have the families of the prisoners.”

Ferreira said he hopes to establish goals and is reaching out to people such as Kennith Armstead, a former inmate and the

assistant corps sergeant major of the East Northport, N.Y., Corps.

Armstead retired in 2017 after working 30 years on Riker’s Island for the New York City Board of Corrections, which included a stint as director of field operations. He saw a loss of hope and feelings of depression among the inmates on suicide watch or on 23–hour–a–day lockup. Also palpable was the despair expressed by prison guards.

“That’s how the ministry started for me,” Armstead said.

“One day the thought came upon me that, no matter where I am, when I see people hurting, I have to do something.

“I would tell the inmates and the guards that hope is something you can rely on. When people say they have no hope, God provides hope. God is always there for you. When everyone else fails you, God won’t. Even when you were running, He was running after you.”

Armstead was recently named a representative to The Salvation Army’s national corrections committee. He also hopes to start a ministry soon to the Yaphank Correctional Facility on Long Island.

BIG PLANS AHEAD

Armstead is well–versed in the prison system. He spent 15 years in state prison, from 1971 to 1986, after being convicted of accessory to robbery and murder. He was just 17.

“I used that time in prison wisely,” Armstead said, earning degrees in behavioral science and psychology.

Armstead would like to get local churches involved and help prepare inmates for re–entry.

“The jails are now full of people with mental health issues,” he said. “These people are going to get released eventually. If they don’t have the proper network and support once they get out, they’re going to go right back into the system.”

Ferreira said he is excited to get started.

“The more I learn about this unique ministry of The Salvation Army, the more of a passion I develop for it,” Ferreira said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity. My hope is that, as the passion ignites in me, I will learn how to make it contagious so that others can put this up a few pegs on their priority list. That’s my hope and prayer.”

Would you like to participate in this program?

Contact V. Figueroa at (845) 620–7384 or write: The Salvation Army Bible Correspondence Courses 440 West Nyack Road West Nyack, NY 10994–1739 www.easternusa.salvationarmy.org/use/bible-correspondence-courses

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2018 OCTOBER

11

ing ,N .Y.

by

Ro b

er

tM

i tc

he

ll

po ve in r Co ty rn sh at te ri n M g

“We are pilgrims on the journey We are brothers on the road We are here to help each other Walk the mile and bear the load.”

—The Servant Song by Richard Gillard

ary Ellen Monahan could be relaxing and enjoying her golden years, but that doesn’t seem to be her style. A special education teacher and administrator for 30 years in the Campbell-Savona school system near Corning, N.Y., Monahan formally retired eight years ago but couldn’t resist taking on a new challenge as the director of the Salvation Army’s Kids Café program at the Corning Corps.

“I volunteer to do it,” says Monahan, who also serves on the local Salvation Army advisory board. “I really believe in what they’re trying to do here. It’s a free program to the community.

We don’t charge.

“I think it really shows what The Salvation Army does and that its mission is to help and to serve people. It’s a well–respected program in the community.”

The Kids Café has two parts: an after–school program during the academic year and a six–week day camp in the summer.

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OCTOBER 2018

The day camp, which is run in conjunction with the city of Corning, is a 40–hour–a–week program and includes such summer fun as swimming and field trips to the Corning Museum of Glass and The Rockwell Museum.

‘OASIS’ IN THE DESERT

Monahan runs the Kid’s Cafe with the help of an assistant and nine adult leaders, all within the confines of a small corps building. Grants, donations, and the local United Way fund the program.

“The community is supportive,” she said. “They know we don’t have a lot of space. The Salvation Army here in Corning is known for this program.”

Monahan, who has been on the local advisory board for six years, said that getting a larger building is under discussion.

For now, 100 kids, ages 5–12, are enrolled in the after–school program, which meets from 2:30–6 p.m., at the corps. The kids come from six elementary schools for homework help, activities, dinner, and free time.

“We have a really strong connection with the school district,” Monahan said.

When Monahan and her staff see a child struggling in school, she contacts the student’s guidance counselor, social worker, and others to help develop an

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action plan.

“We deal with all the issues,” Monahan said. “We have children going through their parents’ divorce right now. They go through it as much as their parents do.

“We have children who are being raised by grandparents. We have children who are with split families. We have foster children. We have children from two–parent families. We see the gamut.

I think The Salvation Army is an oasis for many of these kids.”

ECONOMIC CHALLENGES

Corning, best known for its historic glass industry, is in rural Steuben County in upstate New York. The individual poverty rate is 16.1 percent, but that jumps to 24.1 percent for children. More than half of the county’s children, 51 percent, qualify for school lunches that are free or reduced in price.

“The kids come from all over and there are quite a few families who are struggling,” Monahan said. “I’ve had parents tell me how grateful they are for this program and that it’s really helped them because they’re able to work. Everything they earned before they brought their kids to our program went to childcare.

“We try to bridge that gap for a lot of parents and help them out as much

as we can. Some of these parents have stressful lives and they’re trying to keep it all together. It’s great when The Salvation Army can step in and offer this kind of a program.”

The Salvation Army also doesn’t forget about the spiritual needs. Captain Wanda Rivera, the corps officer in Corning, conducts a weekly Bible lesson and runs a summer Vacation Bible School (VBS).

“I talk about Jesus and the importance that every one of the children have Him in their heart,” Rivera said.

STANDING IN THE GAP

While some of the kids attend other churches, Rivera said she has seen some crossover to the corps.

“The ones who don’t have any kind of church or aren’t saved, I try to teach them everything about Jesus and bring them to the feet of Jesus,” she said.

Monahan said parents are aware of the spiritual nourishing and no one has ever complained. Many of the parents used to just drop off and pick up their children, but Monahan said she and her staff have developed a relationship with some.

“We’ve reached out to them and I’ll have conversations with them,” she said.

“It’s hard for some of these parents.

“I have the utmost respect for these

Mary Ellen Monahan (far left), the director of the Salvation Army’s Kids Café program in Corning, N.Y., helps kids participate in a multitude of activities ranging from LEGO building to baking.

“

I talk about Jesus and the importance that every one of the children have Him in their heart.

”

—Captain Wanda Rivera

parents. I think they’re trying. I’ve never met parents yet who don’t want the best for their child. They don’t always know how to do it, but I think they really try and they’re really grateful for our program.”

One of the thankful parents is Maurica Gloria, who said she has seen a behavioral improvement in her two children, Giovanni, 9, and Renzo, 6, since they’ve been attending Kid’s Café.

“Their manners are great,” she said.

“They say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ Their grades have improved.

“It’s a great program that keeps them safe and gives them help with their homework.”

IMPROVED BEHAVIOR

Tammy Colette brings her two grandchildren, Morgan, 9, and Elliott, 6, and is also pleased with the results.

“They get a good experience here and meet new friends and do different activities,” she said. “They get to play together.

That’s something kids need, to play together, and learn to work together.”

Colette said her grandson was once rambunctious, but he has settled down since coming to the Kids Café.

“He’s learned more, he plays well with others, and I think it’s helped him out a lot,” she said. “I’m happy with the

program. I’m glad they have it.

“I’m glad my grandkids come here. I wish they had something like this when we were younger.”

To get up to 100 kids to return day after day shows they want to be there.

Monahan said, “I think the kids love the connection and the attention. For some of these kids, this is where they get their attention. Some of them also really like the food.

“I’ve seen children who need that connection and support. There are a lot of families looking for support.”

HAPPY PLACE FOR KIDS

It’s clear that the Kid’s Café participants, who laugh and squeal throughout the evening, enjoy being part of the program and finding support.

“I like the leaders,” said Connor, 8, “and playing cards with my friends.”

Eva, 8, uses the Kid’s Café time to get her homework done, but she also likes the character–building lessons.

“I like how the leaders are so nice and they want to teach us how to get along with others, to not do bad things, and just be nice,” she said.

Some children like to see friends from other schools, but it’s clear the Christian message is getting through.

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“We learn to treat other people nice,” said Franklin, 8.

“Every day we get to do something different and that’s fun,” said Lillian, 7. “I also like this program because everybody is nice.”

Leader Michele Reynolds, who shepherds 20 of the youngest kids in the program, said some kids crave attention at home because their parents work.

“There are many children in need of help,” she said. “I think they get a lot from the program.”

‘A SPECIAL PLACE’

Leader Brynna Hoban, who is Monahan’s assistant, said the kids get “positive attention” at Kid’s Café.

“A lot of times they’re hungry after school. They get snacks and dinner here from people who care about them,” she said. “It gives them a place to come and not roam around, especially if mom and dad are working. It’s a positive thing and better than being alone at home.”

Leader Amy Vichinsky said she and her colleagues try to impart “calm discipline” amid their nurturing.

“We develop individual relationships with each kid,” she said.

Monahan, whose warm relationship with the kids is evident, said what keeps her coming back are the words to the Catholic hymn “The Servant Song” by Richard Gillard.

“That song really speaks to me,” Monahan says. “I love kids. For me, this is my way of walking a mile with them and sharing this load. We really are here to help each other.

“This is also my way of giving back to the community and to The Salvation Army. I think it’s important to give back.

This Kid’s Café is a special place and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

2018 OCTOBER

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the

American

n Dream Pottstown Works, pulling people out of poverty.

by Nancy March

L Charles Purvis, 34, landed in Pottstown, Pa., as a new father, jobless, and living in a shelter.

ast winter, Damaris Martinez of Pottstown, Pa., slept in a car. It was parked in the driveway of a relative who had given her 8–year–old son a bed in the house. Martinez, a 45–year–old single mom, had lost her job and apartment.

Although she was trying to get back on her feet, a health crisis arose. The few dollars she earned as a hotel maid was barely enough to feed her and her son.

Eventually, they landed in the Salvation Army’s Lessig– Booth Shelter for Homeless Families. Martinez was also carless and jobless.

Charles Purvis, 34 and single, lived with family in Philadelphia. As a contract salesman, he sold electricity packages to households. Purvis had worked in stadium security, commercial janitorial services, and as a shoe salesman at Nordstrom’s, a high–end department store.

Purvis didn’t have a car or a driver’s license. He didn’t need either in a city where he could ride buses and subways.

A woman Purvis dated became pregnant with twins. He moved to Pottstown where she lived so that he could be an involved father. But he found himself lacking a job, and for the first time in his life, needing transportation to find a job. Soon, Charles and his new family, including now three–month–old twins, were living in the homeless shelter.

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In the first year, Pottstown Works graduated 28 people from workshops and referred them to 12 area businesses for employment. These efforts essentially prevented homelessness for 33 people, including 17 children.

Nancy March, a former newspaper editor, gave the Pottstown Works program computers to help get started. She began as a volunteer and is now the program’s director.

THE NEED FOR WORK

Shelter administrators referred both Damaris and Charles to Pottstown Works, the Salvation Army’s job–readiness program.

Based on the internationally acclaimed Cincinnati Works poverty–to–work program, Pottstown Works was established in March 2017 as a startup project and funded in part by a Thomas Lyle Williams (TLW) grant of The Salvation Army Eastern Territory. The program began with three local professional women working as volunteers at the shelter to teach resume writing to residents.

Thanks to the TLW grant, the Army hired a program director, launched job–readiness workshops, and followed up with job coaching activities. These moves helped put people and their families on paths to self–sufficiency.

In the first year, Pottstown Works graduated 28 people from workshops and referred them to 12 area businesses for employment. These efforts essentially prevented homelessness for 33 people, including 17 children.

FULFILLING THE MISSION

When Major Jeny Shurtleff, the corps officer in Pottstown, thinks about the Pottstown Works program, the words of Army founders William and Catherine Booth come to mind.

The first is “Others,” by William Booth and the second is, “If we are to better the future, we must disturb the present,” by

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Catherine Booth.

“Both of these quotes represent what Pottstown Works encompasses,” Shurtleff said. “The program is doing its best to disrupt the present condition of the students that come through the program and create better futures for them.”

Participants must be drug–free, have little or no criminal background, and be willing and able to work full–time. The program is free and limited to people living below the federal poverty guidelines, whether a single person or a family of five.

People who apply are interviewed and, once accepted into the program, attend a one–week, (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), workshop designed to teach the skills needed to get and keep a job.

Applicants outside the acceptance criteria are referred to other agencies. These include: a health clinic, mental health or substance abuse counseling, legal aid, and county unemployment services for people above the poverty line.

REMOVING ROADBLOCKS

Addressing barriers to employment such as the lack of transportation, child care, and training is what makes the mission of Pottstown Works different from other non–profit job services.

The aim is to address those barriers on a case–by–case basis.

That can mean getting a bike donated for a member, mapping a bikeable or walkable route to a job or guiding a member through

the paperwork needed to get subsidized child care.

It may also mean matching an inexperienced worker to an unappealing job for a year to show work experience, then helping that individual pursue training in something that matches his or her interests and goals.

Brian Bowers is a 19–year–old senior soldier in the Pottstown Corps. He plays in the band’s trombone section and has served as a volunteer.

His only previous work experience was a short stint as a camp counselor. Brian came to Pottstown Works shortly after getting his high school equivalency diploma from the local YWCA. After graduating from Pottstown’s weeklong workshop, he started full–time work at a warehouse notorious for having a difficult environment with zero tolerance for lateness or absences.

“The warehouse was a bit of a culture shock for me,” Brian recalls. “I had never been around the kind of talk and smoking and habits that went on there.”

BACK ON HIS FEET

But it was a job, and Brian was determined to stick with it. He concentrated on the work, made a few friends, and survived. Now, just six months later, Brian boasts of a perfect attendance record at the warehouse. He has money in the bank and is saving a portion of it to pay the tuition at a technical school. His ambition is to become an electrician.

“Pottstown Works helped give me the confidence to set these goals for myself,” Brian said. “I believe God worked through POVERTY in The Salvation Army to lead me to this program—and it has helped me to change my life.”

“We are proud of Brian,” added Major Shurtleff. “Since we met him when we came to the Pottstown Corps last year, we have seen him grow so much. We are proud of his effort to earn his equivalency diploma, hold down a full–time job, obtain his driver’s license, and apply for college.

“We are sad to see him go off to college, but we know that the Lord has wonderful things in store for him.”

Army in Pottstown is greeted with respect, no matter what their life situation is,” said Major Shurtleff.

“We may be helping them with one need, but after chatting for a few minutes and getting a little more of their background story, we recognize that we can help them in another area of their life. We show and tell them about the love of Jesus and take every opportunity to invite them to church and to our programs.”

As a replication program of the Cincinnati Works model, Pottstown Works volunteers also stay with members after they get a job. Volunteers make follow–up calls to the members and to their employers. The aim is to ensure that members stay on the job and advance.

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

“If a member is 5–minutes late one day and then 10–minutes late a week later, we want to know about it,” said Nancy March, program director. “If it’s a child care problem, we’ll work on it with the member. If her car broke down or his bike was stolen, we’ll brainstorm solutions and help members figure out how to fix the problem and get to work on time.

“Employers respect us because we give them vetted employees who we’ve tried to prepare for the realities of the workplace, whether at a sweltering factory in the heat of summer or on an assembly line of talkative busybodies. Employers know that

12.7% or an estimated 43 MILLION AMERICANS currently live in poverty. The federal government considers a family of four below the poverty level if it earns less than $24,858 a year.

AMERICA

PATH FROM POVERTY

Although Pottstown Works has a broader function than to exclusively serve residents of The Salvation Army homeless shelter, people typically find their way from the shelter, the food pantry or the community meals to Pottstown Works.

“Every person who walks through the doors of The Salvation

U.S. Census Bureau, 2016.

not every hire is going to work out, but they trust that we will do our best to create a good match and then provide the support to make it last.”

The goals at Pottstown Works, as adapted from the Cincinnati Works, are (1) one year/one job advancement and (2) self–sufficiency in five years. In order to make that path attainable, Pottstown Works searches for jobs that pay no less than $11 an hour and no fewer than 25 scheduled hours a week.

The program relies on hundreds of volunteer hours spent by the founders: a psychologist, a financial expert, and a business networks manager. Other volunteers include a banker, a pastor, a communications specialist, and an operations manager who do

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2018 OCTOBER

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“

This program gave me the energy and enthusiasm to get back out there and to know that I can make it.

”

Damaris Martinez now works for Giant supermarket in Pottstown, Pa.

everything from mapping bus routes to acquiring work interview clothing to compiling newsletters.

The program also relies on partnerships with other community non–profits, including churches and social service agencies.

Pottstown Works, as well as The Lessig–Booth Shelter, are part of a coalition in Pottstown that works to understand and address Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) in children and to boost efforts to be a trauma–informed community.

RESILIENT SPIRIT

Damaris now works in a grocery store deli and has gained a reputation among customers for her bright smile and helpfulness. She adds value to her employer because she can answer a customer service complaint in Spanish as well as in English.

She greets elderly customers with the same enthusiasm as she does children.

Damaris works hard, comes in on an hour’s notice to cover a shift for someone who called in sick, and welcomes extra hours, even if they are on the Fourth of July or on Super Bowl Sunday.

Her efforts all paid off when she was recently named the store’s “Employee of the Month.”

Damaris and her son live in an apartment building with a neighbor who can keep an eye on him for an hour or so if she has to work late.

People around her comment on the positive outlook she has had since joining Pottstown Works. She credits the program

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with giving her a future.

“This program gave me the energy and enthusiasm to get back out there and to know that I can make it,” Damaris said. “I am blessed to be alive, and I have the most positive outlook on life that I have ever had. I am just thankful that I was led here.”

Charles got a full–time job in factory assembly at a local company. It’s a new area of work for him at the only U.S. firm making steel products in its line.

But the path to prosperity has had its roadblocks. He was laid off after eight months due to a slowdown in plant orders, and he had to take a series of temp jobs to make ends meet.

He and his girlfriend live with her three–year–old child and their now one–year–old twins in an apartment. He has walked as much as two miles or taken buses daily for as long as 45 minutes one way to get to jobs.

Hired full–time at another assembly plant, he was there just two weeks when his boss told him the job had become obsolete.

A day later, God’s grace prevailed, and he was called back to the first plant that had laid him off. “Trust the process,” Charles says.

Whether that process is through prayer or the diligence of Pottstown Works staff and volunteers, they strive to bring people out of poverty by teaching and helping promote the dignity of work.

As a result, they are changing lives and families—one person at a time.

Stars are Born in IRONBOUND

by Hugo Bravo

photography by Susan Magnano

The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Newark, Ironbound Community Center in Newark, N.J. reaches its youngest residents with after–school and summer programs, social groups, and performing arts classes.

2018 OCTOBER

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traveling theater group, doing shows around New Jersey and recruiting other actors. Her group grew to 400 members and did musical performances in both English and Portuguese.

Oliveira came to the Boys & Girls Club in 1999. First as a volunteer and later as program director, she brought her knowledge of performing, along with 80 children to enroll at the community center.

“My theater group had played for New Jersey’s police and firemen. I had traveled from school to school, meeting families, and attending board of education meetings in Newark,” says Oliveira. “I knew the community well.”

She also knew how to inspire people to love the stage, including those closest to her. Zelia’s three daughters had become performers like their mother.

“ Zelia Oliveira has brought a lifetime of experience in theater arts to The Salvation Army. “It doesn’t matter what you become,” Ms. Zee says to the children, “what matters is what you do with what you become.”

Oliveira, who once aspired to be on Broadway, also encourages a strong work ethic. “If you want to be a performer, be the greatest performer that those judges have ever seen. If you want to be a sanitation worker, be the best, most hardworking worker in the city of Newark,” she says.

ABSORBING THE ARTS

When Zelia was four years old, her family immigrated from Portugal to Newark, N.J. From a young age, she was drawn to Broadway. But in grade school, Zelia’s mother forbade her to travel to New York to compete in an open audition for “Annie.”

“Theater was in my blood,” says Oliveira, whose parents had been stage performers in Portugal. “But singing only for my mother inside our home was not my goal.”

After finishing college in 1983, Zelia started her own local

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I’m so lucky to be part of The Salvation Army. But if I wasn’t here, I’d still be looking for ways to serve.

There is always something that we can give to others, even if all we have are our experiences and our passions.

”

— Zelia Oliveira

“Using our own money and with the help of sponsors, my kids have been blessed with thousands of dollars worth of acting and theater lessons,” says Oliveira. “I sat through every one of their classes—watching, listening, and absorbing everything they learned.” “[The lessons] were easy to memorize, because I loved theater myself. And now, I can share all that knowledge here at The Salvation Army.”

ZClub, the performing arts group at the Boys & Girls Club, is where Oliveira shares those lessons. Children take part in song performances ranging from Broadway classics to modern hits.

Included are vocal training and workshops to develop confidence on stage, as well as respect for their teachers and each other. Every year, ZClub performs two musicals for the Ironbound community. Aspiring actors who want to pursue theater beyond ZClub sign up for auditions and competitions in New York City, with Oliveira alongside them. One of the lessons that she stresses at these auditions is that the choice of song can be just as important as the performance itself.

“When our children go to Manhattan to audition, judges think they have been professionally trained,” says Oliveira. “I tell the judges, ‘there’s so much talent and potential here in Newark.’”

ALMOST THERE

Twelve–year–old Vivian Lightner came to the Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club four years ago. “When I arrived, ZClub was doing a performance of ‘Annie.’ I got the role of July, one of the orphans,” remembers Vivian.

Though shy at first, she made new friends and developed a talent for singing that even surprised her mother.

“When Vivian gets on stage, she becomes a different person.

It’s a side to her that I had never seen,” says Zondre, Vivian’s mother. “But now, I look forward to all her performances. My daughter literally found her voice here.”

Oliveira submitted a video of Vivian to competitions in New York. Since then, Vivian has sung with the New York Gospel Choir and alongside Broadway star Nathan Lee Graham.

However, Vivian says that children who don’t attain such success still have a part to play in ZClub.

“If you didn’t get that part you wanted, it’s okay, because Ms. Zee will have a role for you to play. You will never sit on the sideline during ZClub,” says Vivian.

“ZClub is a family. If there’s an argument or a disagreement, we stop and solve it and we continue on, like families do,” says Vivian. She would like to one day be a counselor at the Boys & Girls Club.

“I’m bringing Vivian here until the day they tell her that she’s too old to come!” says Zondre, laughing.

“She’ll never be too old to be a part of us,” says Ms. Zee. She listens to Vivian sing the chorus to “Almost There,” from the animated movie “The Princess and the Frog.” It’s a fitting choice for a talented young girl who may only be a performance away from her big break.

“I want to take Vivian to TV singing competitions the next time they come to New Jersey,” says Oliveira. “She’s going to be famous someday.”

NECKTIES AND PORTUGUESE LESSONS

Aside from ZClub, Oliveira finds time to participate in programs that Newark Ironbound offers, such as Skills Mastery and Resistance Training (SMART) Girls. Young women learn about health, leadership, and self–esteem development. Passport to Manhood is a similar program designed for teenage boys.

Ms. Zee remembers an occasion when she had to help one of the Passport to Manhood counselors develop his own life skills.

“He never learned how to tie a necktie,” said Oliveira. “He did not have a father figure in his life to teach him. Years ago, I had learned to do it from watching the TV show “Three’s Company.” So, we gathered a bunch of ties from the costume closet, and I made sure that he, and all the boys in the program, learned to do it themselves.”

Oliveira also found a way to share her Portuguese heritage.

She kept school notes and textbooks from her time attending a Portuguese school in Newark as a companion to her studies in English. She photocopied these lessons and started a “Portuguese for Beginners” class at the Club.

Twice a week, Oliveira taught the language and history of Portugal. Though the program ended due to her other responsibilities at the Club, she hopes that one day it can return in some way. Newark’s Ironbound neighborhood has a large Portuguese community, and the classes were very popular.

“On the first day, we had 25 children sign up, and that wasn’t even counting the parents who wanted to learn too,” says Oliveira.

A SERVICE TO SUCCEED

“Just as I did with my own daughters, I’m always trying to give these kids the opportunities I wish I would have had,” says Ms. Zee. Although her life might have been different if in grade school, Zelia’s mother had let her travel to New York for that “Annie” audition, Oliveira would not change a thing about where she is today. To the families and the children of Ironbound, she is as big a star as any Broadway performer or stage vocalist.

“Ms. Zee loves the kids that walk into Ironbound,” says Zondre. “Without that love, you can come in, do the work, and go home. But Ms. Zee is a teacher, counselor, and second mom to many of the children here. This is more than just work for her.”

Says Zelia, “I’m so lucky to be part of The Salvation Army.

But if I wasn’t here, I’d still be looking for ways to serve. There is always something that we can give to others, even if all we have are our experiences and our passions.”

After taking a deep breath and a moment of reflection, she said, “And today, my passion is to help others succeed. As long as I’m alive, I’m going to do my best to make someone from this Boys & Girls Club famous.”

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2018 OCTOBER

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FAITH in ACTION

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GOD REIGNS! SEPTEMBER 8, 2018—On a rooftop in Manhattan, worshipers gather under a night sky and pouring rain to praise God. “This is a cool location, but it’s more than that; we have a cool God and we’re praising His name,” said Doug Berry, leader of UNBOUND: NYC Rooftop Worship. “We’re hoping that people from the streets, people from the surrounding buildings, and people from their homes will hear us playing [music] and praying to Jesus and it will affect their lives.”

For a video of the complete concert featuring the ministry of “Outside Worship” and a downloadable prayer guide, go to: saconnects.org/unbound-outside-worship-live

FAITH in ACTION

Strut their Stuff

by Robert Mitchell

BEST FOOT FORWARD Minnich said, “They did a lot of brainstorming and decided they wanted to do something regarding shoes because women love shoes. But children also

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need shoes they’re not ashamed of in order to really succeed at school. So they came up with the idea of having a shoe fundraiser.”

this year’s event, which was held Sept.

21st at the Radisson Hotel in Harrisburg.

“That means 550 kids were able to get new shoes to their liking this year,” Minnich said.

The luncheon also raises money above and beyond the shoe vouchers through sponsorships and a silent auction. The 2017 event raised $96,000 before expenses and Minnich hoped to top $100,000 this year.

SOUGHT–AFTER PRIZES

Here’s how “Shoe Strut” works. For every $85 ticket sold at the luncheon, a child in need gets a voucher for a new pair of shoes from Boscov’s, the local department store. The Salvation Army sold 500 tickets in 2017 and 550 for

The money raised beyond the shoe vouchers—after expenses—goes to a host of Salvation Army programs such as after-school music and arts, summer youth programs, Bridging the Gap for at-risk youth, educational enrichment, breakfasts, and social services initiatives such as Pathway of Hope.

The silent auction includes new shoes donated by local retailers and the women of WIN. More than 200 other items are also involved, such as gift baskets, golf outings, overnight stays, restaurant certificates, and even a week on the outer banks of North Carolina.

Minnich said that at past events, some of the more coveted and creative prizes won have been 4th–row tickets to the

Photos courtesy The Salvation Army of Harrisburg, Pa.

“Why don’t we do something with shoes?”

Those seven words were the impetus behind the popular “Shoe Strut,” an annual fundraising luncheon at the Harrisburg (Citadel), Pa., Corps. The spectacle has provided more than 2,200 pairs of shoes for needy children and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Salvation Army programs.

“Shoe Strut” began seven years ago as a project of the women’s auxiliary— known as Women INvolved (WIN).

“They were looking for a way to volunteer and network at the same time,” says Cindy Minnich, community outreach and events coordinator for The Salvation Army in Harrisburg. “They wanted to have a signature event.”

Major Elizabeth Griner, corps officer, said the women of WIN met over a pizza lunch when someone suggested, “Why don’t we do something with shoes?” At that lunch, the “Shoe Strut” was conceived.

Trans–Siberian Orchestra, a Keith Urban concert, and an “Ultimate Girls Night” out with a limo, dinner, and massages.

Some of the women of WIN buy shoes, handbags, jewelry, and scarves to be auctioned off, Minnich said.

HUMBLE START TO SELLOUT The luncheon also offers a fashion show, featuring the latest trends from local retailers. Fun contests such as the best and worst shoes at each table are good for laughs. Those winners also get to walk the runway.

Minnich said the luncheon is an opportunity to show a video that describes all the Salvation Army’s programs. Last year, a child who benefitted from the summer youth program shared her testimony.

“We do what we do with God’s help and community support,” Minnich said. “We try to get that across. We are unashamedly Christian.”

“Shoe Strut” started in 2012 with 200 guests, but the luncheon keeps outgrowing its venue, Minnich said.

“This year, we sold out at the end of April,” she said. “We have a waiting list. It’s become a really fun lunch event where our sponsors like to bring their clients or friends.”

to ‘Shoe Strut’ and enjoy it so much, they want to know more. It’s an electric atmosphere. There’s nothing stuffy about it.

“The success of ‘Shoe Strut’ is really because we have a group of dedicated, generous ladies in WIN who do a lot of work to make this event successful.

Other corps have contacted us to try to duplicate it in their area, asking us for the marketing and other materials so they can do one.

“However, it just doesn’t work that way. It’s about the people, not about the brochure.”

MODERN TIMES Griner said the name Women INvolved actually came about because the group was comprised of younger, forward– thinking women, who thought the name “auxiliary” conjured up images of “your grandmother’s auxiliary.”

“They wanted to come up with something a bit more current and appealing to the younger set, which I believe they have done, while still maintaining the purposes and function of an auxiliary,” Griner said.

Griner said that in the first year, the women did all the hard work themselves necessary to secure sponsors and donations, send out invitations, and buy shoes and auction items.

“We have built a network within the group and within the community that—each year—enables us to serve more people more effectively and tell the Salvation Army’s story,” Griner said.

“We have found that, if we keep it fun, fresh, interactive, purposeful, and share the mission of The Salvation Army, then we will have continued success.

“God has certainly blessed the efforts of these women, and we are the thankful recipients of their work.”

IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE A local DJ acts as master of ceremonies and creates a lively atmosphere, Minnich said.

“People like it because it’s a fun and lighthearted yet meaningful event where we get to tell our story. People will say, ‘I had no idea the Salvation Army was anything more than a thrift store or a kettle bell at Christmas time.’”

Minnich said the event has become a “great entrée into the community.”

“We’ve gotten a ton of volunteers because of it,” she said. “They’ll come

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Women attending last year’s event walk the runway.

2018 OCTOBER

27

Q & A

Jamie Manirakiza Jamie Manirakiza, who has worked in the field of anti–human trafficking for nine years, became the territory’s specialist in this area earlier this year.

Before coming to Territorial Headquarters (THQ), she made a name for herself as director of The Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia’s anti–trafficking effort, where she engaged in community outreach and helped open the New Day drop–in center and the New Day, New Home residential program (see SAconnects magazine, September 2017).

Manirakiza also helped secure federal funding and used her extensive background in social work to provide a wide range of comprehensive services for victims of human trafficking.

She is an adjunct professor for Vanguard University of Southern California and has taught a course on human trafficking at Eastern University. Manirakiza has also done consulting work for the U.S. Department of Justice on issues related to human trafficking and has been quoted extensively in the media on topics pertaining to commercial sexual exploitation in Philadelphia.

She has been a featured speaker at press conferences and formal trainings, sharing her insights on what makes victim services successful. Manirakiza is also a founding member of the Villanova University School of Law’s Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation advisory council. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Eastern University and her master’s in social work from the University of Pennsylvania.

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OCTOBER 2018

interview by Robert Mitchell

Tell us about your new role at THQ. I am the Anti–Human Trafficking (AHT) Specialist in the Social Ministries Department. This position is under Major Susan Dunigan, territorial social justice secretary. We work on many social justice–related issues going on in our territory and the world. I am working with each division’s practitioners in the field to support the national Anti–Human Trafficking Fight for Freedom goals.

In addition, I support staff education, community partnerships, and volunteerism. I also help to equip each division to engage in the fight against human trafficking within communities.

What are those goals? We hope to increase The Salvation Army’s presence in communities under the Fight for Freedom goals, which are: Awareness and Training, Prevention and Outreach, Survivor Services and Recovery, and Partnerships and Advocacy. Where we have existing AHT programming, we hope to build capacity and continue to develop emerging best practices as they relate to survivor services.

Where we do not have existing AHT programming, we hope to identify ways to integrate this ministry in the social services field.

What initially got you interested in the fight against human trafficking? My faith and work have always been intertwined since I became a Christian. Since that day, I have been passionate about understanding inequality in my community and in the world. Recognizing the undeserved power and privilege into which I was born and my subsequent role in social justice issues is something I have wrestled with in my journey as a Christian. Paulo Freire once said, “To affirm that men and women are persons and as persons should be free, and yet to do nothing tangible to make this affirmation a reality, is a farce.” There are many social ills and unjust practices around the world and in our

daily lives, which dehumanize others, rendering them unfree. Human trafficking is a horrific form of dehumanization of men, women, and children through labor or sexual servitude. I have always been deeply disturbed by the notion that another human being has been and continues to be sought after as a commodity. The enslavement of another person completely contradicts the faith principle that says each person has been created in the image of God, and therefore, is fully human. I am continuously challenged to question my own role in supporting systems and structural inequalities that causes others to be oppressed. I will continue to fight alongside people who are oppressed by the human trafficking industry.

and survivors of human trafficking. The Army has been creative in developing best practices in service delivery. It has also helped to maximize choice and self–determination and encourage autonomy in residential programming, drop–in centers, and in case management models.

Tell us about your spiritual life and the role it plays in your fight against human trafficking. I hope that my faith transcends all aspects of my life, which of course, includes my work. In that sense, my faith guides all that I do as a professional and an individual. I believe as a Christian, I should be the best steward I can be of the resources and tools God has given me. I do not fully understand why certain people suffer while others are born into privilege. What I do know is that I have the ability to engage in the fight against oppression or any practices that render another person less than fully human.

How do you stay positive when dealing with such a serious issue? I remain hopeful that God is and will always be the same. I remain hopeful that we’re making progress despite the amount of work that still needs to be done. I believe God is faithful and this gives me hope.

What innovative things do you see The Salvation Army doing to make a difference regarding this issue? The Salvation Army is a leader in the fight against human trafficking. In major cities, the Army is a leading provider of victim services, forging paths where others have not gone. For example, The Army leads the fight in Ohio and Pennsylvania in joint task force efforts with law enforcement partners. Army representatives also speak out against policies that negatively impact victims

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What is the biggest challenge we face?

I would say an overarching challenge is fighting the status quo, fighting against systemic, structural, and societal systems that foster the commodification of human beings for labor or sexual servitude. There is so much I could say about this question, but there are many areas that need to be addressed in order to fight human trafficking.

Do you think we are winning the battle?

Yes. In many ways we are winning. We win each time a woman enters a drop–in center and feels five minutes of warmth, respect, love, and safety.

We win when that woman comes back to the center every day because she recognizes someone cares. In that process, we reflect the love of Christ. We win each time we demonstrate love and respect to an individual struggling to survive.

We win each time a person finds a job, housing or reunites with family. We win each time an unjust social or criminal justice policy is reformed. We win each time a person is treated as a victim rather than as a criminal. We win each time we collaborate across multiple agencies to fight trafficking.

We win each time a person obtains a visa or other immigration status. We win when a survivor finds healing. Winning can take on many faces.

2018 OCTOBER

29

wholly living

Keep Showing Up

by Major Lauren Hodgson

October is a magical time of year with Major League Baseball's (MLB) playoffs and World Series.

It's also a time when we remember great players and pennant races from the past. Cal Ripken Jr., nicknamed “The Iron Man,” is a former shortstop and third baseman who played 21 seasons in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001). Ripken compiled 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, and 1,695 runs– batted–in during his career, and he won two Gold Glove Awards for his defense.

He was a 19–time All–Star and was twice named American League Most Valuable Player.

All those statistics are noteworthy, but one arguably surpasses them all— Ripken holds the record for consecutive games played, 2,632. In other words, Cal Ripken showed up. This is more than just a tiny blip on his statistical sheet; it is a sign of commitment.

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OCTOBER 2018

COMMITMENT Commitment is a word often used, but the depth of its meaning is rarely understood in today’s society. A commitment is a pledge, a promise, a vow, and a guarantee that we will complete what we say we’ll complete. Many commitments seem to start out in a blaze of passion, but when the newness wears off, when life gets in the way or when having to show up gets tedious or uncomfortable, the commitment fades and we return to the status quo.

We see broken commitments in divorce rates, in the lives of children who experience a lack of parental guidance, and in today’s workforce as we jump from job to job. This lack of commitment has even infiltrated the health and service of the Church.

As this is a new day and age, some of us might believe that worship and service in the Body of Christ might look a little different than from a few decades ago. But this notion is far from the truth when it comes to spiritual formation.

There are classic rhythms in our spiritual

walk that are foundational to the health and growth of our life in Christ.

I recently came across this statement from the 2nd Vatican Council: “And let us remember that prayer should accompany the reading of Sacred Scripture, so that God and man may talk together; for we speak to Him when we pray; we hear from Him when we read Divine sayings.” As the old Sunday school chorus goes, “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.”

At this point, you may be thinking, Thanks, Einstein. Tell me something I don’t know. Rather than give you a new revelation, it is an important reminder for you to keep showing up for your Bible reading and prayer life.

Show up when the daily schedule is crowded, show up when these practices may seem rote, show up when there seems to be no dividends in sight. Perhaps Paul tried to make this point to Christians in Galatia when he wrote, “May we never tire of doing what is good and right before our Lord

because in His season we shall bring in a great harvest if we can just persist.”

Galatians 6:9 (VOICE) E. Stanley Jones, a missionary to the Muslims and Hindus in India during the first half of the 20th century, put it this way, “Conversion is a gift and an achievement. It is the act of a moment and the work of a lifetime. You cannot attain salvation by disciplines—it is a gift of God. But you cannot retain it without disciplines. Discipline is the fruit of conversion—not the root.”

You may have had an experience when you’ve gotten up from your quiet time with the Lord and thought, What did I just read? or I feel like my prayers are hitting the ceiling. Be aware of the source of these thoughts. This is exactly what our spiritual adversary wants us to dwell on. The reading of God’s Word or time spent in talking to Him or just sitting in His presence is never in vain.

If you expose your all to His everything, He promises to renew your mind (Romans 12:2). Remember, God works in ways we cannot see! Your time in His

presence will reveal His Word at the moment you need it.

Perhaps you feel your journey with Christ has gone flat. If so, then admit it to Him. He already knows where you are with Him. Admission is the first step toward a new revelation in Him. Let’s face it, we live in a time when you can find almost any resource that will give direction to spur your spiritual life. The issue is, when you feel you haven’t heard God speaking in a long time, when it seems everyone else is growing in leaps and bounds, and when you feel spiritually stuck, don’t stop opening God’s Word or speaking to Him, or sitting in His presence. The bottom line is, God is always speaking to you; the discipline of prayer and reading of Scripture, in whatever way you feel led to experience them, will help you get in alignment to hear His voice. Keep showing up and God will honor your effort with a harvest!

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Here are some practical suggestions to give you a jumpstart in the rhythms of prayer and Bible reading: ■R ead the Word of God daily. Establish a consistent time, place, and pattern. Make it a high priority.

■ Retain knowledge and spiritual revelation by sharing the lessons God has taught you.

Put what you've learned into your own words. This is important for your comprehension, retention, and for people with whom you share God's word.

■ Review this biblical checklist often.

“Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self–control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love” 2 Peter 1:5–7 (CEV).

Go over these seven virtues often, noting on a regular basis if you see an increase or decrease in these areas in your life. Conduct a daily review of how you incorporate what you are learning. (Check out “The Prayer of Examen” on the Spiritual Life Development section of saconnects.org)

■ If you feel your prayer life is in a rut, try praying the Scriptures.

2018 OCTOBER

31

LEAD

LEADERSHIP MILESTONES

by Isaiah Allen

“What goes into making a leader?” I asked John Rondon, who is a longtime member of The Salvation Army’s Brooklyn, N.Y., Bay Ridge Corps; a New York City public school teacher; and a 2018 LEAD Summit instructor. His story exhibits four leadership milestones that every good leader should realize.

D I S C OV E RY – Sensing a call is both emotional and rational. It often begins in childhood.

Astronaut Mike Massimino says that his journey began as a child when he watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon.

Rondon moved from Puerto Rico to New York at age 9. One Thursday evening, at age 10, while walking through his Bronx neighborhood, he heard brass band music pouring from a Salvation Army building. He entered and was mesmerized by the tuba. A band member said, “Come to Sunday school, and I’ll teach you to play.”

You may discover your calling piece–by– piece, as if forming a puzzle. One central piece is Jesus’ call, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Disciple–making is critical work for the Army.

FO R M ATI O N – Experiences can delight us or humble us. None are wasted if we are growing. Julius Caesar (100–44 BC) acknowledged that “experience is the best teacher of all things useful” (De Bello Civili 2.8). Formal training is important, but Rondon describes an experience that made him more useful to God than ever.

While attending a thriving church that needed an adult Sunday school teacher, he thought, I was a former officer; I’m the answer to their prayer. As an educated and experienced person, he was cut out for the task.

To his surprise, they asked if he could teach primary children, a humbler role. It changed his philosophy of service. Now, he says, “Where God wants us, we serve … duty is more important than affirmation.”

Paul called himself a servant (Greek, doulos) of God as he began his letter to Titus (1:1).

The letter reveals that the qualities that make a good servant also make a good leader.

Christian leadership is counter–cultural in a society that celebrates pride and considers obey a derogatory, four–letter word.

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OCTOBER 2018

EXCELLENCE – Like anyone else, Christians in the workplace earn respect by performing well. Excellence was non–negotiable for Rondon because, he says, “The Bible was on my desk.”

Its visibility heightened his accountability.

Rondon said, “I got to know families intimately,” taking a pastoral approach—praying, counseling, and even conducting weddings and funerals when requested. He got some flak for that; but, he says, “someone always came to the defense.” When people value your contribution, they stand with you.

S U CC E S S I O N – Good leaders pass on their competencies, attitudes, and responsibilities. In education, Rondon says, “You don’t fulfill your purpose until you’ve duplicated yourself.”

Leaders don’t think enough about succession. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, said he measures his success by how the company does years after his retirement. Some leaders take pride in being needed and think that leaving a role must be negative. But, changes in leadership are inevitable and can be healthy. Every day, leaders should be preparing for when they are no longer in that role. Think of the attention Jesus gave to preparing His disciples for His departure (Acts 1:1–9).

SUCCESSION

E XC E L L E N C E

F O R M AT I O N

EXERCISE: What’s Your Story?

• In a few sentences, write your story of discovery.

• Succinctly describe two or three experiences of your own formation.

• What would people who know you say you’re really good at doing? Where are you improving?

• Tell how you will nurture two or three people as part of your succession plan.

• Now, share your story with others, including your corps officer (pastor).

D I S C O V E RY

Going Beyond Locked Doors Bible Correspondence Courses The Salvation Army is concerned about people in prison. One way the Army reaches them is through its Bible Correspondence Courses, a program designed to motivate incarcerated individuals to read the Bible regularly, to apply biblical messages to their

BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE

daily lives, and to seek a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus.

To participate in the Bible Correspondence Courses or to receive more information about how you can be involved in prison ministry, contact: The Salvation Army Social Ministries Department Bible Correspondence Courses 440 West Nyack Road West Nyack, NY 10994–1739 Bible_correspondence@use.salvationarmy.org PHONE: 845–620–7384

THE LIFE OF CHRIST COURSE 1

FAX: 845–620–7759

https://easternusa.salvationarmy.org/use/bible-correspondence-courses

*Read “Freedom for the Captives” on page 8 in this issue of SAconnects magazine

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