All The World (January-March 2018) by Salvation Army IHQ

Taking to the streets CELEBRATING THE WHOLE WORLD MOBILISING INITIATIVE IN CENTRAL LONDON

Hurricanes hit the CARIBBEAN

VOL 56 NO 1

NEPAL – overcoming obstacles Giving and receiving in MEXICO UGANDA – supporting refugees JANUARY–MARCH 2018

CONTENTS

JANUARY–MARCH 2018

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

UPFRONT From the Editor

MEXICO Communities respond to disaster

HOME AND AWAY Thoughts from here and there

UGANDA Fulfilling refugees’ needs

THE WHOLE WORLD Mobilising into the future

NEPAL A new ministry

CARIBBEAN A dignity-filled response

ONLINE SUMMIT Interactive refugee discussions

SNAPSHOTS News from around the world

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Cover photo by Dave Bird

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Adapting to a Kevin Sims, Editor

T was like nothing I’d ever done before. While a director whispered instructions in my ear, I sat in a makeshift studio trying to keep calm and explaining to an online audience of thousands what was happening during the Mobilising celebration march and open-air meeting in central London. I have to admit to being slightly terrified. How would I know which camera to look at? (Answer: the voice in my ear – though sometimes he told me the wrong one so I’d catch sight of myself in the monitor and change angles!) How would I find things to say across the two-plus hours of live broadcast? (Answer: it went so quickly that most of my prepared notes went unused.) What if the outside images failed and left me to fill? (Answer: they did – and I did!) One of the things I like most about my job here at International Headquarters (IHQ) is the incredible variety of things I get to do (or – sometimes – get roped into!). Aside from my role with this magazine and the recent TV presenting opportunity, I work on content for the salvationarmy.org website – including preparing news releases that are sent out around the world, collaborate with the General on video messages, supply voice-overs for videos and audio presentations, work with our designers on graphics for the front window and exhibitions in the public cafe – and more! In some ways, what I do is a fair representation of The Salvation Army’s approach worldwide – as long as a task fulfils the international mission to ‘meet human needs in [Jesus’] name without

discrimination’, pretty much nothing is off-limits. The old work continues where it’s needed, and new tasks and responses are constantly being considered. This issue of All the World demonstrates that very nicely. You will read about latrines being built for refugees in Uganda, fishing boats replaced in Barbuda, sewing classes provided in Nepal, bikers being co-opted to distribute food in Mexico and a cafe in the USA that provides an alternative to heavy-drinking student nightlife. These are all different approaches to a variety of problems, but in every case specific needs are being fulfilled ‘in [Jesus’] name without discrimination’. Flexibility and adaptability have been present in The Salvation Army for all of its 152 years. So when people ask me what The Salvation

UPFRONT

FROM THE EDITOR

Army does, my first reply is usually: ‘Where in the world are you interested in?’ – otherwise the answer could go on for hours! It’s much like when I’m asked what my job involves: ‘Some editing,’ I say, ‘and then pretty much anything else that needs doing.’ Next on the list for me is more presenting – this time as part of the interactive refugee summit described on page 21. After that – who knows? I guess I’ll carry on looking out for changing needs and – with the small but passionate team here at IHQ – keep reflecting the wider Salvation Army by prayerfully developing the skills to address every issue that arises.

‘Flexibility and adaptability have been present in The Salvation Army for all of its 152 years’

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

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Major Martin Gossauer

Tel: [44] (0)20 7332 0101

Published by André Cox, General of The Salvation Army

Email: IHQ-alltheworld@salvationarmy.org

Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

EMERGENCY

MEXICO

Looking out for one another Damaris Frick shares a story of being inspired by volunteers and learning to receive as well as to provide

N my 11 years of working for The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services Department I have seen a lot. I have been involved in disaster response activities all around the world but I have never seen a more impressive outpouring of volunteerism than recently in Mexico. Three massive earthquakes rocked Mexico across less than three weeks in September 2017, with more than 4,000 associated aftershocks. The earthquakes caused more than 450 deaths and damaged 190,000 buildings including 12,931 schools in eight states.

Walking through Mexico City a few days after the area was hit by an earthquake of 7.1 magnitude, I witnessed crowds of people with hard hats, shovels and work gloves lining up to be allowed to support the work of removing rubble from earthquake sites. Wherever I went I saw people giving out food and water or with signs on their houses offering a place to charge phones or use the bathroom. Major Miguel Rodriguez, The Salvation Army’s Territorial Emergency Coordinator for the Mexico Territory, told me that The Salvation Army was inundated with offers of help. A doctor from the neighbourhood

‘My time in Mexico was humbling, and a gentle reminder of the importance of receiving, of acknowledging that people – no matter how poor – have gifts to offer’ 4 | ALL THE WORLD |

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in which territorial headquarters is situated saw the donations of non-perishable food items, hygiene articles, nappies, cleaning products, drinking water and more coming in, being sorted and shortly after that going out to various places for distribution (after just a few days the amount of donations reached 17 tons!). He offered to sort through all the medicines, making sure they were not expired and could be given out without a prescription. A nearby school brought all the students to help with the sorting, transportation and distribution of relief items. On a Sunday we drove outside the city to a small place called Pedro Amaro in Morelos. We met with the Salvation Army team at an Army children’s home where groups of people gathered and loaded food and other items into the mobile canteen and a van. Before we could hit the road a group of five members of a motorbike club, together with one of the biker’s wives and two kids, arrived. They had been in contact with Major Miguel and wanted to volunteer. On arrival at Pedro Amaro the

MEXICO

Opposite page: a Salvation Army volunteer comforts an earthquake survivor; above: one of the lines of people who offered to help with rubble clearance; left: three bikers who volunteered to help The Salvation Army distribute food

team served meals to earthquake-affected people under a canopy at the town plaza. Other relief items were also handed out in a place that served as a shelter to some earthquake-affected families, now living in tents. I was impressed that the team and its newly recruited volunteers didn’t just sit at the plaza waiting for people to arrive, they also drove around with the canteen and carried meals to many people who couldn’t walk to the town plaza or who didn’t want to leave their belongings. Very few people actually stayed in shelters such as the one at the plaza. Most of the earthquake-affected people just slept on the streets outside their houses – or what was left of them. Cha Cha, one of the bikers, asked a Salvation Army officer many questions about the organisation. As a little thank you for his work the officer gave him his major’s pin, which Cha Cha now proudly wears on his jacket, right over a badge that says ‘My world is on fire’. A day later I travelled south with Captain Alberto Gonzalez – The Salvation

Army’s regional emergency coordinator for the southern part of the country – to Juchitan in Oaxaca state, where the first earthquake had hit. A short flight and an extremely twisty five-and-a-half-hour bus journey later, we were met by Francisco and Alesandro, two young guys who had met Alberto when he started his relief activities in Oaxaca after the earthquake. The Salvation Army has no permanent presence in Juchitan but worked closely in coordination with other churches. The two young men, along with Lisbeth, Francisco’s wife, worked tirelessly alongside Captain Alberto, providing food and other essentials that enabled earthquake-hit communities to cook and serve meals at seven sites in the city. At its peak, 21,000 meals per day were being prepared because of the assistance provided by The Salvation Army. The two men took us to some of these communities where we heard of how people supported each other. When evening came our friends insisted we should sleep at their place. Despite my repeated objections, Francisco and

Lisbeth insisted on giving up the one room they have in order for me to sleep there. They slept outside under a tarpaulin and smiled at me encouragingly when I came out three times at night during an aftershock. In the morning Lisbeth made us a lovely breakfast and gave me a handembroidered blouse as a thank-you for The Salvation Army’s help in the town. Again I tried to refuse, but eventually I gave up. I was reminded of a saying attributed to Pope John Paul II: ‘Nobody is so poor that he or she has nothing to give, and nobody is so rich that he or she has nothing to receive.’ It is the nature of disaster relief work that we tend to give out and distribute things. My time in Mexico was humbling, and a gentle reminder of the importance of receiving, of acknowledging that people – no matter how poor – have gifts to offer. When I left Mexico a few days later I felt that I had definitely received way more than I gave. I was inspired and positively challenged. I was fed, looked after and cared for. I received gifts of friendship and a connection that goes beyond language and culture. And I was blessed by people who I thought I had gone there to bring blessings to.

Damaris Frick is Deputy Coordinator of The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

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

MELISSA WALLACE CANADA AND BERMUDA TERRITORY

Melissa Wallace is from Canada, where she lives and has been working for The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters What is your role in The Salvation Army? I’m a content producer for The Whole World Mobilising campaign, looking after the Americas and Caribbean Zone.

HOME

What would be your typical day? A typical morning involves getting my twin toddlers ready for daycare. That in itself involves a lot of multitasking and negotiating as they’d much rather stay in their pyjamas and hide from me than go outside. After an eventful breakfast where someone has ultimately spilled milk, I take them to their prekindergarten class and give lots of hugs and kisses, knowing they’ll soon be ‘too cool’ for me. I drive home and start my workday which involves emails, checking the Mobilising website, prayers, our social media pages, production schedule, blogs and photos. How did you meet The Salvation Army? In 2013, I joined the Army as features editor of Salvationist magazine in the Canada and Bermuda Territory. I loved working with the editorial team and hearing about the amazing stories of work taking place in our territory in Jesus’ name. When the kids were born I resigned from my position as life was more than a bit chaotic! Do you have a ‘claim to fame’? Years ago, while working at a news agency, an article I wrote was picked up and used as the cover story of a major national newspaper. It was a story about a programme where volunteer photographers take images – for free – of babies who are dying so their families will have a lasting memento. After the story ran the programme experienced a surge in volunteers. Do you have a ‘hero of the faith’? My grandmother, who passed away in July 2017. Her husband died at an early age, so she moved to Canada to give her five children a better life. She worked two jobs to support her family, but never on Sundays. She raised her children to know Christ, and many of her children’s children accepted Christ too. She would quote Scripture and tell us the most important thing was to love Jesus. What is your favourite Bible verse? ‘You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ (Romans 5:6-8). What is your favourite Salvation Army song? After The Whole World Mobilising celebration event on 8 October 2017, it’s the finale song: ‘I’ll Go in the Strength of the Lord’ (Song 734, The Song Book of The Salvation Army) because I can still picture everyone enthusiastically waving flags and singing. How do you think that working in Canada differs from working elsewhere? Depending which province you live in, winters can be frightfully cold. And your commute to work, at least in Toronto, can be quite long and expensive.

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JAN ARY–M ARC H 2018 JA N U UARY–M

The Mobilising team on a fact-finding mission to Trafalgar Square in London: (from left) Beccy Flint, Ester Ellen Nelson, Melissa Wallace and Laura Booth

What do you like most about Canada? Our multicultural cities, open space and people. As I get older, I am less inclined to crowds and find more comfort in places where my kids can run around. I love that there are lots of parks and childfriendly places my family and I can visit. What aspects of another country’s culture do you wish were present in Canada? Better and accessible transit. Many of us who live in the suburbs have no option to get into the city but to drive, and gridlock is a key concern here that currently has no viable solution. If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change? I would eliminate the need to call someone by their rank/title. Many of us struggle with remembering names of people we meet. When you preface that with captain, lieutenant, major or commissioner, it’s just another hindrance to someone being ‘approachable’. I respect an officer for reaching their rank, but people who are seeking God may not initiate a conversation because they’re hung up on what to call someone. ‘[Jesus] said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them”’(Mark 10:14). If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere else, where would you choose? London, UK. I’ve been to London a few times on vacation and for work, and have always had a wonderful time. The people I’ve met and interacted with have been very kind (and funny!). I also think it’s much easier to get around the city there – even though I’m awful with directions. What skills do you use most in your work? Editing, social media and organising. What skills do you have that you would like the opportunity to use more? Writing, reporting and interviewing. How would you like to be remembered? As someone who loved Jesus wholeheartedly, and who reflected that love through actions. What’s so special about The Salvation Army? One of the perks of working on The Whole World Mobilising campaign has been the opportunity to see The Salvation Army as a whole. The fact that the Army serves in 128 countries is phenomenal. We’ve established ourselves as a presence when times are tough. We are there in the mundane tasks of daily life and during crises. Our work during the emergencies of 2017 was heartwarming and I believe many souls were touched by the love and care demonstrated in Jesus’ name. The Army is very special and I’m glad I’ve been able to gain that perspective.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Tom Quick now lives in Canada, from where he broadcasts his radio show, Let There Be Praise, consisting entirely of Salvation Army music.

What is your role in The Salvation Army? I attend the Hespeler Corps (church) and look after the small band. I also have a brass ensemble that we take to retirement homes. The residents enjoy singing the old hymns! What would be your typical day? When the weather is warm I spend a lot of time in my vegetable garden. I also work on my music programmes and try to get some physical exercise.

&AWAY

How did you meet The Salvation Army? I’m a third-generation Salvationist. What is your favourite Bible verse? Psalm 46:10: ‘He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”’ What is your favourite Salvation Army song? ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ (Song 456, The Song Book of The Salvation Army), particularly verse four: ‘Drop thy still dews of quietness till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace.’ How do you think that working in Canada differs from working elsewhere? No difference except dealing with the Canadian winter, which is more of a challenge than Australia and Cornwall (England)! What do you like most about Canada? I like the geographical location and it’s also (relatively) easy to visit family in St Ives, Cornwall. If you were elected General, what would be the first thing you would change? I would change the officer rank system.

w to go on air

Tom prepares Major Violet Barro

&AWAY

away

TOM QUICK

Tom playing trombone

If you could choose to work for The Salvation Army anywhere, where would you choose and why? I would be quite happy working for the Army in north America, especially in public relations. What skills do you use most in your work? Knowledge of Salvation Army music and public relations. What skills would you like to gain? I would like more knowledge of computers! What’s so special about The Salvation Army? It’s a unique organisation with an incredible message through its music.

Tom is a volunteer presenter at FaithFM and Grand101, two community radio stations in the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Ontario. Twice a month, Tom’s Wednesday night show on FaithFM (available locally at 93.7 FM) consists entirely of Salvation Army band and vocal music. Online, Tom’s programme has received half a million hits from more than 100 countries around the world. Previous broadcasts can be heard on www.citadelpromotions.co.uk. For more information, and to request a track, go to www.salvos.com/tomquick

&AWAY

AMUA NON UA RY MON A RC 2018| | ALL ALLTHE THEWORLD WORLD | | J AJN RY TH – –M–MA RC TH H H2018 2012

EMERGENCY

UGANDA

T isn’t earthquake, hurricane or even flood, but conflict and famine that have caused people to head to Uganda from South Sudan. Official figures advise that more than a million people have crossed the border over the past few years in a desperate search for security. It has been happening over a lengthy period – but they’re still coming, with some estimates suggesting that 5,000 new refugees arrive every month. Currently, The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services (IES) team is based in the northern District of Adjumani, about 50 kilometres south of the border. There are reported to be at least 16 refugee settlements in Adjumani and the surrounding districts. The Salvation Army has been working in three of them. According to the figures provided, these three locations are home to 86,000 people, of whom almost 90 per cent are children under the age of 16 and women. A significant number of the remainder are elderly, disabled and/or vulnerable. The Ugandan Government has offered the refugees safety and security, allocating them a place to stay within a refugee settlement. All refugee services and interventions are coordinated in Uganda by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), which is responsible for seeking support for refugees from host communities and ensuring that relationships between the different communities maintain a relative calm. The IES team members arrived in Kampala at the end of August and early September 2017 but were delayed in Kampala for just over three weeks while accreditation documents were prepared and submitted to OPM for endorsement. Finally arriving in Adjumani in late September, they were able to get under way delivering the project as tasked. The team is providing a project that falls within what the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) classifies as WASH programmes – Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene. This

The vital task of

filling gaps by David Bennett and Peter White might seem a strange choice for The Salvation Army but we are most effective when not duplicating services and assistance provided by others. The reality is that WASH programmes are a good fit for The Salvation Army. They address basic needs, are relatively simple to implement and – from a funding point of view – can be appealing to donors. In a relatively short timeframe the practical aspects of the project and its lifesaving benefits can be seen clearly and measured easily in the larger scheme of assisting people in emergency situations.

‘We were happy to fill the gaps that other non-governmental and United Nations agencies had not been able to fill’ 8 | ALL THE WORLD |

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An assessment by an International Headquarters (IHQ) team earlier in 2017 identified that clean water and safe latrines were in seriously short supply in the refugee settlements. And while it may not seem all that glamourous to see a sign that says ‘Donated by [The] Salvation Army’ on the side of a latrine in a refugee settlement, that doesn’t seem important when you speak to the recipients of these latrines and discover how grateful they are to have access to a clean, private and safe place to go to the toilet. The Salvation Army is now providing 150 latrines across two settlements – Pagirinya and Lamwo Refugee Settlements, about 30 and 95 kilometres east of Adjumani respectively. Lamwo Settlement is the only one currently accepting new refugees.

UGANDA

Opposite page: drilling a borehole to provide clean water; above: Lieutenant Cosmos Situma and a settlement WASH coordinator check one of the earliest sets of latrines in Pagirinya Refugee Settlement; right: Major David Bennett with a South Sudanese refugee

The latrines are constructed in the form of twin latrines that are shared by two households but can also be grouped together for use in a school setting or health care facility. Also as part of the WASH programmes, The Salvation Army is providing 18 boreholes across both refugee and host communities in northern Uganda. In the past six months there has been a need to give additional support to host communities which, in sharing their resources, have struggled to maintain access to clean water. In addition, the team has provided nonfood items (NFIs) such as plates, cups, bowls, cooking pots, jerry cans and large plastic basins to one settlement which is assessing and accepting new refugees. These NFIs are being distributed to 1,500 families. Some ideas for future projects are now being developed for consideration. At a meeting shortly after the IES team arrived in Adjumani, the OPM Senior Officer was full of praise for the work of The Salvation Army because we were happy to fill the gaps that other non-governmental and United Nations agencies had not been able to fill. This approach will continue

long after the IES team members have headed back to their home countries. By the time this is printed, the team will have made its way back to Kampala and then – at the end of November – home. The final stages of the project will be monitored locally by the Salvation Army’s Uganda Territory, but the work will continue at some level. The IES team will take home memories of times when, even in the midst of despair and apparent hopelessness, God is doing great things. In Agojo, for instance, the borehole drilling programme has made a huge difference. The town, which is located on the eastern side of the West Nile River, has hosted a refugee settlement alongside the established community since July 2016. The added pressure on local resources highlighted that extensive cultivation within the refugee settlement had caused top soil to make its way into the local river system, creating a problem for the host community which could no longer access clean water as it could before. As The Salvation Army’s drilling team arrived to provide a borehole, members of the community gathered under a fig

tree to pray. When the drill struck water at a depth of 40 metres the local community members responded with great joy. The team continued to drill down much further and was able to provide a deep, constant supply of water for the community. As the borehole shaft was being flushed out the IES team was able to share in prayers of thanks and praise with the community representatives. Even the latrines offer opportunity for joy as people are given access to toilet facilities that are of a high quality, allowing privacy, dignity and safety even for this most simple but vital of tasks. It appears that the refugees will keep fleeing to Uganda from South Sudan. They face many uncertainties in their new country, but they can be sure that The Salvation Army will keep doing all it can to supply their greatest needs, without discrimination, in God’s name.

When not on secondment to The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services, Majors Peter White and David Bennett hold appointments in the Australia Eastern and New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territories respectively J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

MOBILISING This page: hundreds of people gather in Trafalgar Square to listen to Regent Hall Band as part of the Mobilising celebration open-air meeting; opposite page: Salvationists in Pakistan take an anti-drug message to the streets

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MOBILISING

THEME

Go out! Reach out! International Salvation Army audience of thousands hears the challenge to keep mobilising

t may be a new year, but one thing hasn’t changed; The Salvation Army is still mobilising! General André Cox made it very clear at The Whole World Mobilising celebration in October 2017 that when it comes to Salvationists and friends being mobilised out of their halls and into their communities, the focus year of mobilisation is just the beginning. He told Salvationists and friends around the world: ‘2017 has been a year in which we have focused on this theme of being a mobilised army. Well, if you think that on 31 December 2017 it’s done and dusted and we can demobilise, think again! Because God never intended for The Salvation Army to sit back in comfort. We were designed for mobilisation and that’s not just something for 2017.’ Salvationists from all corners of the globe viewed and participated in The Whole World Mobilising celebration which was live streamed from in and around Regent Hall Corps (church) in central London. At the time of writing, the stream of the three events – holiness meeting, march/open-air and celebration

meeting – has been viewed more than 60,000 times, with comments shared on Facebook from Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, The Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Qatar, Kuwait, Zambia, South Africa, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Romania, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Norway, Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, Jamaica, the USA, Antigua, Bahamas, Canada, Brazil, Jamaica, Ecuador and many more! Here’s a selection of online comments that were sent in during the live stream: ‘I’m watching from Saudi Arabia [where there is currently no Salvation Army ministry]. God bless all The Salvation Army.’ ‘Morning from Hong Kong. We marched out yesterday afternoon at Causeway; one of the busiest parts of Hong Kong. Excited to watch the marching in London.’ ‘Watching in New Zealand, thank you for the opportunity to share.’ ‘Prayer meeting this morning at 7am

by Laura Booth

at Conception Bay South Corps In Newfoundland, Canada. Prayed for the whole world.’ ‘Wonderful words from our General. It’s great that I could watch live from Hyderabad, India.’ ‘The General’s message was truly inspiring. It is our desire that Sri Lanka Salvation Army will not give up the spirit of mobilising or sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and serving the people and community in Jesus’ name.’ The 8 October meetings consisted of a full day of music, festivities, worship and outreach. It truly was an international celebration of the creative ways in which Salvationists around the world have taken up the challenge to mobilise. In some places people gathered to watch the stream with their families and collectively at corps and headquarters. Some territories organised events to coincide with the celebration. In Congo Brazzaville, all corps held marches and open-airs. In Pakistan, Salvationists conducted ‘The Whole World Mobilising – Go Forward!’ vehicle rallies in various divisions and held several open-air meetings. At Kuwait Corps (Middle East Region), the congregation watched the stream together. In Hong Kong, the CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

MOBILISING Right: the joy-filled Mobilising Celebration Meeting ends with streamers, flags and song

The Mobilising celebration day march of witness passes through Piccadilly Circus

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wherever they were in the valued this opportunity Army and worship

Camera crew Gary Rose (right) and Brent Forrest send the openair meeting to an online audience of thousands

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MOBILISING

W1 Gospel Choir brings its message during the Mobilising celebration day

‘It’s time to stop playing soldiers and be about spreading the gospel message around the world’ General André Cox

A ‘We Care’ carnival in Hong Kong

world, Salvationists to come together as one collectively’ Below: Konverse Dance Group add athleticism to the open-air meeting in Trafalgar Square

Left: gathering to watch the Mobilising celebration day livestream in Kuwait J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

MOBILISING

THE WHOLE WORLD MOBILISING

The Whole World Mobilising app and website continue to offer a platform to bring Salvationists together through God’s Word and prayer, and to showcase all the amazing work happening across the globe to build the Kingdom. The app has been downloaded in 64 territories, commands and regions including (but not limited to) Liberia, Mali, Middle East Region, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Caribbean, Finland and Estonia, Papua New Guinea, Russia and Latin America North. The blog, which can be found on the app and the website, continues to feature inspiring content from around the Army world. The following stories highlight some of the great Mobilising initiatives:

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division hosted a march and carnival in the heart of the city. Wherever they were in the world, Salvationists valued this opportunity to come together as one Army and worship collectively. They heard Commissioner Silvia Cox (World President of Women’s Ministries) urge Salvationists to keep on mobilising, reassuring others that it’s not too late to take part: ‘My prayer is that each Salvationist will continue to be mobilised for the glory of God even after 2017,’ she said. ‘That the flag [each territory had a Mobilising flag to take to the streets] will still be used as a reminder of our mission to go out to people in the community. That’s why we have the flag – not to stay here, but to go out! If your corps has not yet caught the vision, there’s still time for you to start today. Because Jesus said, “When the Holy Spirit comes, you will be my witnesses!”’ The General concluded his message in the afternoon celebration meeting by calling all Salvationists to total mobilisation: ‘I pray that as we fulfil the Great Commission, we will do our part to prepare for and hasten the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ ... don’t wait for people to come to you. Go out! Reach out! Step out into the world and be amazed at how God is going to use you. ‘It’s time to rally up the Army because, around the world, the Lord is saving souls. It’s time to stop playing soldiers and be about spreading the gospel message around the world. Salvation Army, it is time to go forward!’ Laura Booth is the Whole World Mobilising Content Producer (Europe and Africa), based at International Headquarters in London 14 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Zambia – From the onset of The Whole World Mobilising initiative, the Zambia Territory has enrolled 1,654 soldiers. Salvationists are reaching out to their neighbours and putting their faith into action. In a blog post the territory reports: ‘We marched through neighbourhoods with the band and songsters, visited markets and trading places and shared the gospel on a one-to-one basis ... There was also a request that we preach on Sunday morning in the market permanently. The traders felt that since they have to conduct business on Sunday mornings, the Church can come to them so they can still gather with other believers and hear the Word of God.’ Nigeria – Following the dream of General André Cox, the youth of Lagos City Division, Nigeria, actively mobilised during the youth and children’s weekend [in March 2017], spreading the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ in practical ways, ministering to the needs of their communities and putting their faith into action. At Lagos Central Corps on the Sunday, youth participated in a practical and educational lecture titled, ‘HIV and You’ and learned how to live a life free from HIV. The lecture creatively encouraged the young people to share this message with their friends. A revival meeting featured praise songs and Bible messages by the youth. They also practically demonstrated their faith with one-on-one preaching and tract-sharing during an openair meeting on Lagos Island. South America East – Every Saturday afternoon, teachers and leaders from Santa Fe Corps in Argentina share the Word of God with children and parents in Escuelita Biblica Barrio el Pozo (at the Plaza Espinillo). A group from the Santiago del Estero Corps brought food, support and encouragement to patients and visitors at a hospital. In Asunción, Paraguay, the corps organised a fun afternoon of games and activities for children. Also in Paraguay, The Salvation Army distributed information at a bus terminal for an anti-human trafficking campaign.

Facebook: /mobilising Twitter: @TSAmobilising Instagram: /samobilising App Store: http://sar.my/twwmios Google Play: http://sar.my/twwmandroid Website: www.salvationarmy.org/mobilising Email: mobilising@salvationarmy.org App/web support: twwmhelp@salvationarmy.org

NEPAL

PIONEERING

‘Melting to nothing’ then used by God by Major Christina Tyson

OD appears to have a sense of humour – or at least a sense of irony. That’s borne out in the story of Indian Salvation Army officers Majors Sanga Vuite and Manun Ralte, who pioneered the Army’s work in Nepal. Sanga remembers his surprise when the couple first heard news of their appointment. ‘We were the only ones who voted not to start the ministry in Nepal during a consultation workshop,’ he recalls, ‘as we knew how difficult it would be!’ At the time, he and his wife Manun – then aged 40 and five years Sanga’s junior – were living in Darjeeling, the northernmost district of West Bengal in eastern Indian. Darjeeling sits in the foothills of the Himalayas, on Nepal’s border. And while Sanga and Manun knew the people of Nepal were friendly, they also knew the friendliness faded Above: members of the congregation in Kathmandu

when there was an attempt to talk about Jesus. That’s because Nepal is primarily a Hindu nation where the law forbids anyone to change religion and bans proselytism (converting or attempting to convert someone). Despite this, Nepal’s Christians, just 1.4 per cent at the 2011 census, form one of the fastest-growing Christian populations in the world, according to World Watch Monitor. Sanga grew up in a Salvation Army family, but it wasn’t until his late 20s that he made Jesus the Lord of his life. This was the same year he met Manun, after Sanga and some of the young people from his corps (Salvation Army church) travelled to a remote Indian village where she was working as a teacher and outreach worker. Before they were married, the pair applied to become Salvation Army officers, with Sanga training first and the two marrying after Manun completed her training the next year. Of his call to officership, Sanga says: ‘I wanted to give my whole life to serve God.’ He says

2 Corinthians 5:15 really spoke to him: ‘And [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.’ In April 2009, Sanga and Manun moved to Nepal with their daughters Amelia (then aged 15) and Rebecca (then 12). Although this was the 118th country in which The Salvation Army was serving, it was registered as ‘The Salvation Mission’ because the Government of Nepal would not approve an organisation that included the word ‘Army’ in its name. In preparation for their new roles, the couple had made prayer an absolute priority. They began learning Nepali, as well as more about the country’s culture and religions. They also became increasingly aware of the country’s extreme poverty. ‘I read in a newspaper that a Nepali policeman had robbed a beggar,’ Sanga recalls. ‘It was like, they are this desperate! This is why God put The Salvation Army in Nepal.’ The family initially rented a small flat in Bagdole, Kathmandu. Their ministry J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

NEPAL

Above: Major Manun Ralte oversees a sewing class

began simply as family devotions, since they were the only Salvationists in Nepal. ‘I led the meeting and gave the Bible message, and my wife and daughters were the only congregation at first,’ Sanga says. They then opened a centre offering tailoring and English language and Nepali literacy classes for local women. ‘Since it is dangerous to propagate Christian beliefs in Nepal, we dared not invite any of them to worship or prayer fellowships,’ Sanga explains. Seventeen women attended the first classes on 29 July 2009. As well as

tailoring and simple craft classes, Manun taught spoken English, something Nepalese women were interested in because they hoped it would open opportunities for work overseas. Amelia and Rebecca, by now fluent in Nepali, taught reading and writing. ‘After some time, the women were asked if they wanted to attend our fellowship, and they said yes,’ Sanga says. ‘Saturday is a public holiday in Nepal and is the worship day for Christians in the country. When the women came along to our fellowship group we asked if they wished to learn

FACTFILE POVERTY IN NEPAL

• Nepal is the second-poorest country in Asia (after Afghanistan). • More than 40 per cent of the population live on less than US$2 a day. • Nearly one-third of homes do not have modern sanitation. • Nepal is heavily impacted by extreme weather events and food insecurity.

• Of every 1,000 babies, 29 die before their first birthday; 42 per cent of under-fives have stunted growth; and 31 per cent are underweight.

Source: Gazettereview.com, Asian Development Bank, World Food Programme

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about our religion, which is Christian. They said they wanted to listen to what we had to say. So that was the day we first shared the gospel with them. They asked a lot of questions.’ One woman they made friends with invited them to visit her home. ‘At first we did not share anything about Jesus. But on our second visit we gave them our Salvation Army soldier’s covenant and asked them to read this as an introduction to our faith, because we dared not use the Bible directly.’ The family eventually joined the Ralte family’s fellowship, slowly learning about The Salvation Army and Christianity. The woman’s son, Nishan Lo, a college student, became their first convert and later became Nepal’s first indigenous Salvation Army officer. ‘Soon we had more new converts, new Salvation Army members to sing with and pray with,’ Sanga recalls. There were plenty of challenges. It was hard to find property to rent and sometimes the family’s activities were investigated by the police. They faced financial challenges too, partly due to the practical difficulties of getting money into Nepal. In the early years there was not always money for food and other essentials. Once, when their daughters needed hospital care, Sanga and Manun had to

NEPAL

Left: sharing in worship; below: a women’s group; bottom: celebrating the enrolment of new Salvation Army soldiers

‘It was helpful for people to see The Salvation Army serving people’s physical needs’ look after them at home. They didn’t even have enough money to buy the prescribed medicine until a Baptist missionary paid the bill for them. ‘Our family has found that the world is full of God’s guardian angels!’ Sanga says. In 2015, they opened the stylish Sisters Café and Beauty, a centre that seeks to address the struggles young Nepalese women have in finding employment – a situation that increases their vulnerability to being trafficked through false offers of work in India or other countries. Giving young women the opportunity to train as waitresses, beauticians or chefs was seen as a way to provide pathways to safe and secure employment. Sanga says the terrible earthquake that struck Nepal in April 2015 and killed nearly 9,000 people was an opportunity for the Nepalese people to see the practical care The Salvation Army was quick to offer. ‘The earthquake united us more with our people as a loving family.

It was helpful for people to see The Salvation Army serving people’s physical needs. The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services response made a really good impression.’ By the time Sanga and Manun returned to the India Eastern Territory in October last year, The Salvation Mission in Nepal had grown to around 170 worshippers, with many others who had become involved in its ministry having moved overseas for work. ‘The faith of Nepalese Salvationists is strong,’ Sanga says. ‘They do not care when their family or community disown them because of their conversion to Christianity. They are genuine in their enthusiasm for Jesus!’ He is delighted the Army in Nepal now has indigenous leaders in Captains Ngurthansanga and Rosy Lalnunpuii. Sanga and Manun are deeply grateful for their daughters’ help in starting the work in Nepal. ‘They were our only local officers and were involved in all the ministry we were,’ says Sanga. ‘They would come with us even if we were called at midnight to pray for demonpossessed people.’ He adds: ‘Our time in Nepal taught me that God is faithful and wants people he can trust to do his ministry. I learned that God will use me if I let him have his way.

All that matters is that we surrender all for God’s purposes so he may exercise his power through us. It is this surrender that makes the S’s on our Salvation Army uniforms meaningful.’ [The two S’s – one on each lapel on most Salvation Army uniforms around the world – signify both ‘saved to save’ and ‘saved to serve’.] Looking back on how it felt to be starting the Army’s work in a new country, Sanga says: ‘It was life melting to nothing – and then seeing and experiencing that our ministry belonged to God and that God’s power was made perfect in our weakness.’ At the time of writing, Major Christina Tyson was Communications Secretary and Editor of War Cry in The Salvation Army’s New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

EMERGENCY

CARIBBEAN

With dignity

– rebuilding homes and lives after hurricanes by Damaris Frick

met Malcom near the Pearl Harbour fishing site in Barbuda a couple of weeks after Hurricane Irma hit the island. The Category 5 hurricane caused devastation that left the island ‘barely habitable’ according to the Prime Minister, Gaston Browne. Ninetytwo per cent of the houses on the island were damaged and many trees were uprooted. There was plenty of rubble but an eerie lack of people, as the majority of Barbudans had been evacuated to Antigua. Before Irma swept through the Caribbean, the small island of Barbuda was home to around 1,700 people. Ninety-six of these made their living as fishermen, working out of 54

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active vessels. This may not sound like a huge number, but in the small population fishing is an important part of the economy, providing a significant livelihood not only for the fishermen’s families but also others who are involved in the business, selling the fish, processing the catch, transport, refrigeration – the numbers soon add up. According to the fisheries department only 17 vessels managed to escape the storm without damage, casting a shadow over the ability of a large number of people to resume their normal lives. Malcom was one of the lucky ones whose boat was still somewhat useable, so – with a small number of fellow islanders – he took the daily ferry from Antigua to get

everything ready for when he could start fishing again. When I met him he was sorting out his nets and traps – in addition to the boats in Barbuda, 400 traps and 17 nets were damaged or lost during the hurricane. Like most other Barbudans, Malcolm wanted to restart his livelihood as soon as possible. He was frustrated about having to stay in an evacuation centre in Antigua and being reliant on others to provide food and other items. The Salvation Army in Antigua responded quickly to the hurricane. In coordination with the Government of Antigua and other organisations it was given responsibility to provide evening meals for a group of 50 Barbudan

CARIBBEAN

Opposite page: fisherman Malcolm from Barbuda recovers one of his nets; below: Captain Sonia Mitchell and one of her soldiers from St Lucia distribute food and water on neighbouring Dominica, where their relief work was supported by the local Methodist church, represented here by the Rev Gilbert Jackson

evacuees in a small evacuation centre as well as distributing weekly food parcels for about 150 families living in host communities. Every evening, Divisional Commander Major Brenda Greenidge and Divisional Secretaries Majors Nana and Marlene Boakye-Agyemang would travel with their pots of freshly cooked food to meet the group of evacuees. The meals varied and people could even ask for their favourite dishes. They are grateful to The Salvation Army and other groups who provide support but, like Malcom, the residents of the centre just want to return home, repair their houses and restart their lives. The situation on other islands in the Caribbean and coastal areas is similar to the one in Barbuda. The 2017 hurricane season has been particularly destructive,

with a number of consecutive, major hurricanes (two of them Category 5) such as Harvey, Irma, Jose, Katia, Maria and Nate within a short period of time. Official reports state that it was one of the most destructive seasons on record, with devastation caused to the lives of millions of people. Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless and displaced, with a cost of several hundred million dollars now causing long-term problems to economies that were already fragile. In addition to the support provided to Barbudans, The Salvation Army has been – and in some locations still is – involved in relief operations after hurricanes wreaked havoc in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Sint Maarten, St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Cuba, Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the USA.

‘The residents of the centre just want to return home, repair their houses and restart their lives’

The relief phase is almost over in most of the places hit by these recent hurricanes, so the needs of the affected communities are slowly turning towards recovery support. To adjust to these changing needs, The Salvation Army is demonstrating a great deal of flexibility and the willingness to listen to affected people and to coordinate with governments and other organisations, including churches. Thousands of houses and a great deal of infrastructure across the region is damaged or destroyed. In Sint Maarten, for instance, The Salvation Army is now working on a shelter recovery project and has started with a thorough assessment of the houses damaged in three locations. The idea is that people will receive construction materials such as roofing sheets, wood and tools. This will encourage and enable them to repair their own houses and support others in their neighbourhood to do the same. J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

CARIBBEAN

Left: Captain Dores Lapaix conducts a needs assessment on Sint Maarten; below left: Damaris Frick and Captain Mike Michels unload relief supplies on Sint Maarten; below: Captain Derek Mitchell distributes essentials on Dominica

‘People who have been affected by disaster are allowed to make the decisions that impact their lives while we support them to reach their goals and aspirations’ Different needs are being addressed in some locations on the ‘Family Islands’ of the Bahamas, where the devastation from Hurricanes Irma and Maria was so severe that the population was evacuated to other islands. People have now returned home and are in the process of repairing their houses with construction materials provided by the government. Since many of the houses were severely damaged the contents were destroyed and there is a need to assist families through the provision of furniture when their houses are ready for occupancy. The Salvation Army is therefore planning to provide these households with beds, box springs and mattresses. Rubble needs to be removed in many locations, such as on Barbuda, where The Salvation Army has joined many other voluntary organisations to remove the rubble from one compound at a time, in what is a slow and tiresome process. 20 | ALL THE WORLD |

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Schools are among the buildings that were affected – with the obvious problems this is causing for children’s education. The Salvation Army is looking into ways of providing support, including – in some places – educating relocated children in local Salvation Army schools. In other communities it means replacing lost materials (pens, paper etc) that children need to return to school. People in the Caribbean want to go back to a normal and dignified way of life. We in The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services believe that disaster-affected people have a right to life with dignity and a right to receive assistance. This ‘life with dignity’ is also mentioned in the Humanitarian Charter of the Sphere Project, an initiative to determine and promote standards in the treatment of people who are affected by disasters. As a signatory to the Sphere Code of Conduct, The Salvation Army

therefore has a responsibility and a duty to assist people to claim these rights. A life with dignity means being able to sleep in a bed rather than on the floor. A life with dignity means being able to repair your house in order to provide a safe home for your family. A life with dignity means being in a position where you can earn an income rather than being dependent on handouts. A life with dignity means – for all children – being able to attend school and learn even if a school is damaged in a disaster. And, for The Salvation Army, a life with dignity means being treated as an equal human regardless of gender, race, sexuality, wealth or status in society. People who have been affected by disaster are allowed to make the decisions that impact their lives while we support them to reach their goals and aspirations of a normal life – without discrimination and without being patronised. I hope that Malcom and many other people affected by these recent hurricanes will receive the support they need in order for them to go back to a new ‘normal’, living a life with dignity.

Damaris Frick is Deputy Coordinator of The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services

ONLINE SUMMIT

REFUGEES

by Laurelle Smith Online summit seeks to amplify experience and energy of people of faith around the world to engage with the greatest humanitarian crises of the age

N 29 and 30 January 2018, The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission (ISJC) will host a landmark online summit to consider the plight of refugees and displaced people. This is an opportunity to be updated with the latest facts and figures, understand the trends affecting migration around the world and hear how The Salvation Army and other organisations are responding to the ensuing practical, emotional and spiritual needs. The summit takes place at an unprecedented time in recent history, with more than 65 million forciblydisplaced people grappling with their new reality worldwide. More than 22 million of these people are refugees, of whom the majority are children. The Salvation Army, along with other churches and faith-based organisations, is playing a key role in responding to the crisis and engaging with the people affected around the world. The webbased summit – which will include contributions from practitioners, support workers and theologians – will celebrate what has been achieved and reflect on lessons learnt to guide future action. Over the two days, six sessions will focus on topics such as the theology of

migration and reception; The Salvation Army’s basis for responding; developing an understanding of the United Nations, agenda for refugees and displaced people; and working with and advocating for migrants. Consideration will be given to The Salvation Army’s historical approach and its current response while looking forward, giving thought to realistic ways in which more people of faith can be mobilised to engage with the crisis in their own cultures, contexts and communities.

Experts in the field will speak of their experiences and proposals, but the summit will also be open for anyone to participate, through social media and other online methods. Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant, Director of the ISJC, explains: ‘We expect the summit to give opportunities for a wide range of people – including those who have been refugees and migrants – to share experiences and insights with experts on migration, frontline workers, theologians and UN personnel. Anyone involved in or interested in this global issue is welcome to join the conversation.’ With sessions facilitated from both New York and London – and including contributions from around the world – Salvationists and friends are invited to get involved. Each session will be broadcast via Facebook Live (www.facebook.com/ salvationarmyisjc) and will encourage participants – wherever they are – to join in, not just by watching and listening to the presentations but by commenting on the issues raised and posing questions for the panellists in real time. It is intended that this summit will inspire people within The Salvation Army and beyond to engage with the global migrant crisis, and to find meaningful ways to share experiences, encourage each other, learn lessons and pray together from a more informed perspective. For the latest information, go to sar.my/refugeesummit Dr Laurelle Smith is a research analyst at The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

COUNTRY OR THEME

SNAPSHOTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

AROUND THE WORLD

Working together to STOP trafficking Salvationists and people linked with The Salvation Army around the world are being encouraged to download and use the STOP app, created by the Stop the Traffik movement to track and stop human trafficking worldwide. Stop the Traffik is a global nongovernmental organisation made up of individuals, communities and organisations fighting to prevent human trafficking. It works to unite people around the world by inspiring, informing, equipping and mobilising communities to know:

• • •

What trafficking is How to identify it and how to respond How to protect themselves and others.

These connections allow Stop the Traffik’s Centre for Intelligence-Led Prevention (CfILP) to feed information on human trafficking back into local communities. Intelligence can then be shared about WHO IS STOP THE TRAFFIK? community-specific risks and vulnerabilities STOP THE TRAFFIK is a global movement of individuals, communities and and target this information to relevant organisations fighting to prevent human trafficking, demographics, via social media and We work to unite people around the world by inspiring, informing, equipping and mobilising communities to know: local partners. What trafficking is All information inputted to the STOP How to identify it and how to respond How to protect themselves and others app is fed directly into the CfILP, where it is Anne Gregora, from PREVENTION the Salvation Army analysed alongside global data on human INTELLIGENCE-LED International Development UK office, says: trafficking and modern slavery. The data is Given the organised and hidden nature of these crimes, we believe that ‘The Salvation Army supports the use of used to build intelligence on global trends the only way to combat them is through intelligence-led prevention, part of which is achieved through geo-targeted social media campaigns. the STOP app through its projects. Data and hotspots of human trafficking, which STOP THE TRAFFIK's Centre for Intelligence-Led is campaigns sharedallow from places where The Salvation enables Stop the Traffik and its partners to These Prevention (CfILP) to feed information we have collected on human trafficking back into localis communities. We share the intelligence about community-specific Army working on ground with disrupt, prevent and predict this risks and vulnerabilities and target this information to relevant demographics, via trafficked social media and local partners.– for instance in Poland, people criminal activity. Nigeriatogether and with The Philippines to By sharing relevant information, local By Kenya, sharing this information, resources and tools, the– community is empowered to build resilience against trafficking. the CfILP which, in turn, provides useful together with resources and tools, the A map showing the hotspots from our information about theLeft:latest news local community is empowered to build recent campaign, from Nigeria to Italy. and trends.’ resilience against trafficking.

‘By sharing relevant information ... the local community is empowered to build resilience against trafficking’ 22 | ALL THE WORLD |

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We engage local partners on the ground to inform our choice of location, imagery, language and resources. By bringing together their recommendations and our intelligence, we are able to choose 'hotspots' along trafficking routes.

Left: An example of a Facebook post from a geo-targeted social media campaign in Tripoli, Libya, using locally-relevant images and Arabic text.

In our recent campaign along the wellknown trafficking route from Nigeria to Italy, We posted in six languages across the hotspots, in Libya in French, Arabic and English; in Italy in Italian and English, and in Nigeria in Nigerian

THE STOP APP The STOP APP can be downloaded by any individual in the world with a smartphone and empowers everybody who has seen or heard a situation they believe to be linked to human trafficking or modern slavery to share their story, safely and securely. Every story, no matter how small, whether current or historic, is important and relevant. What’s more, it may be the missing piece of a bigger picture.

The ongoing collaboration between The Salvation Army and Stop the Traffik helps to build a bigger evidence base about trafficking around the world. Input from individuals linked with The Salvation Army – with itsto presence in directly 128 into countries All information inputted the STOP APP is fed the CfILP, where it is analysed alongside global data on human trafficking and –modern canslavery. only help to create an ever-stronger knowledge base. This data is used to build intelligence on global trends and hotspots of human trafficking, which enables us to disrupt, prevent andsays predict this ‘We need this bigger picture,’ criminal activity. Anne, ‘and we need the evidence to bring before police and other law WHAT CAN YOU DO? enforcement officers.’ Visit www.stopthetraffik.org for more Download the STOP APP on the App Store or on Google Play information on how to spot the signs of human trafficking and modern slavery. To get involved their campaigns email Use the STOP APPwith to share any information or suspicious activities that you have seen. info@stopthetraffik.org. VisitThe our website more can information on how you can 'Spot STOPforapp be downloaded from the Signs' of human trafficking and modern slavery. the App Store or Google Play. Our campaigns are only successful when they are guided by the expertise of local communities and organisations. We will need to ask for your help when we run a campaign in your area, ensuring that we have local cultural insight and appropriacy.

SNAPSHOTS

USA

A toast to The Roast Offering an alternative to the drink and drugs scene, The Roast – run by The Salvation Army in Lebanon, Tennessee – blends cafe and nightlife culture to give students of Cumberland University and other young adults a place to enjoy warm espresso, lattes, smoothies, and other drinks and snacks while using the Internet, meeting with friends and listening to live music. The venue is open from 7pm to midnight every Friday and Saturday, with entertainment including local musicians, critique nights (for aspiring songwriters to get feedback) and open mic events where anyone can have a go!

AUSTRALIA

Keep in step With marches taking place across the world as part of The Salvation Army’s The Whole World Mobilising initiative, Salvationists and employees from the Australia Southern Territory have been putting in the miles for another reason thanks to a ‘stepathlon’ team challenge that is reaping benefits beyond improved health. In the wider corporate world the idea has been growing in popularity for a number of years now – give your employees a pedometer and hold a corporate step-a-thon or stepathlon, all aimed at getting workers moving for greater productivity and workplace well-being. But when Australia Southern Territory Health and Well-being Consultant Lindsey Doolin got information for the stepathlon challenge sent to her, she was initially sceptical. However, after seeing results from other organisations regarding declines in levels of depression and anxiety as a result of the stepathlon, she got right behind it. The

Reviews on The Roast’s Facebook page (facebook.com/TheRoastLebanon) give an average 4.9 stars out of 5, with glowing comments from reviewers such as ‘The Roast provides such a friendly atmosphere, staff are always available and watching, love the music choices, they are open for any suggestions, and once you come in for the few times, they learn your names and treat you like family!

Any age is appropriate for The Roast and any type of person who walks in will be respected! Love you guys!’ and ‘Beautiful decor, amazing people, delicious drinks, awesome music. Hands down, best hangout place in Lebanon. Thankful for the hands going into it and God being the foundation.’

Members of the winning stepathlon team, ‘The Social Misfits’: Netty Horton, Wayne Collyer and Major Sandy Crowden

event is now in its third year in the territory, and it’s gaining momentum. ‘We’ve been able to measure the specific outcomes in relation to well-being (mood), stress and anxiety using the self-reported survey pre and post challenge,’ she says. ‘It’s such a great way of measuring the success of the programme and encouraging others to participate.’ Data from stepathlon participants who completed a survey both before and after the challenge shows that depression is down by 32 per cent, anxiety has been

reduced by 58 per cent and stress has decreased by 25 per cent. ‘It also encouraged teamwork and improved productivity,’ Lindsey said. ‘The whole mood of different workplaces changed ... people would go out for meetings, walking around the neighbourhood having a meeting, rather than sitting in a meeting room.’

From an article by Lauren Martin for others.org.au

J A N UA RY – M A RC H 2018 | ALL THE WORLD |

This year planner is available to download, in this size and a larger format, from sar.my/atw2018calendar