All The World (April 2014)

Building extra school capacity in JORDAN INDIA benefits from American partnership Earthquake recovery in NEW ZEALAND THE PHILIPPINES – typhoon relief update

rmy one APRIL–JUNE 2014

OCTOBER–DECEMBER 2010

VOL 48 NO 4

VOL 52 NO 2

A teaching resource to bring the world together

CONTENTS

APRIL–JUNE 2014

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

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UPFRONT From the Editor

04

JORDAN Making education possible

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THE PHILIPPINES Moving into recovery

08

HOME AND AWAY Reflections from here and there

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ONE ARMY New teaching resource launched

14

FACTFILE Vital statistics from New Zealand

15

NEW ZEALAND A long-term response

18

OLYMPICS Taking opportunities

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INDIA Partnership works two ways

22

SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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20 22 Front cover artwork: original design for One Army resource by Jooles Tostevin

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FROM THE EDITOR

IT’S intriguing how people use anniversaries to mark the passing of time and to reassess their place in the world.

For some reason this tendency increases when the number of years is deemed to be particularly significant – 10, 25, 50, 100 ... but who decided that 25 years is more worthy of celebration than 20 or 30?

I am writing on a significant day. It’s the date on which King Richard I of England was fatally wounded in battle, when the first horse race took place in the USA, when the first photo of a solar eclipse was taken and when Concorde made its first supersonic flight.

It’s also, more importantly to me, my 19th wedding anniversary! My wife and I (as the traditional phrase goes) are going out with our boys for something to eat this evening and my guess is that the conversation will turn back to that long-ago day in 1995 when Nichola and I became man and wife. It’ll be good to think back to a time when we were much younger, when my hair was more plentiful and had yet to turn grey, and when life was so much less tiring!

Where have those years gone?

Next year is The Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary. The international congress being held in London will operate under three streams – Commemorate the past; Celebrate the present; and Innovate for the future. To me, this provides a great balance – look at the reasons we’re here today, show what’s working well now and push on to make the future even bigger, better

Thanksgiving Days and more God-glorifying than anything we’ve seen before!

And, just as Nichola and I will use our anniversary to consider where our lives have been, are and will be, so The Salvation Army’s ‘big’ anniversary will inevitably include a good deal of wondering what its Founder, William Booth, would make of the Army of today.

I’d like to think that, if General Booth were to have a glance through this issue of All the World, he’d see a 21st-century Salvation Army that is fulfilling his 19thcentury vision: Salvation Army projects in Jordan that shine the light of God on refugee children; a compassionate response to disaster in New Zealand that is allowing people to find God as they work through times of trauma; a group of Russian Salvationists who, through ministry at the Winter Olympics, used every means allowable to provide a living example of God’s love.

And as for the One Army teaching resource – I’m sure the man who was firmly behind Salvation Army awareness-raising publications such as The War Cry and All the World would say a loud ‘Hallelujah’ to the launch of a programme that seeks to bring together in approach, understanding and knowledge the worldwide members of the movement he began in a forgotten corner of London.

Anniversaries don’t in themselves increase the significance of past events.

What they do is make us consider what has been and appreciate the blessings

Kevin Sims, Editor

that are ours. I don’t love my wife more today because it’s our anniversary, but if the marking of our wedding date makes us consider our experiences – good and bad – and appreciate how we’ve got through them together, then that has to be a good thing.

It’s the same with any special events we celebrate year after year, including Christmas, Easter or even Founders’ Day on 2 July, which commemorates William Booth starting the mission that became The Salvation Army. The anniversaries aren’t special as such, but every opportunity and reminder to praise God for what he has done, is doing and will continue to do should be grasped with both hands.

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 John Murray

© The General of The Salvation Army 2014

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

A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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EMERGENCY

JORDAN

Giving opportunities In the January–March issue of All the World, Colonel Margaret Hay wrote about The Salvation Army’s winterisation programme in Jordan which helped Syrian refugees and needy local families to cope with the cold weather.

In this follow-up article she explains the other main aspect of the emergency response in Jordan – enabling refugee children to continue their education

F

IFTY-SEVEN million children, the girl declared, are hungry not only for food, but also for education.

That’s 57 million worldwide who are not in school. The trumpet call was from Malala Yousafzai, the 16-yearold Pakistani educational activist who was shot in the head by the Taliban but is marching on anyway. Her silver voice has circled the globe, arcing from Pakistan across the Middle East and reaching a tremulous crescendo over Syria and its surrounding countries where educational opportunities for a multitude of children, girls especially, sag under the weight of war.

A press release from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in November 2013 reported that staggering numbers of Syrian refugee

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children in Jordan and Lebanon were growing up in fractured families, missing out on education and serving as their households’ primary breadwinners. The fact that more than 70,000 Syrian children are without fathers is one indicator of the immense physical and psychological harm that the civil war has caused to children of all ages. More than half of all Syrian children in Jordan are not in school, with 30,000 – mainly boys – estimated to be working long hours and for little pay, with the added danger, if they return to Syria, of recruitment into armed forces.

Some school-age girls are employed in agricultural and domestic work.

With more than three-quarters of Syrian refugees in neighbouring Jordan living not in refugee camps but in the community,

the provision of education is a pressing concern for both host and refugee populations as already under-resourced schools become increasingly crowded.

This is especially the case in the cities of Irbid and Mafraq, near the Syrian border, where The Salvation Army has been working in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation. The short-term plan was to provide blankets, heaters, gas bottles, carpets and clothing to see refugees and locals through the harsh winter, but longer-term provision has also been arranged through educational projects.

Proximity to the Syrian border means the population of Mafraq has doubled due to the influx of refugees since the Syrian conflict began in March 2011, with Irbid in a similar situation.

Overcrowding in schools is putting great pressure on the educational infrastructure, with social cohesion strained as Jordanian families complain that their children can no longer learn properly because of the influx of Syrian children. For Syrian families, trying to cope while their meagre savings diminish

JORDAN

Left: pupils at Maysaloon Basic School for Girls; below: the new annexe at the school in Maysaloon, built by The Salvation Army working with the Lutheran World Federation.

The building will enable the school to take on an extra 200 pupils

as rent and food prices rise, access to education is a huge challenge, with many children’s education disrupted by displacement and adolescents becoming adrift or working on the black market. Strategies to reduce pressure on educational facilities are the key to easing tension in this increasingly fraught situation where Syrian refugees, initially warmly welcomed, are now widely seen as a burden.

While a high percentage of schools in Jordan require added capacity, the focus is on identifying the neediest facilities, with special attention given to girls’ education. It is recognised that conflicts affect boys and girls differently; they face different risks and have different reasons for finding it difficult to attend school.

For example, while many schools are working a two-shift pattern to cope with the shortage of space, girls are often kept at home for their safety.

Educational authorities are promoting the need for education to be inclusive, protective and gender-sensitive. Wide community engagement is leading to specific action being encouraged where the community may be opposed to girls’ education, or where practices such as early marriage and pregnancy cut access to school.

An impressive range of agencies is working with the Jordanian Ministry of Education and UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) to extend school capacity and the scope of formal and non-formal education. Together they are trying to address the complex issues of educational provision and social cohesion in a country of 6.5 million people whose population has swelled by more than 15 per cent in two years due to the influx of a million refugees.

The Salvation Army’s contribution is the provision, in partnership with the Lutheran World Federation, of nine additional classrooms to two existing girls’ schools. Three classrooms will form an additional floor at Al Hasoon School, and a block of six classrooms is being

‘A country with talented, skilful and educated people is the real superpower’

built at the Maysaloon Basic School for Girls – both in the hard-pressed city of Irbid.

When the International Emergency Services team visited the 800-strong Maysaloon School in late 2013 they found that the school had 232 Syrian refugee children on the official waiting list, with the number constantly increasing. While the team was visiting a father arrived, wanting to register his three children and saying he had tried every school in the city without success.

The Salvation Army team noted the high motivation, enthusiasm and warmth at both schools, despite the crowded conditions that meant there were up to 40 girls in each class.

The school sports instructor was putting a class through demanding military-style drills, but the girls were giving it their all and clearly loving it. In the background the voice of 16-year-old Malala echoes as she recently addressed the European Parliament on educational essentials and human rights, especially freedom of conscience and expression. She told her audience: ‘A country with talented, skilful and educated people is the real superpower.’

The generosity of donors who are making the nine new classrooms at the Al Hasoon and Maysaloon schools possible A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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JORDAN

confirms once again the rightness of Catherine Booth’s vision almost 150 years ago when, in the constitution of The Christian Mission (later to become The Salvation Army), she ensured the principle of gender equality under ‘things that cannot be altered’ on behalf of what she envisioned and young Malala Yousafzai now urges, but leaves us to enact.

‘People suffer more than we supposed,’ wrote New Zealand author Janet Frame, herself no stranger to suffering. For the Salvation Army team, memories of recent involvement in Jordan are indelibly imprinted.

There are the faces of the Syrian women queuing for winter items so desperately needed as the cold bites.

Who could forget their grace and dignity of bearing, despite evident weariness and the fact that they are among the most

vulnerable refugees, especially single women, female-headed households, rape survivors and families where males are disabled?

Then there are the children standing and waiting, the consequences of conflict in their eyes. Rawan, a girl of about nine, was signing a message for her deaf father as he showed his UNHCR registration form bearing the photos of his seven children, three of whom are also deaf and unable to speak. She explained that her father had gone to several distribution events but could not make himself understood. But this time this diminutive advocate did the job, afterwards standing, responsible and alert, while her tall, fit father helped carry heaters and carpets for others.

The Salvation Army’s schools project is the link between the women in the queue – many of whom married young and have

Above: Al Hasoon School, where three extra classrooms are being built; below: children in the playground at Maysaloon Basic School for Girls; right: a Maysaloon pupil with Major Ray Brown, International Emergency Services Coordinator

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sizeable families, and who consequently missed early educational opportunities – and Rawan, the girl pressed into problemsolving and skilled advocacy by the need of the hour. She clearly has enormous potential and, given the chance of education, she will influence her world.

The winterisation programme provided significant help to 1,000 highly vulnerable families on the basis of need. The schools project looks to the future and will provide educational opportunities to thousands of girls like the child interpreting for her deaf father.

Malala Yousafzai urges us to set no limits to such possibilities.

Colonel Margaret Hay lives in retirement in New Zealand

THE PHILIPPINES

By Major Mike McKee

T

HE first couple of weeks after Typhoon Haiyan (or ‘Typhoon Yolanda’ to the locals) tore through The Philippines on 8 November 2013, it was difficult to turn on the television or pick up a newspaper and not see a report about the aftermath of the storm. As I write, just a few months on, it is unusual to find it mentioned in any news coverage at all.

The eyes of the world may have moved on, but much work has been done and tremendous progress has been made.

Since the middle of January, in fact, it has been widely agreed that the initial emergency phase of the response to Typhoon Yolanda has ended.

Mass evacuations have stopped and public order has been re-established. The need for community-wide distributions of food, water and other survival essentials has abated. We are seeing the first signs of small businesses reopening and the reestablishment of regular governmental functions such as hospitals, law enforcement and other services. Fresh fruit and vegetables are beginning to reappear in local markets.

While these are all hopeful signs that the initial emergency ‘shock to the community’ has been absorbed, there is a host of serious challenges that remain in order for the affected communities to fully recover to pre-typhoon conditions.

For the past few weeks, Salvation Army emergency response teams, which had been distributing essential supplies during the initial disaster response, have been visiting families who had received our early distributions. The ongoing ministry is prepared in partnership with local government officials as well as through

Next steps, new challenges

coordination ‘cluster meetings’ with other agencies which are participating in response efforts.

Team members have been assessing the needs of people who are working to regain the independence they lost when the typhoon devastated their homes and communities. Initial assessments indicate that even though there are some promising signs of improvements in affected communities, there still remain significant challenges ahead.

Thousands of homes have been destroyed, with thousands more suffering severe damage. Whole sectors of the economy (coconut farming, fishing, etc) have been seriously impacted, leaving many families without an income.

Armed with these initial assessments, a delegation of Salvation Army leaders from The Philippines (headed by territorial leaders Colonels Wayne and Robyn Maxwell) and Salvation Army projects experts from International Headquarters (IHQ) and other key locations, met to develop a comprehensive and coordinated plan for The Salvation Army to continue to stand with the Filipino people on the long road to full recovery.

The group, which convened in Manila, also travelled for a two-day visit to ‘The eyes of the world may the worst-hit area around Tacloban.

There, the visitors met with local have moved on, but much government officials, representatives work has been done’ from the United Nations and other

Above: Major Mike McKee (holding bag) helps with the distribution of seeds and tools including spades; below: registration for distribution

relief agencies. They also saw for themselves the scale of the work that is yet to be done.

In sharp contrast to the short attention span of major international news outlets, The Salvation Army will continue to work to bring recovery and restoration in the affected areas well into the future.

Major Mike McKee, from The Salvation Army’s USA Central Territory, was seconded for two months as International Emergency Services Field Operations Coordinator in Tacloban, The Philippines A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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HO U MN E TARNYDOARWTAHYE M E C

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

Geoff Moulton CANADA AND BERMUDA TERRITORY

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am the Editor-in-Chief and Literary Secretary for the Canada and Bermuda Territory, but I think of my job as ‘chief storyteller’ for the Army. It’s the job of our department to share the gospel and the good work of the Army through our publications and Salvationist.ca website. We strive to do it in a way that makes people feel connected to each other and to God.

HOME

What would be your typical day?

A day at the office involves a fair amount of managerial work, but my first love is editing. To me, the process is almost surgical: dissecting an article, trimming the excess verbiage and rearranging the contents to make it healthier and more robust. I have a great team of editors and designers who make us look good every issue.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

My parents were Salvation Army officers who spent their early appointments in correctional and justice services. My father died young from cancer, but was a huge influence on me.

He believed that no one was beyond redemption, and he lived that belief every day by reaching out to inmates in the courts and prison system. Personality-wise I’m more like my mother, who retired recently from her last appointment as personnel secretary. I grew up in the Army and was shaped by its programming – corps cadets, music camp, banding, youth councils ... you name it. That biblical and missional grounding has proved invaluable.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

The person who leaps to mind is Henri Nouwen, a Catholic priest who authored more than 30 books on spirituality, including my favourite, The Return of the Prodigal Son. A professor of pastoral theology at Yale, he eventually gave up his post to become a resident priest at L’Arche Daybreak, a Toronto-based home for people with severe developmental disabilities. His ‘downwardly mobile’ theology stressed that even society’s most vulnerable people have something profound and beautiful to offer.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

I’m not a fan of favourite verses because I think it’s tempting to take the Bible out of context. In terms of a favourite book, I’m partial to the sweeping drama of Exodus.

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

I enjoy the hymns of Charles Wesley. I get caught up in the poetry and cadence of ‘And Can It Be’ (The Song Book of The Salvation Army No 283): ‘Long my imprisoned spirit lay fast bound in sin and nature’s night; thine eye diffused a quickening ray; I woke; the dungeon flamed with light.

My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed thee.’ There aren’t many modern worship choruses that can compete.

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

We have a vast territory with distinct geographies and a diverse population. That means there is a rich assortment of personalities, opinions and perspectives, which makes for

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interesting reading in our publications. We have the freedom and blessing of leadership to push the boundaries a little when it comes to difficult topics.

What do you like most about Canada?

Canadians are known for being polite to a fault (sorry if that offends anyone!). Good manners are important.

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

I wish we had some of the architectural and cultural history of many European cities. Our urban history only goes back a couple of hundred years. When I was a teenager, backpacking through London, Paris and Rome, I had a sense just walking down the streets that residents were somehow connected to traditions that extended back centuries.

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

I’d probably work at getting rid of red tape in the movement. It’s difficult because we’ve inherited a top-down, military structure, but I think we’re making great strides in casting off bureaucracy and getting down to the business of mission.

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

My wife is from Mexico City and I think it would be a privilege to work in this emerging territory. There is such an energy and joy in the people coupled with great needs in a country with little in the way of a social ‘safety net’.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Problem-solving is a useful skill. When stories fall through or don’t turn out the way you planned, you have to be creative.

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

I think I have a pastoral heart. I don’t claim to be the best counsellor, but I wish I had more time to listen to people’s stories and help them work through challenges in their lives.

How would you like to be remembered?

The Bible promises that God’s word will not return empty (see Isaiah 55:11). I hope that in some way, somehow, the words we share through the publications will be the catalyst that points people to the Saviour. On a personal level, I hope that people will remember me as someone who was connected to the living Word, who reflected the kindness and gentleness of Jesus.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

For me, it’s not the outward trappings such as the uniforms or military structure; it’s the core convictions that we hold: holiness, social justice and a passion for the lost. These are our ‘distinctives’.

&

away

What is your role in The Salvation Army?

I am the Zonal Secretary for Women’s Ministries for the Americas and Caribbean Zone, based at International Headquarters (IHQ).

Commissioner Deise Eliasen Commissioner Deise Eliasen is from Brazil but currently works at International Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. She is married to Commissioner Torben Eliasen (International Secretary for Americas and Caribbean) and together they have held appointments in Brazil and Mozambique.

How did you meet The Salvation Army?

When I was born, my parents were Salvation Army officers.

I accepted Jesus as my saviour when I was five and decided to become a junior soldier at seven.

Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’?

From the Bible, Abraham, because he had the faith to obey God’s order to ‘go’ without having the Internet, magazines or photos of the place he would live. He was brave! Today my hero of the faith is my mother. Regret is no barrier for her in serving, trusting and obeying the Lord. She is amazing! She has been a key person in my whole life in terms of being an example of a follower of Jesus.

What is your favourite Bible verse?

Psalm 16:5: ‘Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure’ (New International Version).

What is your favourite Salvation Army song?

Two songs that come to mind are ‘People Need the Lord’ by Greg Nelson and Phill McHugh, and Yvonne Field’s ‘If Your Presence’. The first is a reminder of my mission as a person. The second is my prayer because I want the Lord to control, empower, inspire, lead and use me to share his love and his salvation and sanctification with others.

I wish I had written that song!

&AWAY

How do you think that working at IHQ differs from working elsewhere?

Our role is more related to advising and supporting. We are a kind of bridge between the territories and the General. Our previous roles were more hands-on, more related to decision making, setting the pace, teaching, discipling officers and local officers.

Photos show Commissioner Deise Eliasen visiting Salvation Army projects in Bolivia

What do you like most about IHQ and living in the UK? Cultural diversity, richness in terms of history, and the harmony between past and present.

&AWAY

What would be your typical day?

After a cup of tea and cereal, Torben and I take the 6.30 am train.

I open the Bible on my tablet and pray that someone will read with me and maybe ask some questions (it has happened a few times!). At the office I write emails related to women’s ministries, join my colleagues for lunch, attend some boards and leave at 3.10 pm, arriving home at four. After dinner it’s time for more work because the Americas are behind us by at least three time zones.

At least once a month we travel to a territory in our zone, often to take part in a conference, congress or commissioning. Usually we travel together, but sometimes I go by myself.

What do you miss most about your home country?

Steak (if you have ever tasted Brazilian meat you will know what I am talking about!), hugs and warm weather.

What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in the UK? There are no right or wrong cultures. But coming from a more collective culture, based more in community, that is probably the main aspect I would like to see more present in the UK. If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose and why?

I have never considered choosing, and I have no specific calling to anywhere! But I would not mind going to the east side of the world.

The challenge of moving to the unknown, meeting new people, serving the Lord and helping people to know him and to serve him better is inspiring. Having said that, I would not mind being appointed to any part of the world as long as I can lead, pastor, mentor and disciple people.

What skills do you use most in your work?

Relational skills – especially listening – and in a small way helping people to use their own capacity to improve their life, family and community.

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

I believe I have some teaching and mentoring skills.

How would you like to be remembered?

As a person who loves Jesus and is passionate about sharing him with others.

What’s so special about The Salvation Army?

The Army is a church that includes people, involving them not only in activities but also in ministry opportunities. Everyone is valued and has a place to express devotion to God and to work with others.

&AWAY

PRIRI–LLM JUN UN 2014 | | ALL M ON AAPTH ––JON TH EE2014 2012 ALLTHE THEWORLD WORLD | |

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ESSENTIAL READING

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PLEASE MAKE CHEQUES PAYABLE TO ‘THE SALVATION ARMY’, ADDRESSED TO: Communications Section The Salvation Army International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH United Kingdom Please include your name and address and be clear which books you wish to buy Salvation Books publications are also available from territorial trade/supplies departments and online as both print and Kindle editions from www.amazon.co.uk, although prices may vary Email: IHQ-Editorial@salvationarmy.org for further information For orders of more than 10 books, trade prices will be offered

The Salvation Army International Congress 2015 150th Anniversary | 1-5 July 2015 | London, UK Be a part of history...

Join an anticipated attendance of 16,000+ delegates Live-streamed across the world Website: www.boundless2015.org Registration now open Featuring Music, Worship and Arts groups from around the world, including the International Staff Band and Songsters

Preach to the nations the boundless riches of Christ (Ephesians 3:8) 10 | ALL THE WORLD |

APRIL–JU N E 2014

FELLOWSHIP

TEACHING

rmy one –

united in UNDERSTANDING THIS year marks the launch of a major teaching resource for The Salvation Army. Under the title One Army, it is designed to unite Salvationists worldwide and help others understand its mission and message in clear, global terms. The potential for positive impact is huge and lasting.

All the World talks to Commissioner Robert Street, who has been given the task of devising and producing the material.

All the World: Why One Army?

Commissioner Robert Street: In recent years The Salvation Army has moved into more and more countries – usually by request or because Salvationists have moved country and taken ‘the Army’ with them. It is now in more than 125 countries – and growing. As it expands it is crucial that it stays united, grows authentically and continues to be what it was always meant to be.

love of God! Its motto throughout the years, ‘Heart to God and hand to man’, puts what Jesus called the two great commandments into action – ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and your neighbour as yourself’. If the Army keeps doing that, it won’t go far wrong.

So how will the teaching help?

One Army looks not only at what we were called to be, but also at what we

are meant to do and the way in which we should do it. It’s designed for all cultures and ages. It gets to the heart of who we are in simple, clear, uncomplicated ways and invites participation.

How does it do this?

First, there’s the main script, accompanied by discussion points, Bible references and prayer subjects. The level of discussion can be adjusted according to the group.

To help with this, additional material

Which is?

An expression of the one Church Universal, showing the heart and

‘It gets to the heart of who we are in simple, clear, uncomplicated ways and invites participation’

A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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TEACHING

is being supplied on our One Army website, salvationarmy.org/onearmy, including worship ideas, extracts from Army books and publications, as well as recommending other books and resources on specific topics. The resources will expand as more people interact. There is also a Leader’s Manual giving ideas for people to study together. Some ideas will suit one culture while others will suit another.

Catering for all cultures must have its challenges.

It does. There are two things that help in this respect. Each booklet – and there will be 13 of them when the resource is completed – has an ‘In Culture’ feature, in which people describe what it is like to serve Jesus in their own culture, giving

insights into their world. Questions at the conclusion of this section offer opportunities for comparison between your own culture and the one described.

In this way we learn about others while also being helped to understand ourselves better. The other plus is that I have been blessed to see the Army at work in 50 of its 126 countries. I know many of the cultures for which we are writing, and what can hinder or help in understanding. If those who use One Army really want to broaden their horizons and understanding, they will find the cultural aspect illuminating – and challenging.

You mentioned 13 booklets ...

Yes. They are written to follow the book title. The introductory booklet is called ‘One Life’, then the others follow: ‘One Army – In Calling’, ‘... In Covenant’, ‘... In Christ’, ‘... In Truth’, ‘... In Purpose’, ‘... In Prayer’, ‘... In Fellowship’, ‘... In Service, ‘... In Faith’, ‘... In Holiness’, ‘... In Hope’ and ‘... In Love’.

Are they all being released at the same time?

No. We are launching the first four now.

Each booklet is designed to be studied in five or six sessions. The next three to be published – ‘One Army – In Truth, ‘...

‘The material can be used in cell groups, Bible studies, Sunday and weeknight meetings, and by individuals’

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TEACHING

In Purpose’ and ‘... In Prayer’ – will be available by July, well before they should be needed. The following two groups of booklets will be released near the end of 2014 and in the first part of 2015. And throughout this time the website will be interactive and growing in resources.

Can you tell us more about the website?

Every booklet will appear on the website as it is published. The first four are there now. Each booklet also has a youth version. In the printed copies, the youth version opens at the back of the booklet as if it is a book in its own right. It is based on the main script, but has its own ideas that will unite young Salvationists and friends round the world. It provides a way for young people to share faith and questions with each other. Young people will play a great part in helping the Army develop. We have also made films.

Films?

Each of the 13 booklets has its own corresponding film. We produce them as DVDs and the films are also on the website. The DVDs are being launched with four and then eight-language subtitles. We are currently working towards 20 subtitle languages on the web.

It is a large undertaking that is already producing positive contact round the world. It’s not difficult to get a growing picture of the vastness of the Army when you’re engaged in producing something to unite everyone. Our film producer has been given quite a headache!

Translations are important to One Army then?

Absolutely! It’s vital that this is an international resource. It comes from

International Headquarters. The General calls it ‘IHQ’s gift to the world’. We have film footage from countries in all continents. Some territories are also printing booklets in their local languages. Linking with them all to achieve the best results is necessarily time-consuming and demanding, but working together in this way makes One Army all the more real.

So your target audience is ...?

Every corps (Salvation Army church).

Corps are where people are.

Each one is the spiritual home of Salvationists. It is where faith can be learned, shared and put into practice.

The material can be used in cell groups, Bible studies, Sunday and weeknight meetings, and by individuals, of course. Our leaflets – also available in

Spanish, French and Portuguese – are aimed at corps, but I hope and fully expect that other centres will also want to use One Army too.

How will you measure success?

I won’t – God will do that. But I’ll be happy if people come to understand their faith better and know Jesus more fully. If these things happen God will ensure he makes and keeps us One Army.

For more details go to: www.salvationarmy.org/onearmy

Commissioner Robert Street is Chairman of The Salvation Army’s International Doctrine Council A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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FACTFILE

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The New Zealand flag is based on the blue ensign flown by British naval vessels and authorised civilian craft since 1801.

The British union flag is in the top left corner and on the righthand side of the flag, four five-pointed red stars, outlined in white, form the shape of the Southern Cross constellation as seen from New Zealand. The colour of the stars reflects the colouring of the union flag, with red in the centre moving out to white and then the blue of the background.

The current flag became officially recognised in 1902. Before that the union flag was the country’s official standard.

The Salvation Army in NEW ZEALAND

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NEW ZEALAND • Government statistics estimate the current population of New Zealand to be just over 4.5 million people. Of these, around a third live in the largest city, Auckland.

• If the whole of New Zealand was counted as a city, it would be only the 180th most populous city in the world!

• New Zealand was discovered in 1642 by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman (after

whom the Tasman sea, which separates New Zealand and Australia, was named). He called it Staten Landt, believing that it was connected to a land mass of the same name at the southern tip of South America. In 1645 Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia, after the Dutch province of Zeeland, before British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand.

• The Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 brought New Zealand under British rule –

Salvation Army ministry in New Zealand was started in Dunedin on 1 April 1883 by Captain George Pollard and Lieutenant Edward Wright. Their early efforts were remarkably successful – a congress held at the end of the same year was attended by up to 600 Salvation Army soldiers (most in uniform) with music provided by five brass bands!

The early days of The Salvation Army in New Zealand were not all plain sailing. Two women Salvationists from Waimate were charged with ‘maliciously disturbing the residents by beating tambourines on a Sunday’!

‘The Salvation Army’ in Māori is ‘Te Ope Whakaora’.

According to statistics compiled in 2013, there are 76 Salvation Army corps (churches) in New Zealand, along with 19 societies and outposts. The Salvation Army in New Zealand has 4,737 senior soldiers (full members), 1,268 adherent members and 499 junior soldiers, with a total of 480 officers (ministers), 230 of whom are retired.

New Zealand is part of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory, the headquarters of which is in Wellington, the capital city.

originally as part of the Australian state of New South Wales, though it became a separate colony in its own right a year later.

• The British monarch – currently Queen Elizabeth II – is still New Zealand’s official head of state.

• The original inhabitants of New Zealand, the Maoris, are thought to have

settled there as recently as the 13th century, making New Zealand the last significant land mass (other than Antarctica) to be inhabited by humans.

• The current Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa (often translated as ‘land of the long white cloud’).

• The country is made up of two main islands and numerous small islands.

The main islands are, imaginatively, called North Island and South Island. It was discovered in 2009 that the names North Island and South Island had only ever been used informally. In 2013 the names were formalised, along with Maori versions Te Ika-a-Maui (North Island) and Te Waipounamu (South Island).

• New Zealand is one of only three countries to have two official (and of equal

standing) national anthems: ‘God Save the Queen’ (the British national anthem) and ‘God Defend New Zealand’. (Denmark and Canada have a royal anthem and a state anthem.)

• In 1893 New Zealand became the first country to give women the vote.

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New Zealand has a Christian tradition but today it is among the most secular countries in the world. In the 2013 Census, while just under half the population said they were Christians (though less than a third of those attend church), 38.5 per cent indicated that they had no religion at all.

New Zealand is in many ways ideal for human habitation – no deadly insects or other predators, and a temperate climate – but earthquakes are an ongoing hazard. The country lies at the point where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates meet, and 200,000 quakes are recorded each year – though only one in 1,000 is strong enough to be felt.

An earthquake that struck Christchurch in February 2011, killing 185 people, is the country’s seconddeadliest on record, beaten only by the earthquake that hit the Hawke’s Bay area in 1931, with 256 people losing their lives.

Photos by www.thephotographer.co.nz

EMERGENCY

NEW ZEALAND

Expecting great things

by Jon Hoyle and Major Christina Tyson Three years on from an earthquake that tore the heart out of Christchurch, The Salvation Army is still coming alongside people as they rebuild homes and lives

O

NE hundred and eightyfive people died as a result of the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 February 2011.

Others were badly injured, buildings were made uninhabitable or barely liveable, livelihoods were lost, and entire communities were fractured and even displaced. But this is a tragedy that also saw people rally to help and support one another.

In the aftermath of the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes, The Salvation Army’s response included A Salvation Army Community Care van drives through central Christchurch, where many buildings have had to be demolished because of earthquake damage

the provision of 27,000 meals at welfare centres, 20,900 chemical toilets, three mobile shower units, 6,500 care packages, 11,066 food parcels, 8,631 vouchers and debit cards, and 253 respite holidays for stressed families. Twelve hundred Salvation Army personnel from New Zealand and Australia visited 100,000 affected households, providing material, social and spiritual support.

In 2013, The Salvation Army’s work continued its focus on residents’ physical needs, but a lot of effort also went into supporting people whose resilience was diminishing due to the ongoing frustrations and stress of damaged and unhealthy living situations, financial pressures and uncertain futures.

The region’s Community Ministries centres faced significantly higher demand than before the quakes, as rising costs of

living and housing made life tenuous for many low-income families. The emotional toll on these families cannot be overstated, according to local Salvation Army social workers.

In response, Salvation Army community outreach teams continued to provide assistance to families in quakeaffected areas. The teams worked to build community cohesion by establishing small neighbourhood support groups in areas where demolitions and migration of residents had brought social dislocation and isolation.

In a similar vein, the Army’s Schools Support Programme continued to provide practical, social and emotional support to 13 primary schools and their wider communities across Christchurch.

Another programme, DALTA (Deliberate Acts of Love to All), utilised volunteers to work on sections and properties of families struggling to cope after the quakes. Many of DALTA’s volunteers, who were previously unemployed, entered the work force or began vocational studies as a result of this programme.

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NEW ZEALAND

Above: a Salvation Army Community Care van distributes refreshments to workers in central Christchurch; left: the Schools Support Programme offers practical and spiritual help

With the rebuild now gaining momentum, a Salvation Army initiative that uses its vocational training arm, Employment Plus, to train unemployed people for infrastructure reconstruction is also gaining pace. ‘U Build 4 the Rebuild’ has run 12 courses so far, and has an average 86 per cent rate of participants being placed in full-time work.

The Salvation Army, together with other social service agencies and Christchurch City Council, has also been working on an affordable housing project in Hornby.

The development, comprising 44 units, will be completed in early 2015. It will initially house families and individuals forced to move from their homes and awaiting long-term accommodation, and will eventually provide affordable housing for the elderly. The Army is contributing NZ$3 million to the $12-million project.

Major Ivan Bezzant is Divisional Commander for The Salvation Army’s work in the South Island. He grew up in 16 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Christchurch but was living in Wellington when the quakes struck. Ivan remembers the overwhelming emotions he felt as he watched the terrible tragedy unfolding in Christchurch – especially after the deadly February 2011 quake. ‘I was very caught up in what was going on in Christchurch, because this is home for me,’ he says.

When he and wife Major Glenda Bezzant were appointed to Christchurch in January 2012, Ivan came home to a city he didn’t recognise. ‘I could not have imagined the devastation,’ he recalls.

‘The inner city was just gone. It was like a ghost town, with curtains still flapping at

‘I could not have imagined the devastation ... the inner city was just gone. It was like a ghost town’

the windows of empty homes and hotels.

I don’t think the media reports did justice to the plight of people out in the suburbs.

You could never have imagined what it was like until you drove around and saw for yourself.’

It was devastating to watch so many of the city’s landmarks come down, he says, including AMI Stadium, formerly a multi-sport international venue. Ivan used to live just around the corner from the stadium, describing it as his ‘boyhood second home’. He says: ‘There would be days [since returning] when I would walk around and feel quite depressed, for no other reason than just being in a city that I’ve known so well – and it’s not the same any more.’

As a counter to the hardships, Ivan has the highest praise for those who served the city through The Salvation Army. ‘I describe that service as “courageous”,’ he says, ‘because not only were they trying to help other people, but the Sallies in the town were also going through their own stuff.

‘As an organisation, we flew people in for months to help with our disaster response, and every night we made sure they had a hot meal and a good bed to sleep in. But we had Sallies going home to gas cookers and to digging latrines in their backyards. Some of the things our people went through in those first months ... they were just courageous – there’s no other word for it!’

Ivan says it’s been easy to collect for The Salvation Army’s annual Red Shield fundraising appeal over the past two years in Christchurch as a result of the service given since the earthquakes.

‘That’s because Christchurch people

NEW ZEALAND

Below: Salvation Army trainees on U Build 4 the Rebuild programme

know us. They see the Sallies out in their community. We were prepared to get out and meet people – it’s an inspiring story, really.’

However, the courageous service of Salvationists has taken a toll. Ivan remembers sitting in a staff meeting 12 months after ‘the big one’ of 22 February 2011 and seeing first-hand evidence of the trauma that people were still experiencing every day. ‘There were tears because it had been two days since we’d had a shake, and there was fear that, because it had been two days, there would be another big one coming,’ he recalls.

Some of the practical aftershocks facing the people of Christchurch are well known. Three years on, there are still outstanding insurance claims, for instance. But the emotional aftershocks are still resonating too. ‘There’s already a sense that this year there will be a lot of tiredness and even depression here,’ Ivan says. ‘People have lived on adrenalin for so long, and now they’re exhausted.

They’re tired of roadworks – it used to take 10 to 15 minutes to drive anywhere,

‘There’s a growing sense in this city that there’s more to life than just meeting our physical and psychological needs now,’ and now it can take up to an hour. There’s still uncertainty.’

The earthquake did more than shake up bricks and mortar; it shook the foundations that people had built their lives on. ‘There’s a growing sense in this city that there’s more to life than just meeting our physical and psychological needs now,’ says Ivan. ‘Even the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Centre (CERA) is talking about the importance of meeting people’s spiritual needs. So you do sense that there is an opportunity for a move of the Holy Spirit in the community.

The churches are positioning themselves for that – and the Army is amongst them.

We’re seeing new people coming along to Christchurch City Corps, and at other corps too. There’s an exciting expectation for great things.’

Ivan is convinced there’s been an upward lift in people’s spiritual lives as

a result of the quakes: ‘I really do believe that the level of faith has increased around the city. We’re in a great time of opportunity. The Salvation Army is realising that these are incredibly challenging days, and yet they must be lived out in hope and with a sense of expectation of advancement. I look around the city and I see the evidence of this. Our corps are planning for advancement – for increase, for growth.

The opportunities are there for us as a city and as an Army.’

Article first printed in War Cry, a New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory publication. Used here with permission A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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OUTREACH

RUSSIA

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N February 2014 I had an invaluable ministry experience when, with Salvation Army officers and soldiers from around Russia, I took part in outreach work at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

The slogan for the Sochi Olympics was ‘Hot. Cool. Yours.’ – ‘hot’ referred to the intensity of competition, ‘cool’ reflected the temperatures and ‘yours’ symbolised that the games were for everyone. For me, the slogan of our outreach effort could have been ‘Hot. Cool. God’s!’

Prayers and preparation for the trip began long before the Olympics. A few years ago our territorial leadership recognised an emotional ‘wave’ which was moving in the world of sports. The Winter Olympics were going on right here in the Eastern Europe Territory, in a Russian city! This would be a great opportunity to be with the people and reveal Christ through our lives.

Under the leadership of Russia Division leaders Captains Alexander and Svetlana Sharov, a team was established of Russian officers and soldiers to be part of the outreach in Sochi. But the closer we got to the opening ceremony, the more obstacles appeared. The government issued regulations prohibiting the distribution of any religious material and we, being obedient citizens, were not going to violate the laws and regulations.

A miracle occurred and the way was finally opened for our team to be there in

Hot, Cool, God’s!

by Captain Andrei Iniutochkin Sochi. God gave us a desire and courage to go to people and demonstrate Jesus not through the distribution of Bible tracts but by our lives, personal testimonies, positive attitudes and holiness!

Thanks to our friends from the ‘More Precious than Gold’ organisation (a Russian group which is linked with the worldwide ‘More than Gold’ programme) it was agreed with the local authorities that Fun Zones could be set up in three places: Sochi, Krasnaya Polyana and Khosta. Two of these were located on the premises of local Protestant churches.

On 2 February – five days before the Games began – we arrived in Sochi. At the introduction meeting a lot of different churches, denominations and civic organisations were present. Everybody was driven by the desire to serve people.

It was clear how wonderfully God had put everything and everyone in their proper places.

When the Games began, every day at 3 pm the Fun Zone (on the church

‘We were inspired by everything that was happening; we could not stop talking about Christ!’

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Above: the Russia Division team in Sochi, with Captain Andrei Iniutochkin crouching in the front

grounds) got underway, with an invitation team speaking to passers-by so they knew they were welcome. Inside, balloon animals were made in one area, with tables set up for craft activities elsewhere and computer games where people could try to be a ‘virtual athlete’. We also had areas for face-painting and hair-styling.

On a small makeshift stage the team arranged dancing ‘flash mobs’ and at night live footage of the Olympic Games was shown on a big screen.

We had one area set aside where anyone could have their photo taken in full sports gear by a professional photographer on a green-screen background; later a team of volunteers would make beautiful pictures by inserting a stunning background of ski slopes or an ice hockey rink, depending on the chosen outfit.

A European power-lifting champion visited the Fun Zone one day to demonstrate his sport. He thanked God for his strength and shared a powerful testimony.

RUSSIA

Above: team members Anastasia, Julia and Natasha prepare to serve tea and coffee; left: children playing with bubbles at the Fun Zone; bottom: antitrafficking leaflets in English and Russian

Our Salvation Army team provided tea, coffee and delicious bagels to more than 200 people a day, talking to them and trying to show the image of Christ through our actions. Children and adults enjoyed the refreshments and would sit down to play board games together. And although we couldn’t give out religious pamphlets on the streets, anyone visiting the site could take free copies of the New Testament in Russian or English, along with other Christian publications.

We served drinks in cups which were marked with a Salvation Army red shield, leading many people to ask: ‘What is The Salvation Army?’ We immediately had a great opportunity to share the good news and explain what and who we were.

It is common knowledge that during big sporting events the number of human trafficking cases increases, and the Sochi Olympics was no exception.

We had information that on the eve of the Olympic Games in Sochi a number of women were brought there to provide sexual services.

We realised that we could

not undertake a large anti-trafficking response but we wanted to do something to bring awareness of the issue to the people of Sochi and visitors, so we worked with the A21 anti-trafficking organisation which supplied brochures for us to distribute. We will never know the outcome of handing out those brochures, but if we helped save one person from being caught in the trap of modern-day slavery it was worth our effort.

We were pleased that the pastors of other churches thanked God for the opportunity to serve with us. We believe that the ‘Gospel House’ church that hosted the Fun Zone will reap the harvest of this ambitious evangelism effort.

Our team counted it a privilege to be involved in personal evangelism and we looked for every opportunity to share about the freedom we have found in Jesus. We were inspired by everything that was happening; we could not stop talking about Christ! Late at night, travelling back to our accommodation, we would talk to each other about how we had

experienced God’s salvation. We soon noticed that people sitting around us were listening attentively to our conversation; we pray they were inspired to think about the salvation that is available to everyone.

One day we were passing a cafe and heard a group of people singing Christian songs. We came closer to discover a team from another country sitting at the table, singing and praising God in their own language. We joined them and sang with them in Russian, so now the Russian people in the cafe could understand the words for themselves.

I hope it is clear why I feel our slogan for this Olympic outreach was ‘Hot. Cool.

God’s!’ It wasn’t our outreach, it was all about God and what he was doing and will continue to do. As we read in Matthew 5:16: ‘Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven’ (New International Version).

Captain Andrei Iniutochkin is corps officer at Rostov-on-Don Corps (Salvation Army church) in the Eastern Europe Territory A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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PARTNERSHIP

INDIA

Welcome to India

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HE Salvation Army has been working in India since 1882, only two years after its ministry first moved anywhere beyond the British Isles. India is sometimes referred to as the Army’s oldest mission field.

Today, the National Secretariat for India serves the country’s six Salvation Army territories. My travels to the country, with the Divisional Missions Team from Texas (USA Southern Territory), took us to the India Western Territorial Headquarters in Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay), on the west coast of India, overlooking the Arabian Sea. Territorial Commander Colonel Thumati Vijayakumar and his staff welcomed us with open arms, quickly making us feel comfortable and soon ensuring that we were familiar with the many and varied programmes and services in Mumbai and throughout the four regions that comprise this vast territory.

One of the visits we made was to an outpost right in the heart of Mumbai’s red-light district, where officers are ministering 24/7 to trafficked women and their children. The building, a small store

By Christopher W. Priest front, is purposefully attracting the many women caught in the sexual trafficking industry.

They are invited to drop off their children at the Army building where each child is fed and given a place to sleep while the mothers work. The children are fed what is probably their only substantial meal of the day, given basic education and taught other skills. This for many is also the only source of formal education they will get in their young lives. When bedtime comes, the children cover almost every square inch of the floor as they sleep. Their mothers return the next morning for refreshment, education and counselling.

Outside of Mumbai, we had several opportunities to witness the dedication to God of newly dug water bore wells, financed by the Texas Division, which is a Partner in Mission with the India Western Territory.

One dedication ceremony took place at the Evangeline Booth Hospital in Ahmednagar, in the Region of

‘They are invited to drop off their children at the Army building where each child is fed and given a place to sleep while the mothers work’ 20 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Above: a boy from The Salvation Army’s boarding school in Anand

Maharashtra, where for more than 100 years the only means of obtaining clean, safe water was to have it delivered using commercial transportation. Another dedication service took place at the officer training college in the Gujurat Region (the territory is split in two along language lines, with ministry in the Gujarat Region being mainly in the Gujurati language, and that in the Maharashtra Region taking place predominantly in Marathi).

Other wells were dedicated to God at corps (churches) and a school, with ceremonies overseen at each location by Colonels Ken and Dawn Luyk, leaders of the Texas Division. On every occasion the local people appeared overcome with joy, and expressed their gratitude for what to us was a simple deed, yet to them was an enormous act of generosity

by Salvationists from the Western hemisphere. At each location the wells will be used not just by Salvationists but by the entire community.

Visiting two Salvation Army hospitals, we met with the patients and also employees who had worked at the institutions for up to 25 years. Their commitment was very clear, and we were

INDIA

inspired by their total dedication to the mission of the Army.

The Salvation Army has been caring for children since its earliest days, with particular emphasis given to the protection and nurture of the physically disabled and underprivileged.

At the Joyland Home for Boys in Anand, Gujarat Region, we were blessed beyond measure by the enthusiastic welcome and a moving presentation in dance and singing. One of the boys, a teenager who has been severely crippled since birth, testified to his new-found love in Christ.

Wherever we went, Salvationists young and old welcomed, ministered to and blessed the team. The traditional garland welcome ceremony was repeated sometimes three times per day, yet each time it happened it helped us to feel genuinely part of the Indian Salvation Army family.

On two occasions, Colonels Ken and Dawn Luyk had the honour of conducting officers councils. The first was in Ahmednagar Division (Maharashtra), and the other in Anand Division (Gujurat).

Both councils gathered officers from the other six divisions of each region. Our many blessings included the sight of hundreds of officers resplendent in their white uniforms.

Left: Colonels Ken and Dawn Luyk dedicate to God a new bore-well at The Salvation Army’s officer training college in Anand

I had an opportunity to speak with an officer couple in their early 30s. They had to bring their two young children with them (during the sessions they played outside with several other ‘officers kids’).

They told me they had ridden there on a motorcycle (all four of them!) through the night to be present for the opening session. I suspect they will have made the return journey, again at night, back to their appointment!

As with this couple, many officers were young, eager, and glowing in the Lord.

Such evidence was proven when Colonel Ken Luyk made an appeal for those seeking a deeper relationship with Christ to move forward and kneel at the mercy seat, with many people rededicating their lives to God. The caste system in this subcontinent divides religious belief into Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jains and, of course, Christian, with Christian being

the smallest group. From what I saw of The Salvation Army in India, they don’t think small!

Worship is joyful, colourful and diverse, with great importance given to evangelism.

We need to continue praying for The Salvation Army’s many officers and soldiers in India. The economic climate is transitioning to great wealth, with major corporations opening on the subcontinent. But poverty, as we witnessed, along with human trafficking and many other social ills demand our vigilance and support in prayer. I would encourage anyone to keep these ministries in mind when considering giving to World Services (Self-Denial) appeals and the many opportunities we have to finance various projects.

What I and the rest of our team saw in India was hospitality on the faces and in the hands of service at every Salvation Army location. The team was so blessed to witness the spiritual gifts of hospitality that we experienced everywhere.

Christopher W. Priest is Territorial Director of Communications in The Salvation Army’s USA Southern Territory

A time of prayer during officers councils in Anand

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COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Play, sing, pray, read Boundless 2015 International Congress Boundless ... the Whole World Reading is a Bible-reading challenge starting on 5 January 2015 and running for the whole year. Salvationists and friends around the world will be challenged to read through the whole of the New Testament in one year – together. Each week, everyone taking part in the challenge will read five chapters of Scripture and take time to consider discussion questions relating to the text.

The steady trickle of information about The Salvation Army’s 150th anniversary international congress next year is beginning to speed up. Registration is now open for anyone wanting to attend all five days of the congress, which will run from 1 to 5 July 2015 at the O2 in London.

The latest news from the Boundless 2015 office concerns the music groups that will be at the event and two projects that can involve Salvationists and friends from around the world – not just the 16,000-plus people who will attend the congress.

Every territory and command was invited to submit musicians or music groups, and a dedicated team sat through hours of footage before selecting groups and soloists that represent a broad spectrum of excellence in God-inspired Salvation Army music-making – from the traditional choral, brass band and timbrels through to Chinese lion dancers, Korean fan dancers and a bamboo orchestra.

Commissioner William Cochrane (Chair of the Congress Planning and Advisory Council) says: ‘We are grateful to the worldwide Army for its support and are extremely pleased by the variety and cultural diversity represented in the list of participants. The multiculturalism of The Salvation Army will clearly be seen in the groups and individuals who will come from the four corners of the earth to share their gifts in praise and worship to our heavenly Father.’

The initiative will be facilitated by the congress office with the Centre for Spiritual Life Development (CSLD). Salvation Army territories have been assigned specific days of prayer throughout the year to ensure that the anniversary preparations and celebrations are bathed in constant prayer, although this should not be seen as a discouragement to people from the rest of the world! Go to sar.my/ boundlessprayer for more information.

Quality resources will also be provided for children, who will consider one reading each week and undertake a simple activity based on the same chapters being read by adults.

A printed study booklet outlining the reading plan will be made available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. Additional commentaries and expanded resources will be available online when the dedicated Bible-reading challenge website goes live in 2015.

For the latest news on the congress go to www.boundless2015.org. While on the site, sign up to the Boundless 2015 newsletter to receive the latest information direct to your inbox.

The congress will also be the focal point for Bible-reading and prayer programmes.

Boundless ... the Whole World Praying is a year-long prayer initiative beginning on 1 July 2014 and concluding on the last day of the congress (Sunday 5 July 2015).

‘Salvation Army ministry began in Estonia in 1927 but it stopped in 1940 because of the Second World War, restarting again in 1995’ 22 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Pioneering messengers Estonia The Salvation Army in Estonia has taken an exciting step forward with the acceptance of the first session of officer cadets to be trained in the country. Salvation Army ministry began in Estonia in 1927 but it stopped in 1940 because of the Second World War, restarting again in 1995 There are now five Salvation Army corps (churches) in the country, which is part of the Finland and Estonia Territory.

In accepting the cadets for training at a meeting in Kopli Corps, Territorial Commander Commissioner Johnny Kleman encouraged the six new cadets of the Messengers of Light Session to be beacons of God’s light by demonstrating God’s unconditional love and care to a hurting world.

The training will be undertaken through a combination of corps placement activities

SNAPSHOTS The new cadets, with regional and territorial staff and leaders

and – three days a month – academic studies. The studies also mark a significant new partnership as they will be held at the Methodist Seminary, Tallinn. This stateof-the-art training facility has the benefit of translation booths in classrooms (essential as each class will be simultaneously translated into Russian) plus an extensive theological library with books in English, Estonian and Russian.

Major Alison Hudson (left), Stuart Scott (above left) and Paul Nicolson provide valuable support to firefighters

In the news United Kingdom The Salvation Army’s United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland has been well featured in local and national media in recent months – for contrasting reasons.

The end of 2013 and early 2014 saw southern England battered by record winds and rain, leading to widespread flooding and damage to properties. Salvation Army corps (churches) and centres opened their doors to help people affected by the floods and also to provide support to the emergency services.

One of the highest-profile responses was carried out by Reading Central Corps at Whitley Fire Station in Reading, which was used as a base for firefighters from around the country. Many towns along the River Thames, right up to the outskirts of London, were flooded on an unprecedented scale.

Whitley Fire Station was a central gathering point for a variety of responses, and soldiers and friends from Reading Central provided an invaluable service, preparing hot meals and refreshments for emergency service

personnel, many of whom were a long way from home.

In a press release sent out by the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Group Manager Steve Smith said: ‘We have been totally overwhelmed and delighted

by the amount of support and kindness we have been shown while we’ve been dealing with the unprecedented level of flooding in Berkshire. Fire crews have a physically demanding job, especially during a major incident, so it is vital that they have a nutritious hot meal to give them the energy they need. The British Red Cross and Salvation Army volunteers have been absolutely fantastic and I would like to thank them sincerely for all of their hard work.’

National media coverage was also given to a more unusual Salvation Army event – a sneezing trombonist!

The London Central Divisional Fellowship Band was giving a concert at a church in Tiptree, Essex, when – partway through a gentle, quiet section of William Himes’s ‘Procession to Covenant’ – trombonist Trevor Smith failed to hold back a sneeze and made a loud noise that sounded like an elephant’s call!

A video of ‘The Tiptree Sneeze’ was uploaded to YouTube and soon went viral, being watched online by hundreds of thousands of people. Soon the national and local media wanted to know more, leading to the story being featured across the country – and even being in the top 10 most-read articles on the BBC website for a few days.

There have been countless conversations started because people have watched the YouTube clip, with many wanting to know more about the band or the piece it was playing.

Bandmaster Julian Bright appeared on several radio shows to talk about the incident – with opportunities also to talk more widely about The Salvation Army – and, so far, more than two million people have watched the clip! As an evangelistic technique, trombone-sneezing is unlikely to catch on, but it’s further proof that God can use anything for his glory!

To see for yourself, go to: http://news.salvationarmy.org.uk/tiptree-elephant-sneeze-becomes-youtube-sensation

A P RI L – J UN E 2014 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Berni Georges

Statistics from The Salvation Army Year Book 2014

This artwork is available to download from sar.my/armyinnumbers