VOL 10 NO 4
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018
PASSION FOR PEOPLE MESSAGE FROM ROSALIE PEDDLE
EMPOWERING OTHERS LEADERSHIP
Forgive and Forget POWERFUL STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
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
inside
10 Forgiveness
08
04 Passionate about people
LETTER FROM THE WPWM
05 Bringing about change
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018
revive@salvationarmy.org
08 Making peace with past pain MY STORY 11 Looking forward to 2019 12 Calendar 2019 16 Lessons that Bobbie taught me 18 The importance of forgiveness
05
COLUMNS
IN EVERY ISSUE
10 Empowering others LEADERSHIP
03
Editorial
14 Book review
20 Finding the window of opportunity 15 The Prayer House SOCIAL ISSUES
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Front cover: Commissioner Rosalie Peddle with her daughter and granddaughters, photo by General Brian Peddle Back cover: Matthew 5:44 in Spanish and English, illustration by Berni Georges All Bible quotations throughout this edition of Revive are from the New International Version 2011 unless stated otherwise TM – The Message, GW – God’s Word, NASB – New American Standard Bible, NKSV – New King James Version, KJV – King James Version, GNB – Good News Bible, NLT – New Living Translation, SASB – The Song Book of The Salvation Army
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 Rosalie Peddle, World President of Women’s Ministries Editor: Commissioner Janine Donaldson Editorial assistance: Major Jane Kimberley and Paul Mortlock Designer: Berni Georges © Brian Peddle, General of The Salvation Army, 2018 Founders of The Salvation Army: William and Catherine Booth Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd
CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: revive@salvationarmy.org
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THE SALVATION ARMY International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH United Kingdom
Subscription details at:
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from the editor
Forgive and forget Commissioner Janine Donaldson EDITOR
G
reetings to you. It’s hard to believe that this is the last edition of Revive for 2018, a year in which we have said farewell to General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox and welcomed General Brian Peddle and World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Rosalie Peddle who writes a greeting to readers on page four. We pray that God will guide and bless her ministry and also that of the General. Thank you for your support in receiving and reading these quarterly issues. It would be remiss of me not to thank my incredible editorial team for their assistance and support to me during the past year. Their contribution, gifts and encouragement are significant in the production of Revive. Some years ago, there was a song sung by the Jackson Five that started ‘ABC, easy as 123, ah, simple as do-re-mi, it’s as easy as 123’. I actually can’t remember how the rest of the song goes but in thinking about the title of this issue ‘Forgive and Forget’ I thought if only forgiveness was as simple as those lyrics. Interestingly the Bible does not use the phrase ‘forgive and forget’ although many verses relate directly to these words. If I were asked to compile a list of those that have hurt me, I wonder what my list would look like? There are situations in our lives that have caused us intense pain and hurt and where, unlike using the delete button on my computer, I struggle to forget. How does the Bible instruct us to act when we are in those difficult situations? Jesus said, ‘But to you who are listening I say: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who ill-treat you’ (Luke 6:27-28). In the following verses, Jesus gives some examples of how to treat those who have hurt you, and he concludes with, ‘Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful’ (Luke 6:36). When hurts run very deep, and we struggle to forgive and forget, the Word of God instructs us and I hold on to this word: ‘That is why, for Christ’s sake I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong’ (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Sometimes I don’t feel strong, but I am called to pray and to turn to the God who loved us and gave us life. We don’t often have the power to change those who have hurt us, but we do hold the power in our response to them. My prayer, and I have found this so difficult at times, is to ask God to help me see the good in that person, to love them, and ask him to bless them. It is a simple prayer but so hard to do. I want to hold on to hurts, especially those that I feel I have been wronged by and without cause, yet Jesus calls me to focus my attention on him, as he can and will heal my hurt and give me the power to change my heart. The words from the song penned by Chris Machen and Mike Harland remind me of what I should do. Bow the knee; Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see. Bow the knee; Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity. And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan, In the presence of the King, bow the knee. I bow the knee.
‘There are situations in our lives that have caused us intense pain ... and where, unlike using the delete button on my computer, I STRUGGLE TO FORGET’ Revive 3
Letter from the WPWM
about people
I
t is both an honour and a privilege to be appointed to my new position as World President of Women’s Ministries for the international Salvation Army. I am humbled yet very excited by the responsibilities that will be mine to travel around the world, with the General, taking my place in leading, preaching and teaching while encouraging the troops on the ground in the 130 countries where the Salvation Army is fully engaged in ministry and mission.
I am passionate about people. I believe that God brings freedom, transformation and peace into the lives of people who seek him with all of their hearts. I will be fully engaged and mobilised in Christ’s mission in this world as I reflect his light and love to people in desperate need of hope. I want to be that light in the darkness and I am committed to be an advocate of the gospel in the goal of winning souls for the Kingdom of God. I am passionate about women in leadership. There is nothing more rewarding than to coach women to develop their skills and capabilities and then to step back and watch them take on roles and responsibilities that will stretch them in every possible way to be an influence and impact on communities and people in positive ways. I am committed to be an advocate for the needs and challenges of women who come under the umbrella of my care and leadership. I am passionate about girls, and women of all ages. There is such a need to be aware of the challenges and concerns in all the countries in our international Salvation Army that affect our girls and women as they seek to be respected, loved and valued. I am committed to be an advocate for social justice challenges so that The Salvation Army can continue to be a strong voice speaking urgently and clearly into steps to help eradicate such social ills. I rely fully on my God who can make impossible things possible. With Holy Spirit courage and the prayers of God’s people I will lead with confidence, compassion and grace. The joy of the Lord is my strength!
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle
WORLD PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
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Bringing about
CHANGE I
n the north-east of Tanzania lies the Mara Region, home to the world-renowned Serengeti National Park, visited by millions of people from all over the world who witness the grandeur and beauty of rural Africa, the ancient wildebeest migration and see scores of other African wildlife in their natural habitat. Mara Region is also home to Captain Lucy Chacha, the third child of nine, but the first of twins. Born in 1978, she enjoyed a happy childhood steeped in the beautiful culture and strength of her native Kuria tribe. But like most cultures, among the good things are cultural practices and activities that are not good, and some which are harmful. In her tribe, female genital mutilation (FGM, or ukeketaji in Kiswahili) is still widely practised. As a cultural rite of passage, girls between the ages of 10 and 20 are sent to undergo this ‘cutting’ and return home to gifts of money, vitenge (African textile wraps) and
Library photo, posed by a model
Debbie Horwood
hearty congratulations. After this, many will end their formal education and marry. When Lucy was 14, her family prepared to send her and her twin sister to undergo FGM. She said to her parents that she did not want to do this, but they told her she must go. In keeping with culture and tradition, she was threatened with stories that if she refused, someone in her family would die, and she would be chased away from her community. ‘In those days, there were no institutions or churches which would help girls who did not want to be “cut” and there was no one to defend our rights,’ she said. Though it was against her will, there was no alternative and so in December 1992, Lucy and her sister experienced FGM. Not only did she find the procedure to be excruciating, but her distress grew when she found out that several of the other girls lost their lives that day due to uncontrolled bleeding. Her sister lost so much blood from the
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Left: The traumatised sisters leave the camp with a joyful entourage Opposite page, left: Lucy and her sister aged 14 Far right: Captain Lucy Chacha today
procedure that she became unconscious for a while. All of this pushed Lucy’s traumatised spirit to the limit. Local medicine revived her sister and the girls were able to finish the last part of their rite of passage by leaving the camp with a joyful entourage and walking the 6.2 miles back to their village without crying or showing any signs of pain. The apostle Paul reminds us that there is hope: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28). God so often takes scary and sorrowful
situations and turns them into stories of hope for others. Though her life was physically and emotionally altered by FGM, Lucy praises God that he also had a life-changing plan in her future to use her experience for his glory. When she was 17, Lucy married Lucas Chacha and together they followed God’s call to ministry in The Salvation Army when in 2002 they entered the officer’s Training College in Dar es Salaam. Several years’ later, Lucy attended a Faith-based Facilitation Seminar in Nairobi where Territorial Commander Commissioner Vinece Chigariro challenged delegates to look at their lives and ministry and ask what they had done in their communities to make a change? ‘Though I had always deeply remembered my experience with FGM and wished I could have done something about it, I could only answer honestly that I had done absolutely nothing to make a change in my home community,’ Lucy said. That week, she made the commitment to do something for her people about FGM and early marriages. God gave her the courage to begin using her story by doing something that would lead to change for the next generation of girls. Returning to the Tanzania Territory, Lucy shared her story with the leadership and a dream was born to help end the practice of FGM in the Mara Region, where The Salvation Army has two divisions. The Women’s Ministries Department committed to leading this ministry, which was supported by all sections of the territory. We began with prayer, then saturating the territory with our story, and teaching and inviting all Salvationists to engage in the process of bringing an end to this practice. In March 2016, during Easter weekend, with more than 1,200 Salvationists present in Tarime, the message was delivered: FGM was not a practice that honours God, values girls and women and is certainly not a cultural practice that The Salvation Army condones.
‘In those days, there were no institutions or churches which would help girls who did not want to be ‘cut’ and there was NO ONE TO DEFEND OUR RIGHTS’ 6 Revive
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‘What began in Lucy’s life as a traumatic experience has been set free from its silent cell, and is now beginning to MAKE A DIFFERENCE to her people’
1. After Easter, our newly formed committee of 25 people
spent two weeks going house-to-house to take a survey to help determine the best way forward in the eradication of this practice, firstly within our church and secondly throughout the communities of Mara Region. A baseline survey was created and three nuggets of wisdom were harvested. The need to saturate the region, to sensitise every level of society with understanding of FGM and to teach the truth about it.
2. To offer a safe house where girls who do not have the
support of their family can flee in the ‘cutting’ season and find advocacy, safety and legal support.
3. Advocacy for girls in education and vocational skills
shape of teaching charts, is being created and used, seminars and sensitisation continues and the word is getting out to girls that they don’t have to go through FGM because there are advocates ready to support them. We are now, by faith, working towards phase two: a safe house for girls with a comprehensive legal plan to protect those who flee FGM, working with families to end the cultural practice and developing a skills training programme for those unable to re-enter school. The Salvation Army was given land for the safe house and is raising funds for construction and ongoing training. Join the people of Tanzania in thanking God for his lifechanging work through Lucy’s life, and pray for the continued eradication of FGM in the Mara Region.
training, and reading and writing classes for girls who are too old to continue in government schools but need an alternative to an early marriage.
What began in Lucy’s life as a traumatic experience has been set free from its silent cell, and is now beginning to make a difference to her people. Throughout the winter ‘cutting’ season and beyond, we will do what we can to help others by raising our voice against FGM, early marriages and other forms of injustice towards girls. Salvationists are promising not to engage in the practice of FGM and young men are promising that they will only marry ‘uncut’ girls. Training material, in the
Colonel Debbie Horwood TERRITORIAL PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES BRAZIL TERRITORY
This article was first published in New Frontier when Colonel Debbie Horwood was Territorial President of Women’s Ministries, Tanzania Territory Revive 7
my story
Lydia Matondo
I
would like to share my own experience of the two concepts in one subject ‘forgiving and forgetting’. I was born into a refugee family and grew up in a foreign land where, because of our status as refugees, people looked down on us and despised us. However, as soon as I became a Salvation Army soldier, one of the first steps in my new life with Jesus Christ was to discover what forgiveness was really all about. I came to the point when I realised that pardon was making peace with the pain of the past and being prepared to let it go. As I grew in my experience of Jesus, I began to discover that forgiveness involves remembering graciously the teaching of the apostle Paul: ‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs’ (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Another verse that has helped me is: ‘Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins’ (1 Peter 4:8). After becoming a Salvation Army officer, I became increasingly aware that a change of heart for me as a victim and for those who had oppressed me, was God’s business.
8 Revive
Making with I started to realise that even though I still remembered the pain of the past, when I spoke about those who had wronged me and hurt me so much, it was without using angry adjectives. This became possible because of decisional forgiveness that involves choosing to let go of angry thoughts about the people you feel have wronged you. I knew that even if I were to meet them, I was not going to seek revenge because I had decided not to dwell on the pain they had caused, but to move on. The non-revenge approach was not an easy thing to do because I had a lot of emotional unforgiveness in my heart, but I knew I needed to forgive. Gandhi once said: ‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is indeed the attribute of the strong.’ It takes a strong person to face pain head-on, forgive and release it. Sometimes, we think that forgiveness is always about others. For years, I was so angry and nervous about those who had
my story
peace past pain ‘It takes a strong person to face pain head-on, FORGIVE and release it’ wronged my life, and then I realised that the way I thought about them was far worse than what they had done to me. I felt guilty about that and with the help of the Holy Spirit’s guidance, I received God’s forgiveness. I was then able to forgive myself and truly move on. This experience taught me about the importance of emotional forgiveness, all my negative emotions such as resentment, bitterness, hostility, hatred and fear were replaced by love, compassion, sympathy and empathy. From my own experience of forgiving, I have found that relationships can be restored, and even deepen and thrive, not in spite of what happened in the past but because of it.
The forgetting side of true pardon is about not holding resentment for past harm. In Hebrews chapter 8 we read about God’s dealing with his people’s failures and in verse 12: ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more’. Even though we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), in love God forgives and forgets our sin. Some people urged me to be cautious about anyone with whom I had had a bad experience in the past, in case they caused me more pain than before. My response was that I believe only God can see a person’s heart, and having received his love and forgiveness myself, I trusted him completely to guide me in all things, including those who had caused me pain in the past. Lieut-Colonel Lydia Matondo COMMAND PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES ANGOLA COMMAND
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leadership
W
hen I entered officer training school 32 years ago I had a burning desire to learn as much as I could about ministry. I threw myself into every activity and counted the days until commissioning. Like many of my fellow cadets, when that day finally arrived and I received my first appointment, I was suddenly gripped by the realisation that I was now responsible for the spiritual care of a congregation. By the time I arrived at my appointment, I had determined that I would put into practice everything I had learnt about growing a corps, starting with women’s ministries. A tiny home, league that had been meeting in an old annexe, was moved into the heart of the corps building and I spent hours constructing
‘Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is always about GROWING OTHERS’ quarterly programmes with guest speakers, including a coffee expert who developed a special ‘home league’ coffee blend based on the personality of the group ‘sharp, fruity, distinctive, and full-bodied’. Tablecloths were purchased and we had thematic centerpieces and table favours to complement every programme, and the home league started to grow. Thinking I had found the formula for success, I repeated the process in my second appointment. Years later, I see that the approach of my early ministry was flawed. While the women’s ministries programmes grew, none 10 Revive
of the groups stood the test of time. For a long while, I blamed those who followed me thinking that not enough attention and care was given to the women, but now I can see that the fault was mine. Retired business executive Jack Welch has written, ‘Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is always about growing others’. In my zeal to see the Army’s ministry grow, I did everything myself and attracting women to our fellowship through the programme became the goal. It worked for a time, but while women certainly want to meet for fun and fellowship, we do them a disservice if that is all we offer. Romans 12:6: ‘We each have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.’ I’ve learnt that women’s ministries must always provide an opportunity to explore gifting in Christ’s service. A truly effective officer is one who role models how it can be done, and then empowers others to do it themselves. She walks alongside women, teaching them and training them, and then she becomes their cheerleader as they grow in their capabilities. I’ll admit that this process is slower than I would like, but I now see that this is the only way to grow a corps and grow leaders for today and the future.
Columnist for 2018 Commissioner Jolene Hodder TERRITORIAL PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES USA WESTERN TERRITORY
In August The Salvation Army welcomed General Brian Peddle and World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Rosalie Peddle. The commissioner has kindly agreed to contribute an interview for us, which we hope to publish in the new year.
Lyndall Bywater (United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland) will be contributing a four-part series on prayer. Lyndall is a gifted writer who has explored the subject of prayer in depth and shares her thoughts in an easy-to-read way.
The leadership feature will include contributions from two territorial commanders, a corps officer and a lay Salvationist, who each will share from their experiences of leadership in The Salvation Army.
Lieut-Colonel Wanda Vincent (Kenya West Territory) is preparing a four-part Bible study entitled ‘Rhythms for the Race’ nurturing wholeness and joy on the journey of life. Life can feel like a race: busy, tiring, competitive, yet being a follower of Jesus is an invitation to abundant living. What direction does God’s Word give us to make that possible? The series, which is suited to either individual or group study, will include: ●● The value of the Sabbath – God’s design for rest and resistance. ●● Living in community – probing biblical stories of relationships that accentuate wholeness. ●● Struck down, but not destroyed – brokenness, failure, or disappointment is not the end. How do we remain strong when we are hard-pressed on every side? ●● Participate in the mission – being part of God’s plan for the world helps us focus upward and outward. The resurrection of Jesus propelled his disciples into action. Major Valerie Mylechreest (United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland) is preparing a series of short features on the subject ‘Balancing Act’. This series will explore keeping heart, mind, soul and strength in balance. And last but not least … Turn over the page and you will find a calendar as a reminder of Revive throughout the year. We would love to welcome more readers of Revive and wonder if you might consider displaying your calendar in a place where others will see it and want to know more. Why not send us your picture with the calendar and let us know where you displayed it? Please email your picture, together with you name and where you live and worship, to Revive@salvationarmy.org We hope to publish some of your pictures during the coming year.
Looking forward to 2019
We hope you continue to enjoy reading Revive and we would like to share with you what you might expect to find during the coming year.
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Equipping women for ministry and mission
2019
– the Christian magazine for women
2019
review Beyond the camera lens Here we have a series of books with few words but plenty of photographs, all taken by Major Margaret Stredwick who, having struggled for many years to pray by using words, found that images brought an exciting and refreshing dimension to her spiritual life. Margaret’s interest in photography started with a basic ‘point and shoot’ camera and developed from there. As a member of her local photographic society she endeavours to improve her photography. While attending two spiritual retreats the seeds were sown for her first book Come and See, a selection of pictures and thoughts based on exploring the wonders of a garden and providing an opportunity to reflect and converse with God. The books contain pictures taken in a variety of settings both in the UK and during her visits to several territories. One is of a gate in Malawi with the sign ‘Please ring before entering’. When Margaret first caught sight
of this, it fired her imagination and became the inspiration for the title and cover of her second book, which is a photographic approach to entering God’s presence. This happens through 18 short dialogues with God, together with pictures inspired by what Margaret describes as the unusual and mundane. The inspiration for Sanctuary came when Margaret was sitting in a hotel room in Mali. Feeling exhausted, she listened to a song called ‘Sanctuary’ (Karen Money) and the words particularly touched her life at that moment – ‘I’m so tired of it all, I need a place to fall, nowhere else will do, my sanctuary is you’. From that experience, a book was born with16 images and words that try to answer what ‘sanctuary’ looks, feels, sounds and smells like. In His Eyes takes the format of a collection of Ignatian-style meditations. Using imagination to enter into gospel stories, readers are encouraged to look into the
eyes of Jesus just as so many did during his earthly life and, through that eye contact, to hear what he whispers to the heart. Allured into the Wilderness was inspired by what initially appeared to be a desolate coastal area and Hosea 2:14, where God promises to allure his beloved into the wilderness. The book contains images and expressions that explore the depths of God’s love. These five books could be ‘coffee table’ material, available for casual readers, but they also might be of interest to people for whom English is a second language, or those who might have difficulties with reading words. Margaret’s hope is that anyone using these books will engage their own imagination and allow God to lead.
Major Jane Kimberley spoke to Major Margaret Stredwick, International Finance Trainer, International Headquarters
The five books Come and See, Please Ring Before Entering, Sanctuary, In His Eyes and Allured into the Wilderness are available from www.blurb.co.uk/user/hakunapesa
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Lauren Hodgson
A Prayer Experience for Spiritual Life Development
Seated and looking down with eyes averted or closed and hands folded The Roman Catholic church invented pews during the Middle Ages just before the Reformation. The Protestants kept the idea of pews so that they could be seated for sermons even though they rejected just about everything else they regarded as a Roman Catholic. As a result, sitting has become the normal posture for prayer for many Western congregations. ‘Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”’ (2 Samuel 7:18).
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Sit comfortably on a chair with your back supported against the back of
the chair, both feet on the floor, and hands on your lap. Take time to be aware of your body – your heartbeat and breathing. Become aware of the presence of the Lord during this time. Your posture should take the stress off any part of your body to allow you to concentrate on your time of prayer. Make the Lord aware of your willingness to hear from him. You
Were you able to focus on God and commune with him? When other thoughts came to mind, were you able to deal with them and if so, how? What did the Lord reveal to you? Ask him to show you how to move forward from this time of communion with him.
And now may the Spirit which was in Jesus Christ be in me, enabling me to know God’s will and empowering me to do God’s will. Amen.
Major Lauren Hodgson RETIRED OFFICER USA EASTERN TERRITORY
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Lessons that Bobbie taught me Sharon Cash
B
obbie entered my office with a scowl on her face, as if ready to tell me what I could do with any discussion about her bullying and aggressive behavior on the unit. She seemed genuinely caught off guard when I asked her what hurt so badly that she would choose to be miserable every day. She responded by asking: ‘Who said I was in pain?’ That was how I began my first day as Programme Manager in a transitional housing programme for homeless mothers battling addictions. That was almost 20 years ago when I came into the field of social service as an addiction counsellor, believing in my heart that I could be a resource for women seeking a way to begin again. I understood addiction and the 12step power for sobriety. I knew peeling away the layers of childhood trauma and acquiring the ability to say ‘ouch’ when it hurts, were necessary to move forward. I felt I had a great skillset as a licensed counsellor with a psychology degree. Although I knew plenty, Bobbie and her son blessed me to find out how much I did not know, specifically about pain, resilience, the devastating cost of unforgiveness and the power of time. So much happened after that first day. I answered her question by sharing how her pain was evident in the sadness of her eyes. She told me I was ‘full of mess’ and I was going to get ‘ran off ’ just like my predecessor. I smiled, saying in my professional ‘counsellor’ voice that I was looking forward to getting to know her. She came back three days later for our first session with that same scowl, looking angry and rolling her eyes. I asked her to have a seat, she flopped
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down and told me she was not going to be interrogated and she was not going to miss her favorite TV programme that started in 30 minutes. That session did not last long, but as I earned the right to be heard and trusted, Bobbie began to share in our sessions. I learned she was 45 years-old, the third child in the birth order of six siblings, born when her mother was 41 and her father was 26. She was a high school graduate with great clerical skills and had worked as an administrative assistant for 12 years, however for the last 13 years her consistent income was from prostitution. She had her first child at 19, married at 21 and separated four years later but never divorced. He was unfaithful and had become addicted and although she used drugs with him, was functional for a few years. She then began to use crack and was totally addicted by the time she was 28. When she spoke of her daughter Leslie, it was with such bitterness and I worked with her for 11 months before she could tell me why she was so mad at Leslie. She told me that Leslie was a dark beauty like the colour of a sable coat. I remember how vivid the description seemed. She told me that Leslie was hard-headed and as she got older they fought quite often, mostly about Bobbie’s drug use and lifestyle. Things got worse when they moved into a rough apartment complex. Bobbie’s ‘dates’ came to the house and her drug use escalated and by the time Leslie was 15 she was using as well. Bobbie would whip her when she caught her using and tried to make her stop. She wept in bitter anger, saying ‘she just would not listen’. Leslie was arrested for shoplifting, and was court ordered
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‘When we don’t forgive, we go back to the place of the crime repeatedly and our fingerprints eventually become the ONLY ONES AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME’
to treatment. Upon discharge she stayed away from Bobbie who went to rehab for the third time and they began to bond in a healthier way and all seemed better. While in rehab, Bobbie met a man who seemed decent and Leslie visited sometimes at weekends. She came home one day, looked for Leslie who had accepted a lift from the ‘decent’ man Bobbie had met. Five days later, Leslie was found in a ditch, 75 miles from home. Bobbie was ‘gutted’. When I met Bobbie, it was her seventh time in rehab. She had a second child, Mason, who at that time was 10, he never met his sister and was scared to ask about her because in his words his Mum turned into a monster when asked and he was sad often. Bobbie and I did a lot of work around her pain, and the significance of resilience. One day as I was listening to a sermon, the minister talked about unforgiveness. He shared how unforgiveness had the power of mass destruction and that it could live for years in the heart and mind. What was so profound in his message was his imagery in describing how unforgiveness was like a horrible crime scene. When we don’t forgive, we go back to the place of the crime repeatedly and our fingerprints eventually become the only ones at the scene of the crime. I shared it with Bobbie and we both wept. I encouraged her to ask God to bless her with compassion to forgive her daughter, and to do the work required to forgive herself. I assured her God had the love, grace and power to bless her to forgive the ‘decent’ man in time. When Bobbie graduated from the programmeme, her mother was there and said she never thought she would witness
Bobbie and Mason with such peace. Bobbie secured a home and a great job and sent pictures of Mason’s 9th grade graduation. She wrote on the back of one of the pictures ‘Thank you so much for the time you invested in me. I haven’t been back to the crime scene in a long time’. I received a phone call on a Monday morning, seven years after I first met Bobbie. The caller was her mother, she said Bobbie relapsed after meeting a young woman at a 12-step meeting. The woman shared with her that she was with Leslie the day she got in the car with the man at the apartment and that she asked her not to go. Leslie replied ‘I am going to make this quick money’. Bobbie started to use drugs again and asked her mother if she could spend the night at her house. After having a meal, Bobbie told her mum ‘I am tired of going back to that crime scene’. The next morning, she found her dead in a chair with a look of perfect peace. Bobbie taught me that you can survive in pain, that resilience is moving forward when nothing says you should want to, and unforgiveness is a crime.
Sharon Cash RENEWAL PLACE DIRECTOR, MEMPHIS, TN USA SOUTHERN TERRITORY
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bible study A loving Creator From the very beginning when God created the earth he demonstrated love and goodness to his creation by providing for the needs of all creatures – ‘God saw all that he had made, and it was very good’ (Genesis 1:31). He created man in his own image and therefore, without sin. As a loving God, he gave mankind freedom of choice. His words to Adam in the Garden of Eden: ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will certainly die’ (Genesis 2:16-17). What followed was temptation, disobedience and an unwillingness to accept responsibility for sin. God did not choose to wipe out his creation, but showed that there were consequences for sin. God forgives and restores In Psalm 51:10-12 we read the prayer of King David as he turned to God for forgiveness for his sin:- ‘Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your pesence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.’ This wonderful prayer reflects the contrite heart of David and the confidence he had in a loving God to forgive and restore a loving relationiship. ‘My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise’ (Psalm 51:17).
God’s love through his Son Despite everything that happened, God still loved his creation. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him’ (John 3:1617). While Christ walked on earth, his ministry was one of love and forgiveness. When asked by Peter how many times he should forgive someone who sinned against him, the response of Jesus was: ‘I tell you not seven times, but seventyseven times’ (Matthew 18:22). In saying this, Jesus was teaching his disiciples and all of us, that there should be no limits to our forgiveness of those who have wronged us. Even while experiencing the pain of the crucifixion, Jesus gave the most wonderful example of forgiveness when he prayed: ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’ (Luke 23:34). He not only asked the heavenly Father to forgive the people who had been so brutal towards him, but he also offered forgiveness to one of the criminals who was being crucified with him. When the criminal said: ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’, the response of Jesus was: ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’ (Luke 23:42-43). How our forefathers dealt with theft Mizoram State, where 87 per cent of the population is Christian, lies in the far north Eastern corner of India, the larger part of the state is bordered by Myanmar and Bangladesh. The Mizo tribe depend
News that comes from around the world, shows how hard it is for people to forgive others, resulting in hatred and conflict between nations, within families and between individuals
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The imp
FORGI Rebek Lalrohnuni
upon the harvest from Jhum cultivation, but sometimes they experience crop failure which means that families have nothing to eat. At such times, the elders used to say: ‘If the father of the house dare not go into the barn of a neighbour to take some of the paddy to feed his family, when his children are watching the flames of the fireplace with empty stomachs, he is not considered a man.’ An act such as this was not considered a sin. The community would forgive the man completely and do something to support his family. This forgiveness reveals love in action. ‘Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth’ (1 John 3:18). Times are changing Times are changing – and changing fast – and along with this comes a change of attitude. Sometimes, it is very hard to forgive, and harder still to forget the pain that has been caused. Some defence party workers in a village in Mizoram caught a petty thief. He asked for forgiveness and promised to live a new life if he was
bible study
or tance of
VENESS forgiven, but he was badly beaten. The majority of the workers felt that because he had already been forgiven during the past year, they would find it hard to forgive him again. Forgiveness needs to come from a heart that sets no limits. Even within a group of believers, it is sometimes difficult to forget a mistake someone has made. As time passes, the level of acceptance, forgiveness, love and concern for that person lessens. At such times, the fellowship of believers needs to be reminded about the expectation of Jesus and the consequence of not following his teaching in Matthew 18:21-35, which concludes: ‘This is how my heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive a brother or sister from your heart.’ News that comes from around the world, shows how hard it is for people to forgive others, resulting in hatred and conflict between nations, within families and between individuals. But in a changing world, the nature of our loving, forgiving God remains the same.
Personal experience My husband and I have served as officers for 17 years and 13 of those years have been spent outside of our home state. Once, while serving as a corps officer at two corps and three societies in the Himalayan Ranges (my husband had a separate appointment), a territorial home league congress had been arranged and was to be held in Aizawl (a distance of 1,000 kilometres from my appointment). I really wanted to take some new believers to this event, but I knew that it was not going to be easy. We made plans and tried to raise funds to cover the travelling expenses. It was a big challenge, but we were convinced that through prayer the Lord would provide. That is exactly what happened, the Lord did ‘pave the way’ for us, we had a time blessed by God and the members were very happy. On the return
train journey, one of my colleagues suddenly started to shout at me, making accustations in an angry outburst. I did not want any argument, especially in front of the new believers and felt hurt. As I wept, I asked her to calm down and look at the facts. Although I was humiliated and threatened, I did not raise my voice against her. It was not easy, but deep inside I knew that was how it should be. Jesus said: ‘For if you forgive others when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others sins, your Father will not forgive your sins’ (Matthew 6:14-15). After a week had passed, the woman came and asked for forgiveness, I told her that I had forgiven her even before she asked. I was glad that I had not raised my voice to her and was able to forgive. We both felt a great sense of relief and once again we could pray and give thanks to the Lord together. We both continued to serve the Lord in the same place, but with better love and understanding and the harvest we reaped felt sweeter than before. For reflection ●● Can you remember when you first knew God’s forgiveness? ●● Are there people you find hard to forgive? ●● Is there someone who refuses to forgive you? ●● How do you deal with pain from the past? ●● How can you cultivate a loving heart? An attitude of love and forgiveness Making mistakes is all part of growing up for children, and loving parents never give up on them. Instead they forgive and offer fresh hope. I believe that we should have the same attitude towards others.
Major Rebek Lalrohnuni SECRETARY FOR WACI INDIA NATIONAL SECRETARIAT
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social issues
Alison Smith
L
ondon’s busiest shopping area is also home to many people experiencing homelessness who, each night, will find a doorway in which to sleep. The only church on Oxford Street is Regent Hall Corps, more often called ‘The Rink’ because it was a skating rink before being purchased by William Booth in 1882. For more than 20 years the No 10 Project has been run from rooms in the corps building and is supported by the corps in partnership with the Homelessness Services Unit, THQ. Throughout the week Major Alison Smith and her team meet many people who are homeless and sleeping in the area. For a number of years Alison was a corps officer but has worked in social services ministry for the past 22 years. ‘God showed me, that if I didn’t have a platform, I needed to find other ways of sharing my faith with the many people I meet. ‘To see someone move part of the way towards change is amazing. One of the men who attended the project would always arrive drunk. He frequently had epileptic fits and each time we would call an ambulance. Somewhere along the line he decided he couldn’t live on the streets any longer. Originally from Eastern Europe, he had language barriers, but working with another organisation, which helps people who are homeless in the city, we managed to support him to a detoxification programme and then to a unit outside of London that helped him stay off alcohol. He needed to purchase an identity card to be able to access these services but he used the money on
FINDING THE
WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY alcohol. The corps agreed to lend him £91 to purchase the card and he entered into an agreement with the service to pay the money back, which he did and all while still living on the street! Most of the people visiting the project are men who are unable to access supported accommodation for people who are homeless because they have no recourse to public funding. They are mainly from Eastern Europe having come to the UK in search of work, some of them wanting to support their families back home. ‘The project occupies a small space in the corps building, which includes offices where clients are helped to find temporary accommodation or to apply for welfare benefits. During the week the
‘Getting clean from drugs and dry from alcohol and managing to stay on medication is VERY DIFFICULT when you’re LIVING ON THE STREET’ 20 Revive
project offers breakfast and lunch and various activities including advice and information, a film club, art group, an employability group and the opportunity to use a laptop. If someone arrives in central London and then decides that they want to find their way back home, they are helped to do that. ‘There are always two staff members on duty because it’s not always the safest of places to be. Some people who visit the project suffer with mental health issues and on occasions staff face verbal abuse. Our clients can link into local health services that have experience of working with people who are homeless. ‘Sometimes the window of opportunity is narrow and we don’t want to lose it. Getting clean from drugs and dry from alcohol and managing to stay on medication is very difficult when you’re living on the street. They drink to keep warm and sometimes for friendship, or to forget that they are lying on the pavement. Though they
ACCESS SUPPORT
social issues
language barriers ADVICE
MINISTRY MENTAL HEALTH VICTIM DOMESTIC ABUSE
mainly have alcohol problems some also have drug issues. Many of them are from countries where drugs are not so prevalent and therefore their drug of choice is alcohol. ‘The general public has the expectation that as The Salvation Army we will be able to find accommodation for anyone living on the streets, but sometimes they fail to understand that, for whatever reason, someone may have chosen to be there. A father and son from Romania arrived in London where it was warmer and more lucrative to beg on the street. Although the son was deported, his father who spoke very little English chose to remain and continued to live on the street. ‘The clients come from many different countries. For example, we worked to find accommodation for a group of women from Eritrea. We are now looking at support strategies for people when they move on from the project and we are working with local authorities to
achieve positive outcomes. ‘On one occasion an 85-year-old woman arrived at the project for a meal. She didn’t want anyone to know her name, but we soon discovered that she was a clever woman who had led an interesting life. She suffered with mental health issues and was a massive hoarder, keeping everything in boxes in her home where she had no gas, electricity or water and she would go to the swimming baths to wash. We worked with a housing association to prevent her from becoming homeless, and she was successfully able to return to a newly refurbished flat. ‘There are occasions for spiritual ministry and often a client would not want anyone else to know that they are having that conversation as they share their concerns. One man who was an alcoholic felt that he wasn’t a real man because of his infertility. Another man found it hard to admit that he was the victim of domestic abuse by a woman.
There are also cultural issues in some communities, for example a man who is gay, using drugs or suffering mental health problems may be cut off from his family and feel a sense of shame.’ Alison acknowledges the support the project receives with donations of food and clothing and Metrobank has supported the decorating of the inside of the building and the installation of a new kitchen. ‘We need to work in a place that raises people’s expectations and we believe that the environment has a lot to do with that. We’re running a “socks and jocks” campaign inspired by a woman who helped at The Rink and who brought socks for the clients. Her actions set me thinking – people need underwear and why would you want to wear something that belonged to somebody else? So the campaign was born and people were encouraged to forgo a cup of coffee and buy a pair of socks. A number of corporate organisations have taken up the challenge and shared it with their staff. ‘As a child I grew up in Dublin, Ireland where I saw the corps and homelessness ministry working side-byside and this experience has remained with me. Today, together with corps officers Majors Caroline and Richard Mingay and Major Alison Stone, I see this ministry continue through the integrated mission of Regent Hall Corps and the No 10 Project.’
Major Alison Smith SERVICE MANAGER, WESTMINSTER HOMELESS SERVICE UNITED KINGDOM TERRITORY WITH THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
(As shared in an interview with Major Jane Kimberley)
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Photos
Just moments after the High Council, General-elect Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle are joined by General AndrÊ Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox International Secretary for Programme Resources Commissioner Birgitte Brekke-Clifton (second left) met with faith representatives in Brussels to speak about the European Union Parliament’s Pillars of Social Rights
Food distribution in Bangladesh
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle speaks during a visit to Kenya West Territory
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If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive MOTHER TERESA
To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you C.S. LEWIS
First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on that which is forgiven and in the past. We have no right to keep in front of us what God has put behind him. DAVID JEREMIAH
‘And forgive us our debts as we have also forgiven our debtors’ MATTHEW 6:12
Love… keeps no record of wrongs 1 CORINTHIANS 13:5
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‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ MATTHEW 5:44