All the World (January-March 2020)

Loving care in Sri Lanka

Recovery in THE BAHAMAS BRAZIL – a refuge for children Legoland uplift in DENMARK VOL 58 NO 1

CALL TO MISSION calendar

JANUARY–MARCH 2020

CONTENTS

JANUARY–MARCH 2020

05

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

03

UPFRONT From the Editor

05

THE BAHAMAS Recovering from Hurricane Dorian

08

HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

10

SRI LANKA Centres of love and care

15

SPAIN Using God-given gifts and skills

17

DENMARK Fun for all at Legoland

20

BRAZIL A safe place for children

22

SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

10 15

17

20

20

22 Cover photo by Berni Georges

Subscriptions All the World subscriptions can be ordered online from www.sps-shop.com. Go to http://sar.my/atwsubu (UK subscribers) or http://sar.my/atwsubo (rest of the world).

OR fill in this form and send to: Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd 66-78 Denington Road, Denington Industrial Estate Wellingborough Northants NN8 2QH United Kingdom For enquiries telephone [44] (0)1933 445451 or fax [44] (0)1933 445415 or email subscriptions@satcol.org

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.

Name

(Miss, Mrs, Ms, Mr)

Address

Postcode Email Annual subscription rates (including postage) UK £8.00 Non-UK £15.00 (Costs may be lower if ordered with UK publications) Total: £

I enclose payment by cheque

(Please make cheques payable to: SP&S) Please debit my Mastercard/Visa/Maestro card Card No Start date

/

Issue No (Maestro and Switch only)

Expiry date

/

Security No

A curious thing BEING the father of two teenage boys, my mind is often drawn back to what I was doing when I was their age, way back in the mid-1980s. In that era of big hair and brightly-coloured clothes, I was a book and music nerd, constantly reading while devouring every new release and listening to album after album on my cassette player! It seems a very different time to today’s era of downloads and instant information.

I remember a strange musical coincidence from 1984-85, when three of the biggest hit songs in the UK charts shared the same title – ‘The Power of Love’. Each had its own take on what this meant.

According to Huey Lewis and the News, the power of love is a curious thing, while Jennifer Rush said she was ‘sometimes frightened’ but that she was ready to learn about it. Frankie Goes to Hollywood took a different approach, suggesting that the power of love is ‘a force from above, cleaning my soul’.

The reality of what can be achieved through the power of love can be seen today. Reading through the articles in this issue of All the World, it strikes me that love – and the power that comes from people acting in love – is a common thread.

It’s love that takes emergency workers out of their comfortable, everyday lives and into difficult situations; love provides a family to children who have no family of their own; love is behind the thinking

that offers a sense of fun and normality to people whose day-to-day existence is a struggle; love – deep, powerful, sacrificial love – leads Salvation Army officers and volunteers to provide a place of refuge for children in a shanty town.

At its very heart, The Salvation Army does what it does because of love.

The apostle John wrote: ‘Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God

‘We love because he first loved us’

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

and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him ...

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them ... We love because he first loved us’ (selected verses from 1 John 4:7-19 New International Version).

This is actually the reading we had at our wedding, 25 years ago this March. As Nichola and I get ready to celebrate our silver anniversary, I stand amazed again at the power of love that has kept us together through bad times and good. (I hasten to add that the good significantly outnumber the bad!).

Perhaps, then, the surprise shouldn’t be that 35 years ago three songs came out with the same powerful theme.

Instead, we should wonder why there have been none since because, as Huey Lewis and the News remind us: ‘... you’ll be glad baby when you’ve found – that’s the power makes the world go round’.

© The General of The Salvation Army 2019

Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert 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 ECV4 4EH

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

3

4 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN U ARY–M ARC H 2020

EMERGENCY

THE BAHAMAS

Recover and rebuild

E

VERY disaster is unique.

Each one is different in size, type, where it hits and how it impacts the communities it affects. Hurricane Dorian was certainly like this across The Bahamas, with each of the islands in its path feeling its force in a different way.

On Sunday 1 September 2019, Hurricane Dorian made landfall on the Bahamian island of Great Abaco as a record category 5 storm, packing winds of more than 185 miles per hour and making a catastrophic impact, particularly in the main island city of Marsh Harbour.

The storm continued west, striking Grand Bahama and parts of Nassau before stalling for nearly two days over the Freeport area of Grand Bahama, causing widespread flooding.

The Salvation Army has had a presence in The Bahamas for more than 90 years.

Above: from the air the destruction on Marsh Harbour, on the Abaco Islands, is shockingly obvious

Over those years it has been no stranger to disasters, particularly hurricanes, with four in the past five years alone. Dorian brought its own unique challenges but there was still the familiar response of The Salvation Army immediately providing food, clothing, donated goods and shelter to those impacted by the storm.

As the storm clouds cleared, the sheer enormity of the scale and impact across the islands began to take shape, particularly on the Abaco Islands, where thousands of people were rescued and evacuated, with many taken to Nassau for shelter and medical attention. Thousands more were flooded out of homes in Freeport, with water rising as high as the roof and second floors of some homes and buildings. It quickly became clear that Dorian was leaving a mark unlike other recent hurricanes to hit the Bahamas.

As the local Salvation Army began its response, the International Emergency Services (IES) office of The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters stepped in to support the Bahamas Division, deploying personnel from across North America

by Robert Myers

initially, and soon after from around the globe, to assist. As one of the first team members deployed I was blessed to see the Army in the Bahamas already in action.

With response efforts already well under way when I arrived, the initial relief focused mainly on providing shelter and distributing essential goods.

The level of public donations given to the relief effort was truly overwhelming.

Thousands of tons of relief supplies were pouring in from the USA, Canada and other Caribbean islands. Everyone wanted to be able to support in some way the needs of the Bahamian people impacted by the storms. The level of giving, both monetary and in-kind, was a good gauge of the level of support that would be needed over the coming weeks and months.

As the disaster resources and personnel began to arrive in the country, The Salvation Army’s support began to ramp up as well. In Nassau, the Army sheltered up to 60 people at both the Nassau Citadel and Grants Town corps (church) locations. In addition to providing a safe place for people to stay, meals, hygiene supplies, baby items and J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

5

THE BAHAMAS

Above: Major Hendrik Sumter, corps officer in Freeport, talks to people who are waiting to collect goods from The Salvation Army’s distribution centre

other support were provided to evacuees now arriving on the island.

In total, more than 8,000 people would be evacuated from the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama into Nassau. Many of them stayed with friends, family or host families (those with homes willing to shelter people), but more than 2,800 were eventually housed in emergency shelters across the island.

As the shelters began to fill, we were able to support many of those shelters with food, water and hygiene supplies as the days and weeks went on.

Carolynn Barkhouse, from the Canada and Bermuda Territory, was our lead team member in Nassau coordinating with the shelters. She heard through coordination meetings that many of the shelters were in need of supplies and began to make the rounds, assessing how we may be able to support. One of these shelters was the Haitian Baptist church which, at its peak had nearly 200 individuals sheltering there, mainly from the Abaco Islands. Many of the evacuees did not have homes to return

to and, it turned out, were themselves Haitian migrants.

As Carolynn began discussing with the Haitian Baptist church what items we could provide and making those arrangements, they identified a need for a refrigerator to store fresh food for the evacuees.

Although they did not expect us to meet the need initially, they shared in the hopes of identifying another partner or donor that could. We decided to purchase the refrigerator and in two days it was delivered.

When it arrived, one of the ladies from the church helping to manage the facility remarked: ‘This has truly been a gift from God through The Salvation Army ... this is a blessing for which we are extremely grateful.’ She was overwhelmed by the generosity, but we were simply looking to help in some small way by filling a need for a group of people that had many.

As the sheltering efforts in Nassau were taking place, distributions were happening in Nassau and Freeport from Salvation Army centres there. On the Abaco Islands, where there was no Salvation Army presence before Dorian struck, we worked through partner agencies and community groups to distribute much-needed supplies.

In Freeport and Nassau, the Army operates Family Stores (thrift shops) that

‘We will come back from this. It will take time, but we will rebuild and be stronger for it’ 6 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN U ARY–M ARC H 2020

were repurposed immediately following the storm to become temporary disaster distribution centres. The largest site was the Freeport Salvation Army store, where at one point more than 220 families per day were arriving to collect clothes, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, baby supplies, food and water.

It quickly became a hub for disaster resources in Freeport, serving more than 5,000 people in total, with hundreds lined up at the doors daily.

Many thousands of families were impacted by Dorian. Some had their homes destroyed completely, but many more people lost their possessions and belongings which were damaged in the floods that followed the storm.

As people throughout Grand Bahama began to clear out and clean up from the floods, homes began to empty into the streets. Possessions, furniture and belongings that were no longer usable were piled up in front of homes and business.

As the clean-up progressed, distribution efforts were transitioned from the Family Store site out to the hardest-hit communities across Freeport and Grand Bahama via mobile distribution. This mobile outreach was largely made possible through a donation by Norwegian Cruise Lines of three newly-purchased medium duty pick-up trucks for The Salvation Army.

As relief efforts began, Salvation Army corps members, staff and volunteers played

THE BAHAMAS

Left: Barnique McIntosh, an employee in the Salvation Army thrift store in Nassau, helps to sort donated clothes; below: putting together a platform for a water container in Freeport

key roles in both Nassau and Freeport in helping to sustain the large-scale relief operations underway. In Freeport, a group of teenage boys who attend the Freeport Salvation Army Corps began arriving at the Family Store daily to see how they might help. All of the boys were impacted by the storm themselves but had the desire to give back to others in need.

One of those young men was Akeem Cooper, who held a particular desire to help. Akeem’s family had been impacted by the storms, with flooding in their home and no power, but Akeem became one of the most dedicated local volunteers. The corps

picked the boys up most mornings, but anytime the van was late or did not arrive, Akeem would call in or even find his own transportation to the Family Store to help.

Seth Ditmer from USA Eastern Territory, deployed as International Emergency Services Logistics Lead in Freeport, says ‘Akeem in particular was incredibly consistent in assisting with both corps-based and mobile distributions, and was invaluable as a local guide to Freeport neighbourhoods and other areas of Grand Bahama.

‘During one particular trip to High Rock in the east end of Grand Bahama, the team

met a man (carpenter by trade) in dire need of electricity to operate his power tools so he could begin to rebuild his home (which was completely destroyed). The next day, we returned with a generator for him.

Akeem joined us for this trip and, much to everyone’s surprise, informed us that this man was his uncle.’ This was a clear example of the toll the storm has taken on families near and far. No family escaped untouched.

That impact was felt most strongly on the Abaco Islands. After nearly a month following the storm, very little had changed there. Debris still littered the streets and the smell of mould and decomposition filled the air in the hardest-hit communities.

Much of the population remained off-island but, in the weeks following the evacuations, some people were beginning to return to try and figure out how to rebuild their lives.

One of the local drivers we hired from the airport in Marsh Harbor to help us with transportation on the island was a man named TJ. On one visit, TJ told us that he was still living in his home. On further discussion, we found out that his home had no roof and that there was a smell of mould that was getting stronger each day.

We talked about the need to find somewhere else to stay and shared our concerns with TJ that conditions weren’t safe, but he said: ‘This is my home ... it may not be good, but it’s more than most have now.’ His spirits remained high, and he quickly followed with: ‘We will come back from this. It will take time, but we will rebuild and be stronger for it.’

What TJ said that day is the essence of the Bahamian people following Dorian.

The storm was devastating, and the rebuild will undoubtedly take years. But despite this, people’s spirits remain high and their faith strong.

I have no doubt The Bahamas will be rebuilt and will continue to be a thriving nation of family islands well into the future.

The Salvation Army will continue to play a leading role in that effort, as the Lord continues to provide an opportunity to serve, likely for years to come, to help the Bahamas to recover and rebuild ... and be stronger for it.

Robert Myers is Emergency Disaster Services Coordinator in The Salvation Army’s USA Eastern Territory J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

7

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

CAPTAIN JOSEPH RICHARD MTETE TANZANIA TERRITORY

Captain Joseph Richard Mtete serves in Tanzania, where he was born and raised What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am the corps officer of Nsolla Corps (church) in Mwanza District and section youth officer for Nassa Section.

HOME

What is your typical day?

I follow my weekly programme, which usually includes visitation to Salvationists and non-Salvationists, checking my email and working on my SALT (Salvation Army Leadership Training) College lessons.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

My father met The Salvation Army before anyone in our family – he loved the meetings and services. One day I joined him to attend a church service at Mabatini Corps in Mwanza District. I was really blessed with the meeting and the way the officers conducted it.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

I have heard and read about many Salvationists and other Christians who have gone through very difficult situations because of their faith and their love for God, such as William Booth and John Wesley.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you’ (Jeremiah 1:5 English Standard Version).

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

Number 907 in The Song Book of The Salvation Army: ‘What a Wonderful Change in my Life has been Wrought’ by Rufus Henry McDaniel (with the chorus ‘Since Jesus came into my heart’).

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

The Salvation Army is one movement, but I know that in different countries worship style and how the mission is moving differs from what I am used to.

What do you like most about Tanzania?

There are beautiful animals in the national parks and amazing mountains, like Kilimanjaro. I also like the way that people try to live in peace and love.

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

Passion for the gospel and faith in ministry.

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

Nothing! I will stick with The Salvation Army’s mission statement.

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

I am open to work in any country, but the most important thing for me is to learn and to receive new experiences that will be useful in developing my ministry in The Salvation Army.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Servant leadership, leading worship and visiting.

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

Video editing, magazine design and Bible teaching.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a person who made a strong impact in people’s lives and faith.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army has so many programmes and ways in which we can all serve – all based around people’s salvation. Also, The Salvation Army is still one army with one mission and one message.

8 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN U ARY–M ARC H 2020

&

away

MAJOR KIM, BYUNG-YOON Originally from Korea, Major Kim, Byung-Yoon works for The Salvation Army at International Headquarters in London, United Kingdom

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am the Under-Secretary for SPEA (South Pacific and East Asia) Zone at International Headquarters (IHQ).

&AWAY

What would be your typical day?

I spend most of my time at my desk in the office to respond to emails, prepare agendas for boards and councils and carry out routine office tasks in compliance with my brief of appointment.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

One of my relatives introduced me to Jesus Christ and led me to a Salvation Army corps (church). The Army was the only church in my hometown.

Do you have a ‘claim to fame’?

When I was a seminary student, I won the first place in the English Sermon Preaching Contest in our seminary.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

My mother-in-law. She is a prayer warrior, still praying for our children in her 80s. She always gets up early in the morning to have her prayer session with God. What is your favourite Bible verse?

‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10 New International Version).

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

‘O Boundless Salvation! Deep Ocean of Love’ (509 in The Song Book of The Salvation Army).

&AWAY

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

I feel privileged and honoured to work in the UK, the birthplace of the Army. Likewise I am humbled and privileged to be working at IHQ, where I can feel a true internationalism and also learn about dynamic Army ministries all around the world.

What do you like most about the UK? The many parks where I can enjoy walking and different types of beautiful botanic gardens.

What do you most miss about Korea?

Delicious Korean foods, friends and family.

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the UK? I miss ondol (a Korean floor heating system) during the winter season. I hope the ondol culture can be extended to the UK. If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change?

I would appoint an International Secretary for Personnel.

The main role for this appointment is leadership development for the Army.

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

Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. I have heard many wonderful Army ministry stories from these countries. I would like to serve people there and want to experience and learn more about different people and cultures.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Administrative and written communication skills.

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

Teaching, preaching, editorial and publishing skills.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a person who was after Jesus Christ’s own heart, and as a sincere man.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

It’s an international movement working cooperatively to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination – working beyond culture, language and ideology.

The Salvation Army is a true friend and neighbour to everyone.

&AWAY

NUA UARY RY RC 2020 ALLTHE THEWORLD WORLD | | JJAANM ON TH––MMAA ON RC TH HH 2020 2012 | | ALL

99

COMPASSION

SRI LANKA

Care, hope and everyday joy

W

HILE brushing my daughter’s hair before she went to school I was reminded of the idea of taking in ‘moments of everyday joy’ – a theme that had been running through my mind for a few weeks, inspired by an art exhibition at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters (IHQ).

The artist describes this as ‘the little things that we delight in, but often overlook’.

For me, right then in the rhythmic motion of the brush gliding through my daughter’s hair it meant appreciating a shared moment – a practical task that needed to be done but also an unhurried time of gentle, intimate care, played out in the brush strokes, the texture and smell of her hair, the light of the morning sunshine on her face. This moment was punctuated by her squeals of ‘Ow!’ and occasional complaints of my clumsy brushing skills!

In the busy-ness and stress of life, finding moments of joy can be hard. They can even seem a luxury and perhaps unimportant 10 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

words and photos by Berni Georges

in the light of big issues we face. I took a moment to savour that peaceful time with my daughter ahead of my busy commute and recognised that it was wrapped in the feeling of safety and security with each other – formed from a foundation of love.

A few months before this moment I found myself in a very different situation, experiencing the noise, exciting rush and tropical heat of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. I was on assignment from IHQ, primarily to photograph some of the 2004 tsunami-hit communities in the south of the country.

While in Sri Lanka I visited some of The Salvation Army’s social services. Travelling through this hot, dazzling, fast-paced city is quite overwhelming. As you meander

Major Shanthi Senarathna with one of the residents of The Haven and Sunshine Home

through the crazy traffic, with hundreds of tuk-tuks (three-wheeled taxis) criss-crossing around like a swarm of giant bees, you’re struck by the sheer scale and diversity of this urban sprawl.

You can’t help but gaze up at the gleaming skyscrapers and enormous luxury hotels lined with coconut palms at their entrances. But you’re also aware of the different layers of the cityscape as you look lower down to the dusty streets, a real melting-pot of colonial architecture, makeshift shacks, mosques, and grand and exquisite Buddhist and Hindu temples. The poverty is right before your eyes as you

‘Many of the women come here because of court cases involving family issues, including sexual and emotional abuse and trafficking’

SRI LANKA

LEFT: Leiutenant-Colonel Vijayasri Senarathna with residents of the Dehiwela Child Development Centre; above: artwork by a resident of The Haven; below: the dormitory for mothers and babies at The Haven

drive under a flyover and see dozens of small business premises improvised under tin sheeting.

The Salvation Army’s Sri Lanka Territorial Headquarters is situated in an area that seems to be a crossroads of world religions.

This was especially poignant as I was there just a few months after the Easter bombings, when several churches and hotels were targeted by suicide bombers, killing more than 250 people.

Though the attacks were said to have been carried out by Islamic extremists, it was a shock to people of all beliefs. Life in the capital was only just beginning to settle down.

I saw some roadblocks and there was a noticeable presence of soldiers and armed police. Though the atmosphere I sensed was one of peace, it was a reminder of the country’s recent past. It had seemed that the divisions caused by decades of civil war between the LTTE (the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and the Sinhalese government was beginning to heal – but an event like this was bound to open some wounds.

In this backdrop, mixed with the harsh realities of poverty and the fight for survival, The Salvation Army’s Haven and Sunshine Home works hard to bring hope and light. Within its 100-year old Dutch colonial building, the centre provides support and temporary accommodation for vulnerable girls, pregnant women, young mothers and their children. Many of the women come here because of court cases involving family issues, including sexual and emotional abuse and trafficking. With this comes behavioural problems and serious relationship issues that need to be worked through.

As I stepped into the building and shaded courtyards I felt a sense of peace and respite from the busy city. We were greeted by the centre’s administrator, Swarna Desilva, a talented woman with many years of experience in the response to HIV/Aids and human trafficking.

As she took me through the various rooms and activity spaces, Swarna and the rest of the team gently interacted with the girls, showing me crafts and activities they’d been occupied in. In one area I saw a row of colourful paintings and drawings, and I imagined some of the emotional issues that the individuals were expressing.

The residents are provided with clothing, three nutritious meals a day and a variety of educational and vocational training. These activities include literacy, sewing, cookery, jewellery-making, arts and crafts. There is also access to counselling for victims of trauma and abuse.

On another section of the grounds is Sunshine Home, where women and girls on remand from the courts are given accommodation and support. They are temporary residents, awaiting court hearings that dealt with sensitive family issues, abuse and trauma. Again, many are mothers with babies and young children, in need of physical, medical and emotional help.

This centre has long-standing government recognition for its ministry over the past 90 years, and The Salvation Army works hard to provide the best caring environment to prepare residents for rehabilitation back into their communities.

Throughout the visit I observed how Swarna and the visiting officers interacted with the residents; one moment sitting with a pregant woman by her bedside, gently listening to her concerns; another time cuddling a newborn baby of a young mother, enjoying some natural moments of family fun. At one point in the visit I saw an officer consoling and praying with a staff member who was troubled and tearful.

Staff and officers gave time to listen to problems and share moments – a few words here, a reassuring touch there.

These images stayed with me as we visited another social service facility, the Dehiwela Child Development Centre (CDC), in another area of Colombo. This centre provides safe accommodation for children who, for one reason or another, are unable to live with their parents. The reasons once again range from relational abuse to the simple fact that their families are too poor to look after them.

Again, as well as the practical living nourishment of shelter, healthy meals and clothing, The Salvation Army provides school expenses, sports activites and extra CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

11

SRI LANKA

Photos by Berni Georges

Clockwise from top: young residents of The Haven occupied in an educational activity; girls from the Dehiwela CDC attending Sunday morning worship at Colombo Central Corps; freshly-cooked popadoms from the kitchen of Dehiwela CDC; Swarna Desilva, administrative assistant of The Haven and Sunshine Home; Lieut-Colonel Vijayasri Senarathna outside the Dehiwela CDC

12 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

SRI LANKA

Clockwise from left: a young resident of the Dehiwela CDC tending to plants in the centre’s courtyard; Iresha, one of the staff from the Sunshine Home; a resident of the Dehiwela CDC engaged in reading; a gentle touch of encouragment at Dehiwela

‘The positive, uplifting environment is expressed through a gentle, a reassuring touch, an encouraging smile, a look of hope’

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

13

SRI LANKA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

educational tuition. Within its sun-drenched courtyards there was a lively, colourful atmosphere. The girls were eager to chat with the visitors and, again, I saw moments of personal contact, gentle reassurance as they were playing, reading, tending to the plants in the courtyard garden. One group of the girls was busy in the kitchen helping

14 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

to prepare lunch, and I was able to sample a deliciously crunchy, freshly-cooked popadom.

As I took in the atmosphere in the cool of one of the sitting areas, I listened to Major Mary Ratnasinghe – administrator of Dehiwela CDC – describe some of the challenges the centre faced and the difficult situations the girls come from.

Something really hit me as she spoke.

The major was telling the story of Anu [not her real name], who had come to Dehiwela having been raped by her stepfather. She was barely 14 years old, pregnant and suffering the trauma of family breakdown.

When Anu’s baby was born, it had to be separated from her for a time, in order to receive proper care. The young girl was devastated, recounted Major Mary, and just cried uncontrollably because she was missing her baby.

Suddenly my thoughts took me back to my own daughter, who was not much younger than Anu, cheerfully getting ready for school on the other side of the world.

The two worlds seemed very close. It wasn’t until I got back to my room later that day that the tears flowed freely as I thought back to some of those young lives whose

Above: Major Mary Ratnasinghe with a resident of the Dehiwela CDC; below: a moment of affection and encouragement

childhood had been ripped away from them. Anu, and others who were going through similar situations, were facing deep emotional traumas that no child should have to deal with.

I thanked God that The Salvation Army is here to give practical help and compassion in the safety of a nurturing community. The positive, uplifting environment is expressed through a gentle, reassuring touch, an encouraging smile, a look of hope.

These may be small, fleeting moments of ‘everyday joy’, but on reflection I realise that these caring human interactions are not just a luxury – they are vital.

Berni Georges is a graphic designer in the Literary and Editorial Section of The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters

SPAIN

MINISTRY

Made with a purpose Major Sandra Bastos has discovered that her gifts and skills can be used in Salvation Army women’s ministries even if she is, by her own admission, ‘not a stereotypical woman’

I

WOULD like to share with you my experience of ministry as a Salvation Army officer, especially my work with women. I am Portuguese, but when I was 20 I met my husband and a year later went to live in Spain, which is where I am today.

In 2001 I entered training for officership and, since then, my ministry has surprised me with many blessings and also some challenges, including working with women!

Photos across these pages show the various groups for community members – especially women – in Palomeras

I have come to understand that I am not a stereotypical woman. Even my marriage is a bit unusual compared to some of my contemporaries, where the mother takes care of the home and children and the husband spends more time dedicated to ministry.

In my case, I have never tried to register to attend meetings with teachers at my daughter’s school. I don’t do the household shopping, hardly ever cook and housework is shared. I am blessed to have a husband who helps me in all these areas. This allows me to spend more time at the corps (church) and in administrative work. At home I am known as the ‘office ogre’!

I love organising programmes and looking for resources which my husband and I can put it into practice, along with the corps leaders.

I grew up in The Salvation Army, going to the home league and watching women knit, crochet and drink tea. With women at the corps, I can make tea or coffee and even bake sponge cakes, but I am not particularly creative. I had to learn that God made me with a purpose and that I don’t have to imitate anyone, I just have to be myself. I learned to surround myself with people who are strong in my weak areas and to adapt my ministry to women according to my gifts. Each appointment is unique, and what is successful in one place may not work in another.

During the past 16 years I have had seven appointments and in each of them I have done different things. In some places, my ministry with women was to sit down for tea and chat. In others, it would be a fellowship meal and games.

In two appointments, the ministry with women impacted me for its simplicity and J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

15

SPAIN

humility. At Dénia, there was a woman who had come to the Army through the social work programme. She could hardly read or write and shared with me that she would

‘It was the best Christmas card I had ever received because it represented her achievement’ love to know how to write, because she could barely sign her name.

I started to spend time with her, teaching her to write. After a few months, at Christmas she brought me a card that she had written by herself. It was the best Christmas card I had ever received because it represented her achievement. I could see that women’s ministries is not just about making crafts at the home league women’s group, but adapting that ministry according to your gifts.

In the three years spent at Lisbon Corps, back in Portugal, the ministry with women was different to anything I had done before.

The women were older and some could not read. My husband helped me with crafts and the creative side and I would 16 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

prepare a devotional time. Sometimes we just coloured pictures. Those women were so grateful for that time. Every week I was blessed to see their humility and gratitude and experience the love they expressed to us.

In my current appointment, there are three women’s groups. One group ‘buzzes’ as women in the community get together to exercise. Then, at the home league, the women make crafts to sell and I chat with them and lead the devotional. In another group, mums can meet a couple of times a month, because we have little space. They get together for tea or coffee while their children are at the kids club.

In my present appointment, women’s ministries helps us to build bridges with the community because most of the women do not attend church regularly. Sometimes we have to do all sorts of thing and we don’t only work in areas suited to gifts. Some things are easier for us to do, and others

present a challenge. Working with women is a challenge for me, but at the same time it is a blessing to see how the Lord touches and transforms lives.

During my years of ministry, the Lord often brings to my mind 2 Corinthians 12:9: ‘My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’

We have to be ourselves and be aware of the purpose for which the Lord created us and be sure that his power is perfected in our weakness.

Major Sandra Bastos is corps officer (church minister) at Palomeras Corps in The Salvation Army’s Spain and Portugal Command

This article was originally commissioned for Revive, The Salvation Army’s international women’s magazine. It has been decided that Revive will not be produced for a short time, while discussions are held about making it even more relevant to today’s women linked with The Salvation Army. Look out for announcements about the reimagined Revive magazine on the new International Women’s Ministries social media output which is being launched in February 2020. For more information, go to: sar.my/wm

INCLUSION

DENMARK

by David Giles, with additional reporting by Levi Giversen

L

EGO ® – the world-famous interlocking construction toy – is named for the Danish phrase leg godt, or ‘play well’. [Fun fact: there are estimated to be about 53 Lego bricks for every person on the planet.]

Playing well, regardless of circumstances, is exactly the intention of what has become a major annual event for The Salvation Army in Denmark.

The fixture, first held in 2005, brings together children and families from all over the country for a fun day out at the original Legoland theme park in Billund, almost 250 kilometres west of Copenhagen.

It’s a significant logistical challenge, with the May 2019 event requiring the careful coordination of nearly 100 specially hired coaches, all scheduled to converge on the well-marshalled transport hub within a few minutes of the park’s 10am opening time.

Scores of Salvation Army volunteers are busy welcoming the 3,200 guests at the gates, ensuring that they have vouchers to exchange for meals and snacks at any of the attraction’s restaurants and kiosks. There are expectant smiles, hugs and laughter as the excitable crowd looks ahead to a day dashing between some of the park’s 50 adrenaline-generating rides.

Some are anticipating a more leisurely amble, admiring the centrepiece Miniland – gardens showcasing famous (and less wellknown) buildings from around the world, painstakingly rebuilt in exceptional detail from millions of Lego bricks. As the clock ticks round to ten and the early morning mist gives way to pleasant spring sunshine, there’s a very Danish surge towards the entrance. This will be a day to remember!

The families represented here are typically recipients of Salvation Army food parcels, especially at Christmas and during other holidays where it can be especially hard to make ends meet. The number of Above: Mogens Petersen and his daughters would not be able to afford to go to Legoland without The Salvation Army’s help

Everything is Awesome The Salvation Army treats thousands of disadvantaged children to a special day out applications for aid is increasing year on year, correlating with a reduction in statefunded benefits. No matter how carefully such families plan and budget, a family day out at a theme park is just not a realistic prospect for many. This can fuel social exclusion.

One of the aims of this special day out is to provide children from economically

disadvantaged families with meaningful positive experiences they can talk about on an equal footing with their friends. This, then, reduces the ‘them and us’ dynamic that could otherwise prevail, and supports social cohesion.

Mogens Petersen, a 51-year-old father of two, is one of the parents taking part in today’s event. With one eye on his daughters J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

17

DENMARK

Photos show families that are funded by The Salvation Army but who, as far as anyone can see, are no different to other people enjoying a day out at Legoland

enjoying the White Tower ride behind him, he shares that many years behind the wheel as a driver has caused damage to his back which has affected his ability to work.

Over the past four years he’s been reliant on flexible jobs – which, he explains, also means flexible income. In parallel with his deteriorating health, this income has been reducing.

‘My back is getting worse and worse,’ he says, ‘and it is negatively affecting my working hours and wages. This means the family budget is tight and it is difficult to

afford anything but the essentials. An excursion like this would require us to save up a lot – and do without much else.’

If the family was not on today’s Salvation Army outing, they would have spent the day in a simple playground near their home. ‘So it really means a lot to offer my children such an experience,’ Mogens continues. ‘It’s a great opportunity to be able to do something special together as a family.’

Between media interviews, Lars Lydholm – The Salvation Army’s Secretary for Business Administration in Denmark – shares with a smile that this is one of his favourite days in the Army’s calendar, because ‘it’s such a day of joy’. He continues: ‘One year, Legoland kindly opened especially for The Salvation Army,

‘As well as the empowerment and the inclusion brought about through this event, fun in its own right is surely a positive thing’ 18 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

the day before the main season began.

One of our families, from a challenging background, told us that when mum had explained to the kindergarten teacher that her child would be absent in order to join us, the teacher took her to one side and said: “I’m sorry, but Legoland is not open that day.” Without blinking, this mother – with so much else going on in her life – replied: “It’s open for me!” ... How empowering!’

Today, though, nobody can tell The Salvation Army’s clients apart from others out to enjoy a great day. This, too, is empowering.

There is no noticeable difference between Salvation Army guests toasting fresh bread over an open fire in the ‘Legoredo’ Wild West themed area and children from families with more economic security. The squeals from those at the helms of the ‘jungle racer’ jet boats are the same, regardless of background. The friendly competition on the immersive Ninjago laser gun quest does not discriminate.

At lunchtime, a family supported by The Salvation Army is sitting in an Italian

DENMARK

Above: Susanne Blom, Legoland’s Charity Champion; below: some people’s Salvation Army links are readily evident!

restaurant overlooking the Lego Miniland Eiffel Tower. Two freshly-baked pizzas, neatly cut into slices, are being served by a smiling waiter to the warmed plates atop the red-and-white chequered tablecloth.

The children – aged 11, nine and two – are wide-eyed. Their mother, who asks for the family not to be named, shares that this is the first time they have eaten in a restaurant.

Explaining that she is a single mum on income support, she says she is ‘immensely happy and grateful’ to be able share a special moment like this with her family. ‘We would never be able to do this ourselves. There’s no room in our finances at all for what is most needed – and restaurant visits are completely ruled out.’

Overseeing the day from Legoland’s perspective is the company’s Charity Champion, Susanne Blom, who has been a faithful and generous supporter of The Salvation Army’s work. ‘I’ve been to Legoland as a child with my mum and dad, brother and sister – and that was really cool.

Kids want to be part of the community. [So] it’s great for the families joining in on this

special Salvation Army day. But it’s also amazing for our staff! They really love this day, and they love the kids. Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many here today, it’s so important for us that they get to have an amazing time!’

And on occasion, The Salvation Army has created a once-in-a-lifetime experience for its Lego Group. ‘Once, our group actually emptied the entire candy stock in Legoland,’ confesses Lars with a sparkle in his eye ‘That’s something they’d never experienced before, but we did it!’

At the end of a very active day, weary children and their carers trek back to their assigned coaches for the journey home. It’s another crucial part of The Salvation Army’s organisation as, for many, a taxi back if they miss their bus is not a viable option. Today, I’m assured, it’s going smoothly; no children (or parents) have been mislaid!

The smiles (and chocolate smears!) on so many faces indicate that it’s been a successful day. Whether there will be sustained chatter on the journeys home or a rapid descent into contented sugar-crash slumber, memories have indeed been made.

This is not a Unikitty-esque Cloud Cuckoo Land case of ‘no negativity of any kind’ – in a couple of hours, the majority of these families will be stepping off the buses and back into their normal lives. One day of fun has not ‘fixed’ anything. Debts will still need to be paid. Budgets will continue to be tight.

But amid all that, perhaps this day has been an oasis of enjoyment. As well as the empowerment and the inclusion brought about through this event, fun in its own right is surely a positive thing. Proverbs 17:22 says that ‘a joyful heart is good medicine’, and joyfulness has certainly been evidenced extensively in the thrills and spills of rollercoasters, 4D cinema experiences and cotton candy.

David Giles is Communications Manager at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

19

REFUGE

BRAZIL

Hope in the labyrinth A refuge for children in the Fishermen’s Village

T

HE Fishermen’s Village is a dark and scary labyrinth – a maze of houses and shacks built on stilts on the Casqueiro River in Cubatão, a Brazilian coastal city in the state of São Paulo.

Several homes were built on land the villagers reclaimed from brackish waters by themselves. Some houses are already built of masonry, but there are still many wooden shacks. Five miles away from the Port of Santos, the Fishermen’s Village stands in close proximity to two of most important roadways connecting São Paulo, the 21-million-person megalopolis, to the coast.

Only 22 of the 645 municipalities in the state of São Paulo have a wealth distribution ratio worse than that of Cubatão. Seventeen thousand of the poorest of its citizens live in the Fishermen’s Village. More than a third of the heads of families there, male or female, do not have a formal job. Survival activities include crab fishing and the local informal trade as well as illegal activities such as trafficking drugs and people.

On Middle Street (Rua Amaral Neto), there is a place of refuge for children, run

by The Salvation Army. In the after-school

programmes they engage in sports, arts, recreation and Christian education. One hundred and fifty school-age children find room to dream within the refuge’s walls.

Pamella, 26, who participated in the project from an early age, is now a Salvation Army lieutenant, not long out of training. Pamella shares with her husband responsibility for another social project about 400 miles from Cubatão, in a neighbouring state. She remembers: ‘They let us talk, read, put together plays.

I received a lot of encouragement. They believed in me and my dreams when I could not believe in them myself.’

In 1990, Cristina Silva left her job in a hospital kitchen located near to Fishermen’s Village after being informed that, in her absence, her five-year-old son Pedro was being used to fetch orders from traffickers.

Eliana Nogueira, now a major in The Salvation Army, is Cristina’s sister. She says Cristina was very pleased when she was approached by Captain Margaret England with a simple idea: Cristina would receive the children of the village for activities on Sundays in her house. She lived in a stilt shack built on the mangrove which, after a few months, began to sink. Four

‘They believed in me and my dreams when I could not believe in them myself’ 20 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

Above: the ramshackle labyrinth of Fishermen’s Village

mothers from the community, realising the importance of the initiative, offered their homes so the activities could continue.

The owner of a local bar, at the request of the neighbourhood association, offered space to the group. The bar became the meeting place during the day of a programme that was now held on other days of the week and serving a larger group of children. It reverted to a bar in the evenings.

The project received its own home, acquired by APROSES (a Portuguese acronym for the Social Assistance and Promotion of The Salvation Army), the sponsoring non-profit organisation responsible for all Salvation Army charity work in Brazil. The institution maintains the programmes to this day with a staff of ten employees.

In the neighbourhood on the other side of Highway BR050, a group of 80 adolescents participate in activities catered to that age group. The teens were encouraged to name their own programme. The name chosen was the New Social and Healthy Opportunities for Adolescents. In Portuguese the initials

BRAZIL

Photos show staff and children working together in a place of safety

to recognise the small wins in a highly afflicted environment. These wins are celebrated and shared, such as:

• The successful heart surgery at five years • •

Photos by James Gilbert

•

form the word NOSSA, which means ‘Ours’. This is significant because one of the major needs teens have in highly vulnerable circumstances is to belong to something bigger and better than their own assessments of self-worth.

Social programmes and pastoral work are coordinated by Majors Gustavo and Sílvia Santana. This couple took over the work in February of this year, replacing Majors Salvador and Esther Ferreira.

The projects have won the respect of the community, promoting dialogue with the leaders of Fishermen’s Village. The activities for adolescents, for instance, are making a difference in the wider community ‘Brawls between the boys from the village and those from the neighbourhood on the other side of the highway are over,’ says Cristina. ‘This is because we relocated the teens to that neighbourhood and now they see each other everyday.’

Negotiating is important. In order to keep the peace, one must enter in conversation with neighbourhood leaders.

Some of these may also be involved

with drug trafficking and other illegal activities, so caution and divine protection are priorities.

The programmes are promoting strong friendships and support networks.

Lieutenant Pamella says of the people she met through The Salvation Army’s ministry in Fishermen’s Village: ‘We’re still in touch.

My class is very close, we are like brothers and sisters. We still keep in touch through WhatsApp, we schedule meetings, etc.

From my time in the project we even have a couple, Nataly and Henry. They both grew up with us.’

In its 29 years of presence in Cubatão, The Salvation Army has kept pastors (officers) living in the city and at the service of the community in Fishermen’s Village.

They have invested in people like Cristina, and APROSES provides the supervision and continuous training of employees.

This demonstrates a high level of institutional endurance.

Life is far from easy, but it takes commitment to hope. The leaders of the programmes in Fisherman’s Village choose

of age without which Pamella could not have outlived childhood.

A good job as a boilermaker in a steel industry for Vinicius, now 25 years old.

Clayton’s performance in the college entrance exam (similar to SAT in the USA or A-levels in the UK) which earned him a full scholarship to an engineering college level programme two years ago.

A changed and safe path. Cristina’s son, Pedro, did not follow the drug trafficking path despite so much early exposure. He worked for four years on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean Sea as a waiter and speaks several languages. Today, in his early 30s, he prepares to pursue a ministerial career in The Salvation Army along with his wife and son.

These are great victories for a group that has learned to value the small and daily manifestations of God’s love. Pamella remembers the Middle Street project she attended throughout her childhood and adolescence as a place of refuge. ‘It enabled me,’ she says, ‘to be a child in a safe place.’

She believes the formula is simple – it is to believe in the goodness of God and to be willing to be an agent of change wherever we are. The seeds of the kingdom of God, she explains, sprout in fertile ground – and fertile ground is an inner reality, a matter of the heart.

According to Pamella, growth happens every time a created being turns towards the Creator; success lies in reconciliation, not in the accumulation of wealth. And these principles generate hope for whoever practises them – even as they negotiate their daily walk through a scary labyrinth.

This article first appeared in the Portugueselanguage Christian magazine Ultimato [Ultimatum]. Elsie Gilbert and her husband, James, have been missionaries in Brazil for more than 20 years. They work through the agency Equip Inc and live in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, where they coordinate the network Mãos Dadas [Hands Together], of which The Salvation Army is an active partner J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

21

COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Photos: L’Osservatore Romano

THE VATICAN

The Pope and the General celebrate solidarity Pope Francis gave warm greetings to General Brian Peddle – and through him to ‘all the members and volunteers of The Salvation Army’, which he described as being ‘an evident and credible sign of evangelical love’ – during a meeting in the Papal Library at the Vatican.

The General had a time of private conversation with the Pope before the Salvation Army representatives were presented to His Holiness. The General presented his message and Pope Francis responded, sharing recollections of becoming aware when he was a boy of the ‘humble service’ carried out by Salvationists in his native Argentina.

‘In a world where selfishness and divisions abound, the noble fragrance of genuine self-giving love can offer a muchneeded antidote’

He told the General: ‘In a world where selfishness and divisions abound, the noble fragrance of genuine self-giving love can offer a much-needed antidote and open minds and hearts to the transcendent meaning of our existence ... Let us remember one another in our prayers, and continue to work to spread God’s love through acts of service and solidarity.’ The General then prayed with the Pope.

Accompanying the General were Commissioner Rosalie Peddle (World President of Women’s Ministries), Commissioner Betty Matear (Secretary for International Ecumenical Relations),

KENYA

Bus boost from the president A CHOIR from The Salvation Army’s Likoni Primary School for the Visually Impaired in Kenya gave such a passionate performance at a presidential gala that President Uhuru Kenyatta promised to buy a new bus for the school!

School principal Christine Chemutai says that the president told the choir members that they had given a powerful performance. ‘He thanked us teachers for doing a good job and also thanked the students for their marvellous performance. He told us he would buy us a bus!’

The choir was chosen to sing at the gala after finishing second in the national festivals. They were joined by

22 | ALL THE WORLD |

JAN UARY–M ARC H 2020

Lieut-Colonel Massimo Tursi (Officer Commanding Italy and Greece Command) and Major David Williamson (Private Secretary to the General).

the choir from The Salvation Army’s Thika School for the Blind, which earned its place by winning the special schools category.

The Standard Digital online newspaper reported that ‘when they opened their mouths to sing, their synchronised, powerful voices took the audience by a storm. The students expertly invited the audience to see beyond their disabilities and enjoy the performance.’ The school for the blind came top in two choir categories and also won for folk songs, dance for the visually impaired and best pianist.

Student Maryanne Wambua says: ‘The festivals have boosted our confidence and every year we long for the competition.’

SNAPSHOTS

UNITED KINGDOM

Let me take you down ... to Strawberry Field The world-famous Strawberry Field Salvation Army facility in Liverpool, UK, which was immortalised by The Beatles in John Lennon’s ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, has opened its red, wrought-iron gates to the public for the first time.

For more than 70 years, fans of British pop group The Beatles have only been able to stand outside the iconic red gates but now they can enter the grounds and gardens that inspired John Lennon to write his 1967 hit.

It’s free to see the original gates, visit the cafe and explore the grounds, where stones from the old Victorian house have been used to create seating in the gardens. Local suppliers are stocking the cafe and gift shop, and local community-led charities can also apply to use the space.

Visitors can also pay to look round an interactive attraction, created by The Salvation Army, that commemorates John Lennon’s link with Strawberry Field and also provides a place for spiritual reflection. Money raised from the site will support Steps to Work, a Salvation Army project that helps local young people into employment.

The new Strawberry Field site includes: • The original iconic red gates that have not been in place since 2010.

• An interactive visitor exhibition, ‘Strawberry Fields Nothing is Real’, where visitors can explore stories with help from characters including Elvis Presley and John Lennon’s school friend Mike Hill.

• A virtual Mellotron where visitors can recreate the famous opening chords from ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.

• Imagine More, a community café stocked with local produce.

• A calm garden space for spiritual reflection.

• A gift shop selling Strawberry Field historical items and gifts from local suppliers.

• Fully accessible ‘Changing Places’ facilities.

• A chance to learn about life in the former Salvation Army children’s home and how The Salvation Army’s own pop band reached No 32 in the UK pop charts.

Julia Baird, John Lennon’s sister and Honorary President of the Strawberry Field project, says: ‘I’ve been really impressed by The Salvation Army’s vision and now there is huge potential to make a real change in the lives of young people who will grow in the precious soil of Strawberry Field.’

Commissioner Anthony Cotterill (Territorial Commander) adds: ‘John Lennon found sanctuary here as a child and that’s exactly what we want to offer by opening the Strawberry Field gates for good.

‘We know thousands of Beatles fans already visit the site and we saw an opportunity to channel that interest into a responsible tourist attraction that will support local people and businesses.

‘The Salvation Army ran a children’s home at Strawberry Field from 1936 until 2005. In that time, we helped some of Liverpool’s most vulnerable children. Seventy years later, we are using Strawberry Field to give Liverpool’s young people a step onto the employment ladder. I like to think that John Lennon would be pleased that his special association with Strawberry Field is being used in this way.’

For more information, go to: www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com

Note from the Editor Normally, I wouldn’t make mention of why we have used or not used photos in an issue of All the World, but on this occasion I feel it is worth mentioning by way of explanation and also to make people think about what photos they share, especially online.

The Salvation Army’s child protection policy includes a section on the use of photos of children (ie anyone under 18). In order to keep them safe, photos of children should only be used where we have parental permission. This, of course, causes some difficulties in trying to tell stories about The Salvation Army’s work with children, but we’ve taken on the challenge.

So the story from Denmark, for instance, includes recognisable images of the children mentioned – but that’s because we have permission from their parents (and from Legoland).

On the opposite page, we have a lovely story about schools for the blind and visually impaired in Kenya. I have seen photos of the event but we don’t have parental consent so we’re not using them! This may seem harsh, but the safety of the children linked with The Salvation Army is, surely, more important than our wanting to see a photo.

We also didn’t have parental permission to feature recognisable images of the children visited by Berni in Sri Lanka. What he has done, therefore, is to intentionally attempt to

tell their story without showing their faces – but in a way that still allows you, the reader, to feel you understand what is happening.

Keeping children safe has to be our priority, but we hope you will agree that it doesn’t mean that we can’t tell their stories – even if we need to be a little bit creative!

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2020 | ALL THE WORLD |

23