All The World (April-June 2017)

Hope through education HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOLING IN KENYA

BANGLADESH red-light work Beatles links revived in the UK MOBILISING around the world

APRIL–JUNE 2017

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

VOL 48 NO 4

VOL 55 NO 2

Hurricane response in HAITI

CONTENTS

APRIL–JUNE 2017

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

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UPFRONT From the Editor

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BANGLADESH The reality of life in a brothel

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HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

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FACTFILE Vital statistics from Kenya

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KENYA Education and healthcare

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HAITI Hurricane response

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AUSTRALIA Funerals with a personal touch

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THE WHOLE WORLD Time to mobilise

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SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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Cover photo by Major Brad Halse

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More than a little ACCORDING to the popular saying, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Some people find this concept confusing but I take it to be a warning against knowing something about a subject or person and feeling that you know everything.

The problem is, we all make assumptions based on ‘a little knowledge’. People do it to me all the time, picking up bits and pieces about me then assuming they know what I think and feel. Phrases such as ‘I didn’t tell you because I knew you wouldn’t be interested’ are guaranteed to annoy.

No one knows everything about me.

Not even the people closest to me know what I’m thinking and feeling. Even my wife, for instance, is probably not aware of how much I love to see the new crescent moon in the night sky. It looks like a bright smile in the darkness!

I have to admit that I too can be guilty of knowing a little and assuming a lot. How people are dressed, how they speak, a person’s general bearing or willingness to maintain eye contact, all these things and more play into my understanding and expectations. On many occasions my assumptions are wrong and even unfair.

This issue of All the World questions some commonly held views that may be based on ‘a little knowledge’.

Ben Gilbert takes us on a visit to a red-light district in Bangladesh that challenged much that he thought he understood about sex workers. In Kenya, education and health projects show the intelligence and resilience of people in

the so-called ‘developing’ world.

A new programme in Australia provides a fresh approach to funerals. In Haiti, Salvation Army projects are overcoming an unexpected knock-on effect of Hurricane Matthew in which pupils and schools suffer because farmers who lost crops can’t pay school fees. All these initiatives and more will only succeed if they work closely with beneficiaries, providing for actual needs, not what an outsider might assume is required.

A little knowledge is not enough.

The Whole World Mobilising initiative is also working along these lines, encouraging everyone linked with The Salvation Army to engage with local communities, fulfilling genuine needs rather than providing help or

Kevin Sims, Editor

UP FRONT

FROM THE EDITOR

programmes that may not really be needed.

The stories in this issue of All the World show that, wherever on this earth the moon smiles down, people who represent The Salvation Army are endeavouring to follow Jesus’ example. No one is seen as more or less worthy depending on social standing, occupation, faith, age, gender or ... well, pretty much any of the various descriptions that are used to place one human being above or below another.

Jesus met people from every level of society and treated all the same – with respect and love. That should be our aim then, to replace a little knowledge with a little more love. Because surely a little love can never be a dangerous thing?

‘No one is seen as more or less worthy depending on social standing, occupation, faith, age, gender ...’

EDITOR Kevin Sims

FOUNDER William Booth

DESIGN AND ARTWORK Berni Georges

GENERAL André Cox

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

COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY Major Brad Halse

© The General of The Salvation Army 2017

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Martin Gossauer

Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101; fax: [44] (0)20 7332 8079

Published by André Cox, General of The Salvation Army

Email: IHQ-alltheworld@salvationarmy.org

Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

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SUPPORT

BANGLADESH

A responsibility to ACT A visit with a Salvation Army team to a brothel in Bangladesh left Ben Gilbert questioning his own role in the fight against exploitation and trafficking

M

y tuk-tuk pulled up outside The Salvation Army’s project office in Jessore, a city in Bangladesh with a similar population to the American city of Orlando, Florida.

It was an afternoon in mid-January and the air was cool, a mere 22º Celsius. This was a relief compared to my last visit to the country when it was more than 40ºC. The street was busy but not congested by Bangladeshi standards; pedestrians, bicycles and a few vehicles weaved their way past me as I stepped out of the tuk-tuk. I have travelled extensively around Asia and this place looked similar to many other inner-city side roads. Shops under brightly coloured signs were interspaced by small food outlets selling hot meals to hungry customers.

I had come to learn about the work The Salvation Army is doing to rehabilitate survivors who have been trafficked into brothels and understand more of the context in which the Army is working in this area.

As I watched people going about their lives, there was nothing in their manner that indicated this place was any different to the numerous other commercial roads in the city, but I was actually standing in the middle of the city’s red-light district. What stood out from the otherwise ordinary street was a line of about 10 women in brightly coloured traditional clothing with their faces and eyes heavily plastered in make-up.

I was on the opposite side of the road but when they saw me the women smiled and called out loudly. Two things seemed oddly surreal about this – firstly, it was mid-afternoon and I had always assumed (wrongly I now realise) that the prostitution trade only happened behind closed doors and/or after dark. The second surprise was that all the locals around seemed to completely ignore what was going on.

This was obviously a very active and illicit business in a country that is known to be very conservative in its political and moral views, yet no one seemed very bothered.

I was caught off guard and didn’t know how to react. I didn’t understand what the women were saying –

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BANGLADESH

although I could guess. A few awkward moments passed while I waited for my two local Salvation Army colleagues to direct me to their office space in a small rented building that overlooked the street I was in.

The Salvation Army is well known in Bangladesh for its work with trafficked and sexually exploited women, having established various community projects targeting this issue for more than 20 years.

The current project office is well situated, directly opposite two of the oldest brothels in the country. The programme attempts to provide alternative livelihood options and training to trafficked women and helps to establish a sustainable income so they can become independent, free from debt and with the opportunity to live with dignity and self-respect.

Being introduced to some of the women on the programme and listening to the project staff was fascinating and inspiring, but what followed was one of the most provocative project trip encounters I’ve ever had.

I was invited to accompany my colleagues into the brothel to speak with some of the women inside. For an organisation to get free access to work with and talk to women within brothels is

‘The programme attempts to provide alternative livelihood options and training to trafficked women’ unique and demonstrates the level of trust and commitment that The Salvation Army in Bangladesh has built up over the years.

I stepped back outside from the project office and walked across the road with my local colleagues towards the brothel entrance. If I had felt awkward waiting across the road, ‘awkward’ does not come close to how I was feeling now.

I was acutely aware that not only was I the only foreign male in the area – which in itself attracted some curious looks – I

was also entering a well-known brothel in the middle of the afternoon. Needless to say I avoided eye contact with virtually everyone!

The entrance was a simple, open wooden doorway. Stepping inside led to a long, dimly lit corridor. The first thing that hit me was strobe lighting and dance music. It felt random and out of place, in stark contrast to the traditional values that so much of the surrounding culture embraced. It was as if this place was trying to imitate a stereotypical ‘Western’ idea of partying.

A man who I assumed was some kind of a bouncer sat at the end of the corridor and was obviously in control of the volume of the music. He seemed to be enjoying it. He immediately recognised my colleagues and greeted us as we walked past. I later discovered that he was the owner of the property.

Passing the thumping music emerging from the speakers, the corridor led into an open courtyard with rooms all around it – I counted at least 15 separate rooms. Each one had a small veranda in front of it, containing personal items such as cooking utensils, clothes, toothbrushes and soap. Young women sat nonchalantly outside the doors and looked at me and my colleagues in curious amusement.

‘They’re asking if you are police,’ I was told.

The brothels have a delicate relationship with the police. Running a brothel is not technically illegal in the country but human trafficking and soliciting anyone under the age of 18 are both against the law. I didn’t see any open evidence of corruption but it was pretty obvious to me that a certain amount of back-handed cash must be being passed around in order for this place to function the way it did.

Corruption is just another layer to the challenge of combating trafficking in the country.

The first woman I spoke to was sitting cross-legged outside her room, eating her lunch – rice with what

looked like a very watery curry. She was a little embarrassed when we asked to speak with her but she agreed and spoke matter-of-factly, answering our questions in a few words.

‘How long have you worked here?’ we asked.

‘About eight years,’ she answered.

‘Really?’ we replied. ‘You look young.

How old were you when you started working here?’

‘Twelve years old,’ she said flatly, taking a sip from a cup of water.

I tried to hide my shock

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BANGLADESH

The red-light district in Jessore

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APRIL–JUN E 2017

when her answer was translated back to me. Twelve years old? An image of her as a young girl flashed in my mind, and the brutal reality of what her life must have been like for so many years. Her manner, as she continued with her lunch, was one of defiance; this was her life and in some distorted way she had been forced to deal with it.

I had a similar conversation with another woman who looked roughly the same age as the first one. ‘How did you end up working here?’ was my question, after she had explained that she had two children who lived back in her home village.

‘Both my parents died when I was young,’ she explained. ‘My uncle took me.’

She didn’t elaborate further but her story fits the pattern of so many whoare trafficked; young children who are extremely vulnerable, sold

BANGLADESH

‘We cannot begin to solve this until we engage men and change the mindset that paying for sex is normal or acceptable’

into the trade by a known relative or family ‘friend’.

She gave away little emotion in her face, but I remember thinking that her eyes seemed to be staring through me rather than looking at me. I asked her about her children and her reply was immediate: ‘I can support my children’s school fees – they can have a good life.’

This sounded like a tiny glimmer of hope, I thought, albeit only for her children.

As we spoke it was hard not to get distracted by the numerous young men who had started to enter the brothel.

There was a nervousness about them because they were unsure who we were but it didn’t stop ‘business’ carrying on as usual. While we were talking, they were paying for sex and each would disappear into one of the many rooms, appearing again 15 minutes later as another man went in.

Above one door the word ‘Love’ was painted in bold red paint. In reality the

place was completely stripped of beauty and love. This, I realised, is what slavery looks like today.

The casual attitude of the men I saw that day has challenged my thinking on my own responsibility (as a male) in combating the issue of gender-based violence and exploitation. If I, as a man, am not actively speaking against and challenging the culture of violence, abuse and exploitation of women, am I actually passively promoting it?

Along with The Salvation Army there are many non-governmental organisations, missions and government agencies that are working to rehabilitate and empower survivors of trafficking.

The programmes in place are (mostly) excellent and are vital in the fight against sex trafficking worldwide. One problem I identified is that very few programmes challenge the men who think it is normal to sexually exploit women. Most programmes designed to combat human

trafficking mainly target survivors. While these are, of course, absolutely necessary, it begs the question: who is challenging the men? We cannot begin to solve this until we engage men and change the mindset that paying for sex is normal or acceptable.

Walking back out onto the street I was left with a mix of emotions: relief, frustration, sadness ...

It was certainly an encounter I will not forget and one which has left me deeply challenged about my own responsibility as a fellow human being. I am responsible for the actions I take; I am also responsible for my inaction.

Ben Gilbert is Community Development Coordinator (South Asia and South Pacific & East Asia Zones) at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters.

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HOME AND AWAY

A SERIES LOOKING AT THE THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE SALVATION ARMY IN THEIR COUNTRY OF BIRTH AND OTHERS GIVING SERVICE ABROAD

LIEUTENANT TAMOTSU YOSHIDA IS A JAPANESE SALVATION ARMY OFFICER CURRENTLY SERVING IN HIS COUNTRY OF BIRTH

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am serving as a corps officer at Kure Corps (church), Hiroshima, Superintendent of Aikoen Children’s Home, and chaplain for Salvation Army social facilities around Kure (Kure Day Nursery, Toyohama-Gakuryo Children’s Home).

HOME

What would be your typical day?

On Mondays to Saturdays I go to Aikoen Children’s Home around 8am and finish my work around 10pm. On Sundays I go to Kure Corps around 9am and lead the corps programmes (Sunday school, holiness meeting etc), then back to my quarters around 4pm.

Here is a sample schedule for Thursday 2 March 2017: 7.30am Off to Toyohama-Gakuryo Children’s Home; 9am Attend monthly staff meeting at the home (speak about our mission); 9.30am Travel to Kure city to attend a World Day of Prayer meeting; 10.30am Take part in the World Day of Prayer meeting; 12.30pm Lunch meeting with corps members; 2pm Meeting with staff at Aikoen Children’s Home; 4pm Case conference with the principal of an elementary school; 6pm Attend Kure Day Nursery monthly staff meeting (speak about our mission); 8pm Back to my office at Aikoen Children’s Home; 10.30pm Back to my quarters.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

I am a fourth-generation Salvation Army officer. I was brought up in a Salvation Army family so it has always been part of my life.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

My hero of the faith is General Albert Orsborn. One of the main reasons is that a song he wrote, ‘My Life must be Christ’s Broken Bread’, is my own mission statement.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

John 1:14: ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’ (New International Version).

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

‘My Life must be Christ’s Broken Bread’ (610, The Song Book of The Salvation Army).

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APRIL–JUN APRIL–JU N E 2017

Lieutenant Yoshida with his wife, Terumi, and niece, Yuki

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

When I think about working in Japan, I feel surrounded by a huge wall of apathy to religion. When I think about our history, Japanese are a very spiritually sensitive people. During the Second World War, through militarism the people were educated that the emperor was a god. When the war ended their view of religion collapsed. Instead, I think that economic growth and capitalism have been the only hope for many Japanese people. Today, Japan has become one of the wealthiest nations in the world. However, we are very poor in spiritual matters, and many people only believe in things they can see with their eyes.

What do you like most about Japan?

I love everything about Japan – the food, the culture. I love to be Japanese!

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

I don’t have any idea!

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

I am willing to go anywhere, if God sends me, but I really want to stay in Japan because there are so many people in my own nation who give up their lives not knowing God’s love. And I am here to serve them.

What skills do you use most in your work?

An ability to connect with others.

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

God knows my every skill and he uses me perfectly.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a good husband.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army is a movement that desires that God’s love is expressed not only by what we preach but also through life itself.

&

away

MAJOR ELENA SHULYANSKAYA ORIGINALLY FROM UKRAINE, ELENA SHULYANSKAYA WORKS FOR THE SALVTION ARMY IN RUSSIA

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am responsible for publications in the Russia Command, and as an editor of Vestnik Spaseniya (Russian version of The War Cry).

What would be your typical day?

Every day I eat, sleep, read and help different people in different ways and pray. Sometimes I had days filled with pain after my husband was promoted to Glory (died). However, as I look back through all those years I understand more that every day is a unique and special gift from God.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

There are many heroes of faith around me. They are real people God sent me. They love him with all their hearts and I saw him in their lives.

These are my late husband, Boris, my grandma, my teachers in the training college, former chief secretary of the Eastern Europe Territory Bo Brekke, my spiritual parents Paul and Angela, my colleagues, my friends Nina and Valentin.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

Psalm 91:1: ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’ (King James Version).

&AWAY

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

It’s hard to choose. I like a lot of songs but two favourites are ‘How Great Thou Art’ (49, The Song Book of The Salvation Army) and ‘Amazing Grace’ (453). I also love the song [by Chris Tomlin] that says: ‘You are the God of this city’ – because he is!

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

Russia has gone through a difficult and uncertain period in its history, which is echoing through today’s generation. Traditions of the patriarchal family from one side and loss of roots from another wounded this nation. Only now are Russian people recovering their self-esteem and self-determination. Salvationists in Russia need to have sensitive and loving hearts to help this nation to recover.

What do you like most about Russia?

Russia is an amazing country with beautiful nature. It is a land of opportunity with a lot to discover. The real treasure is the Russian soul.

People have open hearts, sensitivity and are always ready to help.

Foreign visitors are amazed and captivated by the generosity of Russian hospitality; people’s openness to share everything they have.

I was born and grew up in Odessa, Ukraine, but I have served God in Russia for 16 years and feel at home here.

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

One of my desires is to see Russian people beginning to love and accept themselves more. I wish they would see the positive and unique

&AWAY

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

When my youngest daughter was nine years old we lived in Dubossari (Moldova) and she was eager to get a Bible, which was hard to find or even have in the USSR. She started to go to Bible studies for older people in an Adventist church. During this time, I was teaching atheism and psychology, working in the city department of education.

I started to help the Adventist church to organise Bible studies for children. When the course was finishing it was Christmastime and we wanted to celebrate together with the children. Then, for the first time – maybe not realising it fully – I asked God to help us.

And he did a miracle! On a street in Chisinau we met an amazing couple in uniform who not only helped us to organise a special event for children, but stayed in our city and preached the gospel. They were soldiers of The Salvation Army. Next year the Dubossari Corps (church) of The Salvation Army was officially opened.

So it happened because one small girl wanted to have a Bible. God is amazing! The way he works in lives and how he uses people and situations.

side of themselves that God has placed in them. My son-in-law is from Georgia (the country), and I often notice him showing more gratitude towards the elderly, and giving special attention to women and children. I would like to see more of that in Russian people too. In trying to be more progressive we are not giving as much time to our families because everyone is busy. We still need to learn to balance care for ourselves and care for others.

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

Ha ha ... like my daughter says, do not limit yourself because you never know God’s path for you! I like the changes that are happening now in the international Salvation Army. What would I add? I would like to see the Army developing more interdenominational contacts.

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

I used to want to serve in South America or Spain, but now I would like to reopen The Salvation Army in my native city – Odessa, Ukraine. The Salvation Army can fulfil many needs in Odessa, especially now.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Communication, friendliness, an ability to learn something new every day, a desire to inspire and encourage people around me.

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

The gift of teaching, to lead training, counselling and entrepreneurship.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a person who loved God, family and people, and who tried to fulfil her destiny.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

I was born (spiritually) in The Salvation Army. This is my church, my family and I love the Army. Long ago, I visited a huge interdenominational conference in the south of Russia. One pastor of an evangelical church said he had a revelation about The Salvation Army. He told everyone: ‘God showed me that the Army is his hands. Learn from them how to serve others.’ Also, Salvationists are recognised wherever they go. When I was travelling to Atlanta, USA, in 2000 for the Army’s international congress, a woman in JFK Airport (New York) was very stressed. She saw me in uniform and rushed towards me, saying: ‘You are from The Salvation Army, I know for sure that you will help me.’ She did not know that at that time I was in need of help for myself – but God provided the help we both needed right there. The trust in the Army, its authority and reputation laid down since the days of William Booth have made The Salvation Army special for more than 150 years.

&AWAY

PRI RI–LLM JUN UN 2017 ALLTHE THEWORLD WORLD | | M ON AAPTH ––JON TH EE2017 2012 | | ALL

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FACTFILE

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The Kenyan flag is based on the tricolour flag of the Kenya African National Union, which secured independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. The black represents the people of the Republic of Kenya; red the blood shed during the fight for independence; and green the country’s landscape and natural wealth. The white ‘fimbriation’ (the thin stripes around the red) was added to symbolise peace and honesty. The flag was finished with a black, red and white traditional Maasai shield and two spears.

KENYA The east African nation of Kenya covers 224,000 square miles, making it slightly smaller than the USA state of Texas.

It is situated on the equator and bordered by five countries: Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Of the country’s 38 million people, four million live in the capital, Nairobi. thousands of years, people have travelled • For across Kenya to reach water, from the Indian

Ocean in the east to Lake Victoria in the southwest and Lake Turkana in the north. These travel routes have led to the country being settled by a large variety of peoples. Today, 42 ethnic groups call Kenya home.

the capital of Kenya, is located in the • Nairobi, south. Most of the population live in the highlands (where Nairobi is located) which is fertile farming country.

Great Rift Valley, which cuts through Kenya • The towards its western border, is home to a number

of lakes, arid and rugged landscapes, and volcanic landforms with areas of active hot springs and geothermal activity.

central highland areas provide fertile ground • The for farming, making Kenya one of the most agriculturally productive countries in Africa. The north of Kenya, however, is largely desert land scattered with thorn bush.

has considerable land area devoted to • Kenya wildlife, including the Maasai Mara, which is home to the ‘Big Five’ game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, buffalo, rhinoceros and elephant.

Republic of Kenya is named after Mount • The Kenya. The origin of the name Kenya is not clear,

but it’s perhaps linked to the Kikuyu, Embu and Kamba words Kirinyaga, Kirenyaa, and Kiinyaa, each of which means ‘God’s resting place’. The use of the word ‘Kiinyaa’ may also explain the oldfashioned British pronunciation of the country’s name to sound like ‘keen-ya’ rather than the more accepted ‘ken-ya’.

is one of the world’s longest-inhabited • Kenya countries. Human remains said by scientists to be the earliest ever found were discovered around the country’s northern border.

the 17th century the region was conquered by • InOmani Arabs, who took the local people as slaves to work in plantations in Oman and Zanzibar.

The Portuguese started buying slaves from these traders in response to the interruption of the transatlantic slave trade by British abolitionists.

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the Imperial British East Africa Company • Intook1888 over what is now Kenya, initially calling it

British East Africa. One of the biggest projects was the construction of the Kenya-Uganda train line. Indian workers, who were brought in to provide the bulk of the skilled manpower required for construction, remained in Kenya and formed the core of several Indian communities that still exist.

• 1952 to 1960, the Mau Mau uprising sought • From to overthrow British rule. The rebels were mainly The name Kenya was first used in 1920.

from the million-strong Kikuyu people, who had been economically marginalised and displaced by white settlers. The number of people killed in the rebellion – on both sides – is disputed, but academic studies put the figure at about 25,000.

Thousands of Kikuya people were held in detention camps, with some reporting terrible treatment.

12 December 1963, Kenya became an • On independent nation, under the leadership of

THE SALVATION ARMY IN KENYA The Salvation Army officially began its work in Kenya in April 1921, when LieutColonel and Mrs James Allister Smith held meetings in Nairobi. In 1896, three Salvationists had provided physical and spiritual care in Camp Taru for workers building the Kenya-Uganda railway, but this initial opening went no further.

The East Africa Territory was made up of Kenya, Uganda and – between 1950 and October 1998 – Tanzania. On 1 November 2005 Uganda became a command in its own right and the Kenya Territory was created. On 1 March 2008, the country was divided into the Kenya East Territory, with headquarters in Nairobi, and Kenya West Territory, with headquarters in Kakamega.

The gospel is preached in English, Kiswahili and other regional languages.

‘The Salvation Army’ in Kiswahili is ‘Jeshi La Wokovu’.

Jomo Kenyatta. Exactly a year later, the country was officially named the Republic of Kenya, with Kenyatta as president.

The two Kenya territories are, in terms of soldier numbers, the second and third largest in the whole Salvation Army. Only Zimbabwe is bigger.

Although Kenya is the biggest and most advanced economy in east and central Africa, and has an affluent urban minority, it has a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.519, placing it 145 out of 186 in the world.

According to The Salvation Army Year Book 2017, there are 84,066 senior soldiers in the Kenya East Territory and 126,472 in Kenya West. The country’s combined total of 210,538 makes up more than 18.5 per cent of the worldwide soldiery.

Agriculture is the second largest contributor to Kenya’s gross domestic product (GDP) after the service sector. In recent years, drought has caused massive problems to farmers, especially in the Turkana region.

People living in the cities are not all better off.

Nairobi is home to Kibera, one of the world’s largest slums. The shanty town is believed to house up to a million people, many of whom live in squalid conditions.

The figures for junior members are even more astonishing. There are almost as many junior soldiers in Kenya (197,482) as there are in the whole of the rest of the world combined (198,648)!

The Salvation Army oversees a remarkable education provision across Kenya, running a total of 1,272 schools (including pre-primary, primary and senior schools).

EDUCATION +

KENYA

Kolanya – a centre of excellence

by Major Brad Halse

T

he drive to Kolanya, located in the north-west part of Kenya, is a good one. From The Salvation Army’s Kenya West Territorial Headquarters in Kakamega, it takes perhaps two hours, though as the crow flies it is not all that far. The community is out towards the border with Uganda, in Bungoma County.

The journey takes us through some colourful and noisy towns and villages like Mumias, Bungoma, Kimaet Junction and Malakis. Some are substantial centres, others humble in size. But with all of them, the locals are on the street, talking, yelling, selling their wares to anyone prepared to stop and look.

Above: students at Kolanya High School for Girls; right: the school magazine

Eventually, after continuing west from Kakamega for quite some time, we turn right and drive north on a gravel road for another half an hour or so before arriving at the well-signed Salvation Army centre of Kolanya.

Here, seemingly many miles from any substantial regional centre or city, we find a Salvation Army complex of renown. Established by the Army in the 1920s, today it has four schools providing single-sex education for girls and boys, two high and two primary. They are boarding schools with a few day students; the majority of the nearly 4,000 students live on-site.

Places are much sought after by parents, particularly at the girls’ high school, which has been designated a ‘National High School’ by the Kenyan Government, in recognition of the high standards of teaching and the strong results the students achieve in their national exams.

However, having such recognition, and achieving good academic results does not mean that the school is fully

funded. Generally, the government can only afford to pay for perhaps half of the teachers. At Kolanya it only funds 12 of the 23 teachers; The Salvation Army has to find the rest of the money for the wages, via contributions from the pupils’ parents. And that is apart from the capital and running costs of these schools.

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KENYA

Photos by Major Brad Halse The entrance to Kolanya Health Centre

People make their way along the rough road to Kolanya

Above: ‘We treat, God heals’ – the health centre entrance makes everything clear!; left: health centre administrator Major Rosemary Matunde with a health worker and a mother and child

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KENYA

Two students study for exams

‘As with its schools, The Salvation Army has an excellent reputation within this part of Kenya for its medical and community health work’ High school girls in a makeshift dormitory

A P RI L – J UN E 2017 | ALL THE WORLD |

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KENYA

Top: high school girls in a science lab with Deputy Principal Mrs Wafula Susan; above: Mrs Susan with pupils in a classroom

The challenge is enormous because not many of the students’ parents have much disposable income.

One of the two deputy principals at the girls’ high school, Mrs Wafula Susan, talks about the financial strains the school is under. There is not enough good dormitory accommodation for the nearly 500 boarders, the science laboratory is inadequately equipped to the degree that the school’s status as an examination centre may be reviewed this year, they 14 | ALL THE WORLD |

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have no school bus ... the list goes on.

Talking about the problems caused by not having a school bus, she is very demonstrative: ‘We have to rely on other schools to help us; we beg, we plead, but we need our own bus. We always pray to God for this until, at one time, God will hear our prayer.’ To Mrs Susan, it is as simple as that.

Walking around the grounds we look in rooms that are mainly empty because it is school holiday time, though the senior

students are still on campus because of the national exams being held over this period. We enter a room designated as a science laboratory. It is almost totally bereft of any equipment for the girls to use. Perhaps a Bunsen burner or two, and a few other minor items. The cost of purchasing much-needed equipment to help these girls, and the boys at the high school over the road, is largely beyond their means at present.

It is amazing to think how well the students perform given the limited resources at their disposal.

Outside the classrooms we are greeted by the senior girls who have waited patiently for us. No exams this day so they are able to commit time to sing for us and talk with us. ‘You may have heard,’ the deputy principal says, ‘that we are very good at singing!’ Indeed we had.

The benefit was all ours.

Anyone who has been to one of the hundreds of educational facilities run by The Salvation Army in the developing world will know that it is inspirational to see the enjoyment and excitement of the students, to witness their enthusiasm and happiness. It was a good moment under the trees in the assembly area, listening to them sing.

Back across the other side of the road that runs through Kolanya are the two

KENYA

Left: the smart entrance to the boys’ school

boys’ schools, along with The Salvation Army’s divisional headquarters and a medical centre.

The boys’ high and primary schools face the same challenges as the facilities for girls. Lack of money, which means that little can be done to address the deteriorating buildings and sparse equipment.

After walking through the school grounds, we head for the health centre.

There we are briefed by divisional leaders Majors Henry and Grace Changalwa and the health centre’s administrator, Major Rosemary Matunde.

The Army has been providing medical and health support to local people, particularly women and children, for so

‘It is amazing to think how well the students perform given the limited resources at their disposal’ many decades that it is now a focal point of the community.

The health centre is modest in size, and sparse in terms of equipment (same problem as the schools – lack of money!).

But the quality of the service offered is excellent. On the day we visit, many women are there with their children or

on their own. They wait patiently for a chance to see a nurse or doctor.

Sometimes it is about having laboratory testing undertaken. Again, as with its schools, The Salvation Army has an excellent reputation within this part of Kenya for its medical and community health work.

As we leave, after spending several hours looking over the facilities and meeting staff, students and local residents, the heavens open with a heavy downfall.

The road into Kolanya was dry and dusty on the way in; now torrents of water pour down the roadside gutters. But the locals seem unfazed; it happens. They walk the roads in any weather.

Today some are heading to Kolanya for help; others head home after having received service from the wonderful Salvation Army people. It is what happens at Kolanya.

A little rain and mud on the road is not going to deter them. They know a good thing when they see it.

Major Brad Halse is Communications Secretary at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London

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 the love of 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? A P RI L – J UN E 2017 | ALL THE WORLD |

15

Giving hope

by Major Bill Barthau

I

EMERGENCY

HAITI

n early October 2016, the nation of Haiti sat directly in the path of Hurricane Matthew, which was sweeping across the Caribbean before heading to the Gulf of Mexico and mainland USA. High winds, heavy rainfall and flooding impacted more than a million people in Haiti – the latest in a long list of natural disasters to hit the country.

I was part of a Salvation Army team that – a month after the disaster – conducted an initial visit to La Fosse, a rural, smallplot farming community on the Tiburon Peninsula, near Haiti’s south-west coast.

We witnessed first-hand the staggering damage. Houses, trees and crops had been destroyed, leaving behind desperate people seeking assistance.

A walk along the local road resulted in numerous conversations. Through these we learned the challenges being faced by the people and their desire to seek assistance. We also discovered exactly what support would be most beneficial. Nothing was promised, but just our presence as representatives of The Salvation Army was enough to give people hope.

The Salvation Army already had a reputation for providing help in La Fosse, Yavara Estache and her son, Lorvens with the Army’s school used to shelter many families in the area during and after the hurricane since it is a secure block-and-concrete building. (It has now life even more challenging. Her youngest corn meal, fish and oil from The Salvation returned to being used as a school.) son, 10-year-old Lorvens, was present Army during this very difficult time. The Yavara Estache and her family of six during my conversation with her. local police assisted in providing an order live in La Fosse-Torbeck. When Matthew The Estache family was one of 400 to so relief could be provided to the most hit Haiti they went through the heart- receive food rations of rice, corn, beans, vulnerable members of the community in wrenching experience of losing their house, which collapsed ‘Life will continue, but it will be a huge challenge for so due to the severe winds and rain. When we visited La Fosse, many. The Salvation Army’s presence and caring ministry the family was living in a tent. will grow and adapt to the needs of the people’ Yavara is a widow, which makes 16 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HAITI

Above: Major Bill Barthau with the Salvation Army response team; below right: crowds of people wait to receive food rations

an efficient manner. As the beneficiaries received their rations, many said: ‘Merci!’ [thank you!] before returning to their damaged home or small tent. On the day of our visit, more than 2,000 individuals benefited from the distribution of rations.

Upwards of 75 per cent of crops in the area were destroyed in the hurricane, so agricultural assistance has been provided to more than 400 families in the form of farm tools and seeds for the replanting of crops to help farmers who had lost the means to support their families.

The region that was worst-hit by Hurricane Matthew accounts for 60 per cent of the national crop production, meaning that it is vital to support farmers quickly before their difficulties begin to affect the rest of the country.

Debris clearance is ongoing, but this is hampering the resumption of agriculture.

The damage to coconut, mango and other trees made me aware that it would be many years before the area will recover. Charcoal was being made with the fallen trees but I wondered how families would manage in six months’ time when they tried to find firewood for cooking, which is the normal form of food preparation. On the plus side, banana suckers were already starting to grow and would replenish those destroyed.

Crops such as rice, beans and corn can be replanted but the present crop was not harvestable, leading to a variety of practical and economic difficulties – some obvious but others less so. The hurricane is having an impact on many aspects of education, for instance.

Most schools do not receive government support and so rely on the payment of fees, but farmers who have lost crops will have no income until the next harvest and so can’t afford to pay.

This means that many children will not be able to continue their education and, of course, this causes major financial problems for schools which now have

no funds coming in to cover unavoidable expenses such as teachers’ salaries.

My thoughts often return to Yavara Estache and her family. I wonder how she will cope and adjust to her new reality.

She was positive and had plans that will be a driving force as she faces the future.

Life will continue, but it will be a huge challenge for so many. The Salvation Army’s presence and caring ministry, which commenced in Haiti in 1950, will grow and adapt to the needs of the people in this and many other communities. It will continue to support the recovery

effort after Hurricane Matthew as it did famously after the 2010 earthquake that struck the country, and as it will continue to do through the joys and difficulties faced in the future by Haiti’s resilient people.

When not on secondment to International Emergency Services, Major Bill Barthau is Assistant Executive Director – Manager of Operations at The Salvation Army’s Jackson’s Point Conference Centre in Ontario, Canada

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C

CARING

AUSTRALIA

Honouring lives well lived

By Esther Pinn Salvos Funerals is a new programme run by The Salvation Army in Australia, offering tailored funerals – which add a personal touch to honour the deceased – and supporting family and friends through their time of grief

I

T was an unusual career change for Salvation Army accountant Malcolm Pittendrigh, but Salvos Funerals was an idea he couldn’t get out of his mind.

For the past 19 years, Malcolm has worked for The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory’s finance team, with the last eight as financial controller for Aged Care Plus, the Army’s elderly care programme which includes residential provision. With a solid background in finance, Malcolm’s career path was set.

However, that all changed when he pitched the concept for Salvos Funerals at a Salvation Army revenue ideas meeting in 2012.

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is not the case. In fact, the missional side of Salvos Funerals is what has driven him to lead this programme. ‘One of the catchphrases of the Army is, “We’re there for when it matters most”,’ he explains.

‘During grief and the loss of the loved one, we want to be there because the Army has always been there, whether it’s [during] a bushfire, a flood or a time of crisis. We’re there for those key moments.’

After receiving approval from Salvation Army leadership to explore the programme, Malcolm spent time in prayer. ‘Having been with the Army for so long I felt deeply committed to it. I understood the financial side well and thought, there’s an opportunity here to serve the community, connect

people with corps (churches) but also see ourselves set up in a financially sustainable way so we can give back.

It kind of weighed up that I had to do something about it.’

Malcolm started to research the funeral industry, with the support of Aged Care Plus. Then, at the start of 2016 – in collaboration with an external partner – Malcolm began a six-month trial with funeral company Magnolia Funerals. The success of the trial then paved the way for the soft launch of Salvos Funerals.

One woman whose mum had passed away told Malcolm that a funeral his team conducted during the trial period had been the best day of her life. ‘I think, for her, we’d honoured her mum in a special way that gave fresh perspective on a life well lived,’ says Malcolm. ‘There were tears of sadness but there were also joyful celebratory tears at the same time.’

Genuine care for people in a time of grief and crisis is at the heart of the mission of Salvos Funerals. ‘As Christians, a funeral is a sad process but there’s celebration and there’s hope where, for some, they don’t have that hope,’ explains Malcolm. ‘The Army is here to walk them

AUSTRALIA

Opposite page: a tailored service organised by Salvos Funerals; below and bottom: the Salvos Funerals service aims to provide everything needed by the family to remember a loved one, from flowers to indivdual touches like a set of stumps for a cricket fan’s funeral; right: Malcolm Pittendrigh

through what can be a really horrendous road. I could tell you countless stories where we’ve been able to pray and come alongside families.’

Malcolm and his team make it a priority to take the time to listen attentively to the needs of grieving families and pray with them, wherever appropriate. They also provide space for families to share the story of their loved one to assist them with the grieving process. ‘This can be really helpful in the funeral-planning process as they share about a life well lived, they honour that person while we take down the key details we need,’ says Malcolm.

Salvos Funerals also aims to offer tailored funerals. Throughout the trial period, Malcolm found the little details to make all the difference in creating special services which honoured their clients’ loved ones. They achieved this by working to meet any request from their clients, such as releasing doves at a ceremony or scattering a loved one’s ashes at sea.

‘Mission is the key, to support families and offer a loved one a personalised and transparent funeral,’ he says.

Flexibility and affordability are also priorities for Malcolm and his team. An average Salvos Funeral will cost less than AU$6,500, well below prices offered by many other funeral companies. ‘We pride ourselves on not having mark-ups and being open about what the costs are,’ he says. In the future, Malcolm hopes to offer subsidies for those who are unable to afford a funeral for a loved one.

He sees Salvos Funerals as an avenue to open up further ministry opportunities within the Army. Wherever needed, Malcolm hopes to connect clients with other Salvation Army services, such as Salvos Counselling, to provide families with the support they need through

the grieving process. He also hopes to see salvation stories and connections with corps (churches) develop out of Salvos Funerals.

‘I feel the real added value is that we’ve got other support mechanisms in place within the Army that offer hope in life. It’s more than just a funeral service we provide, there’s support available too,’ he says.

All profits raised through Salvos Funerals will be invested back into the work and mission of The Salvation Army.

Salvos Funerals is currently operating throughout Sydney, the New South Wales Central Coast and Newcastle.

Malcolm’s vision is to expand to all major metropolitan areas across Australia.

This article – used here with permission – was first published in Others, a new monthly magazine published by The Salvation Army in Australia. For more details, go to others.org.au

‘They also provide space for families to share the story of their loved one to assist them with the grieving process’ A P RI L – J UN E 2017 | ALL THE WORLD |

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THE W

The Whole World Mobilising website and app provide real-time updates on mobilisation activities, practical coaching, community and global prayer.

Visit the website, sign up to participate and download The Whole World Mobilising app.

Providing inspirational tools to put your faith into action ...

DOWNLOAD FROM the APP STORE and GOOGLE PLAY

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SALVATIONARMY.ORG/MOBILISING FACEBOOK.COM/MOBILISING

THE WHOLE WORLD

by Laura Booth

I

N January 2017, in a live webcast from International Headquarters in London, General André Cox launched a new worldwide Salvation Army campaign – The Whole World Mobilising.

At this meeting the General challenged Salvationists to break outside the four walls of their corps (church) and be a force for positive transformation – globally as a movement, and individually in their communities.

Salvationists and other people linked to The Salvation Army around the world have embraced this message and are actively responding to the needs of their neighbours and reaching out to their communities with the love of Christ.

In El Dorado, Arkansas (USA Southern Territory), the corps has started hosting a monthly Mobilising Sunday. Through their Facebook page they explain: ‘Rather than staying within the four walls of the church, we mobilised into the community to do acts of service while sharing the gospel with those we came into contact with. We ventured toward the section of El Dorado known as the “Thunder Zone”, picking up trash and passing out Bibles while we spoke with passers-by. This is the first of many Mobilising Sundays throughout the year.’

Coventry City Corps in the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland is planning to mobilise during the Coventry Half Marathon which passes by the hall during the Sunday morning meeting. ‘We want to be there, on the frontline, visible and integrating with runners and spectators,’ says soldier Dean Heeley. Therefore, the corps will host a ‘cheer station’ and play music to motivate the runners.

It will also open its doors to provide refreshments and bathroom facilities to spectators. The worship meeting will be sports-themed as a way to engage people who will be in the hall for the first time. Dean adds: ‘This new opportunity meets the theme of the UK Territory, of integration, it engages with the General’s global call of mobilisation of the Army and it meets our corps’s five purposes of worship, mission, discipleship, ministry and fellowship. It’s an exciting first

MOBILISING

Breaking through the walls

Above: The Whole World Mobilising flag (left) takes the lead in the first-ever Salvation Army march of witness in Mali; right: Rickie (top) and Tony make a practical difference in bringing the gospel to the people of El Dorado, Arkansas, USA

for us ... we’ll build a team to mobilise, evangelise and shine a light as we cheer every runner that passes by.’

During a visit to New Zealand in January, the Chief of the Staff (Commissioner Brian Peddle) told Salvationists and friends: ‘If God’s church is not mobilised into the world today, it is of no use to the world today.’

Each territory has received a Whole World Mobilising flag which is a useful focal point for mobilising activities and a challenge to move beyond the walls of Salvation Army buildings. In January, Salvationists in Mali held their first-ever

open-air meeting and marched with the Mobilising flag, which was a powerful witness in a predominantly Muslim country. Salvationists in Kenya West are marching the flag to all of the territory’s 528 corps and in India Eastern Territory 100 Salvationists trekked 116 kilometres from Aizawl to Sawleng over four days.

They stopped to pray for and minister to people they met along the way.

Laura Booth is the Whole World Mobilising Content Manager (Europe and Africa), based at International Headquarters in London

If you have been inspired by these stories and would like to find out more, visit www.salvationarmy.org/mobilising, download the new mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play or look on the social media channels: Facebook: /mobilising Twitter: @TSAMobilising Instagram: /samobilising

THE WHOLE W

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COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

UNITED KINGDOM

Strawberry Field bears fresh fruit The Salvation Army’s United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland has launched an inspiring new vision for its Strawberry Field site in Liverpool. The proposals weave together educational, cultural, heritage and spiritual exploration in one bold, imaginative plan.

The iconic Salvation Army site immortalised (with an erroneous ‘s’ added to its name) in ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, the 1967 hit song by The Beatles, is set for a major redevelopment which will see it open its famous gates to the public.

A large Victorian house on the site was a Salvation Army home for the city’s most vulnerable children from 1936 until it finally closed its doors in 2005. The revival of the site, which was treasured by songwriter John Lennon as he grew up a short distance away, will include at its heart a training and work placement hub for young people with learning disabilities. The facility will create opportunities for vocational training in areas such as catering, retail, visitor experience and horticulture.

A new exhibition exploring the story of the place, the song and John Lennon’s early life will be opened, along with a comfortable and stylish cafe which will welcome people from across the world and within the local community. The gardens at Strawberry Field will be at the heart of the new experience. Visitors will be able to stroll through John Lennon’s childhood playground, explore the trees he climbed and shady glades he rested and

tage (per book) £1.01

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dreamed in during the summer. There will be an opportunity to see the site’s fabled gates, which were at one time stolen and subsequently recovered from a nearby scrapyard.

Another initiative planned is Music Rocks, a music-based mentoring scheme.

Within the setting of a music workshop, young people will develop new skills through contemporary music, expand their creativity and use music to re-engage and manage personal development. And the site will incorporate a Christian community of spiritual exploration, retreat and pastoral care.

Major Drew McCombe, divisional leader for The Salvation Army in north-

£6

Plus Postage

west England, explains: ‘Strawberry Field is special in the hearts of many people in Liverpool, the UK and across the world. It’s no secret that Strawberry Field was special to John Lennon – it mattered to him. We’re going to inspire people to become involved in the project in any way they can, to create a pivotal place in the lives of young people and a must-see destination for Lennon and Beatles fans the world over.’

More information is available at www.strawberryfieldliverpool.com A film about the history of Strawberry Field and John Lennon’s inspiration can be viewed and downloaded at http://sar.my/strawbpromo

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Plus Postage

SNAPSHOTS

USA

Food for thought The Salvation Army in central Maryland, USA, is preparing to open DMG Foods – the first Salvation Army low-income food store. A partnership with the Maryland Food Bank will provide the majority of the store inventory, and local farmers and suppliers have been contacted in order to source fresh products.

The 6,000 square foot non-profit grocery store will provide healthy and affordable food in east Baltimore for families and individuals already receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. This store will be the first of its kind in The

Salvation Army and one of just a handful of non-profit grocery stores anywhere in the United States.

The name, DMG Foods, comes from The Salvation Army’s motto in the USA – ‘Doing the Most Good’ (based on a quotation by former Salvation Army General – and pioneering leader of the Army in the USA – Evangeline Booth).

According to the US Department of Agriculture, in 2014 the average Maryland resident receiving SNAP benefits got $119.89 per person, per month – less than $4 a day. The goal of DMG Foods is to double the amount of food that clients can purchase with SNAP benefits compared to what they could buy at other stores.

DMG Foods will also provide a fiveweek workforce development programme for people seeking employment. After providing these individuals with training and hands-on food retail experience, a case manager will assist them with job placement in Baltimore City.

AUSTRALIA

Renovate to alleviate A house in Sydney, Australia, that has been owned by The Salvation Army for almost a century has been renovated and sold in a ‘charity special’ 100th episode of the TV show Selling Houses Australia.

The four-bedroom house was bought in 1920 for £1,150 by The Salvation Army’s second General, Bramwell Booth (son of Salvation Army Founder William Booth). Over the years it has been home to many Salvation Army officers and their families, and for a time acted as emergency accommodation for the homeless.

With the change in the area, which is now much sought-after, and the need for major refurbishment, The Salvation Army felt that selling the property and ploughing the proceeds into its work with the homeless was the best use for the site.

Having been substantially renovated, when the house went up for auction on 25 February it achieved an amazing AU$2.27 million – more than $200,000 above its reserve.

The show’s host, Andrew Winter, says: ‘This is an amazing story and it’s not like anything else we’ve done. The house was

Photo: Selling Houses Australia

bought in an undesirable part of Sydney. It was cheap, but oh how that has turned around ... from an inner-city no-go area to a very desirable inner-city suburb.’

The episode, which aired in Australia in March, included the stories of three people whose lives were transformed through The Salvation Army’s services at William Booth House or Oasis Youth Support Network.

Postage (per book) UK £1.01 Europe £3.88 / rest of the world £6.43 PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO ‘THE SALVATION ARMY’, ADDRESSED TO:

Contentment contains a selection of devotional and topical poems written over a number of years, many born out of deeply personal circumstances. Commissioner Keith Banks hopes that the devotional poems will be a source of spiritual strength to many readers.

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

SHENG FANG BY JAMES A. GILMAN

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CONTENTMENT BY KEITH BANKS

James Gilman’s task? To bring the gospel of Christ to people of a different culture, language and religion in China – a region ravaged by flood, famine and political turmoil.

His story is one of heartache, joy, adventure, terror, isolation, fellowship, faith, doubt, the clash of cultures and meeting of minds. Previously published in Chinese, this English edition celebrates the centenary of the commencement of Salvation Army ministry in China.

Salvation Books publications are also available from territorial trade/ supplies departments, on Amazon.co.uk and – as e-books – from Amazon and Kobo

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THE SALVATION ARMY YEAR BOOK 2017

Filled with historical information, statistics, reports, lists and areas of service, the Year Book is much more than dry facts. It is a story about people, the places where they serve and the work they do in the name of Jesus. It is not just informational, it is also inspirational; for beyond its pages is the hand of God.