NEW LOOK!
Focus on ... LIBERIA MONGOLIA – providing water CHILE – after the earthquake REWIND – using All the World
OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010
VOL 48 NO 4
Flood recovery in Pakistan
C O U N T RY O R T H E M E
OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010
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CONTENTS
Visit ALL THE WORLD at: www.salvationarmy.org/alltheworld
UPFRONT From the Editor
04
INSIGHT Thoughts on the World Youth Convention
05
EMERGENCY Pakistan floods
08
HOME AND AWAY Reflections from here and there
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FACT FILE Liberia facts and figures
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FOCUS ON ... The Salvation Army in Liberia
15
BEGINNINGS Mongolia water scheme
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EMERGENCY Chile earthquake
18
REWIND A story from the past
19
OUTREACH Australia Eastern’s Flying Padre
22
SNAPSHOTS News from around the world
S O PEC FF IA ER L
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15 19
CLASSIC SALVATIONIST TEXTS
£3.95 each or all three for £7.00
2 ALL THE WORLD JULY–SEPTEMBER 2010
An Adventure Shared
Practical Religion
What and Why We Believe
by Catherine Baird
by Catherine Booth
by Harry Dean
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Prices quoted include postage if purchased from Salvation Books at International Headquarters. Please send a cheque made payable to The Salvation Army and addressed to: Salvation Books – Attention: Debbie Condon The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 101 Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 4EH, United Kingdom. Salvation Books publications can also be purchased from Amazon.co.uk
Vive la revolution! WELCOME to All the World – but not as you know it. There is a famous saying in French: ‘Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.’ Its literal translation is: ‘The more it changes, the more it’s the same thing’ but a more accurate interpretation is ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same.’ This, then, is the ‘Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose’ issue of All the World! I present to you a new layout featuring fonts and design motifs never before seen in an All the World. There are new regular and occasional series with more pages yet all for the same price. Reader, we’re spoiling you! I should, at this point, pay tribute to the magazine’s designer, Berni Georges, who has been both exhaustive and exhausted in his efforts to make this redesign as effective as possible. Some things, of course, have stayed the same. There is still a mix of articles from all around the world (the only continent not represented is Antartica but, rest assured, if work begins with the penguin population, All the World will get the story!). There will still be a strong focus on showing how God is using The Salvation Army around the world to change people’s lives.
Salvation Army meets the world’. This encompasses the social, development, health and emergency work that have formed the nucleus of All the World during my time as Editor. It also takes in evangelistic and outreach efforts and much more. The Salvation Army has, since its inception in the mid-19th century, been pro-active in its relationship with ‘the world’. Open-air preaching in Victorian
‘If work begins with the penguin population, All the World will get the story’
Kevin Sims, Editor
UPFRONT
fRoM THE EDIToR
It’s to this revolutionary streak that I’d like to dedicate this different-but-the-same issue of All the World. From the officers of Liberia who work out of a shack, to those in the fledging Salvation Army in Romania or the Roman Catholic country of Italy, to the emergency services workers in Pakistan and Chile who go where angels would fear to tread – to these people and others who dedicate their lives to the service of others, I salute you.
The Salvation Army meets the world headon every day and All the World will be here to celebrate both its constancy and its willingness to do a new thing. In short, it’s the same as ever – but different!
Britain caused such uproar that Salvationists were attacked in the streets or arrested. Even today, Salvationists are willing to put themselves in danger in order to help people’s material needs or save their souls.
Part of the discussions ahead of the redesign touched not simply on how All the World should look but on what it should actually be. If we were starting from scratch, what should All the World do? This has led to the focus being widened a little. Some brainstorming brought about a phrase that struck a chord – ‘Where The
EDIToR Kevin Sims DESIGN AND ARTWoRK Berni Georges EDIToRIAL offICE The Salvation Army International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH, United Kingdom Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101; fax: [44] (0)20 7332 8079 Email: IHQ-AlltheWorld@salvationarmy.org foUNDER William Booth GENERAL Shaw Clifton
EDIToR-IN-CHIEf Lieut-Colonel Laurie Robertson Annual subscription from Salvationist Publishing and Supplies (periodicals), 66-78 Denington Road, Denington Industrial Estate, Wellingborough, Northants NN8 2QH, United Kingdom Cost: United Kingdom £3.00 Worldwide surface £3.50 Worldwide airmail £4.50
Published by Shaw Clifton, General of The Salvation Army. Printed in Great Britain © The General of The Salvation Army 2010
Single copy 40p (UK), or from any Salvation Army headquarters. Published quarterly
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W O R L D Y O U T H C O N V E N T I O N
‘I’VE LEARNED So MUCH.’
‘WYC – what a great experience! We got to know a lot of people from different countries =) God spoke to our mind and heart.’ ‘WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!’
Raised up THE Salvation Army’s World Youth Convention took place in Stockholm, Sweden from 15-18 July 2010. It was the most international Salvation Army event ever – delegates attended from almost all the 121 countries in which The Salvation Army is at work – and the most widely available event – all meetings were broadcast live on the Internet through the www.raisedup.org website. More important than the impressive figures, however, the convention had a huge impact on the lives and spiritual awareness of the 1,000 delegates.
By To S o PH
Each group prepared a summary of its discussions. The image on the right was created using Wordle (a free application from www.wordle.net) to draw a word cloud of the main themes. The size of the word indicates its frequency in the discussions. 4 | ALL THE WORLD |
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‘God has shown me what I have to do next.’
‘To be with close to 1,000 young Salvationists from across the world really put into perspective how big this church really is and how much potential the Army has to grow.’
‘In 2050 I'll be the General and I'll be organising another one.’
An innovative feature of the World youth Congress was the Buzz Groups. At designated times delegates met with others from their own territory to discuss prepared questions that focused on going deeper with God while looking ahead to what would happen when they returned home.
‘I’ve made so many friends from all over the world.’
‘I was blessed in many ways.’
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Here are some responses to the event and a few photos that give a flavour of WYC 2010.
‘Let’s keep the Army flag flying high ... and let’s keep the fire burning in ourselves.’
‘It was the best time of my lifeee!!!’ ‘I’m going back home to share as much as I can.’
P A K I S TA N F L O O D S
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HEN you work with numbers as I do, statistics are simply a set of figures to be analysed and presented in a final report. Even Pakistan flood statistics – 20 million people affected, one million homes destroyed, six million people without shelter, eight million children in danger of health risks and 1,600 people dead – are dealt with in this way. Statistics have value in the sense that they provide information. They present a factual, unemotional account of what has happened and the response to an event. In presenting the statistics of The Salvation Army in Pakistan regarding our current flood relief programmes, we can say that – at the time of writing – the Army has received funding to help at least 6,500 families with bedding and utensils, and a further 4,625 families with tents at a cost of US$1.4 million. We are waiting on approval and further funding to enable another 4,100 families to be helped with utensils and bedding. A woman and her family take home bedding and cooking packs from a Salvation Army distribution
Cries, damaged lives and statistics By Andrew Lee But statistics don’t tell the full story. What about the people? What about those who had to walk five kilometres – at times through chest-high water – carrying their disabled brother to safety? What about the relief camps where various people turn up to see what’s happening, write a story (including statistics) and never come back to provide help? At the end of July, heavy monsoon rains created a slow-moving natural disaster. It affected the newly named Khyber Pukhtunkha province, devastating many homes. Some villages were warned that dams would release excess water to
prevent damage. However, last year they had the same warning and no water was released, so this time they didn’t believe it and stayed. In some cases the waters seeped through mud floors while people slept, and when morning came the water was already knee deep inside their homes. By afternoon, watching from higher grounds, they saw their mud-brick structures either swept away or submerged. What little they had was now replaced with nothing. For many in the country it was seen to be a localised flood that didn’t affect their lives. Only when the surging waters O CT OBE R– DE CE MB ER 2 01 0 | ALL THE WORLD |
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P A K I S TA N F L O O D S
The flooded streets of Charsadda
‘There are stories of armed bandits holding up convoys of trucks delivering aid’ started to head toward the province of Punjab did many realise that this was something bigger than they had seen before. Millions were evacuated and most found shelter with relatives willing to take them. The size of this disaster meant the efforts of the military and non-government organisations (NGOs) were not enough. Some individuals have seen the seriousness of the situation and have helped, even generously driving to flood-affected areas with carloads of food, giving it out without regard to the danger they were putting themselves in. However the danger is real. I visited some flood-affected areas as part of The Salvation Army’s assessment team. We
A traumatised businessman who lost everything in the floods
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passed a large truck with people distributing bread at the side of the road but the recipients started fighting over the food, worried they would be left out. A car we sped past was mobbed by at least 20 people. There are stories of armed bandits holding up convoys of trucks delivering aid. Heading into Charsadda, where the River Kabul had caused terrible damage, we were guided through the back streets toward the riverbank and shown a few houses that were damaged. However, being an adventurous accountant, I ignored the warnings that further down the street towards the river it was still flooded and headed that way with the divisional commander, divisional finance officer, two guides and two young boys who looked tough. Following the local residents and taking their advice, I avoided the open sewer on the right side of the path and tiptoed through the debris in rubber boots. At times the mud was so thick that my boots got stuck. As I walked along the streets, residents still living in their badly damaged homes were surprised to see me there. Most wanted to know what uniform I was wearing!
During translated conversations with the locals, it seems that we were the first people to make it through to them. I was the first to visit but I felt sad that I could not give any assistance except by the encouragement of me being there. A father was carrying two children through the knee-high water and his daughter dropped a shoe. As it floated by I manage to retrieve it and put it back on her foot. A small act of kindness put smiles on a few faces. Coming within about 30 metres of the river, we finally had to stop as the water level was rising again. As I made my way through the flooded alleyways, houses were either collapsed, full of mud or badly damaged. One owner showed me his two-storey house and told me the waters had reached the top floor. The family had sat on the edge of the roof for about two days until the waters receded. All their possessions were damaged by mud and water, and the owner’s dog had since refused to come down from the roof of another building. Mishri, a man with four sons, can see no hope for the future. He believes that when he is able to go back home he will find their house destroyed. His son, Akeel, thinks his school will be in a similar situation. The problem for them is that Mishri has no permanent job. He works as a day labourer, getting paid when there is work available. He asked if The Salvation Army could help by providing a tent for shelter – winter is a few months
P A K I S TA N F L O O D S
Left: an elderly man in Charsadda tries to dry some of his belongings; below: Andrew Lee speaks to an affected family; bottom: wrecked belongings are piled up in the street
away – or by offering some work so he can earn an income to support his family. It is difficult when a statistic has a name, a face and a story. To show compassion and yet be wise enough not to make a whole string of promises is difficult. To walk into a camp and be surrounded by a sea of sad faces and to see the utter desolation when they talk about what happened and what lies ahead in the future would bring tears to anyone’s eyes. But even those understandable tears would only add to the misery of the floods and the sense of helplessness. In the weeks since the disaster began I have resolved not to dwell on the helplessness but to offer what assistance I can with the abilities that I have in finance and administration. It’s not the most glamorous of duties compared to emergency response in the field but it is integral to it. Getting the stories sent out across the world, making enquiries with various people about funding, writing funding proposals, ensuring purchase and delivery is correct, making sure the distribution is documented and finally writing the completion reports as quickly and accurately as possible – to ensure more funding – is hard work and can be exhausting when time is of the essence. I’m from Australia and am used to a different pace of life to that which I find in Pakistan. Dealing in a society that holds a different meaning of time can be frustrating. There is a word people use here, kal, literally meaning ‘not today’, that is used for the English words yesterday or tomorrow based on the context of the sentence. Inevitably, in my experience, it actually means ‘at some point’ – with an unsaid ‘maybe’!
There were days when we were promised that an item would come but it would not show up until a few days later after a constant stream of phone calls chasing it up. And due to the massive scale of the disaster, even with pleas and negotiations the prices of most items are invariably inflated. Being a soldier of The Salvation Army has given me some values that make my work easier in a predominantly Muslim
‘It is difficult when a statistic has a name, a face and a story’
society. The Salvation Army’s mission statement call to ‘meet human needs in [Jesus’] name without discrimination’ is an important reminder for me. Out of the 21 million people that need help following the floods in Pakistan, only a very small percentage will be helped by The Salvation Army, due to limited resources. So that mission value holds me in stead to help ‘without discrimination’ people who have been allocated to us by the local government. It would be easy to choose to help only minorities or our own people but we don’t work that way. ‘Love your neighbour’ as shown through Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan means helping those who are in need and ensuring we see the people behind the statistics. Andrew Lee is Chief Accountant in The Salvation Army’s Pakistan Territory
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H O M E A N D A W AY
A nEW 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 ROXANA SANDU The Salvation Army began work in Romania in 1999 and Roxana Cucu was the first Romanian to become a Salvation Army officer. She shares her ministry with her husband, Captain Ionut Sandu, and in June 2010 gave birth to a daughter, karina
What is your role in The Salvation Army? I’m the corps officer (church minister) in Craiova, Romania. What would be your typical day? I usually plan every day, so when I get up I have in my mind exactly what I will do in that day. It starts with prayer, devotions, breakfast and preparing for the programmes at the corps. Now, because I’m a new mother, my daughter changes the order! How did you meet The Salvation Army? I met The Salvation Army in 1999 when my three sisters invited me. They had been to a children’s club which they liked very much. Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’? My hero was Aux-Captain Muriel Sims (a Salvation Army officer from the UK who devoted her life in retirement to the people of Romania). In spite of her old age she served God till the end. Her faith encouraged me a lot.
Left: Captain Roxana Sandu comforts a local woman; below: helping children with their education
What is your favourite Bible verse? Proverbs 3:5: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding’ (New International Version). What is your favourite Salvation Army song? ‘I Serve a Risen Saviour’. How do you think The Salvation Army in Romania differs from the rest of the world? The Army is new in Romania. We don’t have much of our own resources. Many countries support us so we can survive. What particular challenges does The Salvation Army face in Romania? People come from an Orthodox tradition and don’t want to know the Army. It’s hard to make them trust it. If you were appointed General, what would be the first thing you would change? I would invest more in the countries where The Salvation Army has opened recently, but then I would ask them to find ways to become self-supporting. If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose and why? I never thought of going somewhere else. But if God needs me to, I will go. What skills do you use most in your work? I’m a good planner, administrator, teacher and I like to work with children. What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? Teaching, advising. How would you like to be remembered? As a faithful servant. What’s so special about The Salvation Army? I loved the Salvation Army from the beginning because it was close to the people and got involved with them, showing love and care.
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away
Ò MAJOR DAVID CAVANAGH was born in the uk but, with his wife, Major Elaine Cavanagh, has served most of his Salvation Army officership in Italy.
What is your role in The Salvation Army? My wife and I are the officers of florence Corps and directors of the small guest-house with it.
How did you meet The Salvation Army? I was working as a very junior university lecturer in Sicily, and attending a Pentecostal church, when a student friend turned up on my doorstep one evening and took me off to meet a couple of friends, who turned out to be the officers of The Salvation Army corps in that city at the time. Do you have a claim to fame? In my first appointment in Italy I was invited to take part in a Sunday afternoon Tv programme which followed the Italian Serie A football (soccer) championship. As a keen football fan I was happy to be involved but it soon got to the stage where I could not set foot outside the door without being recognised. for a short time I was probably the most famous Salvation Army lieutenant in the world!
&AWAY
What is your favourite Bible verse? ‘Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and billows have gone over me’ (Psalm 42:7, New Revised Standard Version).
What is your favourite Salvation Army song? A toss-up between ‘Burning, Burning’, ‘Christ is All’ and ‘My Life Must be Christ’s Broken Bread’.
How do you think The Salvation Army in Italy differs from the rest of the world? It’s Italian! More seriously, I’m not sure it’s different from everywhere else in the world but compared to the uk, where the Training College told me to plan at least 12 and preferably 18 months in advance, in Italy everything is always thrown together at the last minute – l’arte del arrangiarsi. The miracle is that it does usually all come together!
What particular challenges does The Salvation Army face in Italy? We face the challenge of finding the right balance between recovering our rich spiritual heritage and identity without slipping into sterile traditionalism, at a time when the Army’s international
&AWAY
What would be your typical day? There isn’t one, but over the course of a week I’ll deal with paperwork, maintenance in the house (I can’t call a plumber every time a cistern leaks), visit people in their homes, prepare Bible studies and Sunday meetings, go to a committee meeting of some sort, study for my distance degree in Religion and Theology, and sometimes write some kind of statement on moral, ethical or theological issues we face in our relations with other churches.
identity and style is in a phase of extensive transformation. To some degree, that’s a challenge everyone faces, but in our case it is a particular challenge because there was a long period (about the last quarter of the 20th century) in which we almost completely lost any real sense of the specific identity and vocation of The Salvation Army within the wider Christian Church.
If you were appointed General, what would be the first thing you would change? I would charge the yearbook editor to include (yearly average) attendance figures and conversion figures in the record of statistics published. That would give us a more realistic picture and show what trends are emerging, enabling us to better respond.
If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose and why? I would be interested to work in Spain because – leaving aside Eastern Europe – it is the only country in Europe which has seen growth over the past 10 years, and I’d like to see if there is anything that we could learn to aid us in Italy. My wife, however, would like to work in health programmes in Africa and I’ve promised to follow if God opens the right doors for that. What skills do you use most in your work? My initial degree was in English and American literature, and I think the skills of literary analysis (applied to the Bible) and the skills of writing play a large part in my ministry. Otherwise, I’m the typical officer – jack of all trades!
What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? Teaching. I would like one day to serve in the area of theological education. How would you like to be remembered? As a good husband, father and friend who tried to live the virtues of what Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams has described as ordinary routine fidelity. What’s so special about The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army has a particular genius for holding together elements of the spiritual life which are often separated in other churches: evangelistic focus and compassionate service; theological depth and simplicity of expression; holy lifestyle and openness with understanding. The single elements can all be found elsewhere, but the rich mix of them is unique to The Salvation Army.
&AWAY
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FACTFILE
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Above: the Liberia national flag; below: the Liberia coat of arms
LIBERIA = The population of Liberia is 3,476,608 = The infant mortality rate is almost one in 100, though some figures claim that there are almost 156 deaths for every 1,000 live births
= Civil wars beginning in 1989 and 1999 crippled the country and led to thousands of deaths
= Liberia has an employment rate of only 15 per cent
= The official life expectancy of a baby girl born between 2005-2010 is 59.4 years. for a boy it is 56.7 years. Some figures put these averages as low as 44.7
= using gross national product per capita as a measure, Liberia is the fourth poorest country in the world
= The Republic of Liberia was founded in
from top: a view of Lake Piso in Boni country, current President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf; praise time during a Salvation Army meeting
1847 after the region was colonised by freed American slaves with the help of a private organisation called the American Colonization Society
= Monrovia, the capital city, is named after James Monroe, the fifth president of the united States and a strong supporter of the new country
= The set-up of the government of Liberia and even its flag, with a star and stripes, show the strong links between Liberia and the uSA Information from The Salvation Army Year Book 2010 and internet sources including www.un.org
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The SALvATION Army IN LIberIA The Salvation Army began work in Liberia in 1988 Languages used by The Salvation Army in Liberia: Bassa, English, Gola, krahn and Pele There are 2,028 senior soldiers (full Salvation Army members), 54 adherents and 424 junior soldiers The Salvation Army has 52 officers (full-time ministers), eight auxiliarycaptains, five envoys, five corps leaders and 206 employees The Salvation Army in Liberia runs 19 corps (churches), 18 outposts, 12 schools – with 2,992 pupils, eight child day care centres, one clinic and one mobile clinic
F CUS ON
Liberia
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AS it Libya? Namibia? Siberia? These countries trip off the tongue as colleagues and friends struggle to remember the name of the country that the international community tried for so long to forget. The country they are trying to bring to mind is Liberia. For 14 long and painful years the west African country of Liberia was frequently in the world news for all the wrong reasons – genocide, horrifying human abuse, child soldiers and illegal diamond smuggling. An astonishing 250,000 people are thought to have been killed from a population of 3.7 million. During the civil war, which lasted from 1991 to 2005, up to half the population was uprooted, dispossessed or displaced.
By Major Charles Swansbury
But since the 2006 elections, bad news from Liberia has thankfully subsided as cameras and news reporters have moved on and gravitated to the next in a long line of the world’s troubled hot-spots. On the streets of the Liberian capital Monrovia life has gradually and perceptibly been returning to a semblance of normality. The markets are bustling and s tr eet t ra de rs jos tle with the ir wheelbarrow stalls for position to catch
Above: Aux-Captain Alonso Nyemah in front of Zleh Town outpost; below: downtown Monrovia
the eye of those on the look-out for a bargain. The evidence of destruction, however, remains an eyesore; the city skyline is still littered with derelict buildings, pock-marked with bullet- and shell-holes. Venture away from evidence of new development – shiny buildings and the
During the civil war up to half the population was uprooted, dispossessed or displaced
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F O C U S O N . . . L I B E R I A
AmADu bANgurA increasingly congested lines of traffic – and the long-term impacts of the conflict remain a worry for the massive United Nations peacekeeping force. Lack of job prospects, illiteracy, poor housing, overcrowding and a lack of basic amenities continue to constrain young people in townships that are inevitably crime-ridden and explosive. And further still, in the country’s interior, neglect and poverty still affects half the population. Liberia is one of the 10 poorest countries of the world. Roads and other communication systems remain at a primitive level. Basic healthcare and education is inaccessible to many. International observers are therefore justified in looking anxiously towards the elections scheduled for 2011, when Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf – the continent’s first female president – will be seeking re-election. To the western eye the Christian Church in Liberia appears to be evident and prominent. Businesses boldly proclaim their religious affiliations and vehicles are emblazoned with Christian slogans or Scripture references. Sometimes the condition of the vehicle or standard of driving of the person behind the wheel suggests that the Almighty’s protection or guidance is being taken a little too much for granted! As a relative late-comer to the Christian scene in Liberia The Salvation Army’s
ORIGInALLY from Sierra Leone, Amadu Bangura became a Salvationist 10 years ago and is now employed as an accounts clerk at the Army’s command headquarters in Monrovia. As well as working full-time, Amadu is also studying at the university of Liberia and hopes one day to qualify as a development economist. His day-to-day work entails keeping track of the school fee payments of the 3,000 students who attend The Salvation Army’s nine schools, along with the day-to-day expenditures related to the education system. Amadu’s other passion is children’s ministry, and he is the founder of a children’s school initiative which seeks to resource and support children who are otherwise unable to attend school. As part of that work, Amadu holds a Sunday afternoon outreach in his neighbourhood, within the Paynesville township on the outskirts of Monrovia. Each Sunday up to 80 children gather for a programme of games, activities and Christian teaching. The children are also encouraged to attend the Army’s meetings at the Paynesville Corps (church). Amadu’s life thus far has been far from easy. An orphan refugee from the civil war in Sierra Leone, his situation in Liberia is far from settled due to his status. One day he hopes to return to his home country. ‘There are many children in Liberia who are unable to attend school,’ Amadu says. ‘I feel led by God and want them to have the chance to reach their potential. I think I can be part of that opportunity.’
Below: sunset over the beach in Monrovia
Above and right: Amadu Bangura’s children’s ministry
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F O C U S O N . . . L I B E R I A
DebbIe KwAShIe A SALvATIOn Army officer for just one year, Lieutenant Debbie kwashie was appointed, with her husband Emanuel, to the remote outpost of Arthington, Liberia, in September 2009. Arthington is approximately two hours’ drive from the Liberian capital, Monrovia, but for some months of the year the road conditions are such that the journey can take two or three times as long. The Salvation Army buildings in Arthington comprise a simple mud-brick hall and adjacent living quarters on an open plot surrounded by tropical rain forest. A few hundred metres away are a cluster of other huts that make up the village. It is not an easy place to live. The officers are the only ones in the congregation who receive an income. Just a handful of their congregation can read or write, and there are no schools, facilities, shops or amenities within a considerable radius. The congregation members at Arthington Outpost all have a story to tell about their experiences during the long-running recent civil war. Most fled the area, living in the woods and constantly on the move to keep away from the rebel soldiers. They returned to their village to face a life with no work, few prospects and little hope.
of project funding from the Army’s Canada and Bermuda Territory, she has been supplied with some basic emergency aid provisions. People living nearby can now receive treatment for minor ailments. The lieutenant was also recently called upon to deliver a baby. The community’s only supply of water has been from a nearby muddy creek or by making a two-hour walk to the nearest well. During the past few months, again funded through the Canada and Bermuda Territory, a new water well has been dug a few metres from the officers’ quarters. More recently, through project funding from Australia, the kwashies have been given a bicycle. ‘Life is much easier now,’ Lieutenant Debbie explains. ‘The clean water, medicines and bicycle mean that we ourselves are no longer sick as often and are able to concentrate more on our ministry as officers. And people in the community see that Salvationists in other countries are interested in them. It’s a small start, but it gives us all hope.’ Below: the hall at Arthington outpost; bottom left: Lieutenant Debbie Kwashie checks a patient’s medication; bottom right: Lieutenant Emanuel Kwashie uses the new water pump
The Salvation Army’s mobile clinic used to visit Arthington once a month, providing a much-needed medical service. Regrettably, due to the lack of a roadworthy ambulance and the road conditions, the visits were recently curtailed. fortunately, Lieutenant Debbie trained as a midwife nurse before entering the officer training college and, with the help
respect and recognition is a tribute to those pioneering officers and soldiers who braved considerable deprivations to remain at their post and fly the flag – even while the expatriate officers were on occasions evacuated for their own safety. Having a Salvation Army red shield on the side of a car guarantees a cheery wave through check-points, and the uniform is frequently a passport through what would otherwise be a melee of confusion. Liberian Salvationists are today determined to demonstrate their national
identity and coming of age, striving to attain the criteria that would elevate their Salvation Army status from a command to that of a territory. The recent expansion into neighbouring Sierra Leone will, justifiably, add credibility to that claim. The consolidation of the command’s school system, currently encompassing nine schools and soon to incorporate a further five, has been a priority during recent days. The establishment of a sevenperson education secretariat has sought to provide structure and accountability to
every aspect of the school system administration after some years of fiscal uncertainty. The ministry of the mobile medical clinic has additionally been secured for a further period of five years, with funding for staff and resources being provided by The Salvation Army’s Norway, Iceland and The Faeroes Territory, and a new ambulance is on its way thanks to project funding from the Australia Southern Territory. The static clinic, within the William
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FOCUS ON ... LIBERIA
JOhNNASON DAvID THE son of a Methodist father and Jehovah’s Witness mother, Johnnason David became spiritually confused and neglected the Church for many years. But since he took up an opportunity in 2006 to become a physician assistant for The Salvation Army he has renewed his vision to serve God, particularly through the medical work of the Liberia Command. While still training to qualify as a doctor, Johnnason works at his brother’s medical clinic, attends the Army’s static William Booth Clinic – located on the William Booth Compound in Paynesville – and supervises a clinic at the Army’s Len Millar School. He also travels with the Army’s medical mobile clinic twice a month on its day trips to two locations that would otherwise have no medical service. On top of all this, Johnnason attends command headquarters on a weekly basis to provide a drop-in surgery for officers and staff. The days spent with the mobile clinic are long and challenging. ‘We see around 100 patients each time we visit,’ he explains. ‘Sometimes the number has been 200 and we work into the night using the headlights of the jeep to make sure everyone is seen.’ The five staff on the team work non-stop, not only providing medicines and undertaking minor surgical procedures but also distributing food to pregnant women and those with young children. ‘A few weeks ago we were given a baby who was severely malnourished,’ says Johnnason. ‘The mother had died in childbirth and the baby was not being fed. So we arranged for some baby formula milk powder and other items to be taken to the family. The next time we went we were pleased to see that the baby was looking much more healthy.’ Why does he support the Army’s medical work in this way? ‘It’s the appreciation,’ he says. ‘One day I attended a woman giving birth, and she said “thanks a lot”. I see the appreciation of those we treat and I can see hope open in them.’
Right and below: Johnnason David and patients
Above: no walls necessary for this hall!
Booth Compound in Paynesville, has also become more financially viable. Outreach initiatives, particularly aimed at unchurched children in urban communities, are proving to be effective. Other project work has sought to target points of need at rural corps (churches) and outposts throughout the country. Here buildings – although in context with others within their communities – are frequently as primitive as one could imagine: mud walls, branch roof trusses and thatch roofs. Corrugated steel roof sheets are a luxury. And yet it is in these out-of-city locations that the future growth of the Army must be based if the initial momentum is to be maintained. In Monrovia – as in most of the cities – there seems to be a church on almost every corner; in the interior, rural communities are crying out for support and encouragement. But being appointed to remote locations is a challenge to newly commissioned officers. They can find themselves many hours from cities by inadequate road, accommodated in primitive, traditional buildings. There is often no cell-phone service and they are frequently having to cope without safe drinking water or toilet facilities. These pioneering officers are commonly the only ones in their congregation who receive a cash income. They may also be among the few in their congregations able to read or write. But it is to such communities that the Army needs to reach out – today and in the future. Liberia’s Salvation Army officers have a huge job ahead – to teach, to train and to enable. For unless the church can make a practical as well as a spiritual difference in the lives of people in Liberia the world could all-too-soon again be seeing evidence within this fragile nation of man’s ability to wreak incalculable misery and injustice on his fellow countrymen. Major Charles Swansbury is General Secretary of The Salvation Army’s Liberia Command
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MONGOLIA
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WO years since The Salvation Army began work in Mongolia its influence in the landlocked Asian country is spreading, with projects in place to help the local people and now even a building of its own. Geographically speaking, Mongolia is surrounded by giants! It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west, and it has been ruled by various nomadic empires through the centuries. The nomadic way of living still plays a major part in the life of the country. In 2008 The Salvation Army began to establish its ministry and service to the Mongolian people, in response to the government’s more ‘open’ policy since becoming a republic. A significant landmark was reached in August 2010 with the opening of the Army’s first building. Situated in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, it will not only house the administrative centre but also provide worship facilities, accommodation and feeding programmes. Ulaanbaatar is the seat of government and home to about 38 per cent of the country’s 2,500,000 population. Establishing a relevant and effective presence in a country which has not been used to the new openness of its republic status, has required careful and intentional dialogue with the government. Good relationships have been established and significant service is already being undertaken.
Above: a young Mongolian boy tests the fresh water; below: the provision of clean water has helped with the harvest of courgettes and cucumbers
Significant growth By Commissioner Robert Street As Mongolia’s nomadic population frequently has difficulty finding fresh water the government has made water projects a priority. The Army, under the direction and generous sponsorship of its Korea Territory – which oversees the work in Mongolia – already has two projects underway with the promise of 10 more ‘in the pipeline’. The projects not only aid health – by providing washing and pure drinking water – but also enable enhanced food production. Tomato, cucumber and courgette crops formed the basis of the 2010 harvest in Tov Province. In a recent meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Miyeegombyn Enkhbold), the government’s gift of land for the Army to develop a social welfare centre in Tov was confirmed. It is planned that the centre will include facilities for the care of the elderly and children, as well as education and agricultural projects. Another significant contribution from the Army to the community is its Solongos
‘The nomadic way of living still plays a major part in the life of the country’
Kindergarten, on an Ulaanbaatar estate. It functions as an aid to parents who would have no means of paying for the care of their children or for their education. The kindergarten is under Salvation Army direction with local people adding their skills to ensure that some 60-80 children are not only fed and monitored but also receive a creatively-presented education. The development of the Army’s ministry in Mongolia is in the hands of Captain Lee, Min-ho and Captain Chang, Mi-hyun – a married couple appointed from Korea. Their varied areas of responsibility mean they have many demands – among them is the building up of a committed Mongolian Salvationist team to provide a foundation to all that takes place. A young married couple have made application to be trained as officers (Salvation Army ministers). Also, in July 2010 two young women Salvationists represented Mongolia at the Army’s International Youth Convention in Sweden – letting the world know that Mongolia is now very much on the Salvation Army map. Commissioner Robert Street is The Salvation Army’s International Secretary for South Pacific and East Asia, based at International Headquarters in London, uk
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C H I L E E A RT H Q U A K E
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ICTOR, a retired carpenter, has lived through four earthquakes in Talca, Chile, but he says the one that struck at the end of February 2010 was the worst. His house was destroyed but he does not want to leave his damaged property since this is where all his possessions are. He is very thankful for The Salvation Army, where he gets a daily hot meal and, more importantly, fellowship and conversation with others who listen to him when he talks about his situation. Victor has not given up hope, as can be seen from the smile on his face, even though he is living in very difficult conditions. He is not eligible for a mediagua – a temporary house measuring six metres by three metres – so he has to put up with the cold and dampness of the winter season. Earthquake damage is still evident in this community and elsewhere, although i t ’s n o w s i x m o n t h s s i n c e t h e disaster happened. The government has taken the initiative to deal with the effects of 8.8 Richter scale 16 | ALL THE WORLD |
New avenues By Major Bill Barthau earthquake but it cannot do this alone. During my six weeks in Chile, stories, photographs and experiences were shared which provide a greater glimpse and understanding of this catastrophe in the early days until now. Dichato, a coastal fishing community, suffered not from the earthquake but from the resulting tsunami, which destroyed homes and fishing boats, and put an end to tourism. A converted school is now the central command and distribution centre for relief
‘The most important aspect is the opportunity to meet together to find strength for another day’
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supplies – a far cry from its previous use. There are no homes around since the community has been relocated to a number of temporary camps where a new temporary school is in the process of being built. A women’s support group has commenced after a series of visits by officers (ministers) and soldiers from Concepcion Corps (Salvation Army church). They meet in a building that was not damaged because it is high on a hill overlooking the sea. The women, aged from 16 to 60-plus, are grateful for the opportunity to meet together. Many of the women knit as they gather together, but the most important aspect is the opportunity to meet together to find strength for another day. Later on the day I was there a Salvation Army team met with a member of the chamber of commerce, a representative of the people and leader of the relief
C H I L E E A RT H Q U A K E
Previous page: a Salvation Army team member talks to a local in Caleta Tumbes; this page, above left: buildings damaged by the earthquake in Concepcion; above: a preschool in Caleta Tumbes that The Salvation Army helped refurbish; left: a Salvation Army team prepares to visit community members
operation. The needs are great but a plan is underway to rebuild a new permanent community. Safeguards will be put in place to limit damage if another earthquake and/or tsunami occurs. The children, mothers and leader of the preschool in Caleta Tumbes were enthusiastic when I visited, with numerous activities taking place. The Salvation Army supplied paint and furniture and undertook repairs to the building so it could open after the tsunami swept through this community. Somehow, the history book of this preschool had survived and was shared during my visit. There was evident enthusiasm and determination that life must go on. After the tsunami, the community had to live in a tent camp. A few people are still living there. In conversation with others who arrived to help after the disaster, I heard stories of the physical
activity to remove rubble and debris which was scattered everywhere. In the tsunami-damaged community of Santa Clara I saw a clear example of the ongoing problems caused by the sheer force of the disaster. The local fire truck had just arrived to determine the extent of oil leakage from a former factory located close to the community. Some of the locals used to work there. Contamination of water by the leaking oil was a concern. We were invited into a home where the extend of damage was still evident. Another family was living in a tent just a few metres away. It was very basic but at least it provided a roof and kept out the rain. I asked the family what the hardest thing was in coping with the aftermath of the disaster. The mother told me about the difficulty in preparing meals or heating
water. The mediagua provides vital shelter but it is very basic and there is no kitchen facility. A kind neighbour was helping but it meant having to go elsewhere to do even this most simple of tasks. El Faro Students’ Residence Hall in Santiago is the most damaged Salvation Army property and will have to be totally rebuilt, along with the officers’ quarters. The building is unsafe and there are visible cracks in the walls. Former residents have had to find alternative lodging due to damage and now the territory is having to find funds to repair the damage. The South America West Territory has mobilised resources, officers, soldiers and personnel to deal with the disaster. The first responders knew they could not sit back and do nothing. New networks and understanding of how to respond have continued to evolve. Responding to disaster and emergency situations can only be partially planned. Being ready to respond and getting involved is what is required. God continues to provide avenues of service and new doors of opportunity as others are served though emergency services.
Major Bill Barthau is a Canadian Salvation Army officer who was seconded to work for International Emergency Services in Chile
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C O U N T RY O R T H E M E
REWIND BACK TO ThE PAST
an we’ve lost touch All the World doesn’t me A revamped, redesigned to the 125th s such a strong response with our roots. There wa wanted to ensure we t magazine last year tha anniversary issue of the m 1893, is an fro e, to be recognised. So her the heritage continued of the written word. example of the power of today’s readers to should encourage any Incidentally, if this article World to a friend, sending a copy of All the think about buying and better! ntance, then that’s all the relative or other acquai
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AUSTRALIA
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HE Salvation Army’s first helicopter anywhere in the world has gone into service in the Australian outback. A sparkling white four-seat Robinson 44 Raven II, with the verse ‘Christ’s love compels us’ (2 Corinthians 5:14) painted on each side, the helicopter is based at Mt Isa in Queensland among the ochre-red ranges of the world’s biggest copper, silver, lead and zinc mining operation, almost 2,000 kilometres north-west of Brisbane. Its role is to transport pastoral care, farming support and urgently needed supplies, including food, to remote properties, many of which are cut off from civilisation for months during flood. The helicopter replaces a series of fixed-wing Salvation Army Outback Flying Service planes operated by The Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern Territory since 1965. The Australian Southern Territory has been operating a similar Flying Padre service using light planes since 1945, based at Darwin. They are the only Flying Padre services in the Salvation Army world. Combined, they cover two million square kilometres of the Australian outback. The Australia Eastern Territory’s helicopter was made possible by a bequest from Queensland pastoralist
Flying without wings
By Bill Simpson Photos by Shairon Paterson
[farmer] Keith ‘Wild Horse’ Dawson, who died several years ago. Mr Dawson was for many years a strong supporter of The Salvation Army – especially its Outback Flying Service. He had seen fellow pastoralists – often deprived and depressed – benefit from the ministry. Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley officially launched the helicopter at the Mt Isa base on 26 June 2010. During the launch, Ms Wensley said that, as Queensland Governor, she was passionate about taking new technology and ideas to remote areas of the state.
‘There is no substitution for personal care, which the Flying Padre provides’
Above: flying Padre Envoy Simon Steele with his wife, Natalie, and two of their four children in front of the helicopter
‘But,’ she added, ‘there is no substitution for personal care, which the Flying Padre provides. This is an exciting and historic day for The Salvation Amy and Queensland.’ Central and North Queensland Divisional Commander Major Rodney Walters said a huge advantage in having a helicopter was that The Salvation Army could continue its support services to farmers even when there were floods. ‘Flood is a big time of need in the outback,’ he said. ‘Unfortunately, our planes have had to remain in the hangar at the airport during floods because they had nowhere to land on affected properties.
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AUSTRALIA
‘That is not a problem for a helicopter. It only needs a small piece of dry land. So the helicopter allows The Salvation Army to be part of the solution in meeting the needs of remote farmers in flood time.’ Helicopter pilot and Flying Padre Envoy Simon Steele said at the official launch that the helicopter had already allowed him to visit a remote property where the owners had not seen anybody or received fresh food supplies for four months because their farm had been cut off by flooding. He said the faster helicopter also meant he could visit up to 15 remote properties a week. Envoy Steele is supported in the ministry by his wife, Natalie. They have been Salvationists for just over two years. The Flying Outback Service also assists Australia’s historic Royal Flying Doctor and School of the Air, which operate from Mt Isa. Father of four Simon Steele was skippering commercial ferries on Australia’s sun-drenched Gold Coast when the call came. Wife Natalie was working part-time as netball coordinator at The Salvation
‘His mission is to offer the hand of friendship and give practical and spiritual support’
Below: Simon and Natalie visit a remote outback location
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Army’s Tweed Heads Corps (church). It was a little more than two-and-a-half years ago. They had been Salvationists for only a few months. But they knew the call they were receiving was from God. The call was an opportunity to become flying padres with The Salvation Army’s Outback Flying Service, based in the Queensland town of Mt Isa. It had to be of God, the now Envoy Simon said at the launch of the flying service’s new helicopter. Simon had held a pilot’s licence for many years, so taking on the flying padre role – certainly as far as flying was concerned – was not an issue. But Simon also had a helicopter licence. He had qualified years before The Salvation Army even thought about switching from light planes to helicopter; years even before he joined The Salvation Army. This call was more than coincidence. Not long before accepting the Outback
Flying Service role, Simon had turned down an opportunity to fly with another Christian outback group. The job just didn’t seem right. At the time, Simon and Natalie were not aware that The Salvation Army operated an outback flying service. When the Mt Isa opportunity came, both Simon and Natalie knew they had been ‘kept’ for The Salvation Army role. ‘When our [then] corps officer Major Neil Clanfield mentioned the opportunity to me, I knew immediately that it would happen,’ said Natalie. ‘When I told Simon, he just looked at me and said: “Are you kidding me?” We both knew it was no joke. And, so, here we are at Mt Isa.’ Simon does the flying and Natalie is the support and administrator of the service. Two of their children, Isabel (six) and Joel (four) are with them in Mt Isa. Natalie (20) and Halley (19) remained on the Gold Coast. With a coverage area of 800,000 square miles of Queensland outback, Simon tries to visit 10 to 15 properties a week. His mission is to offer the hand of friendship and give practical and spiritual support. He does this by calling at properties to deliver or check if supplies are needed,
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help mend fences and machinery, assist with aerial seeding or dropping feed to stranded cattle, and just by having a chat. Simon and Natalie also call in at remote schools to promote the service. ‘I tell the kids that I wasn’t very good at school, but now I am a helicopter pilot,’ says Simon. ‘I tell them not to feel bad about themselves if they are struggling at school or to let anybody put them down. I tell them that what is important is what God thinks of them. ‘He has given me the best job in the world.’ This article was first published in Pipeline, a publication of The Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern Territory
Right: Simon at the controls of the helicopter; below: with the new flying machine
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by love for God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in his name without discrimination.
What is the salvation army? OCT OBE R– D EC EM BE R 2 0 10 | ALL THE WORLD |
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PHoTo: NZPA
SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND ThE WORLD
NEW ZEALAND THE Salvation Army response to an earthquake that caused substantial damage in and around Christchurch included help from a significant source – new Zealand Prime Minister John key. When Mr key visited a large welfare centre at the Addington Raceway he took his turn serving dinner alongside the Salvation Army catering crew. The wider response saw The Salvation Army feed 2,000 people a day and provide counselling to those who had lost homes and livelihoods.
USA SOLDIERS and friends from The Salvation Army’s uSA Southern Territory have pledged to raised up to uS$1.5 million to rebuild the corps (church) building in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The building was damaged beyond repair (see right) in the earthquake that devastated the city in January 2010. More than 1,000 people regularly worshipped at Port-au-Prince Corps but it is thought that this number would be higher if there was more room. With this in mind, the worship hall in the new building is planned to have a capacity of around 3,000 people. Colonel Terry Griffin (Chief Secretary, uSA Southern Territory), writing in the territorial publication Southern Spirit, explained that the emergency relief work in Haiti was being well supported by the public and other donors but that the rebuilding of facilities that were needed to continue the ‘spiritual programme’ was an ‘internal responsibility’ – and one that the uSA Southern territory was willing to take on. 22 | ALL THE WORLD |
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Within a month of the initial request for assistance, more than $300,000 had been donated to the fund, with more added from a collection at commissioning weekend. The territory has now launched a Ten for Haiti appeal, through which it hopes to encourage at least 10,000 Salvationists to donate $10 a month for two years to pay for rebuilding work. for more information go to www.tenforhaiti.org
S N A P S H OT S
AUSTRALIA A SALvATIOn Army film won a prestigious award at the International Christian visual Media conference, held in St Louis, Missouri, uSA. The documentary Our People: The Story of William and Catherine Booth and The Salvation Army received a gold Crown Award, winning the ‘Documentary Over $50,000’ category.
KoREA THE Salvation Army Building in Seoul was officially opened by General Shaw Clifton. The building, 17 storeys high with six basement levels, was constructed to celebrate the 2008 centenary of Salvation Army work on the Korean peninsula.
Our People was produced by Radiant films and Carpenter Media, of The Salvation Army’s Australia Eastern Territory. Radiant films is operated by Corey Baudinette, a Melbourne Salvationist who was the film’s producer and director. The International Christian visual Media conference brings together leading Christian producers, directors, and distributors from around the world. The Crown Awards recognise excellence in films which take a Christian message into what is generally a secular arena. All nominations are judged by professionals, who take into account the quality of the production, storytelling and Christian content. five years in the making, Our People – launched by then-Chief of the Staff Commissioner Robin Dunster in the east end of London in August 2009 – charts the founding of The Salvation Army. It uses around 350 images, including contemporary photographs, press cuttings and images from the time and artist impressions of several key events in the early days of the organisation. Many of these, selected from more than 1,000 gathered in researching for the film, had not been seen for more than 80 years.
The images are set alongside interviews with historians, writers and commentators offering expert knowledge of The Salvation Army and church and social history in the mid to late victorian era. Additional material provided on bonus tracks on the DvD includes memories from Salvation Army members and leaders which serve as part of an oral history of The Salvation Army that the producers were also attempting to achieve. The documentary is being translated into five languages. It is available on DvD through Salvation Army trade departments and through the website www.ourpeoplefilm.org
NO HEART MORE TENDER by Harry Read Commissioner Harry Read, a retired Salvation Army officer from the uk, wrote No Heart More Tender based on his experiences of bereavement. The text, including poems, shows the commissioner’s thoughts and feelings after the sudden and unexpected passing of Win, his wife of 57 years.
The new building houses a number of major businesses, the territorial headquarters and a 560seat auditorium – known as The Salvation Army Art Hall – which can be hired out and will be used for Salvation Army events. The territory’s trade department is in a strategic area, immediately by the entrance to the subway station which is a transfer stop for two lines of the city’s rail transport system. In time it is hoped that income from the rental of commercial space in the building will help fund the territory’s work and also allow Korea to support Salvation Army ministry overseas.
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£3.95 INC P&P
He writes in the preface: ‘If this small volume has any value it must be because it comes from within the experience of bereavement ... The book is from a heart that has felt, and still feels, the catastrophic effects of loss; a heart that has struggled to reconcile the negative elements of grief with a tried and tested faith. Hopefully, these pages speak the language of the heart and will prove helpful to all who seek comfort and encouragement during their own days of almost overwhelming grief.’ In his foreword, General Shaw Clifton adds: ‘Here is a book that combines tenderness and sensitivity with realism and practicality. My prayer, like that of the author, is that it will be used to help and to bless, to comfort and to encourage.’ Price £3.95, inclusive of postage and packing. Send a cheque made out to ‘The Salvation Army’ to: Communications Section, The Salvation Army International Headquarters, 101 Queen victoria Street, London EC4v 4EH, united kingdom. Please be sure to include your name and address. No Heart More Tender is also available from territorial trade departments and on amazon.co.uk
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