All The World (October 2014)

VOL 52 NO 4

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2014

Celebration time in Zimbabwe SOCIAL MEDIA – why and how Bringing healing in UKRAINE SCHOOLS – education for all Bible Challenge in SNAPSHOTS

CONTENTS

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2014

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

03

UPFRONT From the Editor

05

SCHOOLS Education for all

08

HOME AND AWAY Reflections from here and there

10

FACTFILE Vital statistics from Zimbabwe

11

JOURNAL Following the General in Africa

15

UKRAINE Helping people who have fled conflict

18

REWIND The First World War – a view from 1914

19

SOCIAL MEDIA Why and how to grab online opportunities

22

SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

5

15 11 15 20

18

18 19

Cover photo by Major John Murray

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What? A wonderful world?

Kevin Sims, Editor

ACCORDING to the song made famous by jazz great Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong, we live in ‘a wonderful world’. Trees of green, red roses, skies of blue, white clouds, rainbows – all of these, apparently, make Louis think to himself ‘what a wonderful world!’

It’s a good song, no doubt, but is it hopelessly naïve – or even simply untrue?

What about when the skies are dark and stormy? Or when the cold winds of winter strip the leaves from the trees? Is it still such a wonderful world?

And what about when wars break out or students get snatched from their classrooms or disasters force people from their homes? Still wonderful?

Sorry, Louis, but – from where I sit – much of this world is far from wonderful. If I’m totally honest, sometimes I read the news and I think to myself: what a horrible world!

The Salvation Army often takes up residence in parts of the world that are not obviously wonderful. In this issue of All the World Major Cedric Hills recalls his part in emergency relief work in places such as Bosnia and Iraq. We read about Salvation Army responses in war-torn Ukraine or some of the many places where it provides an education to children with disabilities who can be cast aside as worthless by society.

Major John Murray, in his journal from Africa, writes about the murky depths of big cities such as Johannesburg, South Africa, and makes the point: ‘With big, diverse cities come big, diverse problems, and that’s where The Salvation Army does its best work.’

I can admit that, in a literal sense, the world is wonder-full. This spinning rock is just the correct distance from the rightsized star to sustain life. A little cooler and all the water would freeze, a little warmer and it would evaporate away.

As someone who has a background in science, seeing God’s plan worked out so perfectly is literally wonderful! So why does it appear that his plan for the people on this planet isn’t working out so well? And what can we do to put it right?

This magazine is called All the World, which means it tries to show what’s happening in the horrible parts of the world as well as the wonderful bits.

Sometimes the difference being made by compassionate, caring, faithful Salvationists, or people who work in the name of The Salvation Army, is obvious.

UPFRONT

FRO M T H E E DITOR

On other occasions, it’s tempting to wonder if it’s really worth the effort and the sacrifice.

I often meet or correspond with people who have their ministry in difficult places where the good they do in God’s name is only a drop in an ocean of despair and hopelessness. Even so, they would argue that in the darkest of places, a small amount of light is better than none.

My favourite line from ‘What a Wonderful World’ comes in the third verse, and it’s not about pretty, sunny things, it’s about seeing something special in the mundane or the everyday: ‘I see friends shaking hands. Saying, “How do you do?” They’re really saying, “I love you”.’

This thought of ordinary contact being something extraordinary certainly strikes a chord with me. It’s an approach which forms the foundation for Salvation Army ministry. The people, the aid, the care, the prayers, the place to meet, the shoulder to cry on, the hand that’s held in comfort and solidarity – they’re all really saying not just ‘I love you’ but also ‘God loves you’.

The Bible says that this aspect of our Creator’s plan needs us to play our part.

When we see the difference being made by individuals around the globe, it’s not naïve to say that if we work together selflessly, relying on God – as many faithful people are doing – this really could be a wonderful world after all.

‘It’s not about pretty, sunny things, it’s about seeing something special in the mundane or the everyday’

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Martin Gossauer

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

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SCHOOLS

INCLUSIVITY

based on information and reports provided

by Howard Dalziel

T

he map of India contains a glorious hidden secret to most of us who have the outline of it in our heads. There is a small corridor in the north east that leads to a wonderful variety of states.

These states come under The Salvation Army’s India Eastern Territory, and each has a strong sense of cultural identity and expression of Salvation Army worship.

The music in Mizoram has a recognisable harmonic quality. The tones of the Welsh collieries hit you as you hear the songs of worship sung in one of the many Army corps (churches). The Welsh Presbyterian missionaries taught music in this area and their rich harmonies dominate worship.

It is cruelly ironic that in this rich soundscape you find The Salvation Army’s home for the hearing impaired in Darjeeling, at the edge of the Himalayas.

When I visited I was greeted by about 70 children on a playground with the Himalayas as a backdrop, making it hard to keep watching the greeting ceremony!

At a prize-giving parents spoke of their pride in their children. On this occasion there were seminars from Hearing International on sign language and caring for children. I discovered that teachers, some of whom are ex-pupils, also visit the children’s homes, often in remote areas, to teach sign language to families and the local community.

Parents who could not understand their children can now communicate.

Communities who thought the deaf child was dumb, now understand that they are intelligent and have a valuable contribution to make to local life.

The school is a centre of academic and sporting excellence. Past pupils have excelled, been to college and got jobs

Removing barriers AN INTRODUCTION TO Salvation Army education services to children with disabilities

that without the devotion of their teachers and the nurturing environment provided

by The Salvation Army – along with the children’s sense of determination – they could never have dreamed of.

Here on the edge of the Himalayas, so many children have climbed their own personal Everest!

The school for hearing impaired children is just one of many examples of how The Salvation Army is trying to remove barriers that stop children with disabilities from having full lives.

Through the mountains and along valleys is Kalimpong, the location of the Mary Scott Home and School for the Blind.

‘Communities who thought the deaf child was dumb, now understand that they are intelligent’

Above: a teacher at The Salvation Army’s home for hearing impaired in Darjeeling, India, helps a pupil to understand how sound is produced so she can say her own name for the first time

Children work together, guide each other, read to each other and play games.

Braille is a significant element of their education and, as with many areas of special needs education around the world, The Salvation Army has pioneered innovative ways to enable children to achieve their potential.

Commissoner Lalkiamlova, the former International Secretary for South Asia, worked in this school as a young captain and created the first local language Braille machine. It was a step that revolutionised the children’s learning.

But it’s not just academic teaching that the children receive. Students are given

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SCHOOLS

opportunities to study crafts, computer studies and even musical instruments such as violin, keyboard, guitar, drums and mouth organ!

Thousands of miles away from the mountains of India The Salvation Army is providing innovative and compassionate education to disabled children in Kenya.

The location is very different, the context and needs are different but the approach is the same – giving young people every possible opportunity to succeed.

Variety Village Training Centre offers vocational training for students who are physically impaired. The students are generally from families who would be unable to afford specialist education for their children. They develop skills that can lead to employment and which help them to become self-supporting adults.

The training programme aims to build self-esteem and confidence in one of the most marginalised groups within Kenyan society.

The aim of Variety Village is to train young men and women to become self-sufficient and resourceful citizens.

Practical training requires students to specialise in one of the following areas during their second year: • Sign writing, painting and screen printing • Leather work and shoe making 6 | ALL THE WORLD |

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• Metal work, welding, fitting and tinsmithing • Carpentry and joinery/cabinet making • Garment making and knitting • Hairdressing.

Variety Village exists to provide a path to employment for this group of young people, who face ongoing obstacles to securing a stable livelihood in Kenya.

Students are also supported in their social, emotional, physical and spiritual growth.

Cadet Richard Bradbury, Projects Officer for The Salvation Army’s Kenya East Territory, explains the difficulties faced by children with disabilities. He writes about Kenya, but what he says rings true for much of the developing world.

‘Of the 72 million primary-aged children worldwide that are out of school, one third have disabilities.

Applying the World Health Organisation’s recommended standard, 10 per cent of the African population has a disability.

Therefore, today’s Kenyan population of approximately 41 million would indicate that there may be some four million disabled people. Given that around half

Above: pupils at the Mary Scott Home and School for the Blind in Kalimpong, India, learn to play games together that involve hearing and touch

of Kenya’s population is under 18, it is possible that there may be as many as two million children with disabilities in Kenya.

‘Across the school-age children, it was found that only one in five had access to assistive devices and support services.

It is interesting to note that this is the exact ratio of pupils to Braille machines at The Salvation Army’s Thika School for the Blind – with one Braille machine for every five students.’

Official figures show that 67 per cent of children with disabilities have access to primary education but that only 40 per cent complete it. The figures for secondary schools are even worse, with only 19 per cent of disabled children completing their secondary education.

This then has knock-on effects, with only 16 per cent of people with disabilities over the age of 15 in paid employment – a figure that drops significantly for those who do not complete any education.

‘Attitudes displayed by the people around them can be a bigger problem for people with disabilities than the medical condition they must cope with’

SCHOOLS

Astonishingly, only two per cent of people with disabilities go on to attend university.

Richard sums up these bleak figures: ‘Disabled children in Kenya, as in most developing countries in the world, live in poverty, having limited opportunities to access education, healthcare, suitable housing and employment opportunities.’

According to United Nations reports, the greatest barriers to education for children with disabilities are caused by society – not by medical impairments. The Kenyan National Survey also concluded that attitudes displayed by the people around them can be a bigger problem for people with disabilities than the medical condition they must cope with. Most nongovernmental organisations working with children with disabilities have concluded that there is still a significant amount of work to be done to change people’s attitudes, particularly in rural areas.

As children with disabilities are often seen as having no economic value, parents do not wish to invest in education and feel a sense of shame at the plight of the child. Many children with disabilities are hidden from view due to prevailing local attitudes and perceptions. Children with remediable and manageable conditions are often not being presented for treatment and subsequently excluded from education.

As well as work to be done with the schools, parents also need to be encouraged to seek advice and help, taught coping strategies and offered ongoing support. This is an important piece of work in itself.

Left: learning computer skills at the Begoro Rehabilitation Centre, Ghana (sadly, the pupil pictured – affectionately known as ‘I.T.’ – has since died); below: learning together at Thika School for the Blind, Kenya

‘At Variety Village and Njoro Special School,’ says Richard, ‘we regularly come across children who have been kept at home, confined to the house without any formal education. When given the opportunity they flourish at learning institutions.’

Salvation Army schools in Kenya, and elsewhere, perform a vital role in promoting the worth of all children, whether they have disabilities or not.

Richard concludes: ‘The schools provide a safe and secure environment for a vulnerable and often marginalised group of young people. Salvation Army schools aim to motivate children with disabilities in their learning, enabling them to experience the same educational opportunities as other children without discrimination, demonstrating that God values every member of society.’

Perhaps the best way to conclude this brief look at Salvation Army education for the disabled is to allow a student to tell his own story. This is what Mir Hossain, from Bangladesh, has to say:

‘I was born in 1991 into a middle-class family. My father was a government employee as well as a freedom fighter and mother was a housekeeper.

We are three brothers and two sisters. I was born with very poor vision but by the time I was taken to an eye specialist, it was too late.

‘Though there was primary school, it was not possible for me to be admitted there. I came to know about The Salvation Army from a kind lady who lived in my village. She told my parents about education for disabled persons and showed me hope for the future. I was admitted to The Salvation Army’s Integrated Children’s Center in Savar in 1997, where I received education including residential care and passed primary school in 2001.

‘After completing primary education I was admitted to Jan e Alam High School, which was supported by the government.

The Salvation Army helped me to find finance and I passed the Higher Secondary Certificate in 2010.

‘It is not easy for a visually impaired student to receive higher education from any university. I had many constraints such as accommodation, food, educational materials and finance for education. In spite of all obstacles I prepared myself and got into Dhaka University where I am now studying for a Bachelor of Education honours degree.

The Salvation Army is still supporting me.

‘I acknowledge the great contribution of The Salvation Army to my education as well as to my family. I consider education is the only means to establish my life. My dream is to serve persons with disabilities and work for marginalised people who are really in need. Without education, in this modern world there is less scope to do something good. The Salvation Army has opened that door through providing me with the education that will allow me to face the challenges of the world.’

Howard Dalziel is International Schools Coordinator at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London, United Kingdom OC TOBE R– DE C E M BE R 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

Major Christina Tyson New Zealand What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I’m the Territorial Communications Secretary and War Cry Editor in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory. This means overseeing the Army’s print publications, in-house design team, and website and media interaction. I am blessed to be part of a passionate team of professionals who love to serve the Army’s mission.

HOME

What would be your typical day?

On the War Cry side of things, it usually means editing stories and working with our writing team to decide on possible upcoming issues and assign writing tasks. Then giving our designers a heads-up so they can come up with fresh ideas. Some media issues can mean hitting pause on everything else. When I get home, I’m in the habit of exercising after dinner most days – this helps me counter the stress of constant deadlines.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I grew up in The Salvation Army. My mum was from a Salvationist family. My dad had given up on God by the time they married and only really got involved in the Army because he had to drive us kids around to youth group all the time. The corps officer (minister) encouraged Dad to get more involved and eventually the two of us were enrolled as senior soldiers together, which was very special.

Do you have a ‘claim to fame’?

I’m not sure that it’s a ‘claim to fame’, but I am married to an Australian, and two of our three children were born in Australia. We trained in Australia but transferred to New Zealand following the sudden death of my brother. So, my claim to fame is really that I have a loving husband prepared to sacrifice the country he loved in order that I could come home to mine.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

For me, the heroes of the faith are the everyday Salvationists whose stories we recount in War Cry. I’m constantly amazed and delighted by the varied ways people encounter God. True to our roots, a lot of these stories are testimonies of his transforming power.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

‘My body and mind may fail, but you are my strength and my choice for ever’ (Psalm 73:26, Contemporary English Version). That verse became really special for me after my brother died. The disappointment I felt about God after John was shot and killed by a mentally ill man (along with five others) made me realise that I’d expected that God would somehow protect my family from hard times. I now appreciate that life is often not easy for anyone, and that this in no way reflects God’s lack of love for any of us. I came to better appreciate the importance of continuing to choose God every day – and not just when faith is easy.

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What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

Song 621 – ‘O Love that wilt not Let Me Go’. Again, this became very significant to me after John’s death. Especially verse three, which says: ‘O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain and feel the promise is not vain, that morn shall tearless be.’

How do you think that working in New Zealand differs from working elsewhere?

As a people, New Zealanders are very egalitarian, which means there’s not so much emphasis on people’s ranks and years of service as having merit in themselves. In my experience, this means that people can make an impact in The Salvation Army from a young age and from early on in their officership.

What do you like most about New Zealand?

I like the beauty of the land, the approachability of the people, the spirituality of our Maori people, and the concentrated creativity that exists here. I like that we’re the best rugby union players in the world!

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

I wish we played cricket better – not because I enjoy cricket (I don’t), but it would stop my husband gloating when Australia beats New Zealand.

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

I would restrict all of the Army’s emails to just a couple of hours a day and have a mandatory ‘do you really want to send this?’ question that comes up the first few times any of us try to click ‘send’. I’m sure we spend too much time dealing with overflowing email inboxes these days.

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

I love working in publishing for the Army, so I’m not sure that any other areas really attract me in the same way.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Creativity, planning and teamwork.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who still made time for her faith and her family despite a busy life.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

Our deep conviction in a God who seeks, saves and transforms, and our great joy in helping people come to know Jesus.

&

away

MAJOR CEDRIC HILLS Originally from the United Kingdom, Major Cedric Hills now works – with his wife, Major Lyn Hills – in Estonia

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

Regional Commander of the Estonia Region (Finland and Estonia Territory).

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I am a lifelong, third-generation Salvationist who attended my first worship meeting at just a few days old. I thank God for my Salvationist family and Christian upbringing.

Do you have a ‘claim to fame’?

Since 1996 I have been privileged with many others to participate in Salvation Army international emergency work. This has given me opportunity to travel to almost 70 countries, even working in nations where there is no official Salvation Army presence, including Bosnia, Albania, Turkey, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Jordan. The emergency response in Iraq introduced us to many Salvationists living and working in Kuwait which led to the launch of official work in that country and the creation of the Middle East Region.

&AWAY

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

I have two! My first is Lieut-Colonel Roland Sewell who established the ‘Emergency and Refugee Services’ section at International Headquarters in the mid-1990s (later renamed International Emergency Services). Roland met me in Bosnia in 1996 and tasked me with my first emergency response. My second hero is Colonel Brian Knightley. As my young people’s band leader Brian taught me to play and developed my young Christian faith. For many years he and his wife served in Liberia, often during periods of real personal insecurity. I was so proud to attend the meeting in which General John Larsson admitted the Knightleys to the Order of the Founder.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

Zechariah 4:6 has been a constant companion (‘“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.’) but in recent years, returning to corps ministry, the letter to the Philippians has impacted me greatly. Paul’s injunction to unity (being ‘of the same mind’) and his majestic hymn of the incarnation in chapter two of that letter are hugely inspiring.

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

Albert Orsborn’s song ‘I Know Thee Who Thou Art’ (The Song Book of The Salvation Army 59) contains the verse: ‘Let nothing draw me back or turn my heart from thee, but by the Calvary track bring me at last to see the courts of God, that city fair, and find my name is written there.’ This verse always draws a tear when I sing it. It inspires me to remain faithful. My family know that this must be sung at my funeral!

How do you think working in Estonia differs from working elsewhere?

We travelled to Estonia after leading the corps at Portsmouth Citadel in the UK. We moved from the fourth-oldest surviving corps in the world to one of the more recently opened regions (Estonia celebrates it’s 20th anniversary next year). We are still a fledgling region and face the challenges of nurturing local leadership. Estonia

Majors Cedric (left) and Lyn Hills (right) supporting worship at Võru Corps, Estonia, either side of their translator, Kerlin

&AWAY

What would be your typical day?

Thankfully there is no typical day and I enjoy a varied life! We are a small region with five corps (churches) and one social service centre. Regional headquarters is situated in the capital city, Tallinn, along with Kopli Corps and Hope House Rehabilitation Centre.

Other corps are situated in the east and south of the country, between 2.5 and 3.5 hours’ drive from the capital. My day includes working with the team at regional headquarters to deal with necessary administration and management, planning and leading regional events, caring for our leaders and employees, representing The Salvation Army in meetings with partners, visiting corps to participate in worship or other activities and helping to plan and stimulate mission.

is also ranked as having one of the smallest percentage of church attendance within Europe. So we find ourselves working in a country where The Salvation Army is not known and where the church is considered by the vast majority to be irrelevant. This creates a challenge – but what an opportunity!

What do you like most about Estonia?

Having travelled extensively I have no hesitation in saying that Estonia is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen – Tallinn is a particularly delightful city with a stunning medieval Old Town.

What do you miss most about the UK? The simple, everyday banter with corps members, shop assistants or even strangers at the bus stop. Estonian is a difficult language to learn and a large percentage of the population speaks Russian.

Fifty years of Soviet occupation also created a culture of suspicion and people are very reluctant to talk with strangers.

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

I miss the openness to the gospel that I have witnessed in parts of Africa or North America. The culture of public giving (donating) that so underpins the Army’s resources in the UK and USA is also lacking in Estonia, so generating local income to support our work is very difficult.

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

As officers we share a common covenant and I believe it unjust that many colleagues regularly receive only 50 per cent of the agreed allowance. I realise that steps are being taken to address this imbalance and commend our current leaders for their sensitivity to this pressing concern.

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

I think I can answer this question with some insight! The country that has most touched my life is Kenya. Numerically, it contains the largest number of Salvationists in any single country, and there is something unique in being so well known among the population.

Kenyans are delightful people who have always extended me a very warm welcome, and I count many as personal friends. Having said that, I appreciate that living and working there is demanding.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Tact and diplomacy!

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who treated others with care and dignity.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

Our internationalism and unity is unique and should be cherished and nurtured. One Army, One Mission, One Message is a powerful, inspired slogan that has captivated the Army in recent years and I believe the practical outworking of this statement is very exciting.

&AWAY

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FACTFILE

N Most of the national flag of Zimbabwe is made up of seven horizontal stripes of green, yellow, red and black. Green represents the agriculture and rural areas of the country; yellow stands for the mineral wealth, predominantly gold; red symbolises the blood shed in the ‘struggle for independence’; and black indicates the heritage, ethnicity and community of the native Africans of Zimbabwe.

The white triangle which cuts into the stripes is a symbol of peace. On the triangle is a golden drawing of a soapstone ‘Great Zimbabwe Bird’ (probably a fish eagle), which is the national symbol of Zimbabwe. The red star represents the nation’s hopes and aspirations for the future – although some people say it symbolises Marxism, and the revolutionary struggle for freedom and peace.

The current flag of Zimbabwe was officially adopted on 18 April 1980, when the country became independent from British rule.

ZIMBABWE l The area that makes up modern Zimbabwe was relatively late being reached by European settlers because it is many miles away from the coast. l European hunters, traders and missionaries began to make their way into the region in the mid-1800s, but it was only as late as 1889 that Cecil John Rhodes, a British businessman and politician, was awarded a British mandate to colonise the area that became known as Rhodesia. The next year a column of settlers made its way to Fort Salisbury. The Salvation Army followed only a year later! l In 1953, Rhodesia was split in two, and the British Goverment created the Central African Federation, made up of Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi). In 1963 Zambia and Malawi gained independence. A year later, Ian Smith of the Rhodesian Front became prime minister, and in 1965 he unilaterally declared independence under white minority rule, sparking international outrage and economic sanctions. l A bloody guerilla war eventually led to the country’s free elections in 1980, alongside independence from Britain. l On the second anniversary of the country’s independence, the name of the capital, Salisbury, was changed to Harare, taking its name from the village near Harare Kopje of the Shona chief Neharawa, whose nickname was ‘he who does not sleep’. Prior to independence, Harare was the name of the black residential area now known as Mbare.

The current population of Zimbabwe is 14.1 million people, of whom around 2.8 million live in the Harare metropolitan area.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the average life expectance in Zimbabwe is 56 for a man and 60 for a woman. Although still very low compared to much of the world, these figures show a remarkable improvement since 2006, when life expectancy for both sexes was as low as 37 – the end of a slump that had started with independence, during which time Zimbabwe was one of only six countries where life expectancy dropped. Recent improvements in healthcare delivery and nearuniversal HIV drug treatment are thought to be the greatest contributory factors to the improvement.

Zimbabwe has been particularly hard hit by HIV/ Aids. United Nations figures show that 15 per cent of adults between 15 and 49 are HIV positive. Only four countries have a higher infection rate.

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Zimbabwe derives its name from historical stone structures called ‘Great Zimbabwe’ (where ‘zimbabwe’ is a Shona word meaning houses of stone or rock), the largest in Africa after the pyramids of Egypt.

The Salvation Army’S ZIMBABWE TERRITORY IN NUMBERS 1891 – the year Salvation Army work begins, when Major and Mrs John Pascoe arrive in Fort Salisbury, Mashonaland, on 18 November 6 – months it took to make the journey from Kimberley, South Africa 18 – oxen that pulled their wagon!

10 – the size of the party that made the pioneering journey, made up of the Pascoes, their two children, a nursemaid and five ‘men-officers’ 1931 – Rhodesia Territory is formed on 1 May 1980 – after independence the Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Malawi Territory becomes the Zimbabwe and Malawi Territory, with the new territorial flag presented to Territorial Commander Colonel David Moyo by General Arnold Brown (Malawi was attached to Zambia in 1988, then became a command in its own right in 2004 and a territory in 2011) 1997 – Salvation Army ministry in Botswana is recognised, overseen by Zimbabwe 5 – languages in which the gospel is preached (Chitonga, English, Ndebele, Shona and Tswana) 431 – number of corps (churches); 335 – number of societies; 217 – number of outposts 147,614 – Salvationists in the territory, including 123,346 senior soldiers (full members), 5,843 adherent members and 18,423 junior soldiers 619 – officers, including 111 retired officers 106 – educational establishments, including 51 pre-schools, 33 primary, 15 secondary and four boarding schools as well as seven training centres.

When the first Salvationist party arrived at Fort Salisbury, it was met by Sir Cecil Rhodes, the British explorer after whom Rhodesia was named. He provided two sites on which work could begin.

The Salvation Army’s early days in what is now Zimbabwe were fraught with danger.

In the first five years Salvationists became caught up in fighting between Mashona and Matabele tribes, were confined to their homes at night because of prowling lions, saw the farm that was their home and base burned to the ground and were forced to flee when the Mashonas joined the Matabele people in rebelling against the white, British rule.

While trying to ensure the safe passage of Salvationist women during the Matabele uprising, Captain Edward T. Cass was killed in an ambush near Mazoe in 1896. The Salvation Army didn’t return to the region for another five years. There is still a Cass Avenue in Harare, named after the captain.

Sadly, Captain Cass wasn’t the last Salvationist to lose his life during conflict in the country. In June 1978, Lieutenant Diane Thompson and Sharon Swindells, both Salvationist teachers at the Army’s Usher Institute, were killed by guerillas.

Today, the Zimbabwe Territory has more senior soldiers than any other Salvation Army territory, region or command. An astonishing 10.7 per cent of the international movement’s 1,150,666 senior soldiers worldwide are on the territory’s rolls!

JOURNAL

AFRICA Below: General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox with Zimbabwean Salvationists at the airport; right: Major John Murray with two new Zimbabwean friends; bottom: ‘hosho’ players at territorial headquarters

Excerpts from a blog journal kept by Major John Murray during a visit to South Africa to record footage for a documentary about the life of General André Cox, the first international leader of The Salvation Army to have been born in Africa

Seventeen days in Africa Day 1

Today I set out on a journey with representatives of SAVN.tv (Salvation Army Vision Network – the USA Western Territory’s multimedia and film-making facility) to tell a story of God’s hope and promise for his people, as seen through the life of The Salvation Army’s international leader, General André Cox, as he visits the country of his birth – Zimbabwe.

The end result will be a documentary on the life of The Salvation Army’s 20th General, which will highlight the vast and varied ministries within Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Day 2

Upon arrival in Harare, Zimbabwe, officials were warm and engaging.

Reflecting on our long day of travel I thank God for journeying mercies. I’m thankful too for the SAVN.tv team members – for their can-do spirit and their willingness to engage others in conversation about our purpose for visiting Africa and our ministry here in Zimbabwe.

Day 3

We arrived at territorial headquarters (THQ) and were able to share in the Worldwide Prayer Meeting. What a privilege to start the day with our colleagues in this way and to share in their warm welcome and embrace.

A highlight of our trip to THQ was filming the music rehearsal featuring the traditional Zimbabwean ‘hosho’ rhythm instrument. What a joyful expression of praise and worship!

I couldn’t help myself when one of my colleague officers started to sway and dance in that familiar African style – I joined right in, much to the delight of our officerfriends and the film crew.

Warm rains started to fall as we

set off for Chinhoyi, in Makonde Division, about a 90-minute drive from Harare, where we interviewed Commissioner Stanslous Mutewera, retired leader of the Zimbabwe Territory. He is one of the few Zimbabweans to have resided in Chinhoyi when the young André Cox lived there as son of the regional commanders.

The commissioner was a most engaging interviewee and storyteller.

Day 4

The rain ceased, the clouds parted and the sun came out – just in time to greet The Salvation Army’s international leaders, General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox (World President of Women’s Ministries), to the General’s ‘home’ of Zimbabwe – and what a welcome it was!

Following a territorial competition, the Braeside Citadel ‘Hosho’ Brigade was selected to play at Harare Airport for the arrival. The group, comprised of 40 musicians who play traditional African instruments, presented several glorious and rhythmic selections in honour of the special visitors. The joyful presentations were brilliantly received by all – including the General, who joined in traditional African dancing with one of the brigade members.

The territorial band also presented several familiar numbers to the delight of the international and territorial leaders and passers-by who stopped to share in the colourful and rhythmic celebrations. When General Cox said: ‘It feels like coming home,’ I could sense the joy and emotion in his words, having visited his childhood home and primary school only the day before.

Day 5

We set out early on Saturday morning for the town of Mvurwi, a community of approximately 40,000 people some 110 kilometres north of Harare.

The community of Mvurwi has no industry but many bars and is home to the largest HIV population in Zimbabwe.

Government sources suggest that a third of the local

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population is HIV positive. The figure could be higher.

We arrive at the corps (Salvation Army church) to film a meeting of an HIV support programme. Started as a grass-roots advocacy initiative, it has become a significant force for good – helping people to secure much-needed drugs, and providing home support and counselling. We interviewed the founder, Gordon, who is HIV positive, and we also visited two clients in their homes with their caregivers.

The visits were sad but powerful. Team members listened carefully to the stories of those suffering from HIV and it was evident that the disease affects the whole family. A beautiful moment was when Major Kyle Smith and Ricky Fosheim of the SAVN.tv crew stepped forward, knelt down and held hands with one of the patients. We concluded our visits with prayer.

We closed our day with a visit to the farm of Benjamin Bofu, a Salvationist and 30-year employee of The Salvation Army. He is a fascinating man with a significant history in the development sector across Africa.

Day 6 – Palm Sunday

As we came to the end of a one-hour flight from Harare we could see the spray from Victoria Falls shooting up into the sky, but that wasn’t our immediate destination. After touching down we started the next leg of our journey, to the village of Tinde, 220 kilometres west of Victoria Falls in a remote part of the Matabeleland Region of Zimbabwe. The village is home to a Salvation Army outpost that was started eight years ago.

We arrived at the outpost to a grand welcome of singing, dancing, drumming and timbrel-playing – well worth the dusty, bumpy three-and-a-half-hour drive!

The corps officers, Captain No-Matter Renesu and his wife, are circuit pastors. While they are the commanding officers of this special village outpost, they actually live 120 kilometres away.

As I reflect on all that has taken place this week, I have been reminded that one of the great strengths of The Salvation Army is our cultural diversity. The colour of our uniform varies and we often speak different languages, but more things unite us than separate us because we worship and serve the same God – whether in London, Toronto or Tinde.

Day 7

My day started with a quiet walk along the Zambezi River. The area is awash in lush, green foliage. The swift-moving water

ing work

Painstaking build

The joy and happi ne out similar emoti ss of Zimbabwean Salvationists ons in the interna bring tional leaders

‘When General Cox said: “It feels like coming home,” I could sense the joy and emotion in his words’ was quiet, almost welcoming. However, lurking beneath the surface are hundreds of crocodiles and hippos – a very dangerous environment and a reminder that things are not always as they appear on the surface.

According to local legend, the explorer David Livingston described Victoria Falls as ‘the most wonderful sight I have witnessed in Africa’, and I would concur. We were absolutely mesmerised by the power and fury of the white, rushing water.

Our visit to Victoria Falls coincided with the end of the rainy season, so the force of nature was at its spectacular best.

Day 8

After dealing with tyres that needed inflating we set off for Howard High School and Hospital. Located 80 kilometres north of Harare, in the Chiweshe district of Zimbabwe, the Salvation Army compounds are important segments of the local community.

Arriving at Howard High School we were greeted by two single-file columns of timbrelists and instrumentalists lined up on either side of the roadway as an honour guard. The groups were not there for us, but awaited the arrival of the Army’s international leaders who were scheduled to arrive shortly after.

The General seemed pleased to return to the Howard compound, a place he has known since the mid-1950s.

Officers, soldiers and friends moved from one location to another on the school property as the General dedicated to God three new buildings. The General’s party and local officials also toured the new hospital site, which is looking great and is set to open in late 2014.

The SAVN.tv crew interviewed several people and shot B-roll (generic footage) of the grounds for use in the documentary. The Salvation Army’s ministry through its varied work at Howard is historic yet relevant, and it’s only getting stronger. As the General said, Howard is ‘a beacon of light and of hope and healing’.

We concluded our day by visiting Thomas Moudyiwat, the Chiweshe Headman, and his family on their farm. ‘You kept your promise!’ was his greeting. ‘You came back to see me.’ What a welcome! He remembered me visiting last August. It was a joy to reconnect with Thomas and his family once again and to share in prayer in their barnyard before departing.

Day 9

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Below: the General and Commissioner Cox meet Salvationists staying in a tent village next to the congress site; right: the SAVN.tv film crew prepares to record a scene for the documentary

This morning the General said: ‘I believe that God will bless us as we meet here. God is blessing us, and I am grateful for this unforgettable Good Friday experience.’

Day 12

spiritual day at General William Booth College in Harare, where the guests were the General and Commissioner Silvia Cox. The call to worship was Psalm 100 and the words of the Scripture came alive as all present entered into worship with hearts of ‘thanksgiving and praise’, all the while lifting ‘joyful songs’ to the Lord. It was an inspiring experience.

Day 10

We left Harare at 11 am and arrived at the congress location in Gweru at 4.30 pm, passing many vehicles bound for the congress.

Needless to say, it was a long, slow drive with several stops along the way.

The congress facility is located about seven kilometres outside the town. The main building is huge, with the capacity to seat thousands. That is a good thing as there are Salvationists everywhere! The adjacent property is a virtual Salvation Army tent city, with corps from across Zimbabwe setting up campsites for the weekend. It’s about worship, fellowship and being together.

The sense of community is clearly very strong.

Day 11 – Good Friday

In the light of day, the Salvation Army tent city at the congress venue is an impressive sight. There are large party tents, green canvas military tents and circus-style tents dotting the campus.

There are several small tents that sleep up to six people and they represent a rainbow of colour.

The tent city is well organised, with vendors and small cafes lining the main pathway. However, as I circle the encampment I see that most groups have set up campfires on the outer perimeter, where several women cook for the members of their corps. The cooks have an important and never-ending ministry this weekend!

Everywhere I walk, fellow Salvationists dressed in their smart tan-coloured uniforms and crisp white shirts greet me. Many of the women choose to wear colourful Salvation Army wraps representing various divisions across the territory.

The Good Friday services have a wonderful sense of spirit and occasion. The people are engaged in worship before the opening song. The singing is full with rich, deep harmonies and one cannot resist but sit and drink in the musical offerings of praise.

At times dancing erupts. The drummers keep the beat and a cappella singing fills the hall, while the noise from the beans in the ‘hoshos’ echoes throughout the auditorium in rhythmic symmetry.

To start Easter Saturday, thousands of women packed the auditorium to share in worship and listen to the ministry of Commissioner Silvia Cox. Elsewhere, junior soldiers sang and danced with joy and energy as they welcomed the General to their meeting. The General’s personal interest in young people was evident and the kids responded with appreciation.

Another walk through the Salvation Army tent city made me count my blessings. For many here, life is hard. Living in a tent, with no electricity or running water and cooking over an open wood fire so you can attend congress is nothing short of inspiring.

An impressive sight was the afternoon march-past where the General and Commissioner Silvia Cox saluted the officers and soldiers as they marched by in formation.

An estimated 10,000 people participated in the march.

The onslaught of marchers was continuous for an hour or more.

There appeared to be no end in sight!

The last official marchers to salute the General were from the SAVN.tv crew, then the General proceeded to the tent city where he visited campers and shared a few minutes with his fellow Salvationists in this unique setting. It was a special time.

Day 13 – Easter Sunday

Happy Easter – He is Risen!

It was a glorious Easter morning in Gweru, with people greeting each other with ‘Hallelujah! He is alive!’ Many walked to church dressed in their Easter finery, and there was a sense of joy and excitement in the air. ds of Salvationists

Feeding thousan

is a big task!

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The Easter Sunday service was full of praise and worship, with uplifting band and songster selections, timbrel routines, lots of vibrant singing and testimonies. More than 20 soldiers lined up behind two microphones on the platform to share what God is doing in their lives. Some spoke, others sang and some even had everyone laughing. All in all, it was very moving.

The territorial songsters, resplendent in burgundy tunics, sang ‘Amen, amen, hallelujah!’ as they made their way to the platform. I could see the brigade walking up the stairs but, when they all seemed to be in place on the platform, they kept singing for a few minutes because they were waiting for one last member to join them.

The man in question had limited mobility, but a fellow songster helped him negotiate each stair, one by one, until he was on the platform and in his place. Only when he was there did the brigade present its selection. It was a compassionate, kind moment in a very full and exuberant Easter Sunday wmorning service.

The General spoke from the heart. He reminded his listeners that ‘we are a resurrection people’ and ‘there is power in the blood of Jesus’. He also challenged his fellow Salvationists to ‘make a difference in this world through prayer and service’.

At his invitation, hundreds of people went forward for prayer.

They knelt at the mercy seat, in the aisles, and on the platform.

Every empty space was taken up with people praying.

Day 14

As I write this update, we’re screaming across the clear blue South African sky at 35,000 feet en route to Johannesburg. We’re looking forward to South Africa but I’m still reflecting on the past two weeks and all that we accomplished and witnessed.

A quick glance out my window and I see that the topography is very different in South Africa to that of Zimbabwe. Similarly, our experiences in Johannesburg will be unique and special.

Day 15

Johannesburg is a large urban metropolis not unlike many large North American cities. However, with big diverse cities come big diverse problems, and that’s where The Salvation Army does its best work.

Ethembeni [Place of Hope] Children’s Home is located in a high-crime area of Johannesburg. Established in 1993 in response to the HIV/Aids crisis, today the home mostly looks after abandoned babies.

The babies are brilliantly cared for and loved. Most are adopted by age three to international adoptive parents. Only two babies out of 61 currently in residence are HIV positive.

We continue on our journey, visiting two other Salvation Army children’s homes – Carl Sithole Children’s Centre, a facility that cares for 90 abused and/or abandoned children aged between two and 19, and Strathyre Girls’ Home, a residence that provides care for 60 girls between the ages of three and 18. Meeting the children and listening to their stories is heartbreaking.

The officers and staff of all the homes we visited today have difficult but important jobs and they all have one significant characteristic in common – hearts of compassion.

Day 16

Today we interviewed Margaret Southall. Margaret is 90 years old, lives in her own home and is a fourth-generation Salvationist.

What a personality and wit!

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Top: a shanty town in Johannesburg; above: caring for babies at Eth embeni Children’s Hom e

Margaret immigrated to South Africa in 1946 and lived in Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, for more than 50 years with her husband and children. Her officer-parents served in Africa and her grandparents attended the Founder’s funeral in 1912.

Margaret is a long-time friend of the General’s family – thus our reason for interviewing her. It was a delightful time and we concluded our morning in prayer.

Day 17

On this final day in South Africa I had the opportunity to share in the Worldwide Prayer Meeting at THQ in Johannesburg and our team led THQ family prayers.

Guy Noland introduced the SAVN.tv crew and shared about their ministry. Alex Bell gave his personal testimony, which was thoughtful and reflective. The exposure to Africa has caused Alex to consider Scripture differently – clearly it’s been an impactful and stretching experience. I shared a devotional based on Psalm 100 and we collectively prayed for the Army’s work across the Southern Africa Territory.

I believe this journey has caused the guys to reflect and give thanks for the blessings that we all enjoy but sometimes simply take for granted.

The reality of poverty and need is all around us. It doesn’t matter where we live, there are communities and people in need.

We are returning home richer for the experience and sensitive to the reality of what ministry means in different countries, cultures and communities.

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

UKRAINE

Crisis response Serving faithfully and joyfully through adversity

by Major Annette Rieder-Pell

G

REY, high-rise buildings pass by as the train – resembling something out of the film Anastasia – leaves the Ukrainian capital Kyiv (or Kiev, as it is known in much of the English-speaking world). As we speed along, vast green spaces open up before us, followed by endless forests and interspersed by tiny villages with huge domed churches and pot-holed roads. Elderly women work on the fields and their allotments, headscarves shielding them from the sun and leather boots protecting their feet. I am aware that I am travelling through a country which is beautiful, yet has many challenges, and is in turmoil in an ever-

changing political and financial climate.

This is the country I now call home.

As we pull into the station at our destination I am met by Cadet Oleg who escorts me to a waiting vehicle. Here I meet Vladimir (not his real name).

It transpires that Vladimir is an IDP – internally displaced person – who has fled the fighting in his home city in eastern Ukraine with his young wife, who is pregnant.

Vladimir is quiet, shy, but honoured to be escorting the divisional leader for Ukraine to Kirovograd, where I will be spending the day visiting both the IDP welcome centre set up in the corps (church) building and a local maternity

‘Her tiny baby is gorgeous – a reminder that, in the midst of trouble and turmoil, life is precious and beautiful’

Above: Lieutenant Valeriya Lukina with Salvation Army team members outside a building in Dnipropetrovsk provided by the government to support internally displaced people

hospital regularly supported through humanitarian aid. Fortunately Cadet Oleg has corrected Vladimir’s perception that I am the General of The Salvation Army! Vladimir turns out to be a fount of knowledge about the Army. He has done his homework on the Internet prior to picking me up, his first encounter with The Salvation Army having taken place when, in desperate need, he turned to the local corps for material support.

At the corps, volunteers are busy preparing for the arrival of IDP families who have been referred to The Salvation Army through the local social services.

Partnering with government agencies and other NGOs (non-govermental organisations) to deal with the problems

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associated with displaced people moving into the area has proven to be most advantageous.

On one side of the lower level of the building there are racks set up with clothes for people to take, on the other side hygiene kits are piled high, donated by UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund). The families who come to the corps are provided with the most basic of articles, such as washing powder, soap, baby wipes together with basic food packages financed through International Emergency Services donors. Hundreds of people have already been assisted by the time I arrive on the scene, and many, many more will follow in the days ahead.

We are joined by corps employee Svetlana for the drive to a local maternity hospital to take an emergency parcel to a young girl who has recently fled the fighting in Luhansk. Vladimir takes a longer route to avoid a funeral procession in the centre of the town: the sight of six coffins bearing young locals is too much for his fragile state of mind. One of the young men was part of a special forces team which was ambushed in the east before he even got to fight. It transpires that he was a friend of our translator at DHQ and was a committed Christian, a model husband and a loving father to a small child.

This underlines once more the senselessness and cost of the unrest, which is taking away both quantity and quality of life. At the entrance to the hospital I am met by the Chief Physician Kostia and Staff Nurse Vera (his wife), accompanied by a group of other medical staff, eager to show me their hospital.

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Above: putting together parcels of food and other essentials at the welcome centre in Dnipropetrovsk; right: Salvation Army volunteers provide entertainment for children of internally displaced families at the welcome centre

dire need of refurbishment. I am allowed to look at whatever I like. With deep gratitude I am told that all the beds and most of the equipment in the hospital have been donated by The Salvation Army through connections abroad.

The delivery room is half-finished – they ran out of money before it could be completed, and the state has no funds available. Most of the equipment leaves much to be desired. The medical staff members regularly ask their friends and family for donations to help make the building a place where the women can deliver their babies in a safe environment.

They do a fantastic job under the most difficult of circumstances and a pay package definitely not to be envied.

And they turn no one away – even displaced people who, because of the registration system in Ukraine, would not normally be allowed to visit a hospital outside of the region they belong to.

The girl I take the emergency hygiene package to has given birth just the day before. Her partner is still in the east. She is staying with friends for now, alone with her baby, uncertain when she will be reunited with her husband. But she tells me that it was unsafe to stay in her home, and she managed to flee with others leaving the city.

Her tiny baby is gorgeous – a reminder that, in the midst of trouble and turmoil, life is precious and beautiful. I am beckoned into the makeshift delivery room to (reluctantly) greet parents of a baby delivered minutes before. It is Cadet Oleg who later reminds me that this baby’s first encounter with the outside world is with Salvationists wishing him and his parents God’s blessing. The staff members are caring and generous; doing their utmost to alleviate suffering and give babies the best possible entry into a world full of danger. I depart with

‘When the fighting neared his home and got more intense he fled underground to a basement with his wife and their friends’

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their dedication leaving a firm imprint on my heart.

Later, as we drive the one-hour journey back to the train station, Vladimir opens up and reveals some of his own personal story. He is now struggling to make ends meet, living in one room in a hotel, not knowing how long he can stay, with no money left to buy food for himself and his wife who is highly pregnant. He tells me how he used to earn good money as a public relations officer, travelling abroad and living a good life. Then the unrest started.

When the fighting neared his home and got more intense he fled underground to a basement with his wife and their friends.

Finally, fearing for his life and that of his wife and unborn baby, he made the decision to leave his house, his livelihood and all that he had worked for and flee to a safer place.

In the night, with bombing going on around him, he made his way out of the city by car, heading to Kirovograd, passing roadblocks on the way, all the time knowing that he was not safe until he reached his destination.

On arrival he was directed to The Salvation Army for initial assistance.

What he found, he told me, was a listening ear, a comforting embrace and a survival package to alleviate the most immediate of physical needs. He also found friends in a town and environment that were alien to him.

Vladimir is now learning to live with his fear, waking in the night with pictures in his head of things he has witnessed, haunted by the thought that his pregnant wife has experienced events she will never forget. It will take time for Vladimir to come to terms with his situation. He will never go back to his hometown, he tells me. He is trying to focus on the future and will look for employment elsewhere, anywhere, as long as he does not have to return.

As I reflect on my day, I realise again that The Salvation Army in Ukraine offers so much – activities for children, young people and adults, the provision of humanitarian aid, help for displaced people, and endless opportunities for ministry.

However, it faces the challenge of being a little-known church that is often eyed with suspicion and which faces huge hurdles with registration and recognition. Bring the present challenges

Above left: Major Annette Rieder-Pell (middle) outside the maternity hospital in Kirovograd with the chief physician and his wife, corps employee Svetlana and Cadet Oleg; top: distributing parcels of clothing; above: the typical contents of a food parcel

of the conflict in the east into the equation and my thoughts and prayers turn to our corps officers, soldiers and staff who so faithfully and joyfully serve their communities, with very limited resources and often in adversity.

As The Salvation Army in Ukraine deals with the present and moves into the future, I pray that God will make a way, that people will be saved and that suffering humanity will be served.

Building a bridge into the future: Ukraine for Christ! This is our hope and our aim, and these are the people my husband and I have been called to serve.

Major Annette Rieder-Pell and her husband, Major Beat Rieder, are leaders of the Ukraine Division of The Salvation Army’s Eastern Europe Territory

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REWIND BACK TO the past

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War. From today’s point in history, it’s clear to see the horror that took place, and the senseless loss of life that was the inevitable result of ever-deadlier weapons being used against men who were ill-equipped to defend themselves.

But what were the thoughts of people back in 1914, when the war was just under way? It’s often said that most people were unaware of the reality of life on the frontline, and that many expected it to be all over by Christmas 1914.

An officer sits among the soldiers and debris on the Western Front, banjo in hand, leading a sing along

This editorial comment from the September 1914 issue of All the World paints a different picture and gives an idea of the heartache felt at International Headquarters.

large part in ensuring that The Salvation Army in Europe stayed together after the war.

To add some context, in 1914 The Salvation Army was still getting used to its second leader – General Bramwell Booth – with the Founder, William Booth, having been promoted to Glory only two years before. Ironically, as is mentioned, the Army’s international links had been strengthened as never before through an International Congress held in June.

Some historians have suggested that this congress played a

The article doesn’t credit an author, but it’s likely to have been written by Brigadier William Nicholson, who had been Editor of All the World for 10 years. He would have been writing from strong recent experience because when war broke out the brigadier was reporting in Europe and – for a while – was out of contact on the ‘wrong side of the border’, when he was thought to be stuck in Russia or Finland!

A

S these pages go out of our hands the world is at war. All the Great Powers of Europe, including Britain, have entered upon a conflict that is far more cruel, extensive and beyond calculation as to its ultimate limits than the world, ancient or modern, has ever seen or, we should think, is likely to see again. Everybody will suffer; and as our venerated Founder once so truly and sorrowfully said, ‘Whoever wins, I lose.’

For The Salvation Army is bound to suffer enormous losses both of men and money.

Ours, a great international Army of peace, has men fighting on all sides, and one of the most harrowing thoughts that assail us is that comrades who a month or two ago were, metaphorically speaking, locked in each other’s arms at that glorious International Congress in London, will

now be compelled, at the order of their country, to fight against each other on fields of blood. Such are the inhumanities of war!

Into the pros and cons of this awful calamity we can find no space nor inclination to enter. But the Army, under The General’s bold and inspiring lead, is taking advantage of every means within its reach of alleviating sorrows and sufferings as war at all times engenders. Before war had been declared twenty-four hours communications had passed between the Government in London and International Headquarters, and some of the results of these communications are published in ‘The War Cry’. Briefly stated they are as follows:— The Naval authorities are to have the use of our Naval and Military Homes at Harwich, Chatham, Plymouth, and Devonport. Several large Citadels, such as those at Aberdeen and Plymouth, have also been taken over, and it is expected that others will be required. In addition to these The General has offered a number of Social Institutions to the Government.

An expedition is being got ready to accompany the troops which may be transported to the Continent. It is hoped

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that the authorities will give permission for these Officers to be present in the field hospitals.

The General has informed the War Office that we can provide 500 people capable to undertake Red Cross work if required.

Where possible we shall have Officers in the military camps for the purpose of helping the men by any and every means in their power. The assistance of an Officer in keeping up communication with relatives, and little services of that nature, have been greatly appreciated on former occasions and doubtless will again.

Brigadiers Millner and Edwin have been appointed to special work in connexion with our various Relief Agencies, and will link up with the authorities, obtain permits where necessary, and work in conjunction with relief committees and other bodies.

Every possible preparation is being made for the utilization of our Salvation Army forces right through the country for the relief purposes as soon as occasion arises.

That occasion is likely very soon to come, for already in the north mines are closing down, poverty through unemployment is striding through Lancashire, and other districts are becoming affected.

Communication with the Continent is, of course, very greatly interrupted, but we learn that in Holland Commissioner Ridsel is doing his utmost alike with the troops, with the wounded brought over the border, and with the suffering people whose income is of necessity declining.

SOCIAL MEDIA

COMMUNICATION A (Christian) User’s Guide t

S cial MediA

by David Giles

S

OCIAL media: waste of time or of paramount importance? Should we get involved? How does it all work? If this was a tweet, it would end … now!

Thankfully, the printed page does not limit us to 140 characters – so I have more than enough room to explore how the world has taken to social media and why it’s crucial that Christians get involved.

The most recent statistics reveal that Facebook has more than 1.3 billion active users. That’s in excess of one-sixth

of the Earth’s population – and broadly equivalent to the number of people in the world’s most populous nation, China.

Twitter, on the other hand, has 550 million active accounts. That’s the same number as the inhabitants of the USA, UK and Japan combined. Put simply: it’s a lot of people.

Because you’re reading this in a magazine, I don’t know whether you count yourself among this multitude or not. As a Christian I would suggest to my fellow-believers that they probably

should be. The technology that has developed over the last few years (the world-dominating Facebook is not even a teenager yet) is well-suited to our mission to fulfill the Great Commission. Salvation, we are reminded in Romans 10, is for all who call on the name of the Lord: ‘But how can they call to him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed? And how can the message be proclaimed

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if the messengers are not sent out? As the Scripture says, “How wonderful is the coming of messengers who bring good news!”’

If we’re not present on social media, we aren’t conveying that message to the fullest extent. Or, worse, our non-participation could be creating the misplaced impression that we don’t care or aren’t interested. That said, for those of us who are online, it’s important that our ‘digital persona’ is kept in check. Are we exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in our online interactions, or are we prone to gossip, exaggeration or careless language?

Here’s a challenge. Check your last five Tweets/Facebook updates/Instagram pictures. Would someone randomly happening upon them – and them alone – be able to deduce that you are a Christian? A Salvationist?

Confession time: I can be prone to the occasional virtual spleen-venting directed at unsuspecting customer services representatives (usually, as it happens, in the rail industry). I suspect my efforts would be better spent in sharing content of real value than in relieving my frustration at the latest broken-down train/signal problem/leaf on the line.

But I believe we should also be real. If our social media output comprises nothing but randomly-selected Bible verses and inane ‘Jesus loves you’ thoughts for the day, we run the risk of being written off as irrelevant. The earth-dwelling Jesus lived in the real world, where there was grit, discomfort and suffering. There is a balance to be achieved. Let’s try to be authentic and not fob people off with convenient – but ultimately crass – ‘explanations’ for illness, natural disasters or the shortcomings of Christians who have erred.

So how can we proclaim the gospel message effectively? Here are a few tips.

Make friends Follow interesting people on Twitter.

Not just Christians (although they can be interesting too). Comment on their updates – particularly where you share a common interest. You can interject in most conversations by prefacing your message with the originator’s @-handle (ours is @SalvArmyIHQ… make sure you follow us and share with us!).

Use hashtags Many Twitter conversations include one or more hashtags to help keep everyone in on the topic (our Worldwide Prayer 20 | ALL THE WORLD |

‘Engaging with people using social media offers a unique opportunity to dispel misconceptions some may have about the Church’ Meeting tweets, for instance, use #WWPM). This makes it easier to search for particular themes. Facebook has recently got in on the hashtag act too.

‘Do’ God… The senior aides of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair famously told reporters who asked about his faith: ‘We don’t do God.’ I would suggest the opposite. If your faith shapes who you are, you have a responsibility to talk about it. Have you been to your corps today? Tweet about it. Thinking about a particular Bible passage? Share it in a Facebook status. Praying about an issue of personal/local/national/international significance? Tell people. Celebrating answered prayer? Tell even more people!

Avoid jargon According to the vast majority of people CO = carbon monoxide (or Colorado) rather than commanding officer. DC = direct current (or David Cameron) not divisional commander. THQ = probably a typo! The overwhelming majority of social media users will not be au fait with Salvation Army terminology, especially when abbreviated. Try to use straightforward language, despite the temptation to squeeze every last drop out of the 140-character Twitter limit.

Share others’ content While IHQ and many territories/ divisions/corps have official social media channels, they’re no substitute for personal relationship. Your own network of friends and contacts will have a much more immediate connection with you, so your voice is important. Retweeting ‘corporate’ Twitter messages or sharing our Facebook statuses helps us to reach a much wider audience than going it alone, and at far less cost. We need you.

Be yourself Don’t just rehash other people’s material.

You’ve got something to say too. Why are you a Christian? Why do you belong to The Salvation Army? What are your other interests and how can you speak into the conversations of others who share your passions? You are uniquely you and personal reflection can be compelling and

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engaging. But be clear that you are not an official representative of The Salvation Army (unless you are, of course!).

Don’t leave it to someone else Seen something unfairly critical about The Salvation Army? Make sure you’re certain of the facts, but then put the record straight. This needs to be done in a gentle, kind and truthful way, and without making up Army policy on the spot! A clear link to our non-discriminatory international mission statement (http://sar.my/mission) often defuses heated situations.

Be salt and light Colossians 4:6 hits the nail on the head: ‘Your tweets should always be pleasant and interesting, and you should know how to give the right answer to everyone’

SOCIAL MEDIA

re-sharing dubious content of the ‘only real followers of Jesus will share this picture of a despondent, abandoned kitten’ type. But don’t be deterred from taking part in online petitions and awareness-raising campaigns, especially where they are orchestrated by bona fide organisations. We launched a Thunderclap campaign to raise awareness of the Army on Founders’ Day, enabling us to reach 800,000 people in just a few seconds.

Quality not quantity The median active Twitter user has 61 followers. Depending on the size of your corps, you might receive that news as an encouragement or discouragement.

However, if you successfully engage those 61 people, they may be minded to share with their followers. Sixty-one retweets later, and there’s a potential audience of 3,721. If those people are similarly enthused and share the message with their circle of contacts, we have a theoretical reach of nearly a quarter of a million. Clearly, with overlapping friendship groups, the true figures are usually less than that, but it’s evident that the message can quickly be amplified.

Remember it’s a conversation Social media is not a book, a radio broadcast or a TV show. And it’s certainly not a sermon! It’s interactive, it’s participatory and it’s risky. Listen to other people’s opinions and be open and honest – you’ll almost certainly be ‘found out’ if you’re not. (paraphrased slightly). Engaging with people using social media offers a unique opportunity to dispel misconceptions some may have about the Church and Christians while demonstrating a Christlike attitude. Have integrity. Don’t brag. Be honest!

Include pictures, videos and links Digital marketers know that social media content works best when people can visualise what you’re talking about and provide a clear call to action (‘give here’, ‘volunteer your time’, ‘help us’). Why not use Vine to create a six-second look around your Sunday morning meeting?

Or Pinterest to curate your own view of the Salvation Army world?

Be timely and relevant The immediacy of social media is one of its great strengths – we can very quickly convey breaking news to a large audience, without needing to adhere to publication deadlines or broadcasting schedules. If you are part of a Salvation Army response to an incident in your community, try to find a few seconds to tweet about it.

You may find your experiences then get shared or retweeted, including through our social media channels here at International Headquarters.

Pick and choose wisely Jesus was right when he said ‘Not everyone who calls me “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 7:21). Not all social media content claiming to be Christian is edifying either. Don’t feel railroaded into

To mark the 150th anniversary of The Salvation Army, we’ve launched the #150reasons crowd-sourcing campaign.

We’re seeking compelling, first-hand stories of how God has influenced, shaped and transformed lives through The Salvation Army right around the world.

Why not put your social media skills into action by sharing your own testimony on Twitter (use #150reasons), Facebook, Instagram or Flickr. Or even shoot your own video and upload to YouTube? A selection of the contributions received will be published at www.salvationarmy.org/ 150reasons and used to raise awareness of The Salvation Army’s ministry in the 150 days preceding the 150th birthday itself on 2 July 2015.

David Giles is the Web Manager for The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters

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COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WORLD BOUNDLESS READING

Challenging Times

THE WHOLE

International Headquarters Preparations are well in hand for the launch of Boundless ... the Whole World Reading, a Bible-reading challenge starting on 5 January 2015 and running for the whole of The Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary year. Salvationists and friends around the world are challenged to read through the whole of the New Testament in one year – together. Each week, everyone taking part in the challenge will read five chapters of Scripture and take time to consider discussion questions relating to the text.

The hope is that a majority of the 1.5 million Salvationists around the world, of whatever age, will take up the challenge and work their way through the New Testament together, in a renewed demonstration of international unity – truly One Army. Quality resources are also being prepared for children, who will consider one Bible passage each week and undertake a simple activity based on the same chapters being read by adults.

Boundless ... the Whole World Reading is based on an initiative first adopted by Hyde Corps (church) in the United Kingdom and later by Salvationists across the UK territory with the Republic of Ireland, where it was a great success. Salvationists from the UK who took part in the challenge before are strongly encouraged to complete it again – this time in partnership with the rest of the world, and with added resources.

A study booklet outlining the reading plan, available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese, has been offered to every Salvation Army territory, region

Freedom Fighters Australia The Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern Territory – with its headquarters in Sydney – launched a new initiative, the Freedom Partnership, equipping Australians with the information and knowledge to identify and fight against slavery and slave-like practices which currently exist in Australia.

A news release explains: ‘Most Australians would be unaware that slavery and slave-like practices touch most of us 22 | ALL THE WORLD |

THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING CHALLENGE

and command. It was written by Major Phil Layton, a British Salvation Army officer, and by Captains Rachael Castle and Tracey Davies, both from Australia Southern Territory.

In the booklet they explain: ‘What makes this challenge so attractive is its combination of rewards and simplicity. It is extremely ‘doable’, as it merely requires one chapter to be read each day for just five days a week, resting at weekends or using those days to catch up if needed.

It is also extremely rewarding, as the passages teach us more about God, about ourselves, and about how his plans and promises can be understood and trusted.’

The booklet includes discussion starters for each chapter, which may be useful for personal devotions or for group study.

The initiative has the complete backing of General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox (World President of Women’s Ministries).

In their joint foreword they write: ‘As Christians and Salvationists, we believe in the importance of the Bible. We believe in its divine inspiration. Yet would others say of us that we are people of the Word? Do we read it? Do we study it? Do we know what God wants to say to us through his Word?

‘That is why the reading and study of the Word of God is such an important part of our spiritual journey.’

either directly or indirectly through our everyday consumption of goods and services – products of which may have been produced through these exploitative activities.’

National Manager of The Salvation Army’s Freedom Partnership, Jenny Stanger, says the initiative will use modern technology and communication to engage and support the Australian public.

‘Online tools – including social media – have created incredible opportunities for both individuals and organisations

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They conclude: ‘We earnestly encourage you to take up this Bible reading challenge and together as One Army we will discover – or rediscover – the wonderful treasure that God has given to us through his Word.’

All the information in the booklet, together with additional commentaries and expanded resources, will be available online when the dedicated Bible-reading challenge website goes live in 2015. Smartphone users will be able to download an app (from http:// sar.my/bibleapp) which will allow them to take part in the challenge by using their phone to access all the material.

For more information go to www. salvationarmy.org/biblechallenge (more content will be added as the launch date approaches) or email biblechallenge@salvationarmy.org.

in advancing human rights around the world,’ she says. ‘Through the Freedom Partnership initiative, we want to empower Australians to create and be part of the largest, most organised and dynamic antislavery movement in history.’

She explains that current efforts to address modern slavery in Australia have mostly occurred at the highest levels of the federal government, as well as through the work of grass-roots community organisations, adding: ‘While there has been some progress made in combating

SNAPSHOTS modern slavery at the federal level, it is important that local and state governments, as well as the business sector, increase their awareness of slavery and slave-like practices within their own organisations and their supply chains.

‘The Freedom Partnership initiative aims to fill this gap between these groups by carrying the anti-slavery message to a mass audience, which is critical in a nation such as Australia which is so reliant on imported goods and services produced in areas of the world where basic human and labour rights are a daily struggle.’

The programme will also have staff based in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra to support clubs, students, faith-based groups, trade unions, community service providers, businesses, government agencies, policy makers and others to engage in its aims.

‘Modern slavery is a system made up of complex parts,’ concludes Jenny. ‘It is only through the collaborative effort of individuals, community groups, the business sector and government that this exploitative system will crumble.’

To make a pledge against modern slavery, or for more information about the Freedom Partnership initiative, go to: endslavery.salvos.org.au For more information on The Salvation Army’s ministry in the fight against human trafficking, go to: www.salvationarmy.org/ ihq/antitrafficking

Artistic Expressions International Headquarters The latest exhibition at Gallery 101, next to the public Café 101 at International Headquarters (IHQ) in London, is Expressions – a collection of artworks by residents of the Salvation Army Housing Association (SAHA), a leading provider of residential centres, foyers and move-on housing for single and homeless people in the UK. The exhibition was inspired by a visit to one of SAHA’s oldest residents, 95-year-old Brigadier Freda Eveleigh, who lives in Youell Court, Bournemouth. The brigadier didn’t start painting until she was 65, but quickly grew to love her hobby. Her flat at Youell Court contains many of her paintings (some of which are featured in Expressions).

Today her eyesight has almost failed completely, and her disappointment at no longer being about to paint led SAHA workers to wonder who else among their residents had artistic skills they would like to share.

The result was more than 200 contributions to the exhibition, of which 50 were chosen.

They range from photographs by teenagers from a foyer project for young people who are homeless at Morecambe, Lancashire, to knitted items created by pensioners from sheltered housing accommodation at Hazelwood Court in Maldon, Essex. Many styles of art are on display, from impressionist paintings of flowers to manga-style illustrated stories.

Nigel Parrington, the Chief Executive of SAHA, explains that for some of the participants ‘art has been a lifelong passion and for others art is a recent discovery and an exciting new opportunity, but for all of the exhibitors art is a profound and enriching experience’.

It’s a sad reality that many people who come under the care of SAHA have little self-confidence because of issues they have faced. The Expressions exhibition is just part of a programme that seeks to show SAHA clients their worth, bringing confidence and building up skills that will see them through their later years or may even help to find employment. This dovetails particularly well with the mission of SAHA – ‘Transforming Lives’ by ‘meeting the “whole” needs of individuals – physical, mental, moral and spiritual’.

Expressions is at Gallery 101 until 8 November (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4 pm).

A catalogue featuring the artworks, along with information about the artists, can be seen on the IHQ Issuu site – home to the online All the World – at sar.my/expressions.

For more information about SAHA, go to www.saha.org.uk

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Photos by Major John Murray

joy Based on my encounters and experiences …

Zimbabweans are happy, joyf u l people – and their joyful, happy spirit is contagious. We met Salvationists along our journey in every community. Shopkeepers, hotel workers, Air Zimbabwe employees and grocery store clerks – all have introduced themselves as being Salvationists. These soldiers all had something in common – they were happy and joyful!

Major John Murray, in his blog for SAVN.tv