All the World - April-June 2021

Extra education support in Romania

Doing the right thing in JAPAN SNAPSHOTS – welcome to 132!

Opportunity provided at HOME

APRIL–JUNE 2021

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

VOL 48 NO 4

VOL 59 NO 2

VACCINATION promotion tweets

CONTENTS

APRIL–JUNE 2021

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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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CREATIVITY Art for the community

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JAPAN Discovering what works

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HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

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ROMANIA Focus on a varied ministry

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INFORMATION Promoting vaccination

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RESIDENCES Building a loving home

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SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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12 20

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18 Cover photo by Dave Haas

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All kinds of kindness For The Salvation Army, the ideal of relationship has never been more important, as is clear throughout this issue of All the World. In Japan, relationship with local people has ensured that a new centre provides activities that are right for the

ESCAPE

IT’S quite an understatement to say that we are going through unusual times.

After more than a year of lockdown or other restrictions, what we consider normal is changing more quickly than the passing seasons.

I can guess how other people are affected but I can’t know – and the truth is that everyone is dealing with the pandemic in different ways. Some people can’t wait to break free from restrictions and get back to their old lives while others are genuinely fearful about re-emerging from lockdown.

As the editor of an international magazine, things get even more complicated. Here in the UK we are gradually dropping restrictions (while keeping some aspects, such as wearing masks in public areas). Some other countries, like New Zealand and Australia, have been enjoying relative freedom for several months yet others – most notably India and Brazil – are dealing with horrific new waves of infections. And by the time you read this, everything may have changed again.

It’s in times like this that things we can rely on become more and more important. Relationships become ever more vital, even if it’s more difficult to meet face to face.

‘Some people can’t wait to break free from restrictions and get back to their old lives while others are genuinely fearful about re-emerging from lockdown’

EDITOR Kevin Sims

GENERAL Brian Peddle

DESIGN AND ARTWORK Berni Georges

Published by Brian Peddle, General of The Salvation Army

EDITORIAL OFFICE The Salvation Army International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH, United Kingdom Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101 Email: IHQ-alltheworld@salvationarmy.org FOUNDER William Booth

Kevin Sims, Editor

UPFRONT

FROM THE EDITOR

community; in Romania, relationships with donors have seen finances kept up during a time when normal fundraising efforts are impossible; across the world, caring relationships between residents of children’s homes and staff members provide a solid base from which the young people can thrive in later life.

In a time of unprecedented hardship and difficulty we need – to borrow Jesus’ phrase – to go the extra mile … to understand other people’s problems, to fulfil needs where we can and to be there for our friends, neighbours, family members and strangers alike.

We also need to deal with the terrible reality that however hard we work and however much money we raise, we can’t help everyone. We can’t save everyone. And sometimes that can be the most difficult thing to get our heads around, the heaviest weight to lift from our hearts.

About 20 years ago, I interviewed a development worker and asked how he coped with knowing he couldn’t help every person he met. His response was that he couldn’t let himself think about that but that, rather, he focused on every single individual, every life that he could give the opportunity to escape poverty.

Jesus said that the most important commands are to love God and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves.

It’s not a big leap to say he would encourage us today to be kind and understanding to each other, but also to take on the task of being kind to ourselves.

© The General of The Salvation Army 2021

Printed in the UK by Blackmore Printers Ltd The Salvation Army International Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (no. 1000566) whose sole trustee is The Salvation Army International Trustee Company, a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (no. 02538134) at 101 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4EH

A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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CREATIVITY

INTERNATIONAL

Taking Easter to the people

by David Giles

D

ESPITE coronavirus-related restrictions on gatherings still being in place in many places through the early months of 2021, Salvationists and friends around the world creatively found ways to share the Easter story. Through a ‘Great Easter Trail’ initiative, The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters Communications team encouraged the use of arts and crafts to bring the gospel message vibrantly into the heart of communities. ‘It’s back to basics – bringing the Bible to where people are, in a way that will engage, encourage and challenge them,’ explains Communications Manager David Giles, who developed the concept.

The idea particularly caught on in Norway, where numerous corps (churches) staged Easter trails in their neighbourhoods. In the northern city of Harstad, no fewer than 14 ‘stations’ were erected in locations across the municipality. Each invited passers-by to consider a different aspect of the days surrounding Jesus’ death on the Cross.

Elsewhere in Norway, a recreation of a crown of thorns formed the centrepiece to a Great Easter Trail in the garden of The Salvation Army’s Ensjøtunet welfare centre in Oslo. ‘It created attention and interest through the various symbols, colours, text and installations displayed,’ says centre manager Solfrid Slettholm.

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‘Many visitors spent a long time reading the Scripture passages and taking it all in.’

Local newspapers in Røros and Molde reported favourably on the trails that were organised in their cities, with particular interest in the scannable QR codes deployed by Røros Corps. These enabled individuals encountering the posters to discover more via their mobile phones, including Bible references and contextualised video content.

In Gjøvik, where venues for the artworks included a local petrol station, cafe and

Salvation Army-run Fretex charity shop, the team received encouragement from customers and others who encountered the striking displays. ‘Many walked the path to see the other parts of the Easter story,’ says Marit Helene Olsen, ‘but perhaps the most important feedback was that it made many people reflect on the fact that Jesus is in our world, in our time and in the midst of us.’

In the United Kingdom, a Great Easter Trail in Bromsgrove took in a one-mile circuit around the Salvation Army hall.

‘It’s back to basics – bringing the Bible to where people are, in a way that will engage, encourage and challenge them’

INTERNATIONAL

Opposite page, left and below left: Holy Weekthemed paintings on wooden pallets by Major Mike Stannett; below: three wooden crosses crafted by Brayden Kerr

Territorial Envoy Hazel Ellison explains: ‘We offered maps, quiz sheets and a copy of the Easter “If You’ve Ever Wondered” leaflet … Chocolate eggs were on offer as they arrived back at the hall.’

There were some great responses from people who appreciated being able to mark such a significant occasion in an innovative way. One couple shared: ‘It’s really made Easter special this year, especially as we can’t go to church.’

Meanwhile, in Goderich, Ontario – on the shore of Canada’s vast Lake Huron – The Salvation Army’s Suncoast Citadel also took part in the initiative. Lieutenant Angela Kerr describes a conversation she’d been having with her husband before she became aware of the Great Easter Trail. ‘We wanted to do a new thing, and to share the gospel message

outside the four walls of our building, which has been closed for some time now because of the pandemic.’

She picks up the story: ‘One of our boys was listening in and his excitement stirred when I spoke of putting up three wooden crosses on the front lawn in front of our corps building, which is on a very well-travelled road. Brayden eagerly became the driving force to make this project happen, asking me several times a day if we could pick up the materials at the local hardware store so he could get started!

‘As I made dinner one night, I could hear the sound of his tools coming up from the basement and soon one, two and then three crosses emerged, that he had carefully planned, cut and sanded.

They were a work of love which we A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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INTERNATIONAL

Great Easter Trail installations in (clockwise from top left) Gjøvik, Bromsgrove, Oslo and Harstad (inset)

could see in his face as he surfaced to show each one of them to us.

‘We went with him to the corps as he positioned the crosses and the message “No Greater Love” on our signboard so that passers-by would see it throughout Good Friday. On the evening of Holy Saturday, we assisted him in adding the purple cloth to the crosses and changing the text to read “He has Risen” so that our community would see this clearly proclaimed on Easter Day.’ Back in Europe, Major Mike Stannett – a gifted painter – found himself in his element creating a Great Easter Trail for people to enjoy and meditate on.

Beautifully encapsulating a series of six 6 | ALL THE WORLD |

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key scenes from Scripture’s accounts of Holy Week through the medium of painting onto wooden pallets, Mike arranged the artworks attractively for display and public access in the corps garden in Brussels, Belgium. Making it a truly multimedia experience, Mike also devised devotional texts and thinking points arising from each painting, also filming the trail for a video that included reflective music and vocal elements.

‘A God-inspired idea! This has been so timely,’ shares the major, who has recently become aware of a growing desire to use art more in his ministry. ‘The Army has arguably undervalued art as a form of faith expression, and while we

have a tremendous body of work in the realm of music, I love how many other churches also express their faith through sculpture, painting, glasswork and such creative diversity!

‘An artist seeks to express a message, but is equally – if not more so – evoking a response from the audience. Art is not only about the artist, but about how the piece is interpreted, and the Holy Spirit can speak through this too. I love the thought of seeking something deeper from the art, and pray that God will use the Great Easter Trail to reveal himself to those who encounter any of the works.’

Lieutenant Kerr agrees: ‘We count it a privilege to be able to share the message of Easter in this way with our community but also a blessing to watch one of our young people embrace this opportunity and eagerly complete it. We are already talking about other ways we can continue to minister to our community in this format.’

David Giles is Communications Manager at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters

ADAPTABILITY

JAPAN

A place of Hope and Love Territorial Envoys Daniel and Leann LaBossiere, originally from the USA, are fulfilling their service in Japan, where they are applying some innovative approaches – all the time ensuring that they listen to the community

Envoy Leann LaBossiere Japan is a country where religion and culture are deeply connected. Traditions and customs are knitted into the fabric of everyday life. When going to the grocery store, I pass several temples and shrines on the 10-minute walk. The red Torii gates, a symbol of the Japanese religion Shintoism, are in every direction. In a country of 126.3 million people – and living in Tokyo, a city of just under 14 million people – it is heartbreaking that only two per cent of the population are Christians. When Dan and I were first called to serve overseas, we never imagined Japan to be a place where we would be used. However, we quickly learned just how much Kingdom work there is to be done in this country.

When I think about an old building I imagine something along the Freedom Trail in Boston. Probably something built in the mid-1600s with stone or brick. Since moving to Japan, I have come to realise just how much older this nation is than my homeland. When I say religion runs deep, I am not talking about hundreds of years, but thousands.

This unique country has a rich history of emperors, battles and Samurai warriors, customs around the table, an appreciation for the arts and, sadly, a long history in which Christ has not been widely shared.

There is a great pressure on the Japanese people to live up to an expectation of perfection that society places on them. Pressure to fit into a mould that is deemed acceptable and

‘There is a great pressure on the Japanese people to live up to an expectation of perfection that society places on them’

Above: participants at the Azabu New Hope adult art class

not to step out as individuals. Pressure to follow a set of instructions without deviation. Pressure to follow the customs and traditions that were first established thousands of years ago.

The very nature of Jesus is about individual relationships with his people.

He is the Good Shepherd who knows each member of his flock. He guides and he protects. He encourages and he brings hope.

Those are the core values that we seek to implement at Azabu New Hope. With the knowledge that Japan is a collective society, Dan and I have set our focus on sharing the goodness of a personal God. A God who meets us exactly where we are and walks with us at our own pace in an individual relationship with us.

We were tasked with creating a ‘new space’. The ministry at Azabu New Hope is focused on sharing God A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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JAPAN

Envoy Dan LaBossiere ‘What do you want me to do for you?’

Above and right: all set up for kids art club

through community evangelism. We have designed classes that encourage children, young people and adults (including seniors) to be creative. We positively reinforce and foster individual thinking. Stepping outside of the pressure that society places to ‘all be the same’ and into a world that shares how Christ perfectly designed each of us, no mistakes, with different gifts and talents that are unique to who we are.

We want to be sensitive to the fact that stepping into a church building brings a lot of fear to many people in this country. When New Hope was being constructed, it was intentionally built with large glass windows to display our programming to the public. We want those outside of the building to experience the light from within even as they pass by. Seeing all that is taking place allows for a greater understanding of who we are as The Salvation Army in this place and what we are doing here. It helps to break down barriers of fear that may be keeping people from walking into our centres and churches.

Above all else, we seek to be a place where people feel loved. Shame, loneliness, guilt and the anxiety that comes with living up to the expectations of society are the deeply-rooted poisons of the evil one in this country. More than anything else, when a child walks through our doors or passes our building we want them to feel the active love of Christ.

Every art class, English or Japanese lesson, every women’s cafe, or other community programme that takes place in our building is an opportunity to bring ‘New Hope’. A chance to create relationships and share what it means to have a personal relationship with God. We strive to be a place where people do 8 | ALL THE WORLD |

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not feel the pressures that culture, religion and history have placed on them, but rather a place where people can confidently walk in, knowing that they are loved here.

Our building may not look like a typical church, and our sanctuary may look like an art room or a cafe at times, but it is our goal that, at all times, Christ’s love radiates from it and who we are. We pray that we can be a beacon in our community and that when people hear the words ‘New Hope’ they connect it with a new-found hope in the risen Saviour.

Our current week includes these programmes: Kids Art Club MINI Kids Art Club (under age 5) English Class Japanese Class Each month we have at least one of these events: Women’s Conversation Cafe Paint Night Kids Paint Night We will be adding these programmes throughout the year: Dance Class Music Lessons for Guitar and Brass Art Workshops with specialist local artists including batik fabric painting and kintsugi pottery

This is a phrase used by Jesus on several occasions, often shortly preceding a miracle. That seems like a pretty great model for ministry, doesn’t it? Ask a member of the community what they want, and then do exactly that for them?

How special would that make them feel?

Unfortunately, that’s not very practical when it comes to programme planning!

To meet every single need and request, custom tailored to the individual, would take more time and energy than most people have to offer, especially on a community scale. As great as it would be, it’s just not a reality.

At Azabu New Hope Salvation Army, however, we have had the rare opportunity to come close to this ministry model. The mission centre was recently reconstructed in the footprint of a former corps (church) location. The intention was to be something new for the community, something to draw in new people and, ultimately, to bring those people into a new relationship with Christ. We had our planning meetings, our brainstorm sessions, our polls and surveys from around the Japan Territory about what kinds of ministry should happen in this new place.

But it was not until we actually got into the space, into the community, that the ideas really started coming together.

We had planned to start out with Kids Art Club, Paint Night events and English classes. As we began our programmes, it became clear that, while some of our ideas were hitting the mark, others were not. So we began to ask our new friends

‘More than just being accommodating, the community knew that we were listening’

C O U N T R Y O JRA PT A HN EME

Far left: floor-to-ceiling glass lets passers-by see what is happening; left: a Japanese art piece; below left: the adult art class in full flow; bottom: Leann and Dan with baby Nolan

in the community, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’

The answers came flooding back to us and allowed us to reshape the way we provided our programmes. Instead of only teaching English, we were asked if we could teach Japanese lessons as well, because the area has a lot of foreign residents. We were asked if we could extend the ages for our programmes because parents were looking for things to do with their younger kids while the big kids were at school.

In a matter of weeks, with a few slight adjustments, we saw a huge increase in our attendance and there is potential for even greater increase. More than just being accommodating, the community knew that we were listening. The need to be seen and heard is something that all people feel in some way. To be truly listened to is an amazing gateway into building a beautiful relationship.

Living in Tokyo can be a little overwhelming at times. Tokyo is a fast-paced and busy city, the trains are often full to bursting and, with so many people, it is easy to get lost in a crowd.

It is easy for people to feel overlooked or ignored. We want to break through that the way that Jesus did.

Jesus heard the voice of blind Bartimaeus crying out for help over the noise of the crowd. He heard him, called him to his side, and asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’

It has taken a lot of faith and trust in the Lord to see this new ministry grow. Japan is an old country with old traditions. The longevity of these traditions is beautiful. But it can also be dangerous in a rapidly changing world, especially one where the current pandemic has necessitated a lot of very sudden changes to the way we do things.

We have strived to make ourselves and our ministry adaptable. We want our community to know that we are there for them. That we see them and hear them. That we want to work for them and their needs.

It is our hope that the ministry at Azabu New Hope will pave the way for other programme centres around Japan and for new programmes to start at

currently existing corps as well. The fear of failure is a common trait that many people in Japan share. So much so that lots of people won’t try something new unless they can be certain of the outcome.

For that reason, many churches across Japan have had a hard time launching new programmes. The programmes that are working for us in Azabu may not work in other areas, but the ministry model most certainly will! This time of great change is actually a huge opportunity to adapt and change in order to reach people who haven’t yet had the chance to learn about Jesus.

The success we have seen at Azabu New Hope in just a few months can be a spark to the territory that these types of programmes can and will work in Japan.

This success is not our own doing, but the Lord at work in us, giving us and our staff the courage and boldness to make ourselves known to the community. It is also the work of the Holy Spirit moving in our community to help build trust and friendships.

These things are not exclusive to New Hope and are freely given by God to those who ask!

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COUNTRY OR THEME

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

JOSEPH HALLIDAY Born and brought up in the UK, Joseph Halliday works at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London What is your role in The Salvation Army?

My current role is as a ‘digital content specialist’ at International Headquarters (IHQ). In a nutshell, I find out about and share inspiring and challenging stories from around the Salvation Army world. I am responsible for, among other things, IHQ’s social media channels, updating its website with new content, helping on new video projects and lending support to colleagues in territories around the world.

HOME

What would be your typical day?

When I sit down at my desk in the morning, I often get the nice feeling of having several varied tasks that need seeing to. I always start by going through emails, then spend time on social media – posting on our accounts and seeing what other topics might be trending. One of the best parts of my role is being creative, and I enjoy trying to think up new ideas for content, working on video, editing photos and designing graphics. It’s good to always have a mix of projects that are conceived and executed in a single day, and longer-term work that requires weeks or months of development. When it’s tough going on one task, it’s nice to be able to switch to something else!

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I first came to The Salvation Army as a very small child, when my mum took me along to a playgroup at the corps (church) near our home. We had been attending an Anglican church, but before long I was attending the corps Sunday school.

As I grew up, so did my involvement with the Army! When I moved city for university, I was grateful to quickly make friends through the corps there. It was never my intention to work for the organisation too – in fact, quite the opposite – but God’s plans often differ from ours!

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

Anybody who steps out of their comfort zone, or makes life more difficult for themselves, in pursuit of the right thing.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

It’s tricky to choose a favourite, and there are many passages that encourage and uplift me. But I love the picture of a Christian community painted at the end of Acts 2, where the new believers lived and shared together. It’s a wonderful illustration of sincere, God-focused living and sincerity.

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

I often think of the words of ‘Christ of Glory, Prince of Peace’ from the pen of Colin Fairclough. It’s a passionate but simple plea for a life lived for and with God, whereby people may see a glimpse of him too.

How do you think that working in the UK – and particularly at IHQ – differs from working elsewhere?

Focusing specifically on the IHQ angle – it’s wonderful to be part of a Salvation Army unit that is based in the city where it all began in 1865, and to be able to trace the heritage back that far. The Salvation Army in each country has its own wonderful story too, but it’s great to be able to look back to the days of Salvation Army Founders Catherine and William Booth and be inspired by their legacy.

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What do you like most about the UK? I like its compactness! It takes only a few hours to get to most places in Great Britain, and within that there is a lot of diversity, from big cities to remote beaches. It’s also well connected to so much of the world, particularly Europe. A real hub!

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the UK? I always come away from overseas trips with a great admiration for some aspect of other cultures, so it’s tricky to select just one!

Most recently I was moved and challenged by the warmth of welcome offered across society to refugees entering Brazil. While many people in the UK are similarly supportive, there is also a vocal narrative that is less compassionate and less Christlike.

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

I don’t know about being General, and I hope this wouldn’t be too much of a change, but as a leader in The Salvation Army I would seek to ensure that every meeting, event, initiative and conversation was rooted in prayer. The most vital thing as Christians is placing God at the centre of all we do – whether we are directly involved in ministry or otherwise – and I think that if we focus our eyes on him then everything else will work out.

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

I would enjoy the challenge and opportunity of working in a place where the Army is new or otherwise less well known than it is in the UK. Being a familiar presence is a great blessing, but without this I think it makes genuine relationships with our communities even more important.

What skills do you use most in your work?

I think by far my favourite kind of work involves designing graphics, including motion graphics. Expressing ideas visually is always a good challenge.

How would you like to be remembered?

I suppose I’d like to be remembered for the qualities I prize most in other people: for being humble, gracious, thoughtful and kind.

These kinds of things are much more important than any practical skills or abilities. But I think I have some way to go!

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

If we are to stay ‘special’ we must never lose sight of our pursuit of justice or move away from the original vision to connect with people who are shunned by others in society.

V

COUNTRY OR THEME

COLONEL WENDY SWAN Originally from Canada, Colonel Wendy Swan currently works in Zambia (with her husband, Colonel Ian Swan), having returned to the country after service in Hong Kong and Macau

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I’m presently Territorial Leader and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries for the Zambia Territory.

What would be your typical day?

Honestly, there is no ‘typical’ day! Mondays and Fridays I am at territorial headquarters (THQ). On Tuesday morning I teach Christian Theology and Doctrine at the training college (that’s what a PhD in theology is for!) followed by Women’s Ministries team meetings and social justice initiatives (gender equity, child protection and modern slavery/human trafficking) in the afternoon. On Wednesdays I write draft policies for the board of trustees, and Thursdays I am attempting to turn my doctoral thesis into a resource book for the wider Salvation Army. The other important piece is returning to the quarters at night and watering the garden so we have fresh vegetables to eat!

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I am a fourth-generation Salvationist but met Christ through the Army’s youth ministries when I was seven years old.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

I have unsung heroes of the faith across different continents. Three in particular come to mind. Firstly in Canada, when I was a new lieutenant (that’s going back a few years!) Corps Sergeant-Major Reg Broughton – a local officer for 40 years – demonstrated daily the importance of integrity and faithfulness. In China (Hong Kong), retired officer Major (Mrs) Elaine Lo demonstrated incredible passion and joy in the midst of adversity.

She ‘pulls Heaven down’ with her prayers. Finally, my Zambian ‘mother’, Sister Edna Makai, lives an authentic life of faith, showing the importance of including and affirming others (she ‘adopted’ me as a young married lieutenant in a new country in 1989).

What is your favourite Bible verse?

Hands down it is Ephesians 3:20: ‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us’ (New International Version). I’ve claimed it for years and it’s still true for me.

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

One I don’t hear sung nearly enough, but that played a large part in my own spiritual formation, is ‘In the Secret of Thy Presence’ (766, The Song Book of The Salvation Army). It challenges me every time I read or sing it.

As a sidebar, there are songs I sing in both Chinese and Chitonga (a common language in Zambia) that speak to me powerfully even though they are also available in English.

AWAY

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

There’s much to learn about life when you are in a context that other parts of the world would term ‘poor’. One learns what true resilience is and the importance of taking time for relationships in between (perhaps in spite of) the demands of the appointment. I continue to be grateful for these lessons as I can be overly task-driven.

What do you like most about Zambia?

Vibrant worship. As a little girl, I could never sit still in a Sunday morning meeting. Here it doesn’t matter! How freeing it is to worship with one’s body, soul, mind and spirit – all at the same time! On another note, while we have challenges with electricity (and the Internet), Zambia has been a leader in the Army world in moving over to Microsoft 365 and taking on IFAS, the new international finance system. We are a tenacious bunch!

What do you most miss about Canada?

Aside from parents, siblings and our grown children, strangely enough it is probably childhood foods. Kraft Miracle Whip, Cheese Wiz and similar items are simply not available where I now live. Perhaps you could call them ‘comfort food’.

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

As I’m now in the 25th year of international service. I would not want to presume what is or is not present in Canada. In my visits back, I would say

Colonel Wendy Swan (left) with Zambian women Salvationists

that you can find the world within the Canadian borders. I love this!

I am a ‘global nomad’ – home everywhere and yet nowhere.

Everywhere I have lived and served is a part of who I am today. It is impossible for me to separate this.

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

I recognise the history, but I think it would be a game changer if our International Headquarters and personnel were located in a nonWestern perspective country. I am a firm believer that a two-thirds world reality would perhaps change some of our long-held ‘sacred cows’. I also hold the conviction that officers being considered for senior responsibilities should serve in a two-thirds world appointment.

Such a reality changes a person – becoming a minority in language, culture and race pushes you to put yourself in another’s shoes.

I would also quickly establish an ‘arrival’ date for conversations regarding women and leadership. We have acknowledged the systemic weaknesses of the past 50 years, developed a theology of leadership through the lens of gender and held significant global discussions. Every journey has an end – otherwise we simply go around in circles. Progress is a linear movement!

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

I’ve had the privilege of serving in appointments in the Americas and Caribbean, Africa and South Pacific and East Asia Zones – and I’ve been a guest at events in Europe – so, complementing my global service would include the privilege of serving in South Asia.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Personnel empowerment and advocacy. A traditional saying states that women hold up more than half the sky yet represent less than 10 per cent of leadership. I work to change that reality.

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

I would love more time for writing but anticipate that will only happen in five years (when I retire). At the moment, I am using all the tools in my resource bag!

How would you like to be remembered?

As a willing change agent (something I believe all Salvationists are called to be).

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

Unity in diversity – that’s the beauty of the Body of Christ.

We’re not all legs, arms or heads!

AWAY

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Photos by Dave Haas

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CUS ON

ROMANIA

Since officially ‘opening fire’ in Romania in 1999, The Salvation Army has grown its ministry and influence steadily. Dave Haas reports on the varied work being carried out across the country and shares some of the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has led to new approaches.

B

UCHAREST, February 2020.

The divisional headquarters staff of The Salvation Army in Romania was finishing painting and moving furniture to a recently purchased building, several years in the works to find, that would be reliable and have proper documentation.

Stopping for lunch, the news broke that the first case of the coronavirus had arrived in Romania, and panic rose.

As Italy was having a rapid outbreak of the virus and the rest of the European Union was figuring out how to mitigate the spread, it wasn’t long until Romania too entered a state of emergency on 15 March 2020.

Full closures of businesses and public places were put in place, residents were required to carry signed declarations to leave their homes simply to go to the store for necessities. Borders closed and travel came to an end. I, being a foreigner, didn’t know exactly what to expect from this once-in-a-lifetime experience, constantly questioning if I should return to the USA. Yet I decided to stay in Romania to see the pandemic play out its course and continue to work

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with The Salvation Army in the country, assisting with what skills I could provide.

In recent years, Romania’s economy had really started blossoming in the urban areas, only to be threatened with a recession that could bring it back into a Communist-era suffocation once again.

With the irony of people relying on and begging the government to bring powerful restrictions, politics became the focal point in response measures, as seemed to happen everywhere around the world.

Romania divisional staff transitioned to working remotely, as most offices did so, but the field work didn’t slow down.

In fact, it increased. A funding grant from a new project through Norway that was signed in December 2019 would provide sustainability to the organisation throughout this time, supporting and growing our children’s education centres and some social work projects for the next few years. It seemed to be perfect timing, otherwise we could have been crippled from the weight of this situation.

‘It was vital to keep open the programmes, spiritual and social,’ says Captain Ionel Sandu, Divisional Commander. ‘People were desperately

looking for comfort and they hope they will get support through our programmes and services.’

In Bucharest, the EMAS mobile street team (Echipa Mobila Armata Salvarii/ The Salvation Army Street Team) donned masks and whatever they could to protect themselves, remaining vigilant to maintaining the surveillance of homeless people living on the streets. They made sure they were safe, providing a warm soup or coffee, hygiene items and other necessities. A new counselling centre opened at the headquarters building, led by case worker Andrada Cervinschi, assisting families directly and helping beneficiaries to obtain ID cards and documents to be able to find jobs.

On a chilly spring evening, with fear in the back of our minds from this invisible virus, Captain Ionel and I put on our masks, which we were not used to wearing, and each carried a bottle of sanitiser. We got into his car to follow behind the EMAS van as it roamed the streets. Bucharest felt like a war zone in the state of emergency that had been called, with tanks on the streets, military and police checkpoints at every major intersection and flashing lights on all the police cars as they slowly patrolled each street. When night fell the city went darker than normal and eerily silent.

Captain Ionel and the EMAS van driver, Andrei Chintoi, spotted a family on the

ROMANIA

Opposite page: Andreea Muteș, one of the children who attends the children’s club and Sunday school in Buzău; left: Divisional Commander Captain Ionel Sandu and EMAS team members gather to check on homeless families in Bucharest

street. The van and our car stopped on the side of the road and the captain asked if they would like a warm soup and coffee. Captain Ionel and Andrei prepared the instant soups and coffee, which they gave to the family, along with some hygiene supplies, and explained the COVID-19 measures that were in place, telling them where to shelter and other important safety tips before moving on to search for more people on the streets in need of assistance.

Lieutenant Andrei Fanica, corps officer (church minister) in Bucharest, spoke to me about the job loss problem. He explained that many people work by day rather than in permanent employment.

So no work meant no income but also, without proof of a job, they were unable to provide a signed declaration that enabled them to leave their place of residence to go to work. This meant that many struggling families were left with no income and no opportunity to bring in money.

The Sector 2 Bucharest City Hall Social Department partnered with The Salvation Army’s Bucharest Corps, sharing a list of beneficiaries it identified who needed assistance. When possible,

representatives from the corps would collect donations to give out.

The corps team also went around neighbouring villages, delivering food and supply packages. A Rapid Response project, funded by International Headquarters, provided funding for food, essential supplies and hygiene packages, which were distributed with safety information for COVID-19 prevention to families in each of the six Romanian cities The Salvation Army is currently at work in, and to surrounding villages.

In Romania, public education focuses on maths, science, Romanian literature and English language. There is little time spent on individual students’ development, leaving it to some form of extra tutoring methods for outside school hours. Extracurricular activities such as any learning of an art or sport, are a luxury, also not taught in public schools.

To keep up with the level of studies and to broaden their education, students must attend an expensive private school or pay for private lessons. Those who cannot afford to are left behind, so The Salvation Army in Romania focuses on and advocates for equal access to education, providing after-school programmes at

‘People were desperately looking for comfort and they hope they will get support through our programmes and services’

all of its locations and helping poorer young people in the community with tutoring classes, including lessons in arts and sports.

At Craiova Corps, Captain Alexandru Tanasie and Lieutenant Liuda Tanasie work hard to lead their education programmes and social ministry. Captain Alex teaches piano and guitar to young people. He’s continued teaching music lessons and tutoring via virtual methods throughout the pandemic, until the doors were opened again safely last autumn.

One of his students, 10-year-old Alex, has benefitted from after-school tutoring, overcoming obstacles of learning and improving his grades in school. He’s been attending the children’s club activities and was enrolled as a Salvation Army junior soldier. And thanks to the guitar lessons from Captain Alex, he plays in the Sunday morning worship service.

The ongoing work in Ploiesti includes children’s education projects, afterschool programmes, summer activities, and social assistance programmes for homeless people and families in need, like shower and laundry facilities or soup served in the city park. During the period of lockdown, the staff maintained connection with the children and their families, offering some services virtually and also taking meals, hydration and hygiene packages to these families in the city and neighbouring villages.

They adapted to virtual methods of classes and tutoring via WhatsApp. The corps ran possibly the only after-school programme that continued with a virtual solution when most others shut down, including social work across the city.

This was common across most of the cities The Salvation Army in Romania is present in, yet The Salvation Army kept working to find solutions and maintain social assistance and ministry.

Staff would arrange when they would meet on WhatsApp to make lessons using the parents’ phones. ‘We always arranged a convenient time with the child, even after hours,’ says Captain Roxana Termignone. ‘It wasn’t easy all the time to not interfere with the parents’ jobs, so the phone would be available [for work] and not disrupt the only income that the family makes.’ When schools started back with virtual-only lessons, students in A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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the community who didn’t have access to computers would go to the corps to use the computers in the computer lab as needed.

Captain Termignone told me about a woman who survived on a very small pension and lived at the top of a hill in a village on the outskirts of Ploiesti. She was required to go to the city to pick up each pension but, because she was too old to make the journey by foot, her daughter would usually pick it up and bring it to her. Since the pandemic began, the daughter had stopped being able to visit. Captains Termignone became aware of this and stepped in to help, picking up her pension and bringing her aid. The woman still thanks them endlessly, telling them that, had they not found her, she would have been left to starve.

Beatrice, 17 years old from Bacau, lives with her mother and three younger siblings. Their father left them to seek a better life in Italy and never returned, and their mother has no education and is illiterate. Captain Nicolae Dumitru from Bacau Corps contacted the family and assisted them before and throughout the pandemic. The family was supported with school supplies and food packages, clothes and shoes, to allow the

children to adapt well into the school environment. Beatrice has been provided an opportunity to develop her brilliant mind and achieve success in school. She has gained excellent scores and was even awarded a merit scholarship.

The Salvation Army at Bacau has found many new ways to assist the community.

When Christmastime came, the teenagers held dance rehearsals at the corps and worked on a Red Kettle dance to perform at the nearby mall to raise money. While practices were happening, on the other side of the corps hall more volunteers were creating handmade Christmas decorations to sell. Captain Nicolae Dumitru and his wife, Alexandra, set up their very own Angel Tree at the mall – a programme that is well known across the USA, offering people the opportunity to support children who might otherwise have nothing for Christmas. Almost 50 angels (children) were sponsored in just a week.

On 1 June 2020, The Salvation Army’s Romania Division began a new ministry in Buzau. Just one year after being commissioned, Lieutenant Emil Ghenea took on the initiative to successfully open the new corps amidst this pandemic crisis.

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The good thing is that Lieutenant Emil and his wife, Ana, weren’t alone. The Mahovici family moved to Buzau a few years earlier but, until June 2020, they had been soldiers and dedicated volunteers of Bucharest Corps for more than a decade.

After moving to Buzau, and before the ministry began there, they travelled two hours every weekend to attend the corps Sunday service in Bucharest. Since June 2020 they’ve happily called Buzau Corps their own.

Alex, the father, and a doctor by profession, joins EMAS every Wednesday evening in Bucharest to offer basic medical assistance and first aid to individuals and families on the streets around the city.

When Lieutenant Ghenea started work to lay the foundation of The Salvation Army in Buzau, the Mahovici family opened its flat as the initial corps meeting hall, a more spacious apartment than the Gheneas’ tiny flat. Bible studies, worship services and other meetings were held there, but they also all took to the streets with the intention of undertaking integrated mission, discovering the needs of their neighbourhood and praying over it.

After almost a year of persevering and conquering challenges, the Buzau Corps team finally moved into their own building and, on 7 March 2021, the first Sunday morning service was held inside the new hall.

ROMANIA

Opposite page: Marius, a volunteer at Bucharest Corps, visits a family in Cernica, a poor village on the outskirts of the capital; left: corps officer Lieutenant Emil Ghenea and Emanuela Cristina Mahovici lead Sunday morning praise and worship in the new corps building in Buzău

In the north of Romania, Iasi Corps has two buildings – one a children’s after-school centre and the other a social centre and corps building. Like Ploiesti’s children’s centre, Iasi is a large facility with many children and young people from the community. Solutions were also found there to continue teaching the children during lockdown via virtual methods, under the hardworking leadership of Majors Lilia and Andrei Cojucari and their team. At the corps building and social centre, there are also laundry and shower facilities for homeless people to come in, freshen up and get a bite to eat.

The long-standing partnership between Iasi Corps and the city hall has been strengthened during the COVID pandemic. When local hospitals started to become overloaded with patients, leading to staff working long hours, The Salvation Army at Iasi stepped in to assist with some of the laundry needs.

Hospitals would regularly drop off dirty laundry belonging to hospital staff to be washed at the corps, enabling the staff to keep up with the extreme and demanding workload.

Divisional leader Major Roxana Sandu is also the Romania Anti-Human Trafficking Coordinator and Eastern Europe Territory Anti-Human Trafficking Liaison Officer. She says that, despite pandemic restrictions that should have

lessoned the activity, modern slavery and human trafficking are still happening.

Even recently, she had learned of a Romanian woman who was guaranteed a job in a factory in the UK, only to be taken into a trafficking situation. She escaped and found authorities who brought her back to Romania, with the help of The Salvation Army Romania and International Justice Mission.

‘It’s very important to speak and be loud about the dangers of trafficking, which can be set up online or through jobs, or even through friends,’ says Major Roxana. Throughout 2020, she led 10 trafficking prevention workshops, talking to almost 300 people at schools and corps meetings, explaining the dangers of being trafficked. A network has been formed with other Romanian anti-human trafficking organisations to combat this modern-day injustice, and together they are building more awareness, advocacy with government, counselling for victims and a helpline.

The major says: ‘It’s a lot of work, effort and time, especially with the added challenges of this period, but it’s bringing hope and a new life, a transformation for these people who didn’t want to be in this situation.’

At Christmastime, she created a campaign called Woman to Woman, gathering more than 100 gifts from women to give to women and children at

a shelter in Bucharest who are recovering from domestic violence and human trafficking.

As the end of 2020 drew near, divisional headquarters in Bucharest kicked off the Angel Tree and Red Kettle fundraising campaigns, which were running for their third year. Hope slowly faded as the state of the pandemic didn’t seem like it was heading towards a finish line. As the months grew colder, shorter, and grimmer they were constantly trying to find ways to adapt the original plans.

Physical locations started backing out so, as a response, Angel Tree went virtual. Still building brand awareness and public knowledge of the campaigns, the digital aspect started off uncertainly but, two weeks after launching the Angel Tree campaign, all the children on the ‘tree’ were adopted online and through supporters at the US Army Base in Mihail Kogalniceanu.

As other corps started reaching out locally in their communities, new partnerships were formed with foundations, stores, businesses and schools which stepped up to the challenge and sponsored more children.

In the end more than 500 children were sponsored through the national campaign, a huge rise from the original goal of three hundred.

‘Stand firm and trust in God. He is the creator and he will always make a way,’ says Captain Ionel Sandu about the pandemic response. ‘We have to hold on to our position and answer the new needs in new ways.’

The Salvation Army in Romania continues serving people in need and – like its international colleagues around The Salvation Army – the team of officers, Salvationists, employees, volunteers and friends will keep adapting to an everchanging world to provide hope no matter what difficulties are presented.

Originally from the USA, Dave Haas is Communication and Development Manager for The Salvation Army’s Romania Division in the Eastern Europe Territory

More photos of The Salvation Army’s work in Romania can be seen at flickr.com/armatasalvariiromania A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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INFORMATION

C OI N UN T ETRRN Y AOT RI OTNHAELM E

Vaccines for ALL

by Damaris Frick

T

HE novel coronavirus known as COVID19 has changed the world and changed all of us. At the time of writing, 144 million people are affected and more than three million people have died globally.

In addition to the incredible loss and the hurt due to death and sickness, countless people faced financial, mental health and other struggles as a result of the impact of COVID-19 and the government measures such as lockdown that have been put in place. It is a disaster like nothing we have experienced before.

Worldwide, the efforts to #BeatCovid meant that for more than a year we supported each other, washed our hands, wore our face masks and kept physical distance.

Thanks to the efforts of scientists and experts, COVID-19 vaccines have been developed faster than many thought possible. Vaccination programmes have started all over the world.

But there are also challenges. One of them has to do with misinformation and rumours about vaccine safety and effectiveness. The Salvation Army’s International Emergency and Development team has therefore started a new series of tweets featuring people from all over the world who have received their vaccine, encouraging others to do the same in order to keep themselves and others safe. The tweets are intended to promote the importance of everyone getting their COVID-19 vaccination as soon as they are eligible.

The other challenge is an increasingly worrying level of nationalism this crisis has brought to the forefront, with rich countries stockpiling vaccines and poorer countries missing out. In a speech on 18 January 2021, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (World Health Organization Director-General) stated that the world ‘is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the

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price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries’.

The International Emergency and Development teams’ vaccination tweet series is therefore also meant to promote solidarity, equality and a fair distribution beyond national borders.

In this global, interconnected world we will only be safe if everyone is safe. ‘Everyone’ includes people in all countries, with priority being given to medical and non-medical frontline workers. ‘Everyone’ also includes ethnic minorities, refugees or undocumented migrants, people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable people.

The Twitter account of the Emergency and Development team (IHQ-ReliefDev @TSA_Projects) has never seen more activity than in the past year. We hope that these recent vaccine promotion tweets will encourage people to do whatever they can to keep themselves and others safe and to #BeatCovid together.

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is an important element to this. Promoting that everyone else should have access is another.

Damaris is Deputy Coordinator of International Emergency Services at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters

‘In this global, interconnected world we will only be safe if everyone is safe. “Everyone” includes people in all countries’

C OI N UT NETRRNYAO T IROTNHAELM E

Above: Captain Eva Hondro, Bandung, Indonesia

Left: Ian Anderson, Colorado, USA

Above: Damaris Vargas and María José Herrera, Santiago, Chile

Above: Lieutenant Matthew Beatty, Grand Forks, USA Left: Lieut-Colonel Elianise Clenat, Kigali, Rwanda Below: Lieut-Colonel Friday Ayanam, Accra, Ghana

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CARE

RESIDENCES

HOMES are where the heart is Major Suzanne Hickman is the International Programme Coordinator at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London, UK. In this brand-new role, she will be overseeing the work taking place in Salvation Army residential care centres for children aged 18 years and younger and will also oversee the work taking place in elderly care homes. She told All the World how she will be approaching her appointment and shared her faith and mission experience.

M

Y passion for helping others came at the same time as my calling to Salvation Army officership.

My corps officer (minister) needed help with the feeding programme one particular Sunday and so many of us stayed to help him. Serving that meal changed my life in so many ways. As I handed a plate of food to the first man, I realised that this was somebody’s son and I wondered how he got to the point that he was hungry and living on the street.

It changed my life and I heard God calling me to continue to serve those who for whatever reason were left to find food and shelter wherever they could.

I have come to realise how often this is not through their choice, but rather circumstances beyond their control.

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My goal in my new role at IHQ is to begin working with territories and commands to help fulfil the Strategic Priorities for Advancement and Support of General Brian Peddle’s Call to Mission in this area. Together we will work on creating territorial minimum standards, conducting assessment reviews of these standards, which encompasses Child Protection policies as well as the upkeep and maintenance of our properties.

These assessment reviews will help us to set up action plans to ensure our

residences are not only up to Salvation Army standards, but that they go beyond the standards of the local authorities that we work with, ensuring that the children and elderly people in our facilities are getting the best possible care in the best possible facilities. Together we will also be exploring ways to help ensure good stewardship of the facilities both physically and financially.

I once heard The Salvation Army’s former Chief of the Staff Commissioner Israel Gaither preach on the Book of Ruth.

He spoke about all that Ruth and Naomi had experienced and the terrible situation in which they found themselves. He spoke of a kinsman ‘redeemer’ who was providing for someone in great despair.

He used leftovers in a field and there was more than enough. The commissioner asked us that day if we as officers were willing to go and ‘pick up the leftovers’ – those people who had been forgotten by society – to provide them with hope, and

‘I hope not only to make our children’s homes better structurally, but also, where possible, to seek ways to reconnect children with their families’

RESIDENCES

that day my calling was confirmed once again not to give up on those that are experiencing hard times in their lives.

The Salvation Army operates more than 200 residential care programmes for children in 36 territories around the world, with a capacity to care for more than 10,000 children. Each of these children, like Ruth, has had to leave family for varying reasons and circumstances beyond their control.

We have homes that house children with varying disabilities, orphans, = children rescued from trafficking, children with parents who are trapped in addiction, children with parents who cannot provide food, clothing or education fees. The list goes on.

My prayer is that the young people in our care not only find shelter, food and educational opportunities through our children’s homes, but that they meet Jesus, the one who continues to provide for them and offers hope for their futures.

In my short time in this role, I have heard many stories of children who have grown up in one of our children’s homes and schools becoming government employees, directors of our children’s homes, Salvation Army officers, teachers at our schools. They have taken these and many other paths to break the cycle of poverty in their lives.

In my role, I hope not only to make our children’s homes better structurally, but also, where possible, to seek ways to reconnect children with their families in order that they can succeed together. To see this happen we need to work to support each other, bringing our gifts and talents and sharing what we have – even if it is the leftovers.

Many people ask how they can help. The most obvious practical way is by setting up donations through a sponsorship programme.

By sponsoring one of our homes or schools you could change the life of a group of children forever!

Children are a beautiful gift from the Father. Even if you don’t have the money to offer financial help, please join me in praying to the God for whom all things are possible.

I ask that you will stop and pray now, bringing our children’s homes and the homes for elderly people to the Lord.

Please pray for the people, young and old, who are in our care; for support and wisdom for the staff and other supporters. I call on you today to ask Jesus to help you not only to see the need, but to see how you can help to meet the need.

Goh Han Wei grew up in a Salvation Army children’s home in Singapore.

This report about him is from the Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) Facebook page:

Goh Han Wei has had it tough. He was brought up by The Salvation Army, as his parents did not have the means to support him. He knew he was good at design and, despite pressures to quit school early, he persevered, worked to support his family financially and took up a Nitec in Product Design at ITE (Institute of Technical Education), where he graduated among the top of his cohort.

Then he landed his dream course at NYP – the Diploma in Industrial Design.

At NYP, he shone, winning three major design awards and getting into the Director’s List for five semesters. Despite having to work part-time to support himself and his family, Han Wei did not let up, and studied very hard. His friends at NYP have also given him the moral support he needed. Today he is a proud graduand and recipient of the HP Innovation Design Award, given to the most outstanding graduand from the School of Design. He hopes to become a designer who is able to connect with people around him and create products that will truly benefit them.

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RESIDENCES

Terry Tan, a 21-year-old alumnus

of The Salvation Army’s Penang Children’s Home in Malaysia, writes:

I was just seven years old when my mom brought me to the Penang Children’s Home. She was not able to look after me, so she asked for help from The Salvation Army. It was a big home and I was a small boy but over time I made many friends.

I never felt lonely because I soon realised everyone here was like family. I had many friends to play with and many aunties and uncles who looked after us.

Of course we were not spared from difficult times in the home, but we always had people to help us. As a young boy, I never scored very well academically but, as I grew older, I realised the importance of putting more effort into my studies. The home made

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me realise the importance of education and I had to push myself to prioritise my studies.

It was because of one person, Captain Andrew, who was my superintendent.

He really helped me to realise what I wanted to do in life. Captain Andrew encouraged me to focus on my studies, especially for the Malaysian Certificate of Education (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or SPM), our national-level school examination to mark the end of our secondary school education. He challenged me and my fellow brothers and sisters in the home to score at least five credits in our SPM so that we could further our studies and gain a wbrighter future.

Eventually, I managed to enter a local college with the help of The Salvation Army and, after two years, I graduated with a Diploma in Business Studies.

Now, as I establish my career in real estate with a local property company, I know I have much to be thankful for. My future is much brighter thanks to support I received at the Salvation Army. One day I hope to run a business of my own and be a successful entrepreneur.

I’m also able to give back a little to The Salvation Army by helping at The Salvation Army Family Thrift Store on a part-time basis. Helping to sort out the recyclable items and collecting donated furniture is one way I can give back to the community, for all the help I have received.

With God as my heavenly Father and his Word as my guiding path, I know that my future is secure in him.

Aristina Halawa, who was cared for at Evangeline Booth Home in Indonesia, writes:

I am the youngest of nine children.

My father was a teacher but when I was in third grade he passed away. Since then big changes have occurred in our family life. My brother was in college but had to return to our home town because there was no more money.

The same thing happened to my other brothers. It was difficult to send them to junior and senior high schools due to huge costs.

At that time I told my mother that I wanted to follow my other brother who dropped out of college. I wanted to go with him to Medan so I could find a job to help my mother. Reluctantly, she allowed me to go. After living in Medan with my aunt for a year, I moved to The Salvation Army’s Evangeline Booth Home. I was in my fourth grade of elementary school at that time.

During my stay at the children’s home I experienced ups and downs, but what was certain was that I believed this was God’s process to make me a strong person, learn disicpline and never give up easily. After graduating from high school I wanted to go to college but I realised that my family did not have any money.

RESIDENCES

Heena, who grew up in a Salvation Army children’s home in Batala, India, writes:

I live in Dhariwal district of Gurdaspur (Punjab). I am married and I have two children, one girl and one boy. My husband is an architect and I run a small business. I am very happy in my life!

I studied from sixth to tenth grades in The Salvation Army’s school in Gurdaspur and I completed my senior secondary education and graduated at The Salvation Army’s college in Batala – during which time I was able to live in a Salvation Army hostel.

In my early childhood I lost my mother. When my father got married again my stepmother didn’t like me so my grandparents decided to admit me to

The home manager offered to send me to The Salvation Army’s William Booth Nursing High School. During my study I dreamed about continuing to nursing college. Then the possibility arose for me to go to college with a scholarship from William Booth Hospital in Surabaya.

God has given me the opportunity to take a Masters degree in Public Health at the University of Airlangga with a scholarship from the government.

In 2014 I was entrusted by the leadership to become the Director of the Nursing Academy at The Salvation Army’s William Booth Hospital in Surabaya. Since then I have become chairman of the William Booth College of Health Sciences.

Things that I could never have imagined have come true, but these are God’s plans for my life. God gave me a wonderful husband who runs his own business. Now I can share my blessings with others. The successes in our lives are due to God using many people to share his love through The Salvation Army’s children home so that many children can have a better future, including me.

May God bless us all.

Naw Yu Yu Khaing, who grew up in Yangon Girl’s Home, Myanmar, writes:

I used to be a girl who lacked selfconfidence and was very quiet. But with the kind help of my home manager, assistant home managers and friends at The Salvation Army’s Yangon Girl’s Home, I was able to overcome everything and regained my joy. The home became my second family.

I started to enjoy learning about the Lord Jesus in Sunday school and I remember I prayed to God for my future that one day I wouldn’t need anyone’s support but would be able to stand on my own feet so I could help others who are in need.

Back in 2006, I was selected from the home to attend a youth conference held in Malaysia. While there, I realised I could have communicated more effectively with others if there was no language barrier. Since then, I have tried my best to improve myself by any means. When Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar in 2008, I had the great privilege to work with The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services

a Salvation Army hostel, where I would be looked after while I was at school.

During hostel life, I learned so many things, such as Bible study, cooking and singing. I was also a part of the school choir.

Major Robert and Major Sunita, the officers in charge of the school, helped me through difficult times. They played a role of mother and father to me. They always guided me. Today, whatever I have achieved is thanks to the care I received from The Salvation Army.

When I was in the hostel, I received a lot of blessings. I am always thankful to God and to The Salvation Army because it has transformed my life.

team. I learned a lot from the team and I thank God for the great opportunity to help many victims of the cyclone.

I moved to Dubai in 2011 for work but returned to Myanmar in 2020.

Whenever I have a chance to visit Yangon Girl’s Home I try to share my experiences and encourage the younger girls from my life experiences not to give up but to put their hope and trust in the Lord.

I would like to thank The Salvation Army, the home managers and friends who supported me. Without their care, love and support I wouldn’t be where I am right now. And I give all glory to God.

A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS

FROM AROUND THE WORLD

BULGARIA

Bulgaria joins the ranks The Salvation Army has officially opened work in its 132nd country – Bulgaria. The new ministry is overseen by Captain Eduard Lebedev (Regional Leader, Bulgaria) and Captain Inna Lebedeva (Regional Director of Family Ministries, Bulgaria), who are originally from Russia and Moldova respectively. They are supported by Swedish officer Lieutenant Erik Johansson and Captain Kathleen Johansson, an Australian, who are officially designated as Pioneer Team Members.

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The Johanssons arrived in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, in September 2020 and were joined by Captains Lebedev and Lebedeva and their five children in January 2021.

All four officers had actually received their appointments in April 2020 from Colonel Jostein Nielsen, who was then territorial commander of Eastern Europe Territory.

For Colonel Nielsen, a Norwegian officer, Salvation Army ministry starting in Bulgaria is literally a dream come true! As divisional commander for Moldova, he attended celebrations in 2006 to recognise the 15th anniversary of Salvation Army ministry recommencing in Eastern Europe. At that congress, a Bulgarian flag had been presented to recognise it as a country in which it was believed The Salvation Army would eventually ‘open fire’.

Back in Norway nine years later, having just received an appointment to return to Eastern Europe, Jostein had a vivid dream in

which he saw a Salvation Army brass band playing in Bulgaria. Later that year, now living in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, he was approached by a friend of his brother who had properties and contacts in Bulgaria and would be willing to provide assistance.

Jostein felt that God was opening a door and, after discussion with his territorial leaders, a year later he was in Sofia, talking to a representative from the Bulgarian Evangelical Alliance who told him: ‘Where have you been so long? We have been waiting for you for 20 years!’

The prayers from a 15th anniversary congress held almost 15 years ago are now being answered.

Based on an International News Release

SNAPSHOTS

RWANDA

Bigger, better and bolder When it comes to COVID-19 prevention, The Salvation Army in Rwanda thinks BIG. When staff there received the Kinyarwanda translation of the COVID vaccination promotion poster created at International Headquarters (more details in the January–March issue of All the World or from sar.my/beatcovid19) they weren’t satisfied with regular-sized printouts, they wanted to create a message that couldn’t be ignored!

What they ended up with is pictured here, almost 4.5 metres tall and making the message – that Together We Can Beat COVID – clear for a long distance around. Twenty of the giant banners have been printed and will be placed in parts of Kigali (the Rwandan capital) where people are likely to gather, such as bus parks and markets.

The Salvation Army is working closely with the Rwandan government, which has voiced its appreciation for this innovative approach. The banners will be supplemented by the ongoing provision of soap and hand sanitiser to promote the culture of hand-washing. The messaging will also feature on a vehicle which will drive through the streets of Kigali.

CANADA

Short-time, large-scale collections In her short time volunteering with The Salvation Army’s Salmon Arm Ministries in British Columbia, Canada, Grade 12 student Karly Irmen has already helped to clothe and feed hundreds of people in need. In the two months either side of Christmas, among the goods collected by Karly (pictured right) was 166 kg (365 lb) of food which, appropriately for the festive season, is the equivalent in weight of an adult reindeer!

the items they need. She enjoys helping people in this way, as well as the opportunity it provides to show kindness.

In December, the month she began volunteering with the Army, Karly raised CA$175, collected 32 kg of food and received donations of clothes at the local mall. The following month, for her graduation project, she held a food and clothing drive for the Army at her school. Through morning announcements, hallway TV ads and other promotions, this time the community responded in a big way. Karly collected 134 kg of food and 17 large bags of clothing.

‘I hope that when people come, they can get what they need, feel safe to do so, and see some friendly, welcoming faces at the door.’

‘The one individual I remember most was obviously having a hard day and had to stop and talk on the phone with someone about her kids, and I could see that was hard,’ says Karly. ‘She didn’t have to say much for me to pick up on that, but she was really thankful at the end of the tour.

David Byers, community services director for the past 19 years, says that Salmon Arm Ministries lost volunteers when the COVID-

19 pandemic hit, but now has a solid and reliable group that is like a ‘big, happy family’.

‘We couldn’t do any of this without volunteers such as Karly,’ he says. ‘Some come every day, some come only for a couple of hours, but they just seem to all get along and it draws people in.

‘There’s a diversity of need among the people who turn to The Salvation Army for help – and some don’t even know what they’re looking for. All we know is that they keep coming back and, if they need to talk and have someone listen, we are there for them.’

Based on an article by Melissa Yue Wallace from Faith and Friends

‘It was a lot of work, and I didn’t get much homework done,’ she laughs. ‘But I’m still shocked.’

Karly began serving at Salmon Arm Ministries because she needed volunteer hours for scholarship applications. She thought of the Army because her family had previously donated to the Army’s food bank every week.

Salmon Arm Ministries offers a food bank, shelter and church, providing for more than 2,000 people a month through a grocery and hamper programme.

Karly volunteers for four hours every second Wednesday, carrying out tasks such as filling shelves and tables, and taking people through the food bank so they can select A P RI L – J UN E 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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1903 Antigua 1903 St Vincent 1904 St Christopher Nevis (St Kitts) 1904 Panama 1907 Costa Rica 1908 Korea 1909 Chile 1910 Paraguay 1910 Peru 1913 Russia (1991) 1915 Belize 1915 Myanmar 1916 China 1916 Mozambique 1917 Virgin Islands 1918 Cuba­­ 1919 Czech Republic (1990) 1920 Nigeria 1920 Bolivia 1921 Kenya 1922 Zambia 1922 Brazil 1922 Ghana 1923 Latvia (1990) 1924 Hungary (1990) 1924 The Færoes 1924 Suriname

1927 Austria 1927 Estonia (1995) 1929 Colombia (1985) 1930 Hong Kong 1931 Bahamas 1931 Uganda 1932 Namibia (2008) 1933 Tanzania 1934 Democratic Republic of Congo 1935 Singapore 1937 Republic of Congo 1937 The Philippines

A drop in the ocean, carefully placed, Creates a widening circle of ripples Which grow and pick up speed, Transforming into powerful waves That sweep their way around the world When William Booth found his destiny in 1865, His prayerful drop of love in east London’s ocean of poverty Rippled out across the country and sped from nation to nation Powered by God into an unstoppable global wave

1937 Mexico 1938 Malaysia 1950 Haiti 1956 Papua New Guinea 1960 Eswatini 1962 Puerto Rico 1965 Taiwan 1967 Malawi 1969 Lesotho 1970 Bangladesh 1971 Spain 1971 Portugal 1972 Venezuela 1973 Fiji 1976 Guatemala 1980 French Guiana 1985 Angola 1985 Ecuador 1985 Marshall Islands 1986 Tonga 1988 Liberia 1989 El Salvador 1993 Ukraine 1993 Georgia 1994 Guam 1993 Micronesia 1994 Moldova 1995 Dominican Republic 1995 Rwanda 1997 Botswana 1998 Lithuania 1999 Romania 1999 St Maarten 2000 Macau 2000 Honduras 2005 Poland 2007 Burundi 2007 Greece 2008 Mali 2008 Kuwait 2008 Mongolia 2009 Nepal 2010 Sierra Leone 2010 Nicaragua 2010 United Arab Emirates 2011 Turks and Caicos Islands 2011 Solomon Islands 2011 Togo 2012 Greenland 2012 Cambodia 2015 Slovakia 2016 Madagascar 2018 Burkina Faso 2018 Gabon 2018 Samoa 2021 Bulgaria

Of faith and worship, service, love and world-enveloping glorious praise.

This artwork is available to download from http://sar.my/atw127countries

(Years in parentheses denote a return to a country after a time away) This artwork is available to download from: sar.my/atw132countries

Artwork by Berni Georges, words by Kevin Sims

created for All the World, The Salvation Army’s international magazine. Back issues and subscription details can be found at www.salvationarmy.org/alltheworld

1865 United Kingdom 1879 Guernsey 1879 Jersey 1880 United States of America 1880 Republic of Ireland (Eire) 1880 Australia 1881 France 1882 Canada 1882 India 1882 Switzerland 1882 Sweden 1883 Sri Lanka 1883 South Africa 1883 New Zealand 1883 Isle of Man 1883 Pakistan 1884 St Helena 1886 Germany 1887 Italy 1887 Denmark 1887 The Netherlands 1887 Jamaica 1888 Norway 1889 Belgium 1889 Finland 1890 Argentina 1890 Uruguay 1891 Zimbabwe 1894 Indonesia 1895 Guyana 1895 Iceland 1895 Japan 1896 Bermuda 1898 Barbados 1901 Trinidad and Tobago 1902 St Lucia 1902 Grenada

the ripple effect

Countries in which The Salvation Army is officially at work