Revive (January–March 2018)

VOL 10 NO 1

JANUARY-MARCH 2018

MISSSION:

IMPOSSIBLE? Serving the world around me

MISSION: Serving the world around me

E Q U I P P I N G

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18 MISSION:

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04 Serving the world around me

JANUARY-MARCH 2018

revive@salvationarmy.org

09 I see bumblebees flying 11 Serve ... without discrimination BIBLE STUDY 14 Moving out of comfort zones THE WHOLE WORLD MOBILISING 16 Shelter from the storm SOCIAL ISSUES 20 Do you love me?

MY STORY

COLUMNS

IN EVERY ISSUE

08 Lead yourself LEADERSHIP

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Editorial

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18 The Prayer House 22 Book reviews

Front cover: Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, photo by Berni Georges Back cover: illustration by Berni Georges Terminology used in this edition of Revive: Corps (church), officers (ministers), promoted to Glory (died), soldiers (church members). All Bible quotations are from the New International Version 2011 unless stated otherwise

Articles on any subject of interest to women in ministry are welcomed by the editor. To send an article, write to revive@salvationarmy.org

A RESOURCE MAGAZINE FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY AND MISSION Publisher: Commissioner Silvia Cox, World President of Women’s Ministries Editor: Commissioner Janine Donaldson Editorial assistance: Major Jane Kimberley and Paul Mortlock Designer: Berni Georges Founders of The Salvation Army: William and Catherine Booth © André Cox, General of The Salvation Army, 2018 Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: revive@salvationarmy.org

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from the editor

Mission impossible?

Commissioner Janine Donaldson EDITOR

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reetings to you all and thank you for your commitment to reading and distributing Revive which I sincerely appreciate.

Our theme for this issue is ‘Mission Impossible?’ and if, like me, you have seen the Mission Impossible movies, you will know that the good guys see action, excitement and danger and despite all that happens, they win.

The Salvation Army in recent days has been called to think about mobilising and how we work and are seen in our communities. We have been committed to the call to mobilise since our inception, but as we look at the world around us and think about our mission, is it mission impossible?

As I reflect on the Mission Impossible movies, I am reminded that they always started with an unknown voice asking the team, ‘Your mission, if you choose to accept it…’ which makes me think about the choice I have to continue and accept the mission.

Jesus gave us the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) and our mission is to proclaim the good news about salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If we say we follow Jesus, we are part of the team and all have a part to play. We don’t have the option of not accepting the assignment. In John 20:19-23 we read about the Lord’s appearance to the apostles and probably others and our

mission is found in verse 21 where Jesus says, ‘As your Father has sent me, I am sending you’.

There’s no doubt about it, this is a huge challenge and it is easy to find excuses not to take it up. We can identify with Paul who wrote ‘And who is adequate for these things?’

(2 Corinthians 2:16) (New English Translation).

Jesus turns mission impossible into mission possible, ‘Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything … coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God’ (2 Corinthians 3:5 NET).

Knowing that the Lord has called and equipped us, we can confidently proclaim his message to all people.

Amen to that.

Your

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‘We are part of the team and ALL HAVE A PART TO PLAY. We don’t have the option of not accepting the assignment’ Revive 3

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Ser ving arou M

Sonia Bouzigues ission impossible reminds me of a television series that I watched as a girl when I was fascinated to see how the team received its mission and carried it out by sharing tasks. Despite the challenges they faced and the risks they took, they always successfully finished the mission to the sound of background music that soon became familiar to me. Rather like that team we have a great mission with many challenges, risks and difficulties and we hope to achieve success for the glory of God. The mission I have in mind is the fight against human trafficking, Mexico has the second highest number of trafficked people in the world and it seems like an impossible mission.

For the past few years the territory has been working with certain officers in each division to raise awareness of the evil of trafficking and encourage feedback. A community project was initiated where

one of the objectives was to prevent mothers with small children and schoolage children from becoming victims of trafficking.

Women’s Ministries placed a strong emphasis on promoting the International Day of Prayer for victims of human trafficking and with the materials provided, officers enthusiastically joined in using the resources at corps (churches).

They shared the message with soldiers (members) stressing the urgent need to be aware of trafficking and to pray for the victims.

Concern for the victims of trafficking has been on my heart for some years.

In my home territory (South America East) Women’s Ministries camps in each division focused on learning about human trafficking and domestic violence.

Although it seems a ‘mission impossible’ something must be done and I am reminded of the words of William Booth: ‘Something must be done and somebody must do it. Thank God The Salvation

‘Seeing the HAPPY FACE OF A RESCUED her testimony makes

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the world nd me Army never sees an evil without asking this question – what can I do to change it?’

In 2016 the territory established a collaboration agreement with Consejo Ciudadano (Citizens Council), a civil organisation that defends the rights of Mexican citizens. This agreement involves collaboration in the dissemination of measures to prevent trafficking and defend victims. The Council hoped that while they worked on the rescue of victims, The Salvation Army would collaborate in their rehabilitation, yet we lacked experience of this and had no shelter for trafficked women and girls or the funding for such a great mission.

I spoke to Lieut-Colonel Sara Chagas (former Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) and explained that to prepare for this mission we must first receive training. Ideally we needed to see others working with victims of trafficking and learn from them, which would mean travelling.

The Southern Africa Territory agreed

to assist and provide us with all the training we needed and so in April, 10 officer representatives from across the country travelled to Johannesburg.

I have scarcely the words to describe this experience, as it opened our eyes to so many possibilities in the work against the cruel scourge of trafficking. We learnt about campaigns to raise awareness in the streets and having a rescue shelter for the rehabilitation of victims. We were greatly encouraged by the testimonies of trafficking victims and how their experiences are vital to the rehabilitation of others.

We returned to Mexico grateful for the teaching and support of the Southern Africa Territory and prepared to face the great challenge with courage, trusting in the infinite resources of God. The Lord once again confirmed to my heart that when sincerely preparing to work for the vulnerable and suffering, he opens the way and gives opportunities.

We discovered a young woman at a corps

VICTIM and hearing me see the beginning of many victories’

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feature Salvationists in Mexico take to the streets to raise awareness of trafficking

whose family benefited from the terrible sexual abuse she suffered. We literally had a trafficking victim in our congregation and hadn’t realised it. Today this young woman is a happy person living in a Salvation Army refuge in another city.

She wears uniform and plays in the tambourine brigade, and in her testimony thanks the Lord for the opportunity that he has given her of a new life with hope for the future.

Each division now has trained teams who bravely take to the streets to raise public awareness. We are making plans to open a shelter for victims’ rehabilitation and the Lord has opened our eyes to the possibilities of a place and the resources to carry it out.

There are thousands of victims in our country who need to be rescued, which really seems like an impossible mission.

However, I see the example that Jesus gave in preparing followers for his mission and how he taught them and helped them to see the opportunities, training them to be the ones who would spread his gospel and be soul-winners. This mission continues to

be shared from one generation to the next.

Although the task of rescuing and rehabilitating so many trafficking victims seems an impossible task, I am not discouraged because seeing the happy face of a rescued victim and hearing her testimony makes me see the beginning of many victories, with people committed to the task of rescuing women from suffering and helping them to rebuild their lives and look to the future with hope.

God is helping us to make the impossible possible.

Testimony

My name is Janeth, I am 20 years old and a Mexican from the Chiapas State.

I first met The Salvation Army when I was six years old when some of my friends told me to go there because the Army was giving out food and helping children with various items so that they could go to school. This appealed to me because my dream was to be able to go to school.

I found that the Army was a beautiful place, full of love where people not only shared things with us – it was there that I was given my first toy – but also the love of God. Unfortunately, I come from a family that had many needs and I was rejected and treated badly by my mother. Soon after I started to go to the Army I was sexually abused in my own home, and began to deny that God existed.

I thought to myself, where was

‘I was raped time and time again and IF I RESISTED I WAS BEATEN with chains, sticks and wire by my mother’

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feature ‘I have even moved to a Salvation Army centre where I CAN BE SAFELY CARED FOR with my youngest child’ God when this happened to me? I felt ashamed, and didn’t tell anyone because I was afraid that I would be rejected.

However, this was not the worst that I was to go through. When I was 10 my mother sold me to men. She used to lock me in with them and charge them for the time they spent with me. I was raped time and time again and if I resisted I was beaten with chains, sticks and wire by my mother, who told me that I had to do this because it was the only way I could pay back all that she had done for me. She said this so many times that in the end I began to think it was true, and that I had to do this for her. This was how I became pregnant with my first son when I was 12 and my second son at 13, not knowing even to this day who the fathers of my children are.

I continued to deny God because these things were happening to me. Apart from all that my mother had already done, she wanted to take my children away from me – she actually managed to keep the older of the two. I pray that God will look after him and want to be able to have my two sons with me.

During this time, I kept going to the Army, but never told anybody what was going on. I pretended that I was happy and said that everything was fine. My mother used to let me go wherever I wanted to and do what I wanted so that nobody would have any suspicion about what was really going on. When I was 14, I was enrolled as

a soldier of The Salvation Army then, on the day of prayer for victims of human trafficking, God spoke to me through the words ‘Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me’ (Psalm 27:10). It was then that I began to see life differently and understood what my mother had done to me. This woman who had given birth to me had made me into a prostitute and I had become a victim of human trafficking. I opened my heart to the corps officers so that they could understand what was really going on. From that day on they helped me all they could. I have even moved to a Salvation Army centre in another city where I can be safely cared for with my youngest child. I am thankful to God and The Salvation Army that I am in a place where I have been shown the love of God and have also been given the medical attention I needed, as when I arrived I had many health issues. I am still working on the serious consequences of being trafficked.

I am now able to fulfil my dreams and finish secondary school and I want to prepare myself to serve God as an officer and help women who are being trafficked.

The desire of my heart is that no woman will be abused as I was.

Colonel Sonia Bouzigues

SERVED AS TERRITORIAL PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES BEFORE RETIREMENT MEXICO TERRITORY

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leadership

Lead

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yourself

hen my husband Kenneth and I lived in Kenya, we hired a guide to take us to Crater Lake, located in the Great Rift Valley. We really enjoyed ourselves walking in the company of giraffes, monkeys, gazelles, antelopes and dik-diks, and soon we were deep in the bush. That didn’t really concern us until our guide casually announced ‘We are lost’. He had simply not kept track of where we were going.

At that point my mind began to race; we hadn’t any emergency supplies and I was wearing scented lotion, which is not a good thing to do when around wild animals. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and all we could do was pray for direction and safety. After several hours of walking, we miraculously came upon a small safari camp where we collapsed onto chairs and gulped down a thirst-quenching cold drink.

On that day I learnt an important lesson about leadership; before you can lead others, you must first learn to lead yourself. True leadership cannot be appointed or assigned, it needs to be developed and earned. Pastor and author John Maxwell says, ‘A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way’.

To know the way, a leader must envision the destination and know how to get there. No one wants to follow someone who hasn’t a clue where they are going or who is often distracted. How can you trust a leader who seems to be lost? As God’s leaders, our direction must always come from him. ‘ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher 8 Revive

than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts”’ (Isaiah 55:8-9). We must first learn to follow him, not allowing ourselves to get sidetracked along the way.

As well as this we need to practise what we preach. ‘If you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth – you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?’ (Romans 2:19-21).

There needs to preparation if we are to lead by example and inspire others. The good leader is a person of integrity who can be trusted to lead even through challenging times. Our guide at Crater Lake just wasn’t prepared for the long trip, he didn’t have

‘Before you can lead others, you must first LEARN TO LEAD YOURSELF’ emergency supplies, sunscreen, bug spray, or even water, he assumed that we would provide all those things for ourselves.

As we walked back to our cottage that day, I heard the terrifying rumble of a stampede. My husband yelled ‘Buffalo!’ and as I looked up, I saw our guide running for his life having completely forgotten about us. Ken grabbed my hand and we started running too. Thanks to his quick thinking, we avoided being trampled and made it back to the cottage, safe and sound.

A good leader shows the way and doesn’t just strive to reach her own goals and aspirations. She gets to know her followers, learning about their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes and then empowers them for the journey to be all they can be in Christ and claim victory in Jesus.

On that day when we were lost in the bush I learnt probably the most important lesson of all – true leadership isn’t about me, but it always starts with me.

Columnist for 2018 Commissioner Jolene Hodder TERRITORIAL PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES USA WESTERN TERRITORY

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e may not understand the many things happening in the natural world around us, yet they still happen.

From a tiny seed – which can hardly be seen – grows a big, strong tree that can give shade from the sun and shelter when it rains. Some plants grow very quickly – did you know that bamboo can grow up to 30 inches in one day? In just one handful of snow there are thousands of snowflakes and each one unique in pattern. Imagine how many different snowflakes there are on the Arctic snowfields!

Then there’s the bumblebee. According to the laws of aerodynamics it should not be able to fly – because its wings are small compared to the size of its body – yet even though it seems impossible, it flies.

When I watch sport on TV, I am amazed at what the athletes achieve when I see how someone can long-jump almost nine metres or run 100 metres in less than

e

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10 seconds – I can hardly get up from my armchair in that time! I was just six years old when man walked on the moon for the first time. I remember watching it on our black-and-white TV and yet I didn’t find myself thinking that’s incredible or impossible, perhaps because I was a child and everything is possible in a child’s world. Perhaps that’s what Jesus meant when he spoke about becoming like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

There are many amazing events in the Bible that I find hard to understand.

I don’t know what I should think about the plagues of Egypt, the sun remaining still (Joshua 10:13), Jonah’s adventure in the belly of a big fish or Balaam’s talking donkey. I know that in God’s world everything is possible but these stories in the Old Testament still challenge my understanding.

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feature On the other hand, some stories in the New Testament relate closely to me and my environment. One in particular is Jesus feeding a huge crowd of more than 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fishes and what actually happened on that day. The people were hungry and didn’t have any food – or did they? In any case, there was a problem and Jesus asked his disciples to solve it. Their reactions were, ‘it’s already late – this is a lonely place’ and Philip declared that the task was impossible for financial reasons, saying that even 200 denarii-worth of bread would be insufficient.

However, Jesus asked the disciples about what they had, rather than what they didn’t have. One of them (Andrew) had not lost his ability to think like a child when he saw a boy with a lunch even though he knew that it wouldn’t be sufficient to feed so many, but Jesus took the loaves and fishes, blessed them and distributed them to the crowd.

When everyone had eaten as much as they needed the disciples gathered up 12 baskets of leftovers.

A miracle had happened, the impossible became possible, but what was

‘A miracle had happened, THE IMPOSSIBLE BECAME POSSIBLE, but what was the miracle?’

the miracle? It might be expected that the Son of God, who had participated in the creation of the universe, could create more bread from scratch. I think that the real miracle was that Jesus influenced the people so that they were prepared to share what they had. The boy would not have been the only one with a packed lunch.

There would surely have been others who had food with them who maybe thought that it was theirs and they had the right to keep it rather than share it. Jesus made the seemingly impossible become possible.

Despite mankind being able to land on the moon or explore the depths of the sea, the problem of famine in the world remains. Like the disciples, we might think that alleviating famine is an impossible mission because we do not have the resources, but if everyone was willing to share what they have, then the impossible would become possible.

When a rich young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus to told him to go and sell all that he had and give the money to the poor. He went on to teach that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. When the disciples said to each other ‘“Who then can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God”’ (Mark 10:26-27).

Each time I see a bumblebee fly, I am reminded of how the impossible becomes possible and how God can transform us if we let him.

Captain Saga Lippo PERSONNEL SECRETARY FINLAND AND ESTONIA TERRITORY

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bible study

Fozia Columbus

M

y family, friends and workplace community all play a big part in my life and influence the decisions that I make. As I consider the people in my life, I first of all think of my family and the different relationships that I have with them as daughter, sister, wife and mother. I know that to each I need to show love and care. To my friends I must be loyal and to my neighbours, following the command of Jesus, I need to show love. To work colleagues who I spend long hours with, I should be an example of Jesus in all that I do or say and to those who oppose me I must show love and forgiveness.

I thank God for placing me in a beautiful world with so much to enjoy through nature. But at the same time, there is a world around me with so many different challenges including injustice, sexual exploitation, Internet pornography, sexual misconduct, corruption, crime and cultural pressure, and I realise more than ever that there is a need for godly people to provide guidance.

I believe that God who created a beautiful world has a specific mission for me, and although I am only a small part of his great world I still have a role to play.

When I stop to think about serving my whole community, it seems like mission impossible. Then I realise that service starts with me, the way I am and the things that I do and say, but as I look at the world around Revive 11

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bible study

‘The body does not consist of one part but of many ... each contributes to the function of the body as a whole’

me, I find myself asking, how can I serve others? My thoughts then turn to practical ways of service such as providing food and clothing, giving freely of my time, lending a listening ear, or counselling. I know that I will not be able to do everything, but if I do what I can and involve others, then mission impossible becomes possible.

God has blessed each of us with talents and spiritual gifts for the benefit of the whole Church and we can develop these by using them, perhaps by volunteering for ministry or connecting with a small group to serve others. Our gifts for ministry vary widely, but as in Paul’s analogy (1 Corinthians 12:14) ‘the body is not made up of one part but of many’. The finger does not do the same job as the toe, but each contributes to the function of the body as a whole which reminds me of the need to be a faithful steward in using the gifts that God has given to me.

Sharing fellowship is a clear expression of love but one of the most valuable things that we can do is to share ourselves by using our time, talents and energies to serve others in the Body of Christ. In so doing, we reflect the nature of Jesus who demonstrated servanthood in the washing of his disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). It was not in spite of his greatness but because of his greatness that Jesus served his disciples on that evening. Through his attitude towards servanthood he taught us that true greatness in the Kingdom of God consists not in position or authority but in serving one another. No one ever reaches a place within society or the Body of Christ where he or she is too important to serve others.

‘For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.’

(Ephesians 2:10). God calls us to service far beyond anything we could ever imagine.

He designed us to make a difference in 12 Revive

show hospitality to strangers

servanthood the world and created us to add to life and not just take from it. ‘Good works’ are an expression of our service to the world. In serving others, we are serving God and fulfilling his purposes (Colossians 3:23-24; Matthew 25:34-45; Ephesians 6:7). God’s word to Jeremiah is also true for us: ‘Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work’ (Jeremiah 1:5 New Century Version).

The Bible gives some examples of Christian service. We are asked to show hospitality to strangers (Hebrews 13:2), remember those in prison (Matthew 25:36), provide for the needy (Matthew 25:35) and mentor others (Titus 2:2-8).

Some of the examples speak specifically to our day-to-day living, including care towards children (Matthew 18:5), love and kindness in relationships (Titus 2:5), fair treatment of employees (Colossians 4:1), honest dealings (Leviticus 19:36) and stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30).

Christian service reflects the love of Jesus in action, such as the giving of a cup of water (John 15:13). There are many types of service, but few involve activity within the four walls of a church building.

It’s the world outside that offers most opportunities for service and we need to be prepared to recognise these and be willing to respond.

The world is in desperate need of Christians who are prepared to show the love of Christ through actions performed out of kindness

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bible study

lend a listening ear give freely of my time

counselling ‘The real challenge for us is how we can fulfil mission impossible and serve the world around us WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION’ and powered by the love of Christ.

The saying ‘the true test of being a servant is how you respond when you’re treated like one’ can be applied to the servant of Christ. Accepting the role of a servant, is the toughest of all the demands of servanthood. In calling us to be servants, God also calls us to be prepared to accept ingratitude, which will happen at times.

When you live in a country like Pakistan, it’s not easy to serve others without discrimination. We often hear, see and face discrimination and hate because of our Christian faith. It’s very easy for us to get angry and sad and sometimes we want to react. The real challenge for us is how we can fulfil mission impossible and serve the world around us without discrimination. Pakistani Christians are poor and face religious discrimination daily and sometimes they don’t feel comfortable when The Salvation Army serves without discrimination. In doing this, we reflect our territorial vision statement ‘The Salvation Army in Pakistan will be a spiritually accountable, courageous and growing part

of the universal Christian Church, serving local communities without discrimination’.

As we reach out to people we follow our mission statement, ‘The Salvation Army in Pakistan exists to disciple believers and develop communities while serving without discrimination’. In the corps we remind ourselves each day that Jesus came for all the world and that his salvation is for all, what we need to do is follow in his footsteps and serve without discrimination.

Captain Fozia Columbus CORPS-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER PAKISTAN

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the whole world mobilising MISSION:

Moving out of comfort zones Jane Kimberley

W

hen General André Cox called upon Salvationists to mobilise and not be ‘an Army confined to barracks’, he couldn’t possibly have envisaged how it would all work out, which is often the case with ventures of faith. To make it happen and to capture the mobilising vision meant moving out of comfort zones and shaking off complacency and, in so doing, to discover the true mission of The Salvation Army. Instead of being just a group of people dressed in uniforms who meet with

each other, often behind closed doors – our true identity has been uncovered and the purpose revealed for which God called The Salvation Army into being. People of all ages and cultures, empowered by God’s Spirit, moved out into their communities to share his love in creative ways.

The General’s call has had the effect of lighting a fuse as around the world Salvationists have responded to the challenge. Some have marched behind the Mobilising flag along hot dusty roads while others have carried it through snow and ice, both with the same purpose of being visible and available as Christ’s servants to a needy world that in the past year has faced war, famine, many natural disasters and terrorist atrocities. The call to mobilise could scarcely be more relevant as people try to make sense of it all. The words penned by John Gowans ‘Through his people God himself is close beside you’ take on added significance for a mobilised Army.

As The Whole World Mobilising progressed volumes of pictures recorded the many initiatives and every picture

tells a story. The front cover of this issue of Revive reveals just a hint of the mobilising effect: Commissioner Rosalie Peddle outside International Headquarters engaged in conversation with a passer-by who has just received a cup of coffee. We have no idea what they were talking about but I guess the man might have moved on pretty quickly if Commissioner Rosalie had started ‘Bible-bashing’. Only God knows where that act of practical Christian love and interest will lead, but it’s certain there wouldn’t have been any fuse lit if Commissioner Rosalie had decided to stay in her office. The same applied to other colleagues who joined the commissioner in offering coffee and water, along with prayer and encouragement to the many people who walked by the building.

The Whole World Mobilising has captured the imagination of Salvationists around the world, including Kung Fu for Christ in Kitchener, Ontario, food outreach and prayer in Osaka, Japan, neighbourhoods tidied and cleared of litter in France, Germany, Portugal and Argentina, open-air witness complete with

‘To capture the mobilising vision meant MOVING OUT OF COMFORT ZONES and shaking off complacency’ 14 Revive

the whole world mobilising

‘Mobilising is doing what God has been asking The Salvation Army to do for 152 years’

Mobilising flags in Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, India and Pakistan and prayer rocks hidden around the neighbourhood in Nebraska, USA. A celebration led by the General was held in London and live-streamed to the world to mark the many mobilising initiatives. Traffic was brought to a standstill as Salvationists marched the city’s busiest streets to the sound of a good band and with flags flying. At the end of an enjoyable day it would have been easy to return home feeling satisfied with all the achievements of The Whole World Mobilising and possibly even lapse back into complacency, had it not been for a further challenge.

The General explained that mobilising is doing what God has been asking The Salvation Army to do for 152 years.

Quoting the words of the Founder, William Booth, about the poor and lost, that ‘these are our people’, he continued ‘We cannot sit complacently in our places of worship because – unless we’re fully engaged in mission – there are people who may never experience the love of God. The challenge for The Salvation Army, 152 years into history, is to capture the vision of the early pioneers to change the world. If ever the Army chooses to demobilise – to go back into barracks – ultimately it will not exist.’ Salvationists gathered in London and viewing around the world were urged to ‘Go Forward!’

With those words, any thoughts of the celebration being a fitting conclusion to months of mobilising were soon dispelled.

The call to mobilise has been a keen reminder of our essential identity and mission – there can be no going back.

Major Jane Kimberley OFFICER IN RETIREMENT UNITED KINGDOM TERRITORY WITH THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

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social issues

Shelter from the storm Julie Chambe describes reaching out to communities in the aftermath of a storm

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thank God for the protection and support that he has given at all times, but it was during our fourth appointment as corps officers (church leaders) that my husband and I came to recognise the tremendous power of God and how in a second he can deal with everything and everyone at the same time.

Communication networks had warned us that a huge storm would devastate the Province of Inhambane, Mozambique, in February 2017. Believing in the power of God, everyone hoped that he would spare the lives of families and keep everyone safe. On the first day of the storm at about 13.30 it became very dark, marking what was going to be the start of a very sad and difficult time for everyone. The storm

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damage was enormous, affecting everyone and everything in its path. People abandoned their homes making for any secure area where they could find shelter, but even those areas seemed desolate.

We had made our way to a nearby school where I could hear someone reading the words of Joshua 22:5 which encouraged me to remain firm and faithful to the Lord’s commands, loving and serving him by ministering to his people. We spent the night in prayer pleading to the Lord that

he would forgive us and save us from the storm.

Although gripped by feelings of depression and despair, in those moments I was moved to take courage so that I could be of help to those in the most critical situations. I learnt that there was an older couple who had been trapped in their home as a result of a fallen tree which had caused the building to collapse.

With the help of others, we took some equipment to remove the tree, released the couple from the ruins of their home and cleared a space for rebuilding their house.

Some of the men assisted using locallysourced materials. In this way, we were fulfilling the Scripture in Romans 15:1-2, ‘We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak … Each of us should please our neighbours for their good’.

The work continued, as we helped other families to rebuild their bathrooms and toilets, many were in a desperate situation without these basic facilities.

‘We were particularly moved by the plight of children and older people who were suffering from the effects of hunger and the loss of everything they possessed’

social issues

As we continued our visits to the communities, we met people whose farms and churches had been devastated and places where access roads were impassable. Many families had been displaced and we were particularly moved by the plight of children and older people who were suffering from the effects of hunger and the loss of everything they possessed. We prayed with those families, asking the Lord to place his powerful hand over them. Days later we worked with local government representatives in the distribution of food to those most in need. The whole situation was horrendous and I became involved with a family who managed to escape unharmed when a coconut tree fell on their house and divided it in two, destroying everything.

The storm lasted two days but the consequences continued for much longer. Non-governmental organisations, religious groups and willing volunteers assisted in the provision of food and tents.

Sometimes though one challenge seemed to follow another, because during the same week of the hurricane, a family saw their hut and all their possessions reduced to ashes as fire ravaged their property. When we met them, they were so desperate

Families whose homes were destroyed by fallen trees, receive practical support including the rebuilding of their homes

and felt they wanted to die. During our meetings at the corps, we offered prayer for that family and others and we were able to give them cups, plates, cutlery and clothing.

While visiting the shattered communities, I met an orphaned family where one child was trying to fulfil the parental role by providing bread for the survival of the other children. As I looked into the faces of those children I could see that they needed someone to love and care for them. With the loss of their parents, they were having to deal with so much and were very vulnerable, but out of that family I had to decide who most needed our help. I settled on the youngest who was nine months old and for whom we bought milk and clothing. At times though we were able to supply food for

the others as well. The situation was critical for all of them, and particularly the oldest child who sometimes would have to sacrifice everything for the good of the others.

I constantly pray for these children and for others, there are so many who are living without the support of parents and who exist on what others throw into rubbish bins.

Captain Julie Chambe

CORPS OFFICER AT KONGOLOTE IN THE CAPITAL DIVISION, MOZAMBIQUE TERRITORY

Revive 17

feature THE

prayer

HOUSE

‘They all joined together constantly in prayer’ (Acts 1:14)

Lauren Hodgson

W

Postures

A Prayer Experience from

e may be familiar with praying in our pews and at the altar. You probably pray before meals or before you go to bed.

Wherever we find that time, we usually find ourselves making the most of it by combining prayer with other activities or because doing so seems easier. Setting apart a dedicated prayer time, for our minds and for our bodies, might be a new experience.

With that in mind, a new Spiritual Life Development resource ‘Postures in Prayer’ is a ‘prayer walk’ based on various physical aspects of prayer and was developed after significant scriptural and historical research. To find the entire Postures In Prayer resource visit http://saconnects. org/postures-a-prayer-walk As you read through it, you may find that you are familiar with one or more of the postures and their scriptural roots. You are invited to give some time and thought

to each of them. You can go through all of them meaningfully in less than an hour, or perhaps you’ll want to focus on one posture every day for a week and then move to the next one. Either way, postures provide opportunities to hear from God in new ways.

This time of prayer is to help you engage all that God has created – your spirit, soul, and body. If you are open to some biblically-supported postures, these simple changes may bring a deeper awareness of and intimacy with the Lord. While body position is not going to be a ‘magic bullet’ to deeper communication with the Lord, if you simply open yourself up to the possibilities presented through the Scripture, your prayer life can be transformed.

Station 1

Stand with eyes open, looking up, hands uplifted with palms up.

Standing for prayer with hands outstretched was an original posture when communing with God from earliest biblical recordings. It is called the Orans position, from the Latin word for praying. When the worshipper prays in this position there is an acknowledgement that God is superior.

We stand in respect before the Almighty.

We relinquish our control and wait to hear the Lord’s agenda. We physically open ourselves to his leading. Standing with hands lifted and palms up is a symbol of total abandon to God.

‘Postures provide opportunities to hear from God in NEW WAYS’ 18 Revive

prayer house

in prayer

Spiritual Life Development

This posture is for thanksgiving, praise, blessing, benedictions, and general prayers.

This is still the normal position for prayers in eastern churches and in Jewish synagogues, and it is still used in the western church, particularly for, but not exclusive to, the blessing of the Eucharist.

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(Jesus) took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus… they saw his glory and the two men standing with him (Luke 9:28-30, 32).

After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed (John 17:1).

I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8).

Action

Stand with feet about a shoulder’s width apart to bring optimum balance. Lift your head and eyes upward as a sign of receptivity and expectation. Lift your hands upward with your palms open as a symbol of surrender to the majesty and omniscience of God.

Your prayers of praise are to recognise the attributes of God (save your thanks for when you are recounting his blessings). Praise him for his purity, righteousness, justice, goodness, holiness, compassion … What else comes to mind?

Don’t rush. If you sense reluctance or awkwardness, remain in the position until you can envisage being before the heavenly throne totally abandoned to praising the Lord – ‘the only proper object of religious worship’ (Salvationist Doctrine 2).

Reflection ●● ●●

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What occupied your mind as you took on this posture?

Did your body’s position help the purpose for which you were praying?

What character of God most occupied your mind as you praised him?

How does your response to this attribute relate to your life right now?

Prayer

God Almighty, as I leave this stance of praise, may the attitude of adoration linger in my heart and mind throughout this day.

Amen.

Major Lauren Hodgson OFFICER IN RETIREMENT USA EASTERN TERRITORY

Revive 19

my story

Do you love me?

Vivien Banks

W

hy? is often the reaction I receive when I say that I’m a member of Nishinari Corps (church), in Osaka, Japan. The reason for their response is because Nishinari has the largest homeless community in the country as well as older people dependent on welfare, poorly nourished children and many people on low incomes. There is a red-light district that is full of young adults on a Saturday night and the area has high crime rates fuelled by drug and alcohol addiction. In a country where less than one per cent of the population is Christian, people are often surprised when I tell them about what I do at The Salvation Army.

My first association with the Army was through my officer-parents Bill and Muriel Banks. I was born in Tokyo and grew up to be involved in the corps and was in the 20 Revive

band and songsters. When I was 17 my parents returned to the UK, having served for 20 years in Japan. I decided to stay but within five years I had stopped going to the corps as my life took a new direction.

I married a non-Christian, and we lived in a lovely residential area to the north of Osaka. During the next 20 years I grew far away from God and only went to the Army if I had to – that was usually because my parents were visiting – and when asked if I was a Christian I would say ‘absolutely not’. I thought that when my parents died I would be free of the Army forever, but God had other plans.

My daughter Kay, who went to a protestant girls’ high-school, needed to

attend a church and wanted to go to the Army. I took her to the youth fellowship at Tenma Corps where I also started attending Sunday meetings and my son Ryo was dedicated to God. I learnt that there were two other corps in Osaka at Izuo and Nishinari. When I heard about the work being done at Nishinari, I went to see for myself and helped with the outreach to people in need when corps members distributed packed food (Obentou) – a rice-ball (onigir) a boiled egg and a can of tea – together with a copy of The War Cry. I had never experienced anything like that before. With the exception of corps officer Major Tateishi Seiner and myself, everyone who helped

‘Will you LOVE AND PRAY for those who may not have anyone else?’

my story

Nishinari Corps mobilises by providing meals for needy people in the community

had once been on the receiving end of the food distribution and some still needed a meal to get by. The major would give the men helpers a ticket for the public baths so that they could clean up before attending the meetings on a Sunday, reminding me of ‘soup, soap and salvation’.

What I experienced that night completely changed my life and I just couldn’t sleep.

In the morning I phoned the major to say that I wanted to help and would be willing to do anything. That was 14 years ago, just 18 months after my dad had been promoted to Glory.

Although the corps at Tenma had always prayed for me and my family, I knew that I had to go to Nishinari with its old wooden hall just like the places I had been with my parents. I had really never appreciated my Christian upbringing, but now aged 45 I realised how much I was loved by God, my parents and all the

people who had prayed and supported me.

I felt so ashamed and thought about how Jesus reinstated Peter (John 21:15-17).

This was why I had to go to Nishinari, as Jesus was asking ‘Do you love me? Will you love and pray for those who may not have anyone else?’

At that time (18 years ago), Nishinari Corps was dwindling and the officers also had to oversee the work at Izuo as well. Close to the hall there was a park packed with people living in tents and even though resources were limited the officers knew that something must be done. To raise funds they started a weekly garage sale and opened the hall at 6am on a Sunday for coffee and chat and then provided a meal after the meeting.

Clothing and toiletries were handed out and some people who volunteered their help later became soldiers. Even though most had never read the Bible or prayed

before, they took part in meetings.

Many people now support the outreach programmes including Izuo Corps and teenagers at Kiboucan children’s home.

Donations also help to keep the feeding programme going with a poultry plant supplying eggs, a women’s group sending packages for Christmas and a friend who collects paper bags to use for the packing.

Japan is a country that is frequently affected by natural disasters and The Salvation Army is always there with so much to do and not enough people to do it. Some may think that what we do is unnecessary but I am reminded of the challenge ‘Do you love me?’ and the response I knew I had to make.

Vivien Banks A SOLDIER AT NISHINARI CORPS JAPAN TERRITORY

Revive 21

review

Commissioner Dawn Heatwole reviews a selection of books

A Bend in the Road

Fingerprints of Grace

What a joy this book is! Originally, I used it for my devotional time – reading one entry per day – but I so enjoyed reading the stories that I finished it in just a couple of days. A Bend in the Road is filled with Commissioner Jolene’s journal entries, beginning from the time she and her husband Commissioner Kenneth Hodder served as territorial leaders in the Kenya West Territory. The book gives a glimpse into the life of missionary officers reflecting the joy of learning a new way of life, struggles of being apart from friends and family, amazement at the work of God in sometimes very difficult circumstances and the blessings of living and working alongside men and women of God. The commissioner reminds us to look for God in the ordinary things of day-to-day living and to watch for him in the hard places because he is already there. I recommend this book either for personal use or as a discussion starter in small groups.

Captain Claire-Louise Watson from the Australia Southern Territory tells the story of her daughter Hannah and God’s grace through difficult days. Once I started to read this book, I didn’t stop until I reached the end some two hours later. Although it’s a quick read, it is also a hard read, sharing with this family as they travel a road they would never have chosen. I was encouraged by their faith during difficult, dark days, as well as by the way the author shared honestly about community, the importance of presence, and God’s encompassing compassion and grace. As Salvation Army officers, we are not immune to sickness, grief, questioning God, or hard journeys.

The Watsons faced all of that and share it with us as a reminder that faith is literally one step at a time, especially when we can’t see the end of the journey.

Published by Frontier Press

Published by Salvo Publishing

by Commissioner Jolene K. Hodder

by Claire-Louise Grace Watson

On Eagles’ Wings:

Devotions from Isaiah to Renew Your Strength

by Commissioner Debi Bell

In her latest book On Eagles’ Wings: Devotions from Isaiah to Renew Your Strength Commissioner Debi Bell has dug deep into the book of Isaiah to write daily devotionals that will challenge and inspire you. Each day she takes a small section of Isaiah and expounds it to relate to today. She brings the Scripture to life by using her personal experiences in ministry and Scripture. The book is written for use in personal devotions and includes a prayer at the end of each devotional thought. I’ve used it since the beginning of the year and have been challenged to hear what God is wanting to point out to me through his Word and Commissioner Bell’s commentary. It has helped me to see new insights into verses of Isaiah that I had forgotten were there and also a new perspective on verses that I noticed for the first time. Included in some of the devotionals is additional Scripture to enhance the reading for the day. This devotional aid would also be useful with a group Bible study.

Published by the USA Southern Territory

22 Revive

The Salvation Army Year Book 2018 gives information relating to programmes run by The Salvation Army worldwide.

Available in English, French Spanish, Portuguese and other languages

IT CONTAINS ●●

Global reports and photos from the 128 countries in which the Army works

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Up-to-date facts and figures on the Army’s international mission

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Full-colour photographs

The Salvation Army Year Book 2018, published by Salvation Books, International Headquarters, can be purchased from territorial trade and supplies departments or online from amazon.co.uk.

resources

THE SALVATION ARMY YEAR BOOK 2018

£6 THE 2018 YEAR BOOK is available for Kindle e-readers and can also be downloaded onto Kobo e-readers through the kobo.com website.

Prices may vary.

WOMEN’S MINISTRIES 2018 Ten new Bible studies for 2018 have been prepared and written by women of all ages, representing The Salvation Army worldwide.

Available to download from 1 January 2018 at

www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/womensministries

subscriptions

UK £10.00

£18.00

Or email: subscriptions@sp-s.co.uk For enquiries telephone [44] (0) 1933 445445 Or email: subscriptions@sp-s.co.uk

£2.00

Please debit my Mastercard/ Visa/ Maestro card (Switch)

‘If ever the Army chooses to demobilise – to go back into barracks – ultimately it will not exist’ GENERAL ANDRÉ COX

‘If ever the Army chooses to demobilise – to go back into barracks – ultimately it will not exist’ GENERAL ANDRÉ COX

VOL 10 NO 1

JANUARY-MARCH 2018

MISSION: Serving the world around me

E Q U I P P I N G

W O M E N

F O R

M I N I S T R Y

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M I S S I O N