All The World (January 2014)

Healing hands Medical partnership makes a difference in The Philippines

Preparing for winter in JORDAN ‘OTHERS’ – Sally Ann rebooted Vision and passion in HUNGARY

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 JANUARY–MARCH 2014

VOL VOL 52 48 NO NO 14

CHINA pigpen project fuels hope

CONTENTS

JANUARY–MARCH 2014

Visit ALL THE WORLD at: www.salvationarmy.org/alltheworld

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UPFRONT From the Editor

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THE PHILIPPINES Typhoon response brings healing to body, mind and soul

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HOME AND AWAY Reflections from here and there

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‘OTHERS’ Trade for Hope reinvigorated

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HUNGARY A vibrant, relevant ministry

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JORDAN Supplies help refugees and locals through the winter

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CHINA Rearing pigs for more than meat

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SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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Cover photo (by Paul Stevens): Dr David Stevens, CEO of CMDA, assesses a young patient

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FR O M T H E E D IT O R

Greater than the sum I’M sometimes asked why I don’t ‘theme’ more issues of All the World.

I have a few reasons, not least that, as the magazine comes out only four times a year, if I happened to pick a theme someone didn’t like they may not pick up and read All the World for six months. That, I believe, would be a travesty!

I’m also conscious that part of the role of All the World is to represent a broad spectrum of Salvation Army ministry.

This is one of the joys and the difficulties of my job because The Salvation Army is and does so many things! Some people may know about the Army’s work with homeless people or its emergency responses, while others will have been treated in a Salvation Army hospital.

The Army runs more than 2,000 schools and hundreds of addiction treatment facilities, and its representatives visit or help more than 350,000 prisoners and ex-prisoners. To many people, The Salvation Army is instinctively linked with the sound of a brass band or a clanging bell alongside a red kettle.

All of these things are good representations of The Salvation Army, but none of them could be thought of as being more significantly ‘Army’ than another.

In the name of fairness and portraying a true picture, I do all I can through All the World to maintain a balance between the various approaches to Salvation Army ministry. So intentional themes are used sparingly – but that doesn’t stop a theme emerging!

‘What’s clear is that The Salvation Army works well with others’ In many ways, this issue has been a joy to bring together. The article about ‘Others’ (formerly Sally Ann) and the pieces from China and Jordan have been planned for some time. The fantastic reports from The Philippines and Hungary, on the other hand, have come in more recently but fit well with the rest of the content. And as for the photos – I don’t think we’ve ever had such a

Kevin Sims, Editor

difficult job choosing which photos to leave out!

The great photos are not the common thread, however. The theme that seems to work through everything in this issue is partnership. What’s clear is that The Salvation Army works well with others.

In The Philippines a great relationship was developed with the Christian Dental and Medical Associations, in Jordan the Army is teaming up with the Lutheran World Federation. In China, a partnership with local government is proving effective, in Hungary local Salvationists are working with Canadian leaders and ‘Others’ could not function without partnerships between Salvation Army territories in the developed world and those in developing countries.

The best partnerships bring to mind the cliché of the whole being ‘greater than the sum of the parts’. This is how the partnerships that come up again and again through this issue appear to work.

And, I suppose, the common thread that has appeared unintentionally ends up making each article that little bit more relevant to its neighbour. Together, they’re better!

Of course, there is another theme that goes through this issue. In fact, I make it my mission to ensure there is one theme that links together every article in every issue of All the World – that through The Salvation Army (and its partners), every day, across the world, God is using ordinary people to do amazing things in his name.

Do I hear an ‘Amen’?

Editor Kevin Sims

Founder William Booth

design and Artwork Berni Georges

General André Cox

Editorial Office The Salvation Army International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH, United Kingdom

COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY Major John Murray

© The General of The Salvation Army 2014

Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101; fax: [44] (0)20 7332 8079

Published by André Cox General of The Salvation Army

Email: IHQ-alltheworld@salvationarmy.org

Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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ON KS VATI O SALBO

Catalogue 2014 Salvation Books is the book publishing imprint of International Headquarters.

Browse through this selection of titles and purchase them as printed copies – or download the full catalogue (details below)

Army On Its Knees Janet Munn and Stephen Court This book is not intended to be just another pleasant read. It calls for our response. To equip you to win the world for Jesus, this book describes the fundamentals of prayer – from private prayer to missional prayer.

136pp (paperback)

£3.95 ISBN 978-0-85412-842-6

An Army Needs an Ambulance Corps Harry Williams The Salvation Army’s medical services exist primarily for the sake of those outside its ranks. In this volume Commissioner Harry Williams, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, epitomises the movement’s philosophy of service to others.

264pp (hardback) 96 photos, 4 illustrations

£4.99 ISBN 978-0-85412-795-5

Reunited!

The Salvation Army Family Tracing Service Dr Peter Willmott A fascinating insight into the history and work of the Army’s Family Tracing Service, as told by Dr Peter Willmott who discovered his long-lost father through its work. Also includes incredible case file stories of families being reunited.

176pp (paperback)

£3.95

Unsung Heroes

Heroes of the Faith

Derek Elvin

Derek Elvin

The Salvation Army has made a habit of discovering, recruiting and developing remarkable people and this collection of stories provides a glimpse of the passion and commitment that marked the lives of the 12 personalities featured.

The Salvation Army has many heroes of the faith – men and women from different countries and backgrounds who have been inspired by God’s love and are committed to sharing it. This book retells the stories of 12 of them in the hope that others will be challenged to live heroically.

148pp (paperback) 12 illustrations

£4.99 ISBN 978-0-85412-764-1

ISBN 978-0-85412-847-1

144pp (paperback)

£3.70 ISBN 978-0-85412-726-9

NEW!

NEW! They Gave Their Lives Alan Bateman This book tells the stories of 12 Salvationists who died for their faith. Retired General Shaw Clifton comments: ‘Lieut-Colonel Bateman gives a calm series of narratives, avoiding sensationalism or overstatement... here is poignancy, tragedy – sufficient to move even the hardest heart.’

96pp (paperback) 11 photos

£4.99 ISBN 978-0-85412-789-4

Love – Right at the Heart Robert Street Written in harmony with One Army, One Mission, One Message, this book examines how Salvationists have a responsibility to one another, while taking their caring ministry to the world.

144pp (paperback)

£3.50 ISBN 978-0-85412-841-9

1929 – A Crisis That Shaped The Salvation Army’s Future

Inside a High Council – How Salvation Army Generals are Elected

John Larsson

John Larsson

Including much previously unpublished information, this book describes the fascinating events surrounding the constitutional crisis that eventually swept General Bramwell Booth from office in the year of the title.

£8.95

Drawing on the recollections of previous Generals and little-known historical data, the author weaves a fascinating factual and human-interest account of what takes place when a High Council meets. The book is a sequel to the author’s 1929 – A crisis that shaped The Salvation Army’s future.

ISBN 978-0-85412-794-8

164pp (paperback)

384pp (paperback) 25 photos/illustrations

£5.00

The Year Book 2014 This book is filled with historical information, statistics, reports, lists and areas of service. But it is much more than dry facts.

It is a story about people, the places where they serve and the work they do in the name of Jesus. It is not just informational, it is also inspirational; for beyond its pages is the hand of God.

376pp (paperback), 16pp colour photos, numerous black and white photos/maps

£5.00

ISBN 978-0-85412-884-6

FOR FULL CATALOGUE VISIT: www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/salvationbooks. For enquiries telephone [44] (0)207 332 8087 or email IHQ-Editorial@salvationarmy.org

THE PHILIPPINES Photos by Paul Stevens for CMDA

EMERGENCY Partnerships, Resilience and Recovery

by Major Dean Pallant

A

S my plane descended into Tacloban City, the region’s vulnerability to the sea was obvious. Tacloban is built on a coastline of inlets, with the airport runway jutting out on a narrow spur of land. The city is built at the top of a funnel of land with nothing between Leyte Island and the west coast of the USA – only thousands of miles of the warm Pacific Ocean, an ideal breeding ground for storms and typhoons.

Days before 8 November 2013, TV and radio forecasters warned a major storm was on the way. The experts spoke of a ‘storm surge’ but many people did not understand this new term. Many drowned in their homes that dreadful morning. ‘If they had told us a tsunami was coming,’

one person told me, ‘we would have known what to expect.’

I landed in Tacloban exactly a month after Super Typhoon Haiyan (known as Yolanda in The Philippines) drowned thousands of people. The death toll is disputed – between 6,000 and 15,000 people. The UN estimates four million people have been displaced and 14 million lives affected. These massive numbers did not affect me as much as seeing family homes and entire communities blown out and washed away. Mile upon mile of destroyed houses, roofs ripped off, millions of palm trees up-ended or stripped to stumps – the sheer scale of the destruction was overwhelming.

Members of The Salvation Army were among the affected people but they were also some of ‘The experts spoke of a “storm the first to respond. Personnel from Cebu and Manila got surge” but many people did to Tacloban as soon as they could to support the Salvation not understand this new term’

Above: Dr Nader Tadros treats a young patient

Army corps (church) at Tacloban as its members started to serve their community with what they had. International Emergency Services deployed Damaris Frick, an experienced field officer, from London to support the territorial response and coordinate with the United Nations, the government and other nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

Major Drew Ruthven (Australia Southern) and Matthew Beatty (USA Central) soon joined her.

The Salvation Army’s immediate response focused on food and water for the survivors. Thousands of people were airlifted out of Tacloban City and The Salvation Army helped at the airport – day after day, hour by hour – with food, water and pastoral care. It was exhausting work both emotionally and physically in searing heat and stifling humidity.

Getting supplies to the affected area J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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has been extremely difficult but trucks were finally able to drive from Manila to deliver supplies. Warehouse facilities were hard to find but The Salvation Army linked up with the Mormons and logistics/ delivery company UPS – an unexpected but highly effective partnership – to move, store and distribute much-needed supplies to affected communities. A judge in Tacloban wanted to help his people and so allowed Salvation Army team members to use his car for a number of weeks. It has air conditioning, which was a real blessing to weary workers!

Partnership has been a key characteristic of the response. Colonels Wayne and Robyn Maxwell, territorial leaders in The Philippines, visited Tacloban with Commissioner Gillian Downer, the International Secretary for South Pacific and East Asia, less than two weeks after the typhoon to give their support and encouragement. The Salvation Army around the world has come together to pray and give financial support to the relief and recovery effort. Thousands of members of the public around the world have given money to The Salvation Army – a global partnership.

Partnership and cooperation are essential after a disaster. The Salvation Army and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) from the USA partnered together for the first time to provide medical care to people affected by the typhoon. Dr David Stevens, CEO of CMDA, led the first team and partnered with Dr Mirriam Cepe, a Filipino Salvationist medical doctor, who coordinated the Salvation Army health response. Doctors, nurses, officers and corps members all worked together to serve those affected.

In its first three weeks of operation, the team saw 1,495 patients, immunised 942 children and started a dental programme which will operate for a number of weeks – headed by world-renowned oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr Sam Molind.

A total of 2,669 hygiene kits were also distributed.

Dr Stevens, reflecting on the partnership, wrote: ‘It has and will continue to touch

Photo by Major Dean Pallant

THE PHILIPPINES

many lives one on one, meeting each individual at their point of medical need but more importantly sharing with them the love and compassion of Christ … The local Salvation Army officers working with us did the same as they provided counsel and prayed with many patients. It was [biblical apostles] Paul and Luke, doctors and evangelists, working together. We owe much to the tireless efforts of Colonel Maxwell and his team. They handled logistics and provided Philippine staff to work alongside our health team. There was wonderful synergy that accomplished much more than either group could have done alone.’

When the CMDA team complete its mission, the health ministry to the

‘I looked out the window to see a man repairing his roof. He was not waiting for help but getting on with it at the crack of dawn’ 6 | ALL THE WORLD |

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affected communities will be continued by the Filipino Salvation Army team.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and Samaritan’s Purse have also partnered with The Salvation Army.

Samaritan’s Purse provided thousands of hygiene kits which The Salvation Army teams distributed with health education while WHO supplied vaccines for the immunisation programme.

Another characteristic of the response to the typhoon is resilience. The people of The Philippines are sadly well experienced in coping with natural disasters but their resilience to this major catastrophe is amazing.

For example, as I lay on the hard floor at 5 am after a fitful night with little sleep – none of our team had beds – I heard the sound of banging. I looked out the window to see a man repairing his roof.

He was not waiting for help but getting on with it at the crack of dawn.

Throughout my visit I witnessed many

Photo by Damaris Frick

THE PHILIPPINES

Opposite page, top: children play on a beach near Tacloban, surrounded by beached fishing boats and uprooted trees; below: Dr Steve Euler conducts an assessment; this page, above left: waiting to see a doctor at a mobile clinic; left: Pam, an American nurse who was brought up in The Philippines and now lives there again, was an invaluable member of the team; top: Dr David Stevens, CEO of CMDA, assesses a young patient; above: some parts of Leyte Island were completely devastated by the typhoon

examples of resilience. Fishermen told me they were already back on the killer sea catching fish each morning despite some of their boats being destroyed. Electricians climbed recently erected poles, trying to restore power (in mid-December there was still no running water or electricity).

A school teacher proudly showed me her school, which was open just three weeks after the deadly storm, despite a collapsed classroom and trees strewn around the playground. Market traders were back on the roadside with tables of fresh vegetables and fruit. Traffic jams were starting again in Tacloban as fuel prices returned to normal – the cost of a litre of fuel reached US$10 in the days after the typhoon.

Despite superficial signs of normality, the road to recovery will be long and hard. Understandably there are deep emotional scars. I attended Sunday worship at the Salvation Army corps in Tacloban. The corps officer opened up

the meeting for testimony, encouraging his little flock to thank God and share prayer requests. The emotions were raw: ‘Thank you God I am alive’; ‘Please help me with fears in the night’; ‘Thank you for those who have come to help us’; ‘Please protect us under martial law’; ‘Help my spiritual life to deepen through this’.

Many of the poorest people are coconut farmers who will be hit hard for years to come. Palm oil is a valuable product and a mature palm tree produces a crop every six to eight weeks. However, it takes five to ten years for a palm tree to reach maturity. I saw thousands and thousands of trees upended – the farmers’ income will take years to recover.

The Salvation Army is committed to partner with the people of Tacloban and other affected communities across The Philippines for years to come. One of its strengths is that it is not a foreign NGO – The Salvation Army has been serving the people of The Philippines since the

1930s and will continue to serve for years to come.

As time passes the focus in the typhoonhit areas will move from relief work to longer-term recovery and development.

Initial discussions about the best ways in which The Salvation Army can help communities to recover have already started. Many creative and interesting options are on the table.

Typhoon Haiyan will never be forgotten by the millions of people whose lives were changed forever by a storm that lasted less than eight hours – but the partnerships between The Salvation Army, other agencies and local communities will ensure that recovery will come and many lives will be rebuilt.

Major Dean Pallant is Under Secretary for Programme Resources and International Health Services Coordinator at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HO U MN E TARNYDOARWTAHYE M E C

A series looking at the thoughts and experiences of people working for The Salvation Army in their country of birth and others giving service abroad

Colonel Heidi Bailey ... has served with her husband Colonel Bradford Bailey in Spain, South America and at International Headquarters in London.

They now have appointments back in their home country, the United States of America.

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

For a year now I have been serving as the Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries in the USA Southern Territory, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Y’all are welcome to come by and visit, ya hear?

HOME

What would be your typical day?

It most revolves around good, strong coffee! Seriously, typical things in my role include administrative work at territorial headquarters as well as travelling throughout the territory. It’s a good combination, as long as the administration doesn’t overtake the frontline ministry.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I am a third-generation Salvationist, from Kansas City, USA. When my future dad first wanted to date my future mom, she said yes – but only if he went to church with her at Kansas City Temple Corps. The rest is history!

Do you have a ‘claim to fame’?

I think I’m known for introducing myself as ‘Heidi the hugger’ – which I love! (I even got a lot of hugs in England!)

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

Yes, many, but I identify well with Miriam from the Old Testament – a woman, a sister, a leader from the second chair, passionate but not perfect.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

Matthew 6:33: ‘Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need’ (New Living Translation).

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

‘My Jesus, I love thee ... If ever I loved thee, my Jesus, ’tis now’ (No 357, The Song Book of The Salvation Army).

How do you think that working in the USA differs from working elsewhere?

To me, the easier things are the same things that are harder in the USA. Life is ‘easier’ because of adequate resources, comfortable living and peaceful political processes. But those ‘blessings’ have the potential of leading to ungratefulness, entitlement and apathy, which are hard to combat.

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What do you like most about the USA? I most love being in the same country as our children and grandchildren.

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the USA? I know the USA melting pot has every aspect of culture already present, but I would wish for greater admiration, respect and applause for others, resulting in less selfabsorbed future generations. It’s sad that one of the new words in Webster’s Dictionary this year was ‘selfie’!

If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change?

Wow ... if I were elected General, the first thing I would probably change is the election process!

If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose?

I have been blessed to work in so many wonderful places in this world, so I hesitate to mention a specific place. My hope is to be able to serve in a place where I can use my past experiences, relationships and skills to speak into the needs and challenges presented to me.

What skills do you use most in your work?

By God’s grace, and because I’m a lot like my mom was, I am a people person! I am blessed to be able to carry that into every situation, every appointment and every potential relationship, without which any other skill is much harder to practice.

What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more?

While I am very grateful for every amazing opportunity the Lord and The Salvation Army have given me, I would like to continue to have opportunities to support, encourage and empower ‘women in leadership’ in the future. Women hold up half the sky, right?

How would you like to be remembered?

‘She loved the Lord, and she loved people!’

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army is special for many reasons, but mainly because it can use me to help further its God-given mission. That is awesome – and unbelievable! I love it that all ministry is spiritual and everything spiritual is ministry.

&

away

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

Commander of The Salvation Army’s Pakistan Territory, which is in effect heading up the leadership team at territorial headquarters and in 10 divisions across the country. It is a privileged role with a group of dedicated and gifted officers and employees.

Commissioner Alistair Herring ... originally from New Zealand, has served God through The Salvation Army in his home country, in Eastern Europe and at International Headquarters in London. He and his wife, Commissioner Astrid Herring, have been leaders of the Pakistan Territory since 1 June 2013.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

In one sense, five generations ago through my family – which is why I value the privilege of growing up in a Christian environment. In another, the night I decided that God was telling me he wanted me to make myself available for a lifetime of service as an officer. It was a more radical decision than I imagined at the time but, despite times of wondering whether I could really make a decent go of it and whether my wife and I had the will or ability to keep up with God’s plan for the Army, I have never regretted it. It strikes me as a bit strange that even though I am now more aware of the Army’s faults and flaws, I actually love it more than I ever have.

&AWAY

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

From the Bible – Stephen, who was selected to fill the role of a humble church helper because he was full of wisdom and the Holy Spirit, and who then gave his life. In modern times there are many! General John Gowans; the current Pope – described as the new voice of conscience arising out of a heart of compassion, and who is opening up the Roman Catholic Church to let the wind of the Spirit blow through it (brave and much needed); Corps Sergeant-Major Cyril Bradwell from New Zealand, who is typical of the often under-valued soldiery of The Salvation Army.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

I have three! Micah 6:8: ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ (New International Version); John chapter 17, where Jesus – just before his arrest and crucifixion – prays for his disciples and for all believers; and Philippians 2:1-11, which speaks about taking on the humility and mindset of Christ.

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

‘Jesus, Thou art Everything to Me’ (No 600, The Song Book of The Salvation Army), which God used to shove me out of my selfish life-goals into his way.

What do you like most about Pakistan?

This one’s easy – the people! The generosity of their hospitality, energetic singing and dancing, love of laughter, sincere desire to follow Jesus and resilience in troubling times.

Commissioner Alistair Herring visits an income-generating livestock project in Lahore, Pakistan

What do you miss most about your home country?

Our family and easy access to the great outdoors.

&AWAY

What would be your typical day?

A typical week probably gives a better insight. I have to make sure we keep to our mission priorities, ensuring that all the decisions we make at board meetings contribute to this end.

Working alongside our officers and employees, I endeavour to engage in pastoral care that is honest and encouraging, represent The Salvation Army at ecumenical and interfaith circles, fight injustice in general and all forms of corruption in particular, and visit corps (churches), community projects and social institutions. I also seek to share from the Bible the truths that guide us into a close relationship with God through Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and show us how to live out the life of a disciple.

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in Pakistan?

That’s something that’s best left to my Pakistani colleagues to decide!

If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change?

At the end of a wonderful High Council in 2013 an excellent General was elected from a number of worthy nominees and I am thrilled that General André Cox immediately announced that he would continue with the Worldwide Prayer Meeting and the International Vision – One Army, One Mission, One Message – and its mission priorities that began while General Linda Bond was in office. I, too, would continue these priorities while seeking to deepen the spiritual life of Salvationists, unleashing the still-unrealised potential of young Salvationists and soldiers in general.

If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose and why?

Hopefully, there is no budging us from Pakistan right now – but anywhere there is an opportunity to contribute to ministry which makes a difference for ordinary people.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Tapping into the passions, wisdom and energies of the group of leaders and helpers throughout the territory to decide on mission priorities and then follow through on them.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a follower of Jesus – the one who gave us the Sermon on the Mount.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

Its multifaceted mission – the fact that our theology is grounded in action.

&AWAY

NUA UA RY ARC RC 2014 | | ALL JJAANM O NRY TH––MMAO N TH HH2014 2012 ALLTHE THEWORLD WORLD | |

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FAIR TRADE

Photos by Clement Aasmann Størksen

PARTNERSHIPS

Making choices

by Jan Aasmann Størksen

From Sally Ann to Others – a new name and fresh opportunities

I

DIDN’T know how to respond when Ruma in Bangladesh told me that working for Others (formerly Sally Ann) has changed her life; that producing cards has given her an opportunity for independence and dignity – but that there’s no more work now because there aren’t enough orders.

This means that she may have to return to the degrading life of the street. How could I respond?

Do I tell her that the import regulations in my country, Norway, are too complicated? That the cards are too expensive, since back home we can easily buy cheap, mass-produced cards?

Or that we like the card, but there are so many other tasks in The Salvation Army that are more important than helping her to sell her product?

There are many possible responses, some better than others.

In Lahore, a young Salvation Army soldier came up to me with a small tray of samples (it brought to mind the Bible story of feeding the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves). Here the fish and bread came in the form of gift tags, a key chain and Christmas decorations. If I could help her sell the products she showed me, the income could feed her whole family, create a way out of poverty and impact the whole neighbourhood. But did I have the vision to see how these products could become trade for hope? Or did I just pat her on the back for her efforts and promise to pray for her?

Others – Trade for Hope, by The Salvation Army (formerly known as Sally Ann). There are plenty of success stories, but there are many stories yet to be told – perhaps the stories of Ruma and the girl in Lahore – which is why we are looking at new opportunities to offer fresh hope.

Choices Others is fundamentally about choices.

Many of us choose to buy fair trade coffee even though alternatives will always be there, and will often be cheaper. But behind every product there is a story – some better than others. Choosing Others is choosing a good story.

I’m sometimes told that we mustn’t expect people to buy our products just to support, that purchasers have to need

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the thing I’m selling. Well, if that were an absolute criterion for all shopping there would be far fewer products on the shelves! But as a minimum, I agree, the buyer should want the thing I’m selling.

Mind you, personally I have a hard time seeing why a reason beyond simply helping (if we’re in a position to do so) is always needed. Why else do I buy the calendar from my kid’s football team – or knitted socks at the corps (church) Christmas fair – and when did that become a bad thing?

We want to encourage people to choose our products, not least because of the ‘added value’ of the story behind them. In order for them to make that choice, we need to make our products widely available.

The Salvation Army as a sales channel When trying to find new opportunities, self-examination is always a good place to start. My claim is that within The Salvation Army as an organisation, particularly in the developed north, there is a significant potential for finding unique sales channels that can give hope to both Ruma and the girl from Lahore.

Primarily it’s a question of priorities. We mustn’t write off opportunities because of the ifs and buts of everyday life. And we must have the will to look for constructive

FAIR TRADE

solutions to challenges that will always be there. At the end of the day, this too is about making choices.

It’s far easier, and I experience this myself, to visit a producer country and make all kinds of suggestions as to how they should be able to manage on their own, in their own market. While they’re surrounded by purchasing power a fraction of our own, we ask them to magically achieve ‘sustainability’ while we are so caught up with the problems at our end that we cover up the opportunities.

Because there are opportunities. When we order shopping bags for our trade department, when we need notepads for our seminar, or when we need gifts

Fact box

Others (formerly Sally Ann) is The Salvation Army’s concept for fair trade, or ‘Trade for Hope’. Behind each of Others’ products – which include interior design, kitchen, textile and paper items – there is a unique story. The products are handcrafted by producers who are recruited through The Salvation Army’s social work and community development programmes. Products are made in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya, Peru and Moldova, and are primarily sold in Norway, Denmark and the United States of America.

or giveaways for corporate fundraising events, for instance. It’s about seeing the opportunities, making choices, and then finding a way to make it happen.

When The Salvation Army in Norway started selling Christmas cards to businesses, I received one such card in the mail from a former business contact of mine. That led to a good conversation.

The same year, The Salvation Army sent me a card which helped to fund another charity. It was generous, but it’s a clear example of how we don’t always connect the dots. If we truly are One Army, that must have consequences beyond being a catchphrase. Others is one such possible consequence.

It should cost To be clear, I do agree that Others products should be both wanted and needed! What I certainly don’t agree with is that they should cost less than similar alternatives. (In fact, I think there is a good argument they should cost more! Ideally, so much that buying them really starts to mean something, so you may have to buy two of an item, rather than three.)

Many years in advertising taught me that if my company donated a campaign for a good cause, for free, the recipient – by and large – was not completely satisfied with the outcome. There was always something that could have been a

Opposite page top: Christmas decorations produced for Others in old Dhaka, Bangladesh; bottom: an Others leaflet; this page: begging for survival in central Jessore

little better. When the jobs came at a high cost, the customers were almost always satisfied.

There is logic to the fact that things should come at a cost. We’re better stewards then, and more conscious of the choices we make, because we understand the value of what’s at stake.

So when I see a cushion cover from Others, I think of how long it has taken to embroider, and measure that up against what I would consider a fair price if I were to do that job myself.

How to sell For Others to create more jobs, we need to find more sales channels in more countries. The key to getting involved through The Salvation Army in new countries is to organise or identify an import channel that adheres to national laws and tax regulations. Once the formalities are in place, partners in each country are free to find the best ways to sell the products in their own setting – local ownership being crucial. Current sales channels range from web-shops to CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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FAIR TRADE

Life in Bangladesh Photos by Clement Aasmann Størksen Boys sleeping rough around Dhaka’s commercial port This young boy sells flowers in central Dhaka. Jan Aasmann Størksen says: ‘He would never give up, and after two hours we finally bought some flowers!’

‘We want to encourage people to choose not least because of the “added value” Rickshaws are a common sight on the streets of Dhaka. The driver of this one seems to have taken a break, though he appears to have tried to hide his vehicle out of sight of an interesting sign!

A wider selection of Clement Aasmann Størksen’s photos will be on display in February 2014 in Gallery 101 at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London. The gallery, which is attached to the cafe, is open to the public from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, Monday to Friday 12 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2014

FAIR TRADE

our products, of the story behind them’

A member of a Salvation Army home league women’s group at a corps (church) outside Jessore Cooking by the roadside to raise money in Old Dhaka

Salvation Army symbols, Bangladeshstyle! The Army’s Founder, William Booth, continues to be a source of inspiration around the world more than a century after his promotion to Glory J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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FAIR TRADE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

sales displays at Salvation Army corps (churches).

In Denmark, products are sold through a small store, run by volunteers. In Norway, four approaches have been chosen: sales through a wholesale partner, corporate sales, Internet sales and sales through The Salvation Army’s own channels. These examples should not, of course, limit creativity!

Others has a global service organisation based in Norway. Our job is primarily to lay the necessary groundwork of policies and procedures for sales and production.

Our objective is to achieve as much production and sales as possible. We’re not running this business for ourselves, but – literally – for others!

Which leads to our recent change of name, from Sally Ann to Others. The change was implemented primarily to meet

Above left: one of the dedicated teachers who help the women in Old Dhaka learn how to produce high-quality goods; above: anyone need a rickshaw?; left: on the roof of a brothel in Jessore; below left: beautiful Christmas decorations produced for Others in Bangladesh

some specific needs in the sales countries.

There was a need for an intuitive name that could point to the concept without much further explanation; a name that pointed beyond the Army itself, while being rooted in our history; and a name that was not too feminine if the local welding company wanted to give its employees aprons for Christmas!

Stories The foundation, however, is the same as before, and can perhaps best be summed up by returning to the stories behind the products.

Like the story of the woman who was left alone, excluded and heavily indebted when her husband walked out on her – but who was able, with the help of Others, to repay her debts, save money, and even buy bricks to upgrade her simple house. Now she has security and the respect of her peers. She has dignity.

Or the story of the young woman with disabled child whose medical needs were more expensive than the family could afford. With the help of Others she has been able to combine working at home with caring for her daughter. She can 14 | ALL THE WORLD |

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now afford the young girl’s medication, and she’s been able to create a safety net for her family through setting aside money every month in a Salvation Army savings group. She has hope.

Perhaps the most encouraging stories are about the people who have been helped to stand on their own feet. Like the young woman who was trained in what was then a Sally Ann knitting factory who, when this factory had to close, received a micro-loan, bought one of the knitting machines and started her own business.

The business later became a successful supplier to many other businesses – with Others as one of its clients. She gained independence.

For Ruma and the young soldier in Pakistan, the story is still unfolding.

With the help of Salvationists and other supporters, these too can be stories of dignity, hope and independence.

Jan Aasmann Størksen is Managing Director of Others

For more information, see www.tradeforhope.com

Photos by Major John Murray

MINISTRY

HUNGARY

Major John Murray reports that the compassion, vision and commitment of The Salvation Army in Hungary are reflected in its Canadian regional leaders

well until 1949, when the church was required to close its doors because of the new communist government. Sadly, operations ceased, although a steadfast group of Hungarian Salvation Army officers quietly kept the Army spirit alive as they met in secret to pray and sing UDAPEST, the capital city the familiar songs of their church. Their of Hungary, is caught in the commitment remained and was rewarded crosshairs of globalisation as it as the ministry reopened in 1990. Shortly steadfastly attempts to embrace after, two young Canadian Salvationists, western culture while holding Andrew and Darlene Morgan, arrived to on to its eastern European roots. It’s a help the cause of rebuilding the Army in delicate balancing act. A stroll along the their newly adopted homeland. impressive Andrassy Boulevard in the ‘Those early days were really tough,’ centre of the city illustrates the profound says Andrew who, at 47 and a major, is impact of globalisation, containing high- now the regional commander. ‘The last end stores found on London’s Bond Street Soviet soldier had only left the capital a or New York City’s 5th Avenue. few months prior to our arrival. Certain In contrast, reminders of the Second goods were scarce and funds were low, World War are still ever-present, with yet God provided. In the first summer we some buildings scarred by 70-year-old helped opened two new corps. People bullet-holes. had been starved of the gospel and Walking the streets of this rapidly Christian fellowship.’ evolving city, it is evident that The Following their initial placement, Salvation Army is needed.

Andrew and Darlene returned to Canada The Salvation Army ‘opened fire’ in to enter The Salvation Army’s College for Hungary in 1924 and things progressed Officer Training in Toronto. Little did they know that God was not ‘Homelessness, sexual and human finished with them in Europe. ‘When trafficking and elderly loneliness are Eastern we returned to Toronto problems in this European capital’ we believed that our

B

‘It’s about meeting people’s needs’

Above: enjoying a nourishing bowl of soup at the daily feeding programme run out of the men’s shelter in Budapest

lives would take a very different direction in ministry,’ says Andrew. ‘However, God and our leaders had other ideas and we were appointed to Hungary upon commissioning, which came as a great surprise.’

Spend a few minutes with Major Andrew Morgan and you catch his vision and passion for the mission and ministry of The Salvation Army in Hungary. Yet he never strays far from the early days of his Hungarian experience, which clearly shaped the vision he has today.

As we talk, he peppers our conversation with stories from the past. He points out the apartment where they lived for five years and tells me how they took the bus and tram everywhere. They lived in the community and were part of it.

The Morgans have made a significant personal commitment to the people of Hungary, having now spent 12 years in the country. Their two sons, Nathan and Paul, were born in Budapest. Today Andrew and Darlene are fluent in Hungarian and English, moving easily between the two languages.

The Salvation Army’s regional headquarters is located a few blocks from J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HUNGARY

Left: a selection of the clients waiting to go into the men’s shelter in Budapest for a daily meal; above: Major Andrew Morgan at the ‘House of Light’, with the centre’s executive director, Dóri Mali

central Budapest. On the surrounding streets homeless people lie on cardboard boxes while others sleep in front of heated grates. Elderly men and women beg for money, while young men stray into the myriad erotic shops that dot the downtown core.

Homelessness, sexual and human trafficking and elderly loneliness are problems in this European capital, and The Salvation Army has responded with care and compassion, using the upper floors of the newly renovated regional headquarters to operate a 50-bed programme for elderly, displaced women.

With a team of only 10 Hungarian Salvation Army officers and 50 lay staff across the country of 10 million people, The Salvation Army has developed an impressive holistic ministry.

In the heart of Budapest the Army operates a 100-bed men’s shelter. The

building has recently gone through a €500,000 renovation, bringing everything up to current code and standards. The ‘House of New Hope’ provides housing, meals and employment support for men. Its ministry also includes a daily lunchtime feeding programme for 250 people, with an additional 500 served on Thursdays at the central train station.

A 35-minute drive from downtown Budapest brings us to the ‘House of Light’, a private and secure shelter for women and their children. As many as 40 stay at any time, escaping domestic abuse. The building looks brand new, yet it’s two years old (and filled to capacity).

As we enter the facility it’s ‘quiet time’ and the young children are sleeping.

The executive director, Dóri Mali – a thoughtful and gentle Hungarian woman in her 30s – describes the programme. ‘We have social workers, a child psychologist and ‘We deal with vulnerable people chaplain who work the women and who have complex social issues, but with children to help them who simply want someone to care’ rebuild their lives,’ she

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says. ‘The women have the responsibility of cleaning the home, and we train them and work with them to ensure a high standard is met.’

The staff are excellent teachers and the impressive residence reflects the warmth and care they provide. It is evident that the ‘House of Light’ is a beacon of hope to those who seek refuge, and the Morgans are proud of their colleague officers and staff members who operate the myriad social service programmes.

‘It’s a holistic ministry,’ says Andrew.

‘Everything is an extension of the corps (church) programme.’

The ministry in Budapest reflects community need. At ‘The Crossroads’ social service centre, located on a large corner block in the north-west of the city, 80 street people visit daily to shower, enjoy a hot meal and do their laundry.

‘It’s about meeting people’s needs,’ says Andrew, clearly moved as he talks about the programme. Staff feed 200 community members as well as the homeless people who visit the centre. There is also a 35-bed women’s rehabilitation programme that is operated at the other end of the building, complete with a part-time staff physician.

‘It’s a remarkable ministry’ says Andrew, ‘We deal with vulnerable people who have complex social issues, but who simply want someone to care.’

The Morgans say that The Salvation Army in Hungary is growing and that the opportunity for ministry is never-ending.

The social service work in Budapest is valued and appreciated by government partners and other churches. The vision for an integrated and vibrant Salvation Army is alive and well, and the clients and staff I spoke to are grateful for the Army and appreciate the important mission and ministry that is carried out daily across Budapest and beyond.

Major John P. Murray is Communications and Literary Secretary at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters

JORDAN

EMERGENCY

In the bleak midwinter

By Colonel Margaret Hay Winterisation programme in Jordan assists Syrian refugees and vulnerable local families

I

N late November 2013 the balmy weather in Jordan, where more than 600,000 Syrian refugees have fled to from the war at home, was on the turn, with a chill wind rising.

The urgent word among humanitarian agencies, including The Salvation Army, was ‘winterisation’ – strategic preparation for the rigours of the raw winter that had been predicted. For the tide of people who have risked fleeing the death and decay of their homeland’s disarray the prospect of the approaching winter was daunting indeed, whether in a vast refugee camp or, as for more than three-quarters of Syrian refugees, making what survival arrangements they can in Jordanian communities.

International Emergency Services team members have seen orderly, admirably

Above: Colonel Margaret Hay with a grateful beneficiary

adapted living arrangements in tents sprouting between buildings in towns, illegal settlements of crowded tents, and clustered families in garages and ramshackle dwellings, some still being built. Winterisation for these people and hundreds of thousands like them was the need of the hour, with The Salvation Army, in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation, undertaking

'Each household was to receive a substantial gift of good-quality, vitally needed winter items'

the distribution of desperately needed supplies to 1,000 families.

From Amman, Jordan’s tawny-coloured capital, the team drove through the desert, passing two universities, plastic and concrete industrial plants, Bedouin settlements selling camel’s milk, and road signs pointing to Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Nearing Mafraq, the distribution city, we saw on the horizon a massive greyish-white mirage – the Za’atri refugee camp, built in 10 days in July 2012, and now home to 130,000 people, half of them under 18.

In a huge Mafraq warehouse the goods were counted, signed off and loaded onto trucks. At the distribution centre organisers, volunteers – including a talented group of Syrian men from the Za’atri camp – and refugees living precariously in the city were everywhere.

Extensive preparatory work had been done by a network of agencies tendering and bidding for the items being provided, checking the quality of the ordered goods, and identifying, verifying and finally notifying beneficiaries.

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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JORDAN

Top priority were widows with children, then widows without dependants and families with members who have some form of disability, with all families selected being highly vulnerable.

Each household was to receive a substantial gift of good-quality, vitally needed winter items including a carpet, five blankets, a gas heater with gas bottle and refill vouchers to last for three months, a hygiene kit and – for children – fleecelined tracksuits.

People had arrived early, many wanting to stake their urgent claim even though they were not on the list for that day’s distribution. A queue formed and contact details were taken for later assessment. A Jordanian woman proffered a scrap of paper with her phone number, passionately explaining that she was alone and very poor. It was a reminder that the project benefits not only Syrian families but also Jordanian households, since the refugee

‘“I dream of home every night. Will we return?” he wistfully wondered’ influx has led to rising prices and marked pressure on employment in an already poor community, while wages have declined in value.

Stamped forever on my memory are things I saw and heard. One of the young Syrian helpers, a refugee himself and a leader in the youth peace centre at Za’atri 18 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Above left: team leader Major Alison Thompson speaks to beneficiaries; above: distributions were well organised, with pre-registration ensuring that people were assisted in an efficient and dignified manner; left: Alison and Margaret with a child wearing one of the fleece-lined tracksuits given to families with children

camp, told of studying English in Da’ar, in southern Syria. His university, he told me, had closed in the upheavals, leaving him and many fellow students to flee to safety. ‘I dream of home every night. Will we return?’ he wistfully wondered.

A community worker at the centre told of a young war widow with three children – a girl of six and twin babies for whom the mother has no milk since she lives largely on bread and tea. He has for some time been providing tinned milk from the pharmacy but his resources are exhausted while her daily pleas continue.

As we were speaking his phone rang with yet another anguished appeal from the young woman.

A geography teacher from Damascus, fluent in English, said quietly: ‘The war has ruined my life.’ He, his wife and three children are in Mafraq having escaped the chaos at home. He shook his head, adding: ‘There are things I can’t tell,’ his

voice fading. He is unable to work legally in Jordan and his parents in Damascus can’t move out of that embattled city. His response to our expressed hope for continued courage and a return home was a long, silent look into the distance, and then a handclasp and words of thanks.

A limping man pulled up his trouser leg to show a bullet wound from the war, saying just one word: ‘Homs’, his beloved home city. For me, the words of Isaiah 2:4, my Old Testament reading for the day, reverberated with power: God ‘will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.’

Quite unforgettable are the faces of the women who are under the weight of war yet maintain their grace and dignity of dress and bearing though confronting such trials, uncertainty and sorrow. A few spoke English and breathtakingly told of the deaths of husbands and brothers as almost routine. A young woman showed on her phone photos of Homs – what a beautiful city it was before the war’s destruction – and of her husband pictured

JORDAN

Photos show scenes from the distribution of winterisation goods; bottom: precious registration documents

with his gun. He is still fighting while she is in Jordan with the children.

Resourceful courage, anxiety, weariness and frequent sheer good cheer were common themes, despite mention of heart problems, injuries and cancer.

Self-pity was hard to detect, and we were given expressions of heartfelt thanks for our coming and the goods provided. The beautiful war-thwarted children stood grave and good with their mothers, neither playing nor complaining. One small girl gave a team member a chocolate bar, another a rose-bud.

For the team the joy of thinking of families admiring their carpets (important for those who were living in garages and outbuildings with freezing concrete floors), blankets and track suits was, as on other days, stalled by the surge – as the distribution ended – of a crowd of unregistered people desperate to be included. There were stories of dire need pouring from people used to waiting in line, but unaccustomed to begging, until finally they were shepherded out of the gate by police.

The team was left with a sizeable carton containing hundreds of copies of registration papers from these people, hoping against hope to be included in the future. And after all were outside the gate one young woman still remained by our car, explaining with restrained force that her husband is blind, that she has four children, the eldest only 10, that they haven’t paid rent for two months and are now threatened with eviction.

Soberly, the box of registration papers including hers was packed into the car to be assessed by an LWF staff member in Amman. The pile of papers symbolises the scale of the need, and the prayer that such need will be more fully resourced by the many agencies, including LWF, which are involved in the winterisation programme on a large scale, and by the generosity of donors worldwide.

The Army’s involvement supporting 1,000 needy families will be further strengthened by the shipping from The Salvation Army in The Netherlands of a 30-foot container bringing a ton of blankets, together with soft toys, shoes

and warm clothes. It is fervently hoped that the shipment will arrive in Jordan by mid-December.

Recently a Salvation Army officer leaving the capital Amman after deployment in Jordan for the nearfreezing temperatures in the Czech Republic where he serves, asked his colleague at home to take ‘just a coat’ to the airport as he arrived home, adding: ‘Nothing else will be needed.’ He is aware more than ever of what he has that others cannot get.

As the bleak winter approaches here in Jordan, and with the faces of Syrian refugees before us, the words of Dr Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury, that loving one’s neighbour means ‘living with a sense of being answerable to my neighbour’s good, living with a sense that we are genuinely in one condition’ come strongly to mind.

They are words surely for our Salvation Army, and for the army behind the Army, the throng of staunch supporters who march with us to help relieve war’s consequences.

Colonel Margaret Hay lives in retirement in New Zealand

‘A limping man pulled up his trouser leg to show a bullet wound from the war, saying just one word: “Homs”, his beloved home city’ J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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DEVELOPMENT

CHINA

Waste not, want not

Making a stink in mainland China

by Jonathan Hibbert-Hingston

A

NEW power station every week, miles of traffic jams, mega-dams, rapid economic growth and the one-child policy. Just some of the impressions many people in the West get about urban China. The reality is, of course, more complicated but the fact is that while rapid development is taking place in the cities, in many places the gap between rich and poor has never been wider.

In rural areas the challenge for the country is great. Dispersed villagers, mountainous landscapes and dense forests make transport and communications difficult. Rapid population growth in the past 50 years has put a huge strain on environmental resources and infrastructure such as health and communication services.

The Salvation Army works with the government to bring hope to some of the

poorest rural communities. I went from International Headquarters in London to see some of our projects and the people they help, travelling with officer-incharge Captain Jeremy Lam, from Hong Kong, and members of the Yunnan project office.

In the village of Yun Song He we gathered with a group of villagers who have been working with The Salvation Army and the local government on an energy project. Mr Joyce explained what they are doing – including a use of farm animals that most people would not expect!

‘We are working to build new pens for our pigs,’ he said, ‘and proper toilets for ourselves. The waste goes into a tank and we use the gas that is produced for cooking. There is also a microcredit fund that we manage as a community and that is helping poor families with their pig production. The project will help us

‘Now there was hope but nothing could take away the sadness they felt’ 20 | ALL THE WORLD |

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earn money for our families with better pig production.’

Using a relatively simple system of concrete tanks, pipes and cookers, what was previously a rather unpleasant byproduct is now a useful form of fuel, meaning that they no longer need to cut down trees for fuel – with the inevitable problems of soil erosion as woodlands are diminished. Also, when the maximum amount of biogas has been released, the waste can be spread on the paddy fields to help the rice production.

We asked one of the women in the village what difference the project would make in her life. ‘To gather wood for fuel,’ she explained, ‘we have to go a long way from the village into the forest. Now that we do not have to do this we have time to spend on our farm work and can raise more pigs. The community is also a lot cleaner since we put the new pigpens in and there are less mosquitoes.’

As a result of the project 24 villagers will be supported to upgrade their facilities. Each unit will be a joint effort between the villager, The Salvation Army

CHINA

Opposite page: using an old-style wood-burning stove; this page, above left: one of the smart new pigpens; right: an old pigpen; below: cooking on biogas produced by the pigs

and the government. When I asked the director of the local energy station about his experience of working with the community had been he told me: ‘The villagers have been very productive and they are cooperating very well. They are showing so much initiative, which is very encouraging to see.’

It was heartening to see the difference that collaboration and community action could achieve – but this was only a taste of what we were about to experience.

From Yun Song He we drove to another village which – for the sake of security – I won’t name, where we saw a remarkable story of women taking the future of their community into their own hands.

Around four years ago drug dealers started coming to the village. They had crossed the nearby border from Myanmar (Burma) and soon had the men hooked on various narcotics. In order to fund their habits the men started selling land.

Things got even worse when the sharing of needles started to spread HIV around the village. Within a short amount of time people started to die of Aids-related diseases.

The women realised the seriousness of the problem and started a ‘Watch Out’ group. The group would spot drug dealers entering the village and see them off. Pretty soon the village was free and the women started to use their group for other purposes.

They acted as a support group against domestic violence. They succeeded in acquiring funding from some international foundations who donated microcredit to

fund the provision of cash crops. The government became so excited by what was happening that members of the Watch Out group were invited to share their experiences with other villages ruined by the drug trade.

Despite the amazing response of the women, it is impossible to ignore the ongoing challenges they face. There were tears in the eyes of the group leader as she walked us around the village. She told us how for years they had no hope but said they were determined to stay for the sake of their children. Now there was hope but nothing could take away the sadness they felt.

The Salvation Army is preparing to support this village with a similar biogas scheme to the one in Yung Song He and is currently attempting to find funding.

It would make a huge difference to the

lives of the villagers we met, and a great encouragement to them to continue the cooperation they have already shown.

From the brief visit to the people of Yunnan Province I was impressed by the relationships formed with the community

by Salvation Army staff, and also by the professionalism with which they approach their work.

More than that, I was moved and inspired by the way people were working together to improve their lives – using every resource available to overcome obstacles faced through isolation while willingly reducing their impact on the environment at the same time.

At the time of writing Jonathan Hibbert-Hingston was Community Development Coordinator (Asia) at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

statesmen and indeed people of all walks of life. One particular journalist mentioned Madiba’s love of children, recounting a story of how he had been taunted in prison by a guard who told him that the lifetime he would spend in prison meant he would never have contact with children again.

‘This struck a chord in me as I had the privilege of meeting Madiba in December 2003, nearly five years after he left office as President of South Africa. As patron of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund he paid a visit to The Salvation Army’s Carl Sithole Centre in Soweto. The fund supported some of the Army’s work, particularly highlighting its pioneering ministry in South Africa with some of the neediest children who were affected by HIV/Aids.

Remembering Madiba Like countless people around the world, Major Sandra Welch (Counselling Service Director, United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland) was saddened to hear news of the death of Nelson Mandela. Unlike most people, however, Major Welch had met Madiba (as he was known) and witnessed first-hand his warmth and care.

‘As a South African,’ she says, ‘I listened to the news coverage of Nelson Mandela’s death and to the many tributes paid to him by

SHARING AT SEXPO South Africa THE hundreds of stalls at Sexpo Johannesburg, ‘the world’s largest event of its kind focusing on a broad spectrum of adult-related topics’, included something unexpected in 2013 – a Salvation Army stand. The main focus of the Army’s involvement was to promote a Christian understanding of sexuality and to raise awareness of slavery and trafficking issues in South Africa and around the world.

‘The Army’s advertising agency Leo Burnett came on board completely,’ explains Major Carin Holmes (Territorial Public Relations Secretary, Southern Africa). ‘The final concept was black and gold with beautiful pictures of the girls who modelled for us.

The end result of the photo shoot was an alphabet of bodies that had been made up to represent sex slaves. They had chains and ropes binding them and bruises on their bodies. We were able to speak into the lives of many because of these graphic images.

‘A major attraction to the stall was a digital petition that allowed people to put their names and “Make a statement against Sex Slavery” in the human font that had been created. This was a great success and we 22 | ALL THE WORLD |

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‘I remember how this frail, elderly man spoke personally to each child. I could see the joy on his face as he was surrounded by many, many children. It didn’t seem to matter to him how many children there were – he still took time to give a gift to each child, speaking to every one and asking questions about their lives.

‘Even though he had been President of South Africa,’ concludes Sandra, ‘he demonstrated his humility.’

‘I remember how this frail, elderly man spoke personally to each child.

I could see the joy on his face’

managed to gather about 6,000 signatures in our petition, which we will send to the government for its attention and, we hope, support.’

Major Holmes says that the event’s organisers were very supportive, even offering a discount on the cost of the stand – a sum that was covered through sponsorship. She reveals: ‘The owner of Sexpo – and his whole team – actually came and signed our petition.’

The team of officers and volunteers who took part in the project found the experience to be worthwhile, with many reporting valuable interactions.

Major Moya Hay, for instance, says: ‘I went to the dining room to fold fliers and two young topless men joined me at my table. We spoke about human trafficking, which they thought only happened to females, so I went into some detail regarding the way it affects boys. They shared some of their life story with me, saying they had both been brought up by single mums, and we got to talk about respect and recognition and values. They promised they would come and sign our petition – and they did!’

SNAPSHOTS

THE POWER OF THE PRESS International Headquarters WHEN readers of All the World hold in their hands a shiny, new copy of the magazine, most will give no thought to the production processes involved in creating a print run of more than 11,000 copies. To help put that right, here is a small insight into how an All the World goes from computer screen to a finished product that gets shipped all over the world.

Clockwise from top: the magazine is printed on large sheets, which are later folded and cut. Here, the pages are checked to make sure the ink is applied accurately; a laser-etched ‘plate’ is wrapped around a drum then passed across an ink roller which applies one of the cyan, magenta, yellow or black inks that together make up all the colours needed; using a fork-lift truck to turn the printed sheets so they can run through and be printed on the other side; the huge four-colour machine (which can also add varnishes or other finishes) that is used to produce All the World

All the World is printed by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd, based outside Reading in the UK. The company produces print materials for a huge variety of companies, from St John’s Ambulance to Mercedes Benz. In recent years it has even been awarded the prestigious contract to print programmes for the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Knowing this, it was particularly heartening for Editor Kevin Sims and designer Berni Georges to be greeted by a large-scale poster of a recent All the World front cover (right). The print manager assured them that it hadn’t been put there especially for their visit!

Kevin says: ‘I was slightly taken aback by the sheer scale of the operation. We get to see a few boxes of the magazine, but seeing the whole print run together made me realise that we are part of something significant!’

The Salvation Army International Congress 2015 150th Anniversary | 1-5 July 2015 | London, UK Be a part of history...

Join an anticipated attendance of 16,000 + delegates Live-streamed across the world Website: www.boundless2015.org Registration begins January 2014 Featuring International Staff Band and Songsters plus worship and arts groups from around the world

Preach to the nations the boundless riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8)