All The World (April-June 2019)

Lighting the darkness in

Bangladesh USA – a century of Rose Parades Rebuilding lives in INDONESIA TIMELINE brings the past to life

APRIL–JUNE 2010 2019 OCTOBER–DECEMBER

48 NO 2 4 VOL 57

Facts and more in the YEAR BOOK

CONTENTS

APRIL–JUNE 2019

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

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UPFRONT From the Editor

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INDONESIA Earthquake and tsunami recovery

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HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

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HISTORY A new look at The Salvation Army’s story

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BANGLADESH Bringing light to Rohingya camps

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RESOURCE The Year Book – inform and inspire!

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USA An Army on parade in California

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SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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ARTWORK ‘The Army in Numbers’

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All the World may also be ordered through many territorial headquarters. In the UK, subscribers can purchase All the World through the local Salvation Army corps at just £1.50 per copy.

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The times, they are (mostly) a-changin’ THERE is something particularly satisfying about an electric toaster with a good ‘pop’. Enough to spring your toast above the level of the top of the machine but not so strong as to fling the bread up into the air!

I mention this because 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the pop-up toaster, which was invented by Charles Strite and granted a patent two years later.

Actually, 1919 was a good year for everyday items because it also saw the introduction on the Bell network in Virginia, USA, of the Western Electric model 50AL rotary dial telephone, replacing the need for every call to go through an operator (who could listen in to any call he or she connected!).

I’d love to know what the inventor of the rotary dial telephone – who brought about a huge step forward in mass communication – would think of today’s technology. They were still in use when I was growing up yet most children today will only have seen a rotary dial telephone in a museum. On the other hand, they’re more than familiar with what is effectively a high-powered mobile computer/music player/video player/games machine that happens to make calls!

How things have changed – but how they have also stayed the same. The pop-up toaster is still following pretty much the same design principles today as it did a century ago, while the phone has changed beyond most people’s imagination.

In this confusing world of change-butthe-same, how does The Salvation Army

Kevin Sims, Editor

UPFRONT

FROM THE EDITOR

‘In this world of change ... how does The Salvation Army move on where necessary but keep on keeping on in other areas?’

move on where necessary but keep on keeping on in other areas?

Throughout its 150-plus year history, The Salvation Army has sought to fulfil the most pressing needs. Where those needs change, or where other people or groups take on the work, the Army traditionally moves on to something new. In the UK, for instance, the introduction of the National Health Service meant that Salvation Army maternity hospitals were no longer needed – but in other countries the Army’s health services still improve life for many thousands of people. Some things change, some stay the same

EDITOR Kevin Sims

FOUNDER William Booth

DESIGN/ARTWORK Berni Georges, Hanna Karlsson

GENERAL Brian Peddle

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

Special thanks for help with this issue from Hanna Karlsson, Laura Booth, Paul Mortlock and Lieut-Colonel Brian Venables

This issue of All the World suggests that the Army is finding the balance pretty well. The innovative online timeline, described by its creator, Joseph Halliday, captures many of the movement’s most important turning points. Elsewhere you can read about Salvation Army bands’ 100th consecutive participation in the USA’s famous Rose Parade – which has changed little in the past century – but also how cutting-edge solar lighting sets are providing safety, security and power for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

There is, by the way, one more thing I learned about the pop-up toaster – it didn’t really take off for more than a decade because bread was hand-cut, varied in thickness and so was prone to getting stuck. It was the invention of the pre-sliced loaf in 1928 that took the pop-up toaster into households around the world!

So, to people who are engaged in a long-term response – keep going! To those who are innovators – try, try and try again.

And to anyone reading this who is attempting something new but is not sure if it will work – have patience, your pre-sliced loaf may be just around the corner.

© The General of The Salvation Army 2019

Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101

Published by Brian Peddle, General of The Salvation Army

Email: IHQ-alltheworld@salvationarmy.org

Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

A P RI L – J UN E 2019 | ALL THE WORLD |

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EMERGENCY

INDONESIA

Light and life

W

E wander out in the early morning to the smell of rice and fish.

It’s warm, climatically and in spirit. Children are playing with a basketball, which, if you’ve not slept well, provides an unfortunate pounding beat to an otherwise pleasant morning.

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By Major Brad Watson

There’s already a gathering of 10 to 15 people, a bit of a buzz, and plenty of food. Oma, the legend of Palu (Sulawesi, Indonesia) and grandmother to all, has made sure there is more than enough.

She cares for dozens of people with a smile and as if it’s a breeze.

Slowly, people wander out of the guest house, out of Eric and Debbie’s home

and out of the house next door. They share prayer, breakfast, conversation, a few remarks about the day ahead – all knowing that in just a few hours they will be back to do it all again. Perhaps there will be new friends there too. This is not unusual; I’ve been living next door to Eric and Debbie for five weeks, and there are often many guests.

INDONESIA

Opposite page: Major Santi White listens to a community member; this page, above: Lieutenant Immanuel Hia looks out at a destroyed bridge; left: Major Tasera Ngopoh comforts an earthquake survivor

Hospitality is a way of life in Indonesia and it is embodied in the people of The Salvation Army in Sulawesi. They are generous of heart and spirit, caring for travellers, locals and those in need without hesitation.

Honour and respect for others are the basis of Indonesian culture. This, I would suggest, is how a majority Muslim

country lives mostly at peace with its own significant Hindu, Buddhist and Christian minorities. Indonesians value loyalty to family and friends above all else. The republic as a whole is viewed by its people as an extended family, with the president, schoolmasters and leaders of business enterprises referred to as ‘fathers’ by the public.

This spirit was ever-present in the aftermath of the 2018 disasters that struck the Central Sulawesi region, centring on the city of Palu. In quick succession an earthquake, tsunami, landslides and liquefaction events (where waterlogged soil is squeezed up from under the surface, covering everything) rendered the city and whole region a muddy, bloody mess.

At least 4,300 people died and more than 100,000 people were displaced.

Among the dead were Salvationists and their friends and family members.

This hurting Army, in a hurting city, set to work. The soldiers, officers, workers and friends showed love in their grief, acting in solidarity with their suffering city, being hospitable to those that needed food, shelter, support, prayer, counsel and encouragement.

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INDONESIA

Above: Lieutenant Diana Warani in her makeshift home; below: Major Brad Watson and team cut the ribbon to launch into service a new ambulance

I have written for this publication in the past about how resilient people can be in disasters. I have expressed amazement at how communities can band together to do incredible things through painful experiences. The Salvation Army demonstrated this in spades during the months following 28 September 2018.

The Salvation Army in Sulawesi is very strong. There are 214 corps (churches) and 58 outposts, and more than 80 schools,

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‘It is the Indonesian people that are at the forefront. They are the heroes of this piece. Their collective, hospitable, generous personality is shining for the world to see’ clinics and hospitals dot the island. Its strength, however, is not the institutional establishment; it’s in its people.

It’s in Immanuel. He is the divisional youth secretary in the East Palu Division.

His sister was married just before the earthquake but her husband was lost in the resulting tsunami. She is pregnant, depressed and ill. While Immanuel continues to serve, he cares for her and works with The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services team as its translator. He is strong beyond his years.

It’s in Diana. Diana was commissioned as a Salvation Army officer in July 2018 and sent to her first appointment at Padena Corps on Sulawesi. Within three months she was rendered homeless by the disaster, displaced and working with a whole community that had to be relocated. She is single and so has little support but still fulfils her responsibilities to her corps, assists with building temporary facilities like community toilets and is engaged with the trauma healing teams. She is strong beyond what could be imagined.

INDONESIA

Left: Major Santi White and Major Susan Assa distribute shelter material; below: children take part in activities aimed at helping them to cope with trauma; below left: an example of liquefaction, where soil has become waterlogged

It’s in Nicholas and Yulia. Their wedding was planned for not long after the disaster and all of the plans were ruined. The party went ahead, albeit under a marquee on a piece of land behind a housing area. Their family is strong and was not going to be put off by something like an earthquake!

It’s in Ety. She runs a hospital for The Salvation Army. With everything that could go wrong – from generators that didn’t kick in, evacuations that had to be put in place in the most difficult of circumstances and doctors who had to care for their own families rather than patients – she kept the place going and served thousands of patients with her dedicated team. Her staff were still desperate to do more and, following a request from the government, the hospital is operating a mobile service to remote areas for six months. It is projected that they will assist 16,000 patients in that time.

It’s in the continued celebration of life. For the Islamic community, Mawlid, the prophet Muhammad’s birthday, was observed in November. For Christians, corps and other churches scheduled services, suppers and gatherings throughout Advent to welcome Christ into their world again.

Strength is in so many people, demonstrated in so many ways.

The International Emergency Services team, deployed by International Headquarters, is often at the forefront of disasters. In this case it’s a bit different.

While the team provides a technical lead and assists with communication and coordination activities, it is the Indonesian people that are at the forefront. They are the heroes of this piece. Their collective, hospitable, generous personality is shining for the world to see.

John’s Gospel describes the coming of Jesus into the world in vivid terms:

‘In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’ (John 1:4-5).

I imagine that the last week of September may have been one of the darkest in living memory for the people of Central Sulawesi. I can’t imagine their grief and loss, or the sheer terror of being dramatically shaken, seeing the water approaching, and having land swallow up whole buildings.

But the people that walked through this darkness have seen a great light.

They have seen life and love through the people of The Salvation Army, and others, and it is clear that the darkness cannot overcome it.

Immanuel will give. Diana will wake up again today and serve. Nicholas and Yulia will start their life together. Ety will do whatever she can for her patients.

And Oma will wheel out the siomay (fish dumplings), the rice, and the coffee and tea sachets while Eric pulls up a chair and tells another riotous story to anyone who gathers to hear.

When not on secondment to International Emergency Services, Major Brad Watson is Public Relations Secretary for The Salvation Army in Tasmania, Australia A P RI L – J UN E 2019 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HOME AND AWAY

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 ALISON HUDSON

Major Alison Hudson is a British-born Salvation Army officer currently serving in the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland

Left: Alison on a pastoral visit to see Joyce, a retired officer

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I’m a corps officer (church minister) at Bromley Temple.

HOME

What would be your typical day?

As a corps officer it would be quite strange if there was such a thing as a typical day – although I guess there is usually an element every day of service to the community, worship (private and/or corporate), admin (even though we have an associate officer whose job is mainly admin – there is still so much admin!!), preparation or study, pastoral care, dog walking, catching up with family (husband Iain, and adult children Amy and Will), the very occasional run/jog and rest.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I was brought to the Army by my parents, two brothers and a sister at two weeks old. We worshipped together as a family at a busy corps in the northeast of England – my father always held a senior position and my mother exercised her gift of hospitality (visitors were always welcome in our house). My earliest memories of The Salvation Army were therefore of a warm, family-oriented, busy-but-happy type of church.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

I’m in awe of people like Corrie Ten Boom. She was an ordinary girl who, along with her family, risked her life to hide Jews in her home in Haarlem, The Netherlands, during the Second World War. When she was captured she lived in insufferable conditions in a concentration camp and yet she found reasons to praise God through it all. In the Bible, Esther is similarly inspiring because of her boldness and willingness to risk her life to save others.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

It’s not a verse but a psalm – my ‘go-to’ passage is Psalm 23, ‘The Lord is my shepherd …’. There is so much to reflect upon – I ‘prescribe’ (like a doctor) this psalm to people occasionally (ie ‘read it once a day for two weeks’). When you read the verses it truly helps to make things better.

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

I have so many favourites so I asked myself: ‘Which song would I be most upset about if it was left out of any future editions of the song book?’ It would have to be ‘The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, has Ended’, associated with the tune ‘St Clements’. My eldest brother used to practise his cornet every night and he always ended with this tune. I was probably still quite young when I looked up the words – they remind me that I’m part of a worldwide church and no matter what I’m going through God is ultimately in control. It helps to put trivial things into perspective.

How do you think that working in the UK – and in Bromley – differs from working elsewhere?

There are many International and Territorial Headquarters officers in the Bromley area so we have an unusual amount of officers at the corps. It makes us a very ‘international’ corps and I think people come back because they receive a warm welcome from the rich fellowship we enjoy. It could be said that the corps has a very transitory membership as most active officers are perhaps only stationed for a relatively short time at

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THQ/IHQ but we are also blessed with a solid, friendly, enthusiastic, caring group of members who have called Bromley ‘home’ for many years.

What do you like most about the UK? I love our sense of history, which I try not to take for granted.

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the UK? The UK, especially in the London area, is very multicultural so I think we are already open to other country’s cultures as we attempt to embrace intercultural life.

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

If there are officers who have been on headquarters for longer than, say, five years, I’d love to give them the opportunity to become corps officers again, even if just for a few years. The world moves on at such a rapid pace and things really aren’t what they used to be! It would help to give them an understanding of how best to support and equip our corps and centres.

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

I don’t really think about this question as one of my life values is to ‘bloom where you’re planted’. However, I loved the weeks I spent at the International College for Officers a couple of years ago and I imagine that to be a very privileged appointment – meeting people from all over the Army world, learning from them, offering hospitality and hearing testimonies of how God is at work in them and in their countries. I think there would be many others who also would covet this appointment – for a short time (and then back to corps!).

What skills do you use most in your work?

It’s hard to determine this – as a corps officer you really are a ‘jack of all trades’. My natural skills would be in pastoral situations, serving, hospitality, preaching, organising and administration – and there’s plenty of opportunity for all of those skills to be used.

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

Pastoral – just before Christmas we visited all of the ‘shut-ins’ as our normal weekly programme had finished for a couple of weeks. I loved it. In a normal week I struggle to fit in as many visits as I would like.

And hospitality – it’s all about people!

How would you like to be remembered?

‘She was there for me!’

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

The fact that all over the world God is using each one of us in ordinary and extraordinary ways to build his Kingdom one person at a time – we are ‘saved to save’!

&

away

COLONEL CHERYL A. MAYNOR Originally from the USA, Colonel Cheryl A. Maynor currently works for The Salvation Army in Japan

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am the Territorial President for Women’s Ministries in Japan Territory.

What would be your typical day?

My life is filled with both routine and variety. There are office days, travel days, meeting days, busy days and regular days. To the best of my ability my mornings begin with coffee and Jesus time, and an early morning walk.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I was born into it; my grandparents and parents were soldiers.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

There are many people I admire, but one of my favourite heroes of the faith is King David, described as a man after God’s own heart. He is real and honest, his life is filled with great moments and human trials. I love his writings in the Psalms where he expresses life’s struggles with depth and passion, then pours out his love and dependence on God. What is your favourite Bible verse?

2 Timothy 1:7: ‘For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.’

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

‘It is Well with my Soul’ by Horatio Gates Spafford (741 in The Song Book of The Salvation Army).

How do you think that working in Japan differs from working elsewhere?

One of the great things in Japan is the depth of respect and the emphasis on community. While this dynamic is true in many cultures around the world, here it is deeply embedded in the spirit of the people.

What do you like most about Japan?

God is present, he is at work in wonderful and unique ways that continually astound and cause wonder.

What aspects of American culture do you wish were present in Japan?

I am blessed to live in a rich culture seeped in deep tradition and filled with modern advancements. Because of the presence of God, I’m learning to embrace new foods, customs, and expressions of life.

Although I am surrounded by many delicious coffee shops, a Dunkin’ Donuts coffee from time to time would be lovely. Dunkin’ Donuts is a culture, right?

Cheryl (left) experiences Christmas

carolling,Tokyo-style!

Colonel Cheryl Maynor in Japan with her husband, Colonel Keith Maynor

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

(The first thing I would change is my address!) This is an interesting question. I can’t answer, but it reminds me how important it is to pray for our General.

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

I feel God has brought me to Japan. I want to be faithful and accomplish his will and purposes for me in this place. I’m trusting him for my today and my tomorrow.

What skills do you use most in your work?

I don’t often think about my skills. One of my desires is that each day God will bring an opportunity for me to impact eternity. Whether that comes through prayer, a conversation, an act of kindness or a joyful encounter, I desire the skill of being available to God. What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more?

I do not have this skill, but I sincerely desire to have the skill of language.

I would like to know more Japanese and to have the opportunity to engage more with others.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a joyful person who loves the Lord Jesus Christ, loves her family and loves others.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army embraces all people. We are all so very different but unified in Jesus.

&AWAY

P J UN 2019| | ALL ALLTHE THEWORLD WORLD | | M ON AA PTH RIRI –LM –L J–ON UN TH E E2019 2012

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COMMUNICATION

HISTORY

Bringing history to life Joseph Halliday explains how he created the interactive historical timeline on The Salvation Army’s international website (www.salvationarmy.org), balancing the inspiring stories of the past with the need to demonstrate that the Army of today is still writing its own powerful narrative.

T

HE history of The Salvation Army stretches back more than 150 years and – though full of colourful characters, inspiring stories of commitment to God and wonderful, fresh expressions of ministry – it can sometimes be challenging to tell its story in a way that captivates a wide audience and communicates the depth of this legacy.

Our objective when refreshing the part of the International Headquarters (IHQ)

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website that tells the Army’s history, therefore, was to join up the heritage with the contemporary. We – the IHQ Communications team – knew that many people viewing the content would have a limited knowledge of the modernday Salvation Army, and so we saw an opportunity. We wanted to make it clear to our audiences that the best days of the Army are not behind us; rather, that it is still involved in a pioneering, relevant ministry as much as it has ever been.

We also wanted to make sure that our motivation was clear throughout – The Salvation Army is driven by a love for God and a compulsion to put the gospel message into action.

With these things in mind, it was decided that a thematic approach would work well, looking at how some of the specific strands of Army ministry developed, such as music, social work and young people’s work.

We made use of an online platform called Shorthand, which aids in the creation of ‘immersive’ online stories.

Through this, we are able to put large images and videos front and centre. This in turn demanded – alongside completely new text – the sourcing of fresh photos.

We are grateful to colleagues around the world, especially the International

HISTORY

Heritage Centre (based at the UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland’s William Booth College), for their help in this project.

Finding your way around

To me, there are two ways to approach the site: as a general walk-through of our history, or to examine a specific area of our work.

As a longform article, the site is easy to use – and readers may find they learn unexpected things, even if they know the Army well! Scrolling down the page (the site is compatible with mobile devices and tablets, so this can easily be done on those too) will take you through the past century and a half chronologically and thematically. This would be ideal for a newcomer to the Army, or for somebody

more involved in its work but less familiar with its story.

As you scroll, you’ll come across large, full-screen images and videos that illustrate the theme at hand. These are intended to bring the words to life and show the true range of expression in the Army. For the intro, we spent time creating a time-lapse of the 14-year-old International Headquarters building in central London. We think this shows a modern setting to our movement before the next section takes the viewer immediately back to the location of the beginning of the Army’s story. In the ‘Music’ section, the illustration through photos and video shows the breadth of this ministry: choirs, brass bands, woodwind, gospel groups and more.

We use full-screen images within the

‘International’ section. Here, different countries of the world ‘light up’ as the user scrolls, indicating the 10-year period in which the Army first began its work there. I am not aware of the Army’s growth being represented in this way previously, and to me it serves as an important reminder of the global family of Christ that we are a part of, and how diverse our ministry must be to be relevant.

Video is an important part of the project, and the ability for the reader to be able to watch this without leaving the page is important in making it integral to the story. We were keen to use personal testimony where possible, and Devonte Thompson’s ‘Camp Story’, for example, CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 A P RI L – J UN E 2019 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HISTORY

Above: Joseph Halliday at work on the interactive historical timeline on The Salvation Army’s international website

View the timeline at: story.salvationarmy.org This spread is available to download as a poster from: sar.my/atwtimeline 12 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HISTORY

‘We wanted to make it clear to our audiences that the best days of the Army are not behind us; rather, that it is still involved in a pioneering, relevant ministry as much as it has ever been’ A P RI L – J UN E 2019 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HISTORY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

really gets to the heart of why we work with young people.

The second way to use the site, via the navigation menu, is to head straight to an individual section. This would be useful for somebody interested in a particular ministry of the Army – who wants to find out when it began and why, for instance, or to investigate a theme they wish to understand more about.

Someone interested in female leadership in The Salvation Army is able to select ‘Women’ from the menu and be taken directly to that section. There they will learn about the vital role of Catherine Booth in the formation of the organisation, see an archive photo of former General Evangeline Booth, understand more about Women’s Ministries groups across the world and even view a video about a New Zealand officer’s journey into fulltime ministry. There’s also a link to our international women’s magazine, Revive, allowing readers to continue exploring the topic elsewhere.

One of the most moving aspects of the project for me was in researching The Salvation Army’s response to the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. Though I was aware of these efforts, seeing it afresh through

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video of and quotations from those involved was powerful. Being able to place these and others prominently on the page is incredibly useful in bringing the story alive.

A conversation starter

We are keen for Salvationists and friends to share this new resource with family, neighbours and colleagues who are interested in the work of The Salvation Army. We believe it could serve as a useful ‘digital’ conversation starter – a way that people for whom The Salvation Army is their church can explain where we go on a Sunday, or why we do our voluntary work. You can use the social media sharing buttons at the top of the page to share the story on Facebook and Twitter, perhaps including a comment alongside your post to offer to answer any questions your friends or online followers might have about The Salvation Army.

Who could imagine the discussion that might result from a simple sharing of the site on social media?

The last section of the site is called ‘Today: What is your place in the story?’

‘The mission remains the same as in 1865’, we conclude, and ask the reader the question: ‘What role will you play in the next part of The Salvation Army’s history?’ This sums up our aim throughout this project – to look forward as much as we look to the past.

We hope you find the new resource useful in reflecting upon the Army’s Godled history and inspiring you now and in the future.

View the timeline at: story.salvationarmy.org Joe Halliday is Digital Content Assistant at International Headquarters

BANGLADESH

REFUGEES

Shining lights

By Lieutenant Richard Bradbury

T

HE area known as Cox’s Bazar, on the south-eastern tip of Bangladesh, is home to one of the largest refugee camps in the world. Around a million Rohingya refugees currently reside in an area of approximately eight square miles. In 2017, the Rohingya people were violently driven from their homes in Myanmar and fled hastily, often without any time to collect belongings.

The host country of Bangladesh generously opened its border and was quick to offer whatever assistance it could. The Government of Bangladesh promptly mobilised resources through international and local organisations in order to respond to this massive humanitarian crisis.

The Rohingya refugee camp, as it is known locally, is set among the hills in a rural area. Temporary housing is made from bamboo, mud and tarpaulin sheets.

There is little by way of permanent

infrastructure such as pathways, water or lights. Children are not attending schools regularly and food is given out as and when it arrives at local distribution centres.

Most of the refugees are women and children.

After fleeing violence in Myanmar, the Rohingya refugees have had to live through the relentless seasonal monsoon rains regularly experienced in Bangladesh as well as the occasional cyclone. They have also faced flooding, landslides, collapsed or damaged shelters, contaminated water and overflowing latrines (toilets). As I walked through the camp, it was also very clear to me that, with such a high concentration of people, any disease outbreak has the potential to kill thousands.

The larger camp has been divided into a number of small camps to make it manageable. Various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and faith-

Above: visiting residents of the refugee camp to assess needs

based organisations have put in place arrangements to assist the government in the different camps. Many of the United Nations organisations have taken the lead in coordinating the emergency response in each camp.

A positive aspect of this whole tragic event is the way in which NGOs have worked closely with each other, putting aside any notion of competition or selfimportance to ensure that the best could be achieved with the resources available.

The Salvation Army was able to play its part and worked in one particular camp (Camp 19) whose management is overseen by the International Office of Migration. As part of this highly coordinated effort, The Salvation Army was requested to supply solar lamps to people living in the camp.

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BANGLADESH

Right: refugees are working as local project leaders; below: a newly-fitted charger and light

The immediate need for some form of lighting was identified by people in the camps and local government officials.

Insufficient lighting in camps exacerbates protection risks and negatively affects peoples’ mobility, their access to services and their sense of safety. This is especially the case for older people, women, children and people with disabilities or health issues.

Lack of lighting also makes conditions for everyday tasks such as cooking and eating meals difficult and even hazardous.

As there is no electricity in the camp, the only option was to look at durable solar lighting systems.

The Salvation Army worked with the most vulnerable people to provide access to light across the camp. It installed solar kits in 2,800 households, benefitting an estimated 11,200 vulnerable people. Each household received two LED lights, one battery and one high-output solar panel with accessories. The system will provide power for people to charge their mobile phones. For many refugees, a mobile phone is the only means of remaining in contact with relatives, especially those they left in difficult circumstances back in Myanmar.

Local refugees have taken on leadership roles in this project after being trained to prepare, install and repair the lighting system. Making use of the daylight and sunshine in Bangladesh, the solar systems provide a free, renewable and effective

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‘She feels much safer being in her home and the light brings protection and comfort ... It also enables her family to spend time together in their shelter in the evening’ energy source, providing light during the nights and making life safer and more comfortable in the makeshift shelters.

On many occasions I have been privileged to visit and support a Salvation Army emergency team that is based in the camp. Led by my colleague, Victor Mondal, the team is simply amazing. Its members were not just physically bringing lights to people but working alongside them. It was clear to me that their very

presence was bringing light to a very dark situation.

During one of the monitoring visits to Camp 19 I talked with a mother who had fled her home and sought refuge in Bangladesh. Nasreen (not her real name) decided to run for her life after hiding in a neighbour’s home when members of the armed forces from Myanmar raided her village. Many of the men in her community were killed and she told me she had watched in horror from her hiding place as her own husband was knifed to death, his throat slit.

Nasreen escaped and embarked on a dangerous journey with her three children, trekking for days and miles to reach the relative safety of the camp. The story of her journey was harrowing, and Nasreen’s resilience and courage shone through as she recounted the events. She even told me that she was one of the ‘lucky ones’, as other mothers had seen their children raped and thrown on fires during the violent expulsion.

As a single mother, Nasreen is still worried about her own safety – a feeling that was exacerbated by the anxiety she experiences each day for her children.

With pain etched on her face, and clearly still mourning the loss of her husband and

BANGLADESH

Far left: Lieutenant Richard Bradbury and local project leaders make their way through the camp; left: a young girl fetches water; below left: children gather together for safety and company

her home, Nasreen told me about life in the camp, how she struggles to survive and how she feels pain at not being able to send her children to school.

She has little hope for their future as they are traumatised, they are missing out on vital parts of their education and their childhood has been seriously disrupted.

When finding privacy to go to the toilet or bath for the family is a problem, it speaks of the sheer desperation facing Nasreen and her family. Indeed, as I walked through the camp I witnessed many children with little by way of clothing and people bathing out in the open.

Completely self-sufficient back in her home village, Nasreen now feels her

dignity has been ripped away as she is forced to go regularly to the camp distribution centre to pick up food. She eats the same type of food over and over again, missing the fruits and vegetables from back home.

As we finish talking, Nasreen states that she is still scared, permanently traumatised but becoming stronger as she pieces her life back together. She recognises that it is much safer for her to stay in the camp while there is still conflict and tension in Myanmar but longs for the day when she can return home to a peaceful environment. However, one year on from arriving at the camp, Nasreen is obviously reconciling herself

to the depressing fact that she is likely to be living in it and in these condition for a very long time.

What hit me as I took in these squalid conditions and talked to the people, including Nasreen, was not the physical environment but the sheer scale of the camps and the helplessness of those who call them home.

The Rohingya refugees are stuck.

They can’t leave the camp and are forcibly confined there. They do not have the correct papers to integrate into Bangladesh and they are not welcome back in their home communities in Myanmar. In fact, in the 2014 census in Myanmar the Rohingya people were not recognised as an ethnic group, essentially rendering them stateless. There is nowhere for them to go. They are trapped in the camp, totally dependent on others and a solution is not in their hands. The longer this massive humanitarian crisis continues, you can’t help but feel that the Rohingya people are at risk of being exiled and forgotten for good.

Like many other people, Nasreen is resigned to living in the camp for the foreseeable future. She told me that the light given by The Salvation Army makes life more manageable and – consequently – more hopeful. She is able to cook at night and eat together with her family. She feels much safer being in her home and the light brings protection and comfort.

It also enables her family to spend time together in their shelter in the evening.

This, she says, is her favourite part of the day, as she and her children sit, chat and sometimes laugh and play games together, huddled around the light.

Above all, says Nasreen, she feels she is now providing a safe home environment for her children. Life is far from perfect but, as she and her children get used to living in the camp and the potential provided by their new power source, they have at least a glimmer of hope and normality, as well as the chance to lead a healthy and fulfilling life either where they are now or when – as she hopes – they eventually return home.

Lieutenant Richard Bradbury is Business Administration Officer in The Salvation Army’s Bangladesh Command and Learning Pathways Coordinator for the South Asia Zone A P RI L – J UN E 2019 | ALL THE WORLD |

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THE SALVATION ARMY YEAR BOOK ‘PERUSE AND BE BLESSED’ and hospitals to drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes and transitional housing projects for homeless people. Want to know how many Salvationists there are in Australia?; where the territorial headquarters is in Zambia?; how many pupils are in Salvation Army schools in the Hong Kong and Macau Command?; or what prison ministry The Salvation Army has in Brazil? The Year Book is your friend!

As well as statistical data there are chronologies, historical information and a helpful Salvation Army glossary.

The fascinating and detailed statistical information is balanced by articles that provide an insight into life in The Salvation Army’s territories and other features that include content about programmes that are affecting the Army worldwide.

Editor Major Angela Strickland says: ‘One part of the Year Book that I really enjoyed doing this year was putting together the articles ... [they] have so much information about specific things that we’re doing in The Salvation Army. I think it’s important to get those stories and those messages out there.’

THERE are three main ways to keep up to date with the health and happenings of the international Salvation Army: for detailed insights subscribe to All the World (of course!); for the latest news follow the International Headquarters social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram); and – for a complete overview – read The Salvation Army Year Book.

The Year Book was first published in 1906, when The Salvation Army was significantly smaller than it is today. The 376-page 2019 edition – available in hard copy or as a handy e-book – incorporates details of the organisation’s work and ministry in 131 countries, with facts and statistics supported by reports, articles and colour maps and photographs.

It includes information from more than 50 Salvation Army territories, commands and regions, covering every aspect of ministry from schools

The feature ‘Equipping a Modern Army’, written by Commissioner Merle Heatwole, The Salvation Army’s International Secretary for Business Administration, explains how a significant change in accounting implementation will provide even greater transparency and accountability for the Army’s finance. Other features consider the growing international emphasis on child protection and share advances in anti-human trafficking work in Brazil. ‘Soul-saving Snapshots’ includes inspiring short reports of effective but very different ministries in Madagascar, Hungary, Australia and Cuba General Brian Peddle, international leader of The Salvation Army, makes clear in his foreword that behind every article and each statistic is a story of God using his Salvation Army: ‘This book provides snapshots of the Army’s work internationally,’ he writes. ‘It is an incredible narrative that is saturated with the miracle of the divine dynamic. Peruse it and be blessed. Pray through it and watch God’s continued blessing unfold, and believe as I do that God is willing to do more, and will do a new thing among us … So, how is the Army doing? This book tells the story.’

Captions for photo here

The Salvation Army Year Book 2019 is available from Salvation Army territorial headquarters and trade stores and online at Amazon (prices vary) It is also available as an e-book, for Kindlecompatible devices – most smartphones can download and run the free Kindle app – and through Kobo.com A short film featuring Year Book Editor Major Angela Strickland and the General’s Private Secretary Major David Williamson talking about how the Year Book has proved useful to them is available at sar.my/ityb

The General and Commissioner Silvia Cox (WPWM) move through a crowd of Salvationists and friends at a public meeting during their visit to India South Eastern Territory

Inside Front cover-2019.indd 1

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For more details about the Year Book, visit sar.my/yearbook 24/10/2018 17:44

USA

MUSIC MINISTRY

PHOTOS BY JOHN DOCTER

New Year – new opportunities

S

INCE 1890, the city of Pasadena – just outside Los Angeles in California, USA – has marked the New Year by holding what is known as the Rose Parade. Highlydecorated floats, equestrian groups and marching bands make their way along the five-and-a-half mile route, cheered on by more than a million people lining the streets and watched by millions more across the country and overseas through TV coverage of ‘America’s New Year Celebration’.

Thirty years after the first-ever Rose Parade, a small Salvation Army band from Pasadena Tabernacle Corps (church) took part on 1 January 1920, less than 40 years after the Army began work in the USA. At that time, The Salvation Army on the West Coast was organised under the Pacific Coast Division – the USA Western Territory only came into being the following year.

The band’s participation in 1920 began a tradition that continues to this day, and the Salvation Army band is the longestserving in the entire history of the parade.

To mark the 100th consecutive participation by a Salvation Army band, the 2019 Rose Parade saw record numbers of Salvation Army musicians taking part – the majority of them young people. More than 400 instrumentalists participated, from bands across the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, as well as individual musicians from Brazil, South Africa, Jamaica and India.

The Salvation Army Rose Parade Band is organised by the California South divisional music department, led

by Bandmaster Kevin Larsson, who has served in the post for 18 years. ‘It is the world’s biggest open-air,’ he says.

‘That’s why we keep on investing into it … we’re playing “Amazing Grace” or “Stand up for Jesus” and often the name of the song is displayed on TV.’ In order to rehearse for this unique event, bands started to arrive on 26 December. ‘When they get to camp they’re not going to be playing in the bands that they travelled with; they’re going to be playing mixed up [into eight international sub-bands], so we

Above: the Salvation Army contingent marches along Colorado Boulevard

want good fellowship and meeting new people,’ explains Jacqui Larsson, California South Assistant Divisional Programme Secretary. ‘One of the main challenges we have is that the [other] bands that participate practise for hours every morning for years to actually be in the parade, and we only have one rehearsal … We just have to expect and hope that they’ve memorised it all!’

Recently retired Chief Executive Officer of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association and bandmaster at The Salvation Army’s Pasadena Tabernacle, Bill Flinn, explains: ‘The Salvation Army is one of two Christian organisations that are in the Rose Parade.

The Tournament of Roses hears from many people about the enjoyment of having a Salvation Army band there, but … [from our perspective] it is probably the largest exposure that The Salvation Army has in any one given effort.’

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USA

The musical outreach continued into the new year, with the musicians staging a special concert at Tustin Ranch (California) Corps on 2 January which concluded with the massed bands playing ‘Auld Lang Syne’. The 350 youth band members led worship in eight Salvation Army corps and performed at a basketball game and at a ‘Bandfest’ for 10,000 people. The international group also marched through Disneyland on 3 January, beginning – appropriately – at the ‘It’s a Small World’ attraction.

Tustin Ranch corps officer Captain Nesan Kistan reflects: ‘I believe the ministry of our bands speaks to us of the healing power of our risen Saviour … releasing the power of God’s presence, which is with us always!’

Bandmaster John Lam Canadian Staff Band

The obvious benefits of this huge undertaking were in the massive outreach that was achieved by marching in the parade and performing in Bandfest. The ancillary benefits were found in the fellowship that occurred in spending such a powerful week together with other Salvation Army brass musicians who share the gift of musical expression, the time for bandmasters to share a meal with each other and discuss various aspects of Army banding ministry, and basking in the contentment of participating in a monumental occasion of the sort that only The Salvation Army could pull off.

As I reflect on this event with no small amount of emotion, and consider the opportunities of the year ahead, it is not lost on me that these hundreds of participants left their families during the holiday season and sacrificed holiday time to make this happen.

Kudos to Kevin and Jacqui Larsson for organising all of this, to the Salvation Army leaders who had the vision to finance and support such an event, and for the many individuals who executed the plans to make it all happen.

As we peruse the countless social media posts and view the television coverage I think we can all agree that it was worth every cent invested and every hour dedicated when one looks at our youth in action from all around the world.

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‘It is probably the largest exposure that The Salvation Army has in any one given effort’ For any band leader, present or watching from afar, it was wonderful to see the fruits of one’s labour in mentoring and investing in them over the years. Many of these young people will undoubtedly transfer the passion and skills acquired from these events to other roles in Army ministry and become leaders of our movement.

Rhys Jones

Concord Corps USA Western Territory Hi! My name is Rhys Jones, I’m 19 and I marched in one of the biggest evangelism opportunities that The Salvation Army has had the privilege to be a part of.

This was the fifth year that I was able to participate in this monumental event and it was the best one yet. With the chance to play music with some of the best young Salvationists from around the world and also getting to hang out with them and have a good time, it was definitely a life-changing experience.

Going to the 100th Rose Parade has not only encouraged me to be a better player, but it has also pushed me closer to God. It’s amazing to think that someone who lives more than 7,000 miles away has the same passion and joy for Salvation Army banding as I do, and loves the same God. Now that the 100th Rose Parade for the Army has passed, I can’t wait for the 150th and beyond!

USA

Major Gwyn Edward Jones Concord Corps USA Western Territory

What an amazing time the Rose Parade was this year! Having all the youth bands from across the world was so exciting. My son and I have taken part in the parade for several years and every year is a little different. The involvement now of The Salvation Army for 100 parades is especially poignant. Seeing and hearing the thousands of wellwishers would make you forget your sense of fatigue very quickly!

I believe being a part of this event that is viewed around the world is very important. The Salvation Army too often seems pushed out of the picture in our modern world but here, on this day, we are front and centre, playing songs about Jesus. The other great benefit, I believe, is getting the message out to the public and those millions that view it on TV and online. The impact on those that march also cannot be underestimated.

We got on one of the many buses that left locations around the city of Los Angeles from 4.30am to meet up in Pasadena to be part of this special convoy of band members. Jumping off the buses resplendent in our bright red tunics into the crisp morning air, we form up on the bridge in front of various bands representing schools and colleges from around the USA and the world. The only feeling I have – even though I have marched many times – is excitement to be part of such a special event.

I like to chat to as many young people around me as possible as we get ready to be inserted into the parade in between all the different and spectacular floats made of flowers. As we march out onto the main parade route the excitement builds as we approach and pass bigger and bigger grandstands of people cheering.

We turn the big corner onto Colorado Boulevard and there are hundreds of cameras and people focused on us.

We are all required to memorise the music (one of the rules of the parade) when in front of the cameras. After

Above: Major Gwyn Jones and his son, Rhys, get ready to march in the Rose Parade

that first rush of fear, excitement and adrenaline, you keep going. From getting up and walking to the bus and lining up to get your wonderful In-NOut burger, my fitness watch tells me every year that I walk around 10 miles during that period of 8-10 hours.

Some ask: ‘Is it worth all the time, effort and money to be part of such an event?’ I say: ‘Yes!’ We do not go out on the streets as we – in our Western world – once did to share our music and our love for Jesus.

This, on the other hand, is a mega openair meeting we can share with millions of people, as we shout to the crowd: ‘Happy New Year. God Bless You! What a privilege.

Thanks to John Lam and father-and-son Gwyn and Rhys Jones for sharing their experiences. Main report includes content from New Frontier Chronicle.

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COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

The Salvation Army provided packed meals to Transport Security Administration staff at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports

USA

Stepping up in the shutdown The partial shutdown of the USA’s federal government in December 2018 and January 2019 – the longest the country has ever witnessed – led to many employees finding themselves unexpectedly in need. During the 35-day stalemate between lawmakers, an estimated 800,000 federal employees were either furloughed or required to work without pay for a stretch covering two pay periods.

Families reliant on that income and without substantial savings found that they were at risk of missing a mortgage or rental payment,

‘We were able to send her daughter home with a doll.

They were so happy ...…

They were both in tears’

a sizeable utility payment, or even having insufficient cash flow for daily groceries and essential hygiene products.

The Salvation Army responded across the USA with various social services. In the north, a hot meal service was provided for Transportation Security Administration employees working without pay at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway international airports.

Food pantries were opened in Florida, Georgia, Texas and Washington, at locations such as a Coast Guard base in St Petersburg, Florida, and a national park in Port Angeles, Washington.

‘We were trying to decide – what would be the best way to help these families?’ says Port Angeles corps officer Major Barbara Wehnau. The corps (church) didn’t have funds earmarked for financial assistance, but they decided that, as they had toys left over from

their Christmas distribution event, they could at least help government employee families celebrate their children’s birthdays.

‘We had a lady whose husband was an active Coast Guard come in with her daughter, who was turning six,’ says the major. ‘We were able to send her daughter home with a doll. They were so happy … They were both in tears.’

‘The Salvation Army is there to help during crisis, no matter who you are,’ explains the National Commander of The Salvation Army in the USA, Commissioner David Hudson. ‘Some disasters are natural, and some are human-made. In either case, we see the person caught in the storm, and we help.’

It wasn’t until corps officer Lieutenant Heather Pyper showed up for the day that it quickly became apparent the corps had not spent NZ$55,000 on a 150-kilogram bronze garden gnome.

Heather’s husband, Lieutenant Ivo Pyper told the New Zealand War Cry: ‘Heather turned up and thought “that’s weird, wonder why the

corps has purchased a new gnome to stand at the front door?” But then she clicked pretty quickly.’ The statue had shown up sometime in the night with a note asking that it to be returned to its home at the Gow Langsford Gallery.

The police were subsequently called and took fingerprints for any evidence left by the perpetrators.

NEW ZEALAND

Help for the gnomeless Salvation Army centres worldwide are used to receiving unusual donations, but Glen Eden Corps (church) in New Zealand was the recipient of a very odd gift in January 2019 – a giant gnome!

Financial administrator Neil Arnold saw the gnome outside the corps and initially thought the corps officers must have bought it!

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SNAPSHOTS Constable Iosefo Pasina (left) and Lieutenant Heather Pyper with ‘Thinker’, the runaway gnome

‘It was so well placed, it wasn’t just a random drop in the middle of the car park. It was right by the front door in line with the curbing,’ Ivo said.

‘We joked about being able to provide a night of emergency accommodation for the gnome.

‘The people at the gallery were happy to get it back reasonably unscathed, just a couple of marks where some paint had been rubbed off.’

The gallery have said they will be giving Glen Eden Corps a donation for its hospitality.

‘I did make a few suggestions that it would look nice in our yard,’ says Ivo, ‘but at NZ$55,000 that idea doesn’t really fly.’

Someone had suggested the thieves clearly thought The Salvation Army was a trustworthy place to leave a piece of costly art, which had been stolen from outside the gallery on Christmas Eve. Ivo wrote on the gallery’s Facebook page: ‘It was a privilege to have a gnome of such noble stature visit us overnight. We are happy that he made it home safely though. He is welcome to visit Glen Eden Salvation Army anytime. Blessings.’

GREENLAND

Stamp of approval A new charity postage stamp released by POST Greenland in January 2019 will raise awareness and funds for The Salvation Army’s work with homeless people in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. Each stamp, which sells for 16 krone (US$2.40), will generate 1 krone of income for The Salvation Army.

POST Greenland’s Allan Pertti Frandsen explains: ‘Every year since 1990, POST Greenland selects an organisation which is a worthy recipient of the added value.

Because The Salvation Army contributes such important social work in Greenland, it was an easy choice.’

The stamp has been designed by renowned local artist Maria Panínguak` Kjærulff, who has been the creative force behind three previous Greenlandic postage stamps. It portrays a group of people sharing a meal around a table together – an everyday occurrence at The Salvation Army’s William’s Café in Nuuk. The design also incorporates the red ‘sun’ element of the national flag and the red shield of Frelsens Hæri – The Salvation Army’s name in Greenlandic. The theme is fitting, as The Salvation Army serves hot food daily to scores of the city’s homeless people,

and works in collaboration with other agencies to provide holistic support services.

‘This is a huge acknowledgement of the work we are doing here in Greenland,’ says Salvation Army officer Major Kurt Pedersen, who heads up the ministry in Nuuk with his wife Major Helle Pedersen. ‘We are grateful to POST Greenland, and to their customers who will buy the stamp and support The Salvation Army’s vital work amongst the homeless population of the city. Here in Nuuk, the average temperature in a year is minus one degree Celsius. It’s always hard to be homeless, but here it’s literally dangerous.’

The new postage stamp – which will remain on sale throughout 2019 and most of 2020 – was officially launched at a special event at The Salvation Army’s premises in Nuuk. International philatelists can order the stamp at www.stamps.gl Northern Lights, a 25-minute documentary film made by the IHQ Communications team, which explores the work of The Salvation Army in Greenland, can be viewed and downloaded from sar.my/northernlights A P RI L – J UN E 2019 | ALL THE WORLD |

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ILLUSTRATION BY BERNI GEORGES