Stronger Together

Pamela Hunter (International Development Services) explainshow the Mission Support programme is helping to strengthen theinfrastructure of The Salvation Army around the world.

I remember, many years ago, as a junior soldier in the Salvation Army Sunday school, learning about Chikankata Hospital in Zambia and being encouraged to save my pennies in the ‘Self-Denial’ money box we were given. The Self-Denial campaign is something The Salvation Army has run every year for more than a century, with its 1.6 million plus junior and senior members, along with others who attend The Salvation Army, being encouraged to donate money that can be used to expand the Army’s mission around the world. In the UK – where The Salvation Army began – the initiative is still called Self-Denial, but in some of the other 131 countries where the Army is at work it is known as World Services.

Having this personal history, then, in 2006 I felt very privileged to visit the Chikankata Mission and to see for myself the fantastic work being done through The Salvation Army. I had a much better appreciation of the difference my money could make in supporting the Army’s work, and my eyes were opened to the Army world that existed outside of the UK.

And now I find myself working within the International Development Services section of the Programme Resources Department at International Headquarters (IHQ), where I co-ordinate Mission Support projects for territories all around the world, funded by the annual Self-Denial Appeal.

Often when people think of ‘projects’ within an international Salvation Army context, they think of hospitals like Chikankata, or maybe kindergartens, schools, feeding programmes, community empowerment programmes and other such similar initiatives which The Salvation Army supports worldwide.

However, the portion of funding from the Self-Denial Appeal specifically identified for Mission Support projects does not fund such things. The aim of the Mission Support programme is to support Salvation Army territories in a way that helps them to move towards financial self-sufficiency and strengthen infrastructure. Essentially, the Mission Support process helps to fund the work of the ‘church’ rather than the community. This might be in a territory, division or local corps (church) setting. This then enables the church to be present in the community and to engage further with its local community through what most people understand as development projects.

Each year, the Mission Support fund amounts to around US$10 million, and territories are given an allocation of funding for which they can submit proposals to IHQ to utilise their allocation. There are guidelines for expenditure, with projects relating to investment or advancement within the territory being the main priorities to be funded.

This might be a new corps building, an officer’s quarters or a vehicle. It may be a project aimed at increasing spiritual development among soldiers, or perhaps a leadership development course for young people. It could be a project to buy a piece of land in a new area in order to establish an outpost, or funding to enable regular campaigns in a town where there is currently no Salvation Army presence.

Additionally, projects that help to build the capacity of the territory in specialised areas such as finance, property, child protection, or governance and accountability, can be submitted for funding through Mission Support.

Many territories are supported financially with their day-to-day running costs through an operational grant administered by IHQ, and they are being encouraged to generate local funding within their territory to support this in future years. Therefore the Mission Support funding may also be used to fund income-generation projects for a territory as it seeks to find new ways to raise this money. In line with this initiative towards self-sufficiency, the Mission Support funding is restricted in its use for operational items, with a maximum of 10 per cent being available for this purpose.

The Mission Support process aims, where at all possible, to match projects within ‘Partners in Mission’ groups. Where you are located in the world will determine who your Partners in Mission territories are. (Territories

from the developing world are linked with those from developed countries so that funds can be shared round as fairly as possible.) The Partners in Mission may be featured in the Self-Denial / World Services promotional material prepared by a particular territory, or they may choose to show a wider range of projects from all around the world, giving some great examples of the work being done through The Salvation Army. I would say to Salvationists and friends internationally that, whatever is shown in your particular materials, be encouraged that these projects only happen through the generous giving of individuals connected with The Salvation Army, whether that be officers, soldiers, adherents, junior soldiers or friends.

I pray that as people grow in understanding of how the Self-Denial / World Services initiative is managed, they will prayerfully consider all that God has given them, and that they will give as much as they are able to extend God’s Kingdom here on earth through the work of The Salvation Army.

Pamela Hunter is Mission Support Co-ordinator for The Salvation Army’s International Development Services. This article first appeared in the October–December 2017 issue of All the World, The Salvation Army’s international magazine (salvationarmy.org/alltheworld).