All the World - July to September 2021 by Salvation Army IHQ

Music and ministry in Sweden A whole world of periodicals HONG KONG – peer support The power of story in the USA

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010 JULY–SEPTEMBER 2021

VOL VOL 59 48 NO NO 34

UK – community gardening

CONTENTS

JULY–SEPTEMBER 2021

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

UPFRONT From the Editor

HONG KONG Parents helping parents

HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

USA The power of story

UNITED KINGDOM The green heart of the community

CANADA Mobile hope

NEW ZEALAND Prime Minister opens housing project

SWEDEN Everyone is welcome

SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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Cover photo by Emma Larsson

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 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.

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Echoes and reflections ACCORDING to The Salvation Army Year Book 2021, there are 148 periodicals published worldwide by The Salvation Army. Let that sink in for a moment – across 132 countries there are at least 148 magazines and newspapers sharing in a variety of languages, some with restricted or specific readership (officers, young people or home league women’s group members, for instance) and others aimed at a wide readership. There are several variations on the title The War Cry (carrying on the tradition of the longest-running Salvation Army publication) but some interesting, unusual titles too. Among my favourites are Trampoline (French language, published by the Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory) and the rather poetic Echo d’Espoir – literally Echo of Hope – from the Democratic Republic of Congo Territory. I suspect that many people reading this will know of the Salvation Army periodical that is published where they live but have no idea about most, if any, of the others. And that’s fine, because the staff of territorial or national magazines and papers (and, as you will read, podcasts and social media channels) know who they are writing for. They know their readers and viewers, they are instinctively aware of things that would or wouldn’t be understood – because the writers and editors are writing for and about their own culture. On the other hand, there are stories that can easily cross borders; examples of people whose lives have been

transformed or who have found new hope thanks to God working through The Salvation Army. And those should be shared far and wide – which is why this issue of All the World has scoured through Salvation Army publications

‘There is, probably as never before, a shared grief and understanding of each other’s similar needs and fragility’

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

worldwide to find stories that can be understood whether you are from London, Lisbon, Lahore, La Paz, Los Angeles, Lagos, Lodz or Lille! I would encourage you to explore some of The Salvation Army’s publications – many of which can be found online – so that by exploring our world (virtually) you will get a greater sense of the enormous breadth of ministry and service, while also seeing things through another person’s eyes. If the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated anything, it’s the similarity of people worldwide in the face of a common enemy. There is, probably as never before, a shared grief and understanding of each other’s similar needs and fragility; a recognition that we are interconnected in ways that we had never realised. This issue of All the World is a reminder that, wherever in the world we may be, our differences are far fewer than the things we have in common. As we read about the universal issues of family and faith, life and love, may we see our lives reflected in those of people we might expect to be very different. And as we learn to understand each other’s lives, may our love and compassion, our shared empathy, also grow. Reflected lives, shared understanding and echoes of hope – this is certainly a powerful way to live, learn and love. And, to quote the apostle Paul, the greatest of these is love.

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

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HONG KONG

SUPPORT

Walking

odern family life can be complex and tense, and it can sometimes feel like being in a battlefield. Parenting can be stressful and, for parents who are so busy and can hardly relax, mutual support and understanding among peers can be priceless. Ying, from Kowloon in Hong Kong, found herself troubled by family issues and an inferiority complex. She hadn’t studied to a high level of education, and she lacked self-confidence and social skills. She found help through the companionship of Wah-wah and Jojo, her friends in The Salvation Army who are parent counsellors. With their help, Ying found a way to express her emotions and she has slowly opened up to these two friends. ‘My daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was two,’ explains Ying. ‘She would have cramps a few times a day, sometimes the whole body and sometimes just the legs. At that time she was too young to have an operation so she could only take medication to control the cramps. I was so worried that she might be unable to wake up again.’ Her daughter’s medical condition also made her progress slower than other children at school. Constantly worried about her daughter and what others think about her condition, Ying felt intimidated by social situations, which in turn made her even more stressed. One day, Ying was invited to join a stress management group co-hosted by the Social Welfare Department and The Salvation Army’s Chuk Yuen Children and Youth Centre. There she met Wahwah, a peer counsellor who acted as the facilitator of the group. Their friendship began when Wah-wah initiated a conversation with Ying. When Ying was too timid to try something at the centre, Wah-wah would first demonstrate a

few times to show Ying how to do it, and then encourage her to try until Ying gained enough confidence. Since both of them have a daughter, Ying felt a connection and was willing to share her own concerns and worries with Wah-wah. Later, when Ying asked to learn Zoom in order to help her daughter, who was having online lessons at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the centre matched her up with Jojo, another peer counsellor. Jojo taught Ying with great patience how to use Zoom, which helped Ying’s confidence grow as she was able to teach her daughter at home the Zoom skills she had learned from Jojo. ‘I appreciate their enthusiasm and attentiveness very much,’ says Ying. ‘They never minded that I took so

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long to learn. They gave me a sense of security and strength.’ With the companionship of her peers, Ying’s confidence is growing gradually and she is willing to step out into the world. For Wah-wah and Jojo, the experience of being peer counsellors is not just one that can help fellow parents with difficulties but also one that can help themselves. Before becoming counsellors, they were both required to complete the ‘Walk with You’ peer parent counsellors programme, from which they have

HONG KONG

Photos show the ‘Walk with You’ programme. The main image shows Ying (centre) with her supporters Jojo (left) and Wah-wah

together

Walk with You PEER PARENT COUNSELLORS PROGRAMME

learned a lot. According to Wah-wah, ‘Every lesson we learned something useful. I remember particularly that one time our instructor asked each of us to read the instruction written on a card word by word, and yet we found that we all had different interpretation of the instruction. From that I understand that people can have different interpretations even of the same thing, and that’s why we need more time to communicate and clarify what we mean. We also need to learn how to see things from other parents’ angles to better understand them.’ This has made a difference in her own home. Now, instead of scolding straight away, Wah-wah’s new approach with her daughter is to first try to listen without judgement, then further communicate with each other after better understanding the matter. As a member of the parent-teacher association, Jojo found that what she learned from the programme has

allowed her to deepen relationships with other parents in the school. She has become more active in listening to other parents’ concerns, which allows them to release emotions. Her relationship with her son has also improved. ‘Last year, due to the pandemic,’ she explains, ‘my son’s international school switched to online teaching. He hated it so much that he was angry all the time, feeling he was trapped at home, which was “as suffocating as in funerals” according to him. Being a teenager, he refused to listen to whatever I said and I felt so uncomfortable about it. ‘Then I applied what I learned from the programme – that we should treat young people as equals and really listen. With the change of attitude, I finally found that the reason my son was so unwilling to undertake online learning was that he was worried the camera might make him look fat. So, we gave him space to take in the situation and, with reasoning and encouragement, he gradually got used to this lesson format.’ With their relationship improved, mother and son now share hugs and they have become much closer to each other.

The programme believes in peer support among parents, which is precious for the community. It encourages peer counsellors to come alongside parents in need, supporting each other to overcome difficulties in life, while growing together. The training programme consists of basic and advanced levels. Basic level includes theories and techniques, and the advanced level focuses on identification of emotions, parenting and stress management. Those who have finished training will be included in the parent peer counsellor network, from which they will be invited by the Chuk Yuen Children and Youth Centre to be volunteers and be matched up with other parents in need, providing immediate support to families.

Article originally published in Army Scene, for the Hong Kong and Macau Command. Articles are printed side-by-side in English and Chinese. salvationarmy.org.hk/information-centre/publications/army-scene

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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

MAJOR EVAMA SHAIJURAJ Major Evama Shaijuraj is from and works for The Salvation Army in India What is your role in The Salvation Army? I am Editor of the English-language all-India War Cry. How did you meet The Salvation Army? I met The Salvation Army through my parents.

HOME

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’? My hero of faith from the Bible is Joseph – the reasons are: a. His faithfulness – Joseph remained faithful to God and never wavered from his commitment to follow him. He was faithful to his master too. b. He was humble – the power and prestige of his position never changed him. c. He was merciful – Joseph showed mercy and grace to everyone, even to those who persecuted him. d. He was wise – he did his job with excellence, as a servant, in jail and as a second-most powerful man next to Pharaoh. In my personal life, my father is my hero of faith. Even though he was a poor, less-educated person, he was a man of prayer and faith. What is your favourite Bible verse? ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9). What is your favourite Salvation Army song? None other than ‘O Boundless Salvation!’, the Founder’s song. How do you think that working in India differs from working elsewhere? India is a land of diversity. Though polytheistic and ethnic diversity exists, Jesus is not denied. I think that, as a follower of Christ, I am accepted more than anywhere. What do you like most about India? Its democracy. What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in India? The freedom for women in the society of the Western world. If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change? The first thing I would change would be my epaulettes so I could wear the blessed, unique epaulettes of the one and only General of The Salvation Army!

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If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose? I am happy to choose any place where the presence of Almighty God can lead me. What skills do you use most in your work? Writing. What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? Preaching and counselling. But whenever God entrusts a duty, he fills the needed skills and grace to perform them. How would you like to be remembered? As someone who was committed to God – and as a good officer, mother, partner, sister and a good friend to many. What’s so special about The Salvation Army? It has a unique and amazing way of simultaneously caring for the physical needs of humans and for their souls, without any discrimination. I am so proud to be a part of this Army of God.

COUNTRY OR THEME

MELITA DAY-LEWIS Originally from South Africa, Melita Day-Lewis works for The Salvation Army’s United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland

What is your role in The Salvation Army? I am an editorial assistant for Kids Alive! and Salvationist. What would be your typical day? Predominantly writing features, sub-editing articles, proofreading pages, with some admin. How did you meet The Salvation Army? I first became properly aware of The Salvation Army while on a ministry trip in India when I read a book about the incredible ministry of its Founders. When we moved to London from South Africa in 2018, I applied for a position as an editorial assistant with Kids Alive! I discovered after I had got the job with Kids Alive! that my father, who was born and grew up in the East End of London, learned to play the cornet with The Salvation Army when he was a youngster! Do you have a ‘claim to fame’? Well, it’s not really my ‘claim to fame’, but one by association. I am married to Nigel Day-Lewis, who is the half-nephew of the actor Daniel Day-Lewis. Nigel’s father is Daniel’s half-brother. People often ask us if we’re related, and when we say ‘yes’, they don’t usually believe us, lol! Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’? Gladys Aylward, who went to China as a missionary. Despite being rejected by a mission board, she obeyed the call of God and spent her life savings to get to China on her own – journeying across Siberia by train and then by ship to China. She joined an elderly woman missionary in Yangcheng and together they opened an inn, saw many Chinese travellers saved and adopted many orphans. When Japan invaded China, Gladys walked across the mountains with more than 100 orphans, taking them to safety. What is your favourite Bible verse? At the moment it is Jeremiah 29:11: ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”’ It still resonates with me, because for three difficult years in the recent past we did not know what God’s plans were and we held on to this Scripture in faith.

AWAY

What is your favourite Salvation Army song? I don’t have one (I’m not a Salvationist), but one of the songs we used to sing during territorial headquarters devotions when we were still meeting that I greatly enjoyed (and still do) is Charles Wesley’s ‘And Can It Be?’ How do you think that working in the UK differs from working elsewhere? As a 59-year-old I greatly appreciate the ethic of not discriminating against people on the basis of their age, which is included in employment practice in the UK.

What do you like most about the UK? There is so much that I love. It’s hard to pick one! But I absolutely love the beauty of the country – every region is so lovely. We find it very hard to holiday beyond its borders. What do you most miss about South Africa? A range of mountains in KwaZulu Natal called the Drakensberg, swimming in the Indian Ocean … but, most of all, my family! What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the UK? I love the hospitality of South Africans, the way they quickly invite you into their homes to eat with them, even if they don’t know you well. When I first arrived in the UK in 1995 I think people thought I was a little crazy – I had only just met them and was inviting them to dinner. If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change? The titles and the uniforms. If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose and why? There’s nowhere else I would choose to work. What skills do you use most in your work? Writing skills and an eye for detail. What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? My creativity. How would you like to be remembered? That I loved people! What’s so special about The Salvation Army? Its commitment to care for people in the community, while at the same time sharing the gospel. I think churches find it quite hard to do both, but the Army strives to do so.

AWAY

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USA

ENGAGEMENT

The best tool to help you feel then do good

Having overseen a significant move from printed media to online content (including social media and podcasts), Christin Thieme explains how story helps us to understand, see and connect

VIVIDLY remember my first real reporting outing as an intern. I met Jill, who lived in a Salvation Army shelter in Los Angeles for homeless families affected by HIV/Aids. Jill told me about the moment she learned she was positive – and pregnant. The baby would be born infected. Jill showed me the four vials of antiretroviral medication her daughter, then two, had to take each day. She also gave me a tour of the apartment, their home, with visible pride over her child playing with a toy kitchen. Despite the hurdles, Jill became a mom and it changed her for good. She had a new story to write. Before I left, Jill thanked me for letting her tell her story, saying it felt good to share. As I’ve sat down with people in the 15 years since, I’ve heard the same sentiment again and again. It’s when we name our experiences that we come to understand them in a new way – especially our own. More importantly, stories help us to understand each other, to see past any label and instead see the person.

‘Stories help us to understand each other, to see past any label and instead see the person’

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‘The story – from Rumpelstiltskin to War and Peace – is one of the basic tools invented by the mind of man, for the purpose of gaining understanding,’ Ursula K. Le Guin wrote in The Language of the Night. It’s a ‘symbiotic exchange’, one we learn to negotiate in infancy. We even look for a story when it’s not there, as found in a 1944 study of college students shown a short film of moving shapes. When asked what was happening, all but one participant came up with a story to explain what the movements were about. It’s thanks to the principles of narrative transportation that you will care more about an issue through the lens of someone experiencing it than through any statistic you might learn. In Salvation Army storytelling, we could tell you that more than 550,000 people are homeless on any given night in America. But we’d rather introduce you to Chris Christian, who went from lawyer to living on the streets to the doors of The Salvation Army. He can show you what it’s really like to be without a home and what it means to him to now work in street outreach. We could tell you that some 6,500 people are hospitalised for substance abuse every day in the USA. But we’d rather introduce you to Thomas Wolf, who lost his home, job and family after he became addicted to painkillers as a result of a surgery. He can show you what it’s really like to experience addiction, how he found a way out and got his family back.

We could tell you the number of youth seekers in The Salvation Army in a given year. But we’d rather introduce you to Mechale Mency, who attended summer camp with The Salvation Army three years in a row in the late 1970s. She can show you what it’s really like to meet Jesus at camp and how – some 40 years later – it has shaped who she is. She’ll share what it was like to be around people of a different skin colour for the first time and how the experience she had at camp made her want to offer that experience for others now as an elementary school principal, to make sure kids feel seen and valued, and learn to value others – just as she did at camp. In storytelling, the principle is: Show, don’t tell. When it’s done well, you won’t only hear the story, you’ll feel it. And when you feel it, you’ll want to join in.

USA

Left: Jill, from the first story Christin Thieme reported on, with her daughter; opposite page, bottom: Chris Christian, a former lawyer who became homeless, who shared his story on an early episode of the Do Gooders podcast; below left: Mechale Mency, now a school principal, who shared her experiences of attending a Salvation Army summer camp on the Do Gooders podcast; below: Thomas Wolf, from San Francisco, who shared on video how The Salvation Army helped him break the cycle of addiction

ThomasWolf

From feeling to engagement

In recent years, the USA Western Territory’s Caring magazine has embraced an expanding digital presence that favours showing over telling, bringing the voices of people impacted by The Salvation Army, building awareness and deepening engagement. We’re doing it through multi-platform storytelling to draw attention to the issues at hand, to evidence The Salvation Army’s impact in a community and to introduce the voices that will make viewers and readers feel something in text, podcast or video. And it doesn’t end with the story – the digital environment allows us to continually extend an invitation to engage. When you land on an article about how the Portland Female Emergency Shelter expanded meal service to the

community during the pandemic, we’ll invite you to join the Caring Moms Collective, a place of low-pressure, high-encouragement love and support for moms anytime you need it, whether you know it or not. When you learn how The Salvation Army partnered with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, to impact the care of human trafficking survivors, we’ll invite you to take a ‘What’s Your Cause?’ quiz to discover what area of Salvation Army service best fits your personality and how you can join in today. When you hear how The Salvation Army is hosting camps this summer as we emerge from the pandemic, we’ll invite you to an ‘elective’ of your own – an email workshop to help you find your own story. When you see how children of officers-in-training had an atypical college experience, we’ll invite you to study Scripture with us. When you find an article about how The Salvation Army is stemming the tide of evictions in the western states of the USA, we’ll invite you to learn how The Salvation Army fights homelessness more broadly and provide a link so you can give financially to the effort. As a Google News Publisher, we aim for any story to be search-engine friendly so those unfamiliar with the work of The Salvation Army can find us, learn more and get engaged. When you do opt-in and give us your email address, you receive a five-part welcome sequence followed by a

weekly email (the ‘Do Good Digest’) as we make an effort to build a relationship with you, tell you more about The Salvation Army, invite you to join in a way that might interest you and simply be an encouraging, friendly voice in your inbox. This pivot in our content strategy has allowed us to welcome more people to our digital home. In the year prior to launching our new website in March 2021, we welcomed roughly 265,000 people to the site – a 138 per cent increase from the prior year – and we consistently see an email open rate of more than 40 per cent. We’re watching these numbers as an indicator of whether or not people can feel the story of The Salvation Army’s mission and ministry. As one reader said: ‘Caring is a constant reminder that we all matter and make a difference in others’ lives.’ We want any visitor – including you, the reader of this article – to come away feeling encouraged that you can be the reason somebody believes in goodness. You can be what points them to a community of love, and ultimately to the source of love in Jesus.

What have you witnessed?

Which brings me to a final question for you, reader: What is your story? What is the heart of your story? Have you shared it with anyone? If you’re not sure where to find it, look for the transformation in your own life. J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

USA

‘Caring is a constant reminder that we all matter and make a difference in others’ lives’

Photos above show members of the Caring team at work

When the protagonist, the ‘hero’ of the story (you!), wants something and faces a trial, frustration or conflict that leads to a turning point, that shapes the character so they can no longer see things the same way as before. That’s where the magic is. The events of your life mark the timeline, but their meaning shapes your story – who you are, where you’re going, what you have to pass on. When we share it, chances are someone will recognise those themes in their life, too. ‘For we do not, after all, simply have experience; we are entrusted with it. We must do something – make something –

Go to caringmagazine.org for stories, links to the Do Gooders podcast, an online thrift store, ‘local’ bookstore and much more!

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with it,’ said memoirist Patricia Hampl. ‘A story, we sense, is the only possible habitation for the burden of our witnessing.’ What have you witnessed? And who will you tell? Your story is uniquely yours. It’s the one thing you have that no one else does. And you’re the one who can tell it best.

Take Caring magazine’s free email course on how to find your voice, own your story and share it with others today at caringmagazine.org/story

Christin Thieme (above) is editor-in-chief in The Salvation Army’s USA Western Territory, where she tells stories about people of all experiences – the unbelievable and everyday – who each have a unique magic to share with the world. She holds a master’s degree in specialised journalism from University of South California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and previously taught journalism as an adjunct professor at California Lutheran University. She hosts the territory’s five-star Do Gooders podcast and holds a first-place prize from the Evangelical Press Association. When not writing about other people (or herself in the third person), she’s often playing trains at home with her two boys.

COMMUNITY

UNITED KINGDOM

Sarah Olowofoyeku learned about a garden and allotment site that has been a community lifeline throughout the coronavirus pandemic

SEED of an idea was planted in Rachel Steward’s mind as she listened to a talk at a conference a few months into her role as community manager at the Salvation Army church in Sale, Greater Manchester, UK. A young leader was speaking about an allotment space that his church had created. ‘I was engrossed in what he had to say, and I felt immediately that we had to do the same,’ says Rachel. ‘We already had land, and it was a massive opportunity for us to engage with the community.’ Rachel put the idea to her church leaders, who told her she could do it, but that she needed to find the funding. ‘Fortunately, I knew the local councillor,’ she says, ‘and he told me about funding that the council runs twice a year. We had to put in a bid, which meant I had to present my case to a room packed full of people, which was

daunting. But I did the presentation and demonstrated how we wanted to achieve a connection with the community. ‘People from the community voted, and we were successful. We got £11,000, which is what we needed to get it started. We only had a paddock to work with, so there was a lot of groundwork that needed to be done.’ Members of the church got stuck in, and soon further help arrived. ‘We were sent a coachload of men who were on community service. They did all the ground prep and digging over, and we connected with two people from that straightaway. One went on to be our gardener for a few years, and the other was an artist by trade, so he helped to paint the mural on the garage wall with a lady from our church. ‘Within weeks of the garden starting those connections began, and I just knew that it had a purpose and was

Lizzie (left) and her daughter Sophia are part of the allotment community

God-driven. Plots were snapped up by residents and a few people at the church.’ Although green-fingered community members have been enjoying the garden for eight years, it has become even more significant for them during the lockdowns that have been put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic. ‘We’re blessed that we’ve not been told to shut the gardens,’ says Rachel. ‘They have been a lifeline for many people. Some already had a plot, and others took on plots during lockdown. We also have Salvation Army housing association flats next door to our building, with mostly elderly residents who live on their own, so they’ve had the opportunity to walk across into the garden to have somewhere else to sit. It has all been done securely and safely. J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

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There are never loads of people in at one time, because it’s open whenever you want to go.’ Most of Sale Salvation Army’s other community activities have had to be stopped since the pandemic hit. ‘Practically and physically there have been huge challenges,’ says Rachel. ‘We have a charity shop and – when we have been allowed to open – it has been difficult because we’ve had to stop doing the things that were natural to us, such as welcoming people. ‘The shop had a seating area where in the past we would offer people a cup of tea, free of charge, giving them an opportunity to sit down, not feel pressured into buying anything, and have a chat. We can’t do that now. We had to measure the square footage of the shop, which meant that only so many people were allowed in at one time, so it was difficult to have long conversations with people when they just wanted to offload, because we were conscious that people were queueing outside. But our volunteers still care for people – you 12 | ALL THE WORLD |

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can’t take that away because of COVID.’ The past year has been challenging for Rachel. ‘It has been quite lonely,’ she says. ‘I’m the community manager, which usually means I’m with people all the time, so it has been odd doing a desk-based job – lots of preparation behind the scenes with risk assessments, but not actually doing the community element. ‘I’ve got through it one day at a time, and with a lot of prayer. God has never promised that we won’t go through turbulent times, but he has always promised that he will be in the storm with us, and that, after the storm, calmness will come. I’ve tried to remain positive throughout, and see it as an opportunity to refocus and assess what we have been doing.’ Another positive for Rachel is the new service that she and her team were able

Above: Rachel Steward, community manager at Sale Salvation Army, in front of the gardens; above right: Ellie works on her plot; below right: Valerie Jones enjoying her time in the gardens

to offer when they had to close their older people’s lunch club. ‘We have run a delivery service instead,’ she says. ‘We brought back our chef, who was on furlough, and we now deliver meals to approximately 50 people every week. It has meant that we can keep some contact with our elderly folk. A lot of them do have family and neighbour support, but a significant number don’t. So it gives us a chance to have a conversation on the doorstep with them once a week. It’s lovely that we have been able to continue those connections.’ As lockdown eases, The Salvation Army in Sale will be able to restart some

‘The most important thing we show to people who don’t go to the church is friendship’

UNITED KINGDOM

of its programmes and begin new ways of reaching out to the community. At Easter, the church held its first service since lockdown – in the car park next to the garden. ‘We were able to enjoy being in the presence of each other and God at what is the most important time of the year for us,’ says Rachel. ‘The sun shone, which

was a bonus. Also we get a lot of people out walking who cut across the car park and a lot of them just stood and listened. ‘That included two new guys from the garden, who chose to stay for the whole service before they carried on with their gardening.’ Preaching to plot holders in the allotments, though, isn’t the usual practice. ‘The most important thing we show to people who don’t go to the church is friendship,’ says Valerie Jones, a member of the congregation and part of the gardening community. ‘There’s a mixture of us: eight who belong to or have connections with The Salvation Army and another six who don’t. They know what The Salvation Army is, what we stand for and that we are a Christian church, but we are inclusive and show them warmth.’ Through that warmth and the friendliness of all the people with plots, a community has

flourished. And over the past year people have made good use of the site, says Valerie. ‘We had reached a point before COVID where some people had given up, so the plots became a bit wild. We were wondering if we could carry on like this. But then COVID came, and people were desperately wanting to do things. ‘Two young women – a school teacher and a music teacher – said they’d like to have a go. Then two elderly ladies wanted something to do, so we gave them some raised beds. A single mum got a raised bed for her and her daughter. And then a young man, who lives round the corner with his partner, came round to have a look. We didn’t have anything spare, but we said if he put in the elbow grease, he could dig up some of the grass. So he and his partner did that and they’ve taken on other responsibilities. ‘It really is a community-based place. People are friendly with each other, help one another and share seeds. J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

UNITED KINGDOM

Above and top: the gardens are a peaceful place to visit or work in; right: gardeners have created a WhatsApp group to share photos and keep in touch

Even though it has been a rotten year in many respects, it has opened up this opportunity for people to come and enjoy themselves. ‘The garden is a large space, the size of two football pitches. So people can stand apart. Last year, we had a beautiful early spring and a warm summer, and people were rejoicing in their gardens. It was lovely to see. People have grown closer together and supported one another.’

‘People have grown closer together and supported one another’

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The gardeners have a WhatsApp group where they keep each other informed. ‘One of our elderly ladies broke a bone in her leg and wasn’t able to get out, so one of the young guys has been sending her pictures on WhatsApp to show how her plot is coming on.’ Members of the WhatsApp group have expressed what the space means to them. The garden and allotment site has been significant for all its users over the past year. Valerie says: ‘It has been very special for me and my husband, David, because we’ve managed to keep in touch with people who otherwise would’ve been lonely. It has been lovely to have new friends, and to feel that, out of that blank piece of grass, so much has come.’ Valerie enjoys gardening herself. ‘It’s a joy when you can see the fruit of what you do. Spiritually, it makes you realise that life still goes on, regardless. At the

early stages of lockdown, we’d think, “What is going to come from this?” but then you’d look out the window and see that there’s new life on the trees, bulbs still coming up and flowers still blooming, and you’d remember everything happens in its season. It brings home that all things will come right, you just have to trust that God is in charge, and keep faith and hope.’

First featured in the War Cry, from the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. The UK War Cry is The Salvation Army’s longestrunning publication, and has been published since December 1879.

CANADA

Taking hope to the community by Kristin Ostensen

he Salvation Army in Ajax, Ontario, is now giving ‘hope today’ on the go thanks to a new programme. Launched in April, Hope on Wheels is a mobile unit that meets the needs of community members where they are. The programme currently operates on Wednesday evenings, delivering food and essential supplies to people in downtown Ajax, with plans to expand to nearby Pickering and Uxbridge.The project has been in the works for two years, since Mayor of Ajax Shaun Collier approached Captains Jason and Tammy Sabourin, corps officers (ministers) at Hope Community Church, asking what The Salvation Army could do with funding to combat homelessness. They suggested a versatile response vehicle – Hope on Wheels. ‘The vehicle had to be multi-purpose, multi-use, so

we get the best value for the dollar,’ Captain Jason Sabourin explains. The proposal was accepted and they received a CA$50,000 grant from the Mayor’s Gala in 2019. More funding from various sources followed, totalling $100,000 in all. With a multi-purpose philosophy in mind, the Hope on Wheels vehicle is not simply capable of serving food and drinks. It features collapsible shelves, which can be used to turn the vehicle into a mobile food bank, and it also has benches and a fold-down table with computer capabilities, so the vehicle can be used as an intake office or command post. Captain Sabourin sees it being used for everything from emergency disaster services to outdoor events. ‘We are pretty excited about the possibilities,’ he says, ‘not only to help relieve the burdens people have, but

also go deeper and build relationships. We’re going out there because God cares about people and they’re valuable regardless of the situation they find themselves in. It’s not just a matter of getting food to somebody – we’re taking a holistic approach.’

Above: outreach worker Holly Bain gives a warm welcome from Hope on Wheels; below: the Hope on Wheels van

Prize-winning publications (and more)

Content from The Salvation Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory won 14 awards from the Canadian Christian Communicators Association (formerly Canadian Church Press) in a virtual ceremony. Overall, Salvationist took home seven awards, Faith & Friends received four and digital media garnered three. Magazine award categories ranged from Biblical/Theological Reflection to Feature Layout and Design to the new category of Feature Series. The territorial headquarters marketing and communications department also took first place in the Marketing Campaign category for the COVID-19-related ‘Everyone Needs an Army’ campaign, which featured a red shield-themed face mask. Also highlighted were the editorial department’s Salvationist podcast (second place), and social media output, which earned an honourable mention. The awards were given for work published in the 2020 calendar year. Lieut-Colonel John P. Murray, Secretary for Communications, commented: ‘Once again, we are thankful to our editorial department and marketing and communications team for their excellent work. These awards are a credit to our Salvationist writers, designers, artists and videographers. Contributions from the Ethics Centre, international development, programme and youth departments, and many others from around the territory have made our communications products a standout in their field.’

The Canadian Christian Communicators Association includes representatives from approximately 50 member publications, including mainline, Roman Catholic and evangelical churches. Member publications were invited to enter in more than 30 categories. The awards were judged by accomplished journalists and academics from both the religious and secular media.

From articles on Salvationist.ca, published by the Canada and Bermuda Territory. Content from Salvationist.ca and Faith & Friends can be read online at salvationist.ca J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

NEW ZEALAND

HOUSING

Affordable housing is ‘a dream by Louise Parry

The Salvation Army’s ‘applied Christianity’ is highlighted at the opening of a new housing development attended by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardem

wo new housing developments in Auckland, New Zealand, will become home to the latest whanau (families) who have been taken off the Social Housing Register and moved into affordable, secure accommodation. Most of the tenants have an existing relationship with The Salvation Army. Kaitiakitanga and Te Manaaki Tangata are the latest in a growing portfolio of custom-built social housing projects for The Salvation Army’s Social Housing (SASH) team. Kaitiakitanga was opened in Flat Bush, Auckland, on the same day as Te Manaaki Tangata in the Westgate area. Kaitiakitanga, which means ‘guardianship’ in te reo (Maori), is a development of 46 one- and twobedroom houses. Te Manaaki Tangata, which means ‘hospitality, support and care’, has 22 one- and two-bedroom houses. These are designed to become homes for those who will live there, and a step towards growing communities of support. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern attended the first ceremony with Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods, along with other Members of Parliament, Tainui (Maori) representatives and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff.

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Included in the Flat Bush development is a community hall which will serve as a gathering point for whanau, as well as a place where the local Salvation Army corps (church) can meet and run programmes. Special ‘bump spaces’ encourage interaction among tenants. Also included are grassy, open areas. Tenants were due to move in the week following the opening. Several attended, expressing excitement about the prospect of moving out of motel accommodation and into warm, secure homes of their own. Auckland Mayor Phil Goff praised the Army’s work in building affordable housing which he called ‘the bedrock of what we have to provide’. He said the development of safe, affordable, healthy, dry homes, supported by a chaplaincy and the tenancy management component, was ‘really something to celebrate’. ‘The village is a dream come true for everybody who’s going to live here. The Salvation Army is doing what the first Labour Prime Minister described as “applied Christianity”.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses the crowd at the opening of Kaitiakitanga

‘These are houses people would be proud to live in. There is a pressing need for affordable social housing, but it’s also about quality. You are changing the lives of those you help,’ he said. ‘Poor housing is a cause and a symptom of poverty.’ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recognised the achievements of the new homes but said it was important to keep looking forward. She referenced former Prime Minister Norman Kirk, who said that all people needed was ‘something to do, somewhere to live, someone to love and something to hope for’.

‘I want every child and every family to have what I had, the simple act of warm, affordable housing’

NEW ZEALAND

Far left: Kaitiakitanga housing development; left: (from left) Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods speak with Salvation Army Social Housing (SASH) staff; below left: Matua Toi Senior; below right: Aux-Captain Amiria Te Whiu and Rangi McLean

m come true’ Describing the three houses she had grown up in, which were varied in style and cost, she explained: ‘I had stable, consistent housing. I want every child and every family to have what I had, the simple act of warm, affordable housing.’ Acknowledging The Salvation Army’s partnership with the Government, the Prime Minister said, ‘it is going to take all of us to overcome this crisis we are in now’. Director of SASH, Greg Foster, said the development of Kaitiakitanga was an example of efficient, sustainable building, and was completed 20 per cent faster than a traditional build, with products that well exceed the current building code. ‘Eighteen months ago we wanted to build quicker and surpass building standards in New Zealand,’ he said.

The Salvation Army’s dual desire to create better living conditions and a community of belonging – along with sustainable, efficient building practices – meant the houses met the standards of insulation required under the new building code twice over. During the ceremony, Dave Dobbyn’s song ‘Nau Mai Ra’ (‘Welcome Home’) blared from speakers at the next-door primary school. Greg said the song played across the playground at the conclusion of every break. Moving on to the important issue of finance, Greg explained that partnerships with those investing in finance were key to the success of the two new developments. Kaitiakitanga alone cost NZ$18.6 million to build. ‘Raising funds for the two builds was not easy, but we had a wonderful partnership with

Community Finance who looked for investors for this programme,’ he said. These included Generate KiwiSaver ($20 million), Lindsay Foundation ($5 million), Tindall Foundation ($5 million), Clare Foundation, Foundation North, Matua Foundation, Shona Tull and St John’s College Trust Board. Territorial Commander Commissioner Mark Campbell said the Army’s work in housing was aimed at ‘breaking the cycle of homelessness in New Zealand and ending homelessness today’. Following the ceremonies, plaques were unveiled and the Prime Minister and the Housing Minister met with tenants, all of whom have been on the Social Housing Register for a period of time, and will now pay 25 per cent of their income in rent, while the Government tops up the rest to support the Army’s mahi (work) in the social housing sector. One resident, Legrand – a single dad with two children – was referred to SASH by Manukau Community Ministries. He was living in emergency housing and finding it difficult to obtain suitable housing as a single father. He applied for countless flats and either had not heard back or had his application rejected. He explained that his priority was to find a safe and stable home for him and his children. He couldn’t wait to move in and start caring for his children in their ‘forever home’.

J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

NEW ZEALAND

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (fourth from right) and Housing Minister Dr Megan Woods (fourth from left) with the Salvation Army Social Housing (SASH) team

Waikeria, her partner and child were referred to SASH by Royal Oak Community Ministries. A young whanau, they were residents within The Salvation Army’s Transitional Housing programme and struggling to find a private rental. They aspired to live in a safe, warm, dry home with their baby. Waikeria said she is excited for what the future will hold, and has dreams the family would one day become homeowners. The second opening of a new Salvation Army social housing community was attended by tenants who had already moved into their homes. Held in conjunction with the opening of the Flat Bush development, the opening of Te Manaaki Tangata at Westgate was attended by Housing Minister Megan Woods, Tainui and other dignitaries. For Edward, a tenant in the development, the ongoing support provided by being part of a community was one of the bonuses of being housed by The Salvation Army. Edward moved to Te Manaaki Tangata when it opened in October 2020. He proudly opened his door to show Megan Woods and others around. Effusive in thanking Mackenzie Williams, from

‘We believe we have created something special with our new homes, and new sense of community’ 18 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Royal Oak Community Ministries, he said: ‘She stood with me. I’ve had my down moments and she propped me up and she put that positive feeling back into me.’ Prior to moving into Te Manaaki Tangata, Edward was staying in Mount Albert Road, Auckland, and paying NZ$360 per week for a tiny room with no bathroom or kitchen. ‘There’s a community here,’ he said. ‘We talk to each other and help each other. ‘The Salvation Army helped not only me, but a lot of tenants, even before we moved here, and they still help us. The Salvation Army backs us. They still give us support in our lives. They haven’t forgotten about us.’ Megan Woods said everyone had a part to play in breaking cycles of homelessness intergenerationally. ‘We’re all part of breaking cycles in communities that don’t always help us. Te Ope Whakaora [The Salvation Army – or literally ‘the Army that Brings Life’) is committed to this. ‘Three further, approved projects in the pipeline show what “aggressive partnership” with a CHP [Community Housing Provider] like The Salvation Army can achieve.’ She thanked tenants for bringing ‘warmth and aroha’ (love/affection) to make a community and acknowledged the innovation of Community Finance in bringing these houses online, adding: ‘Partnerships are what is going to get us through this crisis.’

Ms Woods said the Government will deliver 18,000 new social and transitional houses by 2024, but that there is no single solution to housing problems. ‘Believe me, I would like it if there was,’ she said. ‘Cheaper, faster homes I think is what we are all wanting to see.’ Greg Foster said he often assesses new units and homes based on whether or not he would be proud to have his mother live there. He reported that his mum had given the new homes her seal of approval! ‘My mum loved the spaciousness of the homes and how warm they felt. At SASH, we believe we have created something special with our new homes, and new sense of community. These homes will give many of our whanau a fresh start to their lives. ‘This is all about the tenants,’ Greg continued ‘Our progress as The Salvation Army is that this is the place where new beginnings will be.’ Captain Daniel Buckingham, Westgate corps officer (minister), thanked Tainui for their support. ‘It’s a privilege to use this whenua (land) for this purpose,’ he said. The next step is construction of a new corps (church) building, with a large hall available for worship and for community groups to use, and the inclusion of a Family Store. Salvation Army social housing projects are planned for Hamilton and may also be built in Masterton.

Article from War Cry, published by The Salvation Army’s New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory. All issues can be read online at issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

No obstacle to God’s love

EXPERIENCE

SWEDEN

Words by Carina Tyskbo, photos by Emma Larsson

Mackan Andersson’s way of life has been characterised by strong integrity and a great love for the vulnerable. The boy who discovered The Salvation Army via television became a scout, choir member, stand-up comedian, union leader and finally a Salvation Army officer in Malmö.

‘WHEN I hear prayer sighs in all different languages around me, I think that this is how it will be in Heaven.’ That’s what 46-year-old Captain Mackan Andersson, Salvation Army officer (minister) in Malmö, says. If there is one thing that seems clear to Mackan, it is this: differences strengthen. Differences are challenging. Differences allow us to truly reflect the Kingdom of God. And his career has stood out from the crowd in several ways. As a seven-year-old, he and his twin brother sat in Älvsjö, south of Stockholm, and watched a TV service where The Salvation Army in Sweden turned 100 years old. A children’s choir sang and Mackan, whose family was not involved in the Church at all, was affected. He asked his mother, ‘What is this?’

‘I wanted to give stand-up comedy a year. It ended up being thirteen!’

Explaining the Christian faith to a firstgrader was tricky, but Mackan’s mother took the children to Vasakåren Corps, where a co-worker was involved. And Mackan stayed. For a long time! It started with driving and scouts. ‘The Salvation Army became a safe place to hang out,’ he says, ‘but my personal faith only came in my teens in a Pentecostal context. But soon I felt that if this was to happen for real, it must have practical consequences in my life. That is why The Salvation Army became my congregation.’ I was speaking to Mackan on the phone, and in the background I could hear the voices of his two children, Isac and Lucas, and his wife, Astrid-Levina. Already as a 13-year-old, Mackan was strongly influenced by The Salvation Army’s social commitment to vulnerable people. The then director of the shelter in Stockholm, Lennart Eldh, meant a lot as a spiritual role model, and in The Salvation Army Mackan found no closed doors.

Above: Captain Mackan Andersson in Malmö

‘To be part of a context where people were so different to me meant an incredible deal and has shaped my view of what a church is, even in adulthood,’ he says. As an 18-year-old, he took the plunge and became a Salvation Army soldier. Moving out of his home, he lived at a few different Stockholm addresses, including a group home in Vårby Gård. There he was involved in founding a new corps (church) while working with young people in the city. With his then wife, he lived for a time in the suburb of Hagsätra while working at Telia, in a department that eventually came to be closed down. Mackan received severance pay and decided to invest in stand-up comedy, which he always liked. ‘I wanted to give stand-up comedy a year. It ended up being 13! The reason was really that I wanted to preach better J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

SWEDEN

Above: Mackan loves music and has played in a number of bluegrass bands; right and far right: a ju-jitsu club (which Mackan sets up the mats for) helps young people and adults to feel safe from bullying

so that people could understand. If they did not understand, at least they would not suffer!’ says Mackan, with a laugh. So instead of taking humour to the Church, Mackan took religion to the stage and pubs. He became the salvation soldier who was funny. ‘Suddenly I had some kind of confidence to talk about holiness, God and faith with people who thought they were just watching stand-up,’ he says. ‘It was incredibly cool.’ He describes his stand-up style as quite kind and believes that comedy is an agreement between artist and audience. Many people have wanted to talk about faith or The Salvation Army after a gig. It was all the more unexpected for Christians to behave like Mackan, as the expectations of being wise and serious often got in the way of the humour experience. Criticism came from churchgoers who objected to his choice of profession. But in 2002 and 2004 he held the country’s first Christian comedy festival, Comedy Zone. The festival wanted to encourage the Church to find its way back to humour and have an opportunity to explain the gospel in a way that modern people understand. ‘To preach is to minister, to make a stand is to entertain,’ says Mackan. ‘These years have given me a sensitivity 20 | ALL THE WORLD |

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in quickly sensing whether people are comfortable or uncomfortable and if they are listening to what is being said or how it is being said. This is exactly what I take with me in the role of officer, which I have been since 2013.’ He can still perform but he is very careful about what he says yes to. ‘If it is around Christmas, I give the money to the Christmas pot. Otherwise, I perform where the audience could never buy a ticket – in prisons, treatment homes and emergency rooms. I also have a ready-made thematic idea –

sharing what it is like to go blind.’ Because since 2012, following a poisoning, Mackan Andersson has been diagnosed blind. Mackan says that life stayed the same but also became very different when he lost his sight. One thing he is clear about, though: ‘That I do not see is not the most important thing about me.’ But, of course, life with a disability means a lot of practical changes. Travel services must be applied for, vision centres contacted, grants applied for. The poor connections between

‘We learn from each other all the time and can laugh at the culture clashes’

SWEDEN

Below: Mackan and his twin brother at Vasakåren in Stockholm; right: Mackan with his wife, Astrid, and children Isac, Lucas and Olivia Alhbin (photos from Mackan’s personal collection)

regions in Sweden makes it difficult for those who move. Mackan got to understand this for himself when he became a union leader in Umeå. Getting to know a new city as a blind person was tough. He enjoyed the people and nature, but when he moved to Malmö after two years, it was like coming home for real. He says: ‘I have had 20 different addresses in my life but now I have lived here for six years. In Malmö, I am not disabled by not seeing. I find everywhere, have friends, can ask for help. And my children were born here, live with me part-time and have their mother close.’ At the Salvation Army corps in Malmö, half of Mackan’s time is devoted to adults and children with disabilities. He teaches Braille, accompanies authorities or health workers and leads the project ‘Safe from bullying’, where children, young people or adults with and without disabilities can practice ju-jitsu. The rest of his time is given to the regular duties of a Salvation Army officer. The refugee wave in 2015 significantly reshaped the corps. And this is where the words about the ‘prayer sighs’ come in. ‘At our services we have participants who speak Arabic, Roma, English, Spanish, Slovenian,’ he explains. ‘It’s incredibly rich.’ He admits that the focus on both disability and immigrants is a great asset but also a challenge. A lot of things have to work – translations,

interpretation, auditory loops, hymn sheets with a Braille version. A multilingual congregation always risks being divided, but the corps has strived to stick together into a single worshipcelebrating group. ‘We learn from each other all the time and can laugh at the culture clashes,’ says Mackan. ‘A Swede wants to get to church on time, but on the other hand it is completely impossible for a Syrian to stay home on a Sunday because he happens to be late!’ He tells of when they celebrated Christmas together in 2019 and the oldest woman – more than 90 years old – exclaimed: ‘Do not give me herring and ham that I have eaten a hundred times before – I will not get many chances to eat Arabic Christmas food!’ Mackan sees this togetherness as being God-breathed: ‘Christ is not divided, then we should not be either. Of course, we have worked hard for integration, but it is the work of the Holy Spirit that we have succeeded in becoming a church. We are not hip, not so good musically – but we are a

body. And I love my Salvation Army.’ But he does not shy away from what should be improved. The functional issues, for example, where The Salvation Army has not previously been very good at working with, among other things, the visually impaired. Right now, Mackan, like many others, has had to change his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Worship services are offered via computer, while Bible studies and ‘Bully Safe’ have had to take a break. But even during this time of difficulty and uncertainty, Mackan is looking out for people who are in difficulty. ‘The distribution of food bags, guidance talks and the work against human trafficking have continued with certain physical restrictions,’ he says. ‘We have had to decide – the social work must never stop.’

From Stridsropet (The War Cry), a Swedishlanguage magazine published by The Salvation Army’s Sweden and Latvia Territory: fralsningsarmen.se/stridsropet J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS

FROM AROUND THE WORLD

AUSTRALIA

Drought and about The Salvation Army in Gladstone has come to the aid of drought-stricken residents of the Boyne Valley in Central Queensland. Gladstone corps officer Captain Chris Ford said residents in Builyan, 100 kilometres south of Gladstone, had resorted to showering at the town’s community hall because the taps had been ‘turned off’ as freshwater bores supplying the town had all but dried up. Chris said that while there had been 50mm of rain recently, it was not enough. He said a corps (church) member who monitored rainfall said the region usually received 500mm to 700mm of rain a year, but his gauge had recorded only 336mm in the past 12 months. Kirsten Laney, from Kirsten’s Cottage in Builyan, contacted the Army for help because of its reputation for ‘always going above and beyond’ in helping people. Pauline Dobbie, Gladstone Corps Ministry Assistant, said farmers in the valley are ‘a proud people’ and that had Kirsten not brought to the Army’s attention the dire need for water, ‘we probably would have been none the wiser’.

The corps and its community response team swung into action, organising to get hundreds of litres of water to Builyan. Chris said the Army had enacted a recovery response protocol to buy pallets of water from Woolworths to transport to Builyan. Captain Leanne Stevens, Queensland Associate Coordinator for the Army’s Strategic Emergency and Disaster Management (SEDM), said the most logical and immediate response to the call for help was to get fresh drinking water to the community: ‘Bottled water was the easiest and quickest solution. SEDM provided the funding to support this initiative.’

Chris said because the Family Store truck could not carry the heavy load of water (four tonnes), Avis car and truck rental company provided a flatbed truck for the mission. A 48-pack of bottled water was handed out to each person in Builyan in the first shipment, plus an extra pack for each family, with more deliveries planned. Report by Darryl Whitehouse for Others, published by The Salvation Army’s Australia Territory: www.others.org.au

ARGENTINA

A story of faith and trust Venedictor Chávez, who is a Salvation Army soldier at Buenos Aires Central Corps (church), shared his faith journey with El Salvacionista, published in Spanish by the South America East Territory (which oversees the ministry in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay): ‘Two years ago I was angry with God,’ he writes. ‘I felt that I gave a lot, that I participated and helped in all activities of the church, that I was always there when I was called upon.’ In return, however, he didn’t receive what he expected. It seemed to Venedictor that everyone was advancing, that they had what they

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were looking for while he became frustrated and full of envy. One day the Lord spoke to him: ‘He told me that all my concerns had to be left in his hands and to trust him. That day the Lord touched my heart and spoke very loudly to me. From that moment on, I left out all those thoughts that anguished and worried me. I only thought about my relationship with the Lord, I left everything in his hands, he knew what my heart longed for. ‘Little by little, everything began changing. The Lord gave me a stable job, which allowed me to live alone. Something that was previously unthinkable could be realised.’ Now he is starting his second year in the music career he had dreamed of. He says this is ‘all thanks to God’.

Venedictor concludes: ‘God is faithful. He teaches us that in the worst moments we only have to trust him and put our concerns in his hands. We just have to have faith and trust.’

SNAPSHOTS

SOUTH AFRICA

Border Crossing Ministry Captain Velani Buthelezi (Public Relations Secretary, Southern Africa Territory) has taken over as Editor of The Reporter, the territory’s publication with a focus on practical ministries. Ahead of his first issue, he visited The Salvation Army’s ministry on the border with Zimbabwe, from where he sent this report:

Thousands of people were trying to cross the border, many struggling to maintain social distancing. There were women with children, and men, young and old, who had been in the queue for days. My heart went out to Nyasha* (27) who had spent the past three days in the queue. She was exhausted.

The enhanced border control measures, introduced to help minimise the spread of the coronavirus, including a new strain, created delays of up to six days, in hellish heat, at closed borders.

The delay meant she had missed days of work in South Africa and she was concerned she would lose her job. She was also worried that by the time she got to the front of the queue her paperwork, confirming that she had tested negative for coronavirus, would have expired.

Salvation Army teams – each consisting of 11 people with specially produced personal protective equipment – have been working at the border posts connecting South Africa with Zimbabwe (Beitbridge), Mozambique (Lebombo), Eswatini (Oshoek) and Lesotho (Maseru Bridge).

Queues of trucks waiting to take goods across the border stretched back for more than 15 kilometres. These drivers had my full sympathy. They were tired, frustrated and in fear for their lives. They complained about the lack of access to water, food and ablution facilities. Justice* told me he hadn’t slept for two nights as it was too dangerous to leave his vehicle.

At each location The Salvation Army distributed health information and gave up to 800 travellers a pack consisting of 1.5 litres of water, long-life milk, bread, energy bars, fruit and sweet treats as well as bars of soap, a washcloth and hand sanitiser. I was fortunate to spend some time at Beitbridge, the busiest border post in Southern Africa, and help our emergency response team bring relief to people in real need. In these hot conditions and with these abhorrent delays people were suffering badly from dehydration, heat exhaustion, malnutrition and significant stress. *Not their real names

Reporter can be accessed online at www.salvationarmy.org.za/the-reporter

J UL Y – S E P TE M BE R 2021 | ALL THE WORLD |

THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SALVATION ARMY

In more than 130 countries, The Salvation Army’s ministry is as varied as the needs it faces. And wherever The Salvation Army is being used by God to change lives, All the World is there too, gathering the good news to share around the globe. Where else could you learn about church ministry in Kathmandu? Schooling in St Lucia? Hospitals in Harare? Student care in Singapore? Prison visits in Poland? Disaster responses in Dhaka? Feeding programmes in the Philippines? Care for the elderly in Colombo? … and lots more! Published from International Headquarters in London since 1884, All the World seeks to demonstrate the innovative, God-inspired work being carried out through The Salvation Army around the world. Written in everyday language, the bright, modern-looking quarterly magazine is designed to be shared with friends, neighbours, schools, libraries, donors or local and national government personnel, providing an eyeopening view of The Salvation Army’s amazing international ministry. What could YOU do with an All the World ?

Subscriptions can be bought online at sar.my/atwsub or through Salvation Army trade departments. This artwork is available to download from http://sar.my/atw127countries

Why not read back issues at www.salvationarmy.org/alltheworld and share content through social media?