FAITH IN ACTION 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 | Issue 6750 | $1.50
Māori Language Week Powerlessness in the Face of Covid-19 Tribute to Harold Hill
Celebrating Father’s Day Top Tips to Get Through the Second Wave
Captain Shaun Baker’s search for culture and faith
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WAR CRY The Salvation Army
New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William
& Catherine Booth
The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission. EDITOR Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Captain Jules Badger, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major Colleen Marshall | COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Captain Karen Baker OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,
PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone
(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset
is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System. Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.
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The Ties That Bind There’s a resurgence of getting back to basics for many Kiwi—declutter, grow your own food, make your own clothes. Also, a sense of living and working together in a collective and connective space. This is not new or unique and this way of life is particularly apparent in our Māori and Pasifika communities, and the strengths are in the intergenerational relationships, mutual support and transference of knowledge. This edition covers both Māori Language Week and Father’s Day, and I am reminded by our various contributors of ties that bind us in our expressions of family and culture. The Online Māori Dictionary describes whānau as: extended family, family group … sometimes used to include friends who may not have any kinship ties to other members. Iwi and hapū also embrace the ever-widening interconnections of family and tribal ties. There is also the tie of language, and in Roxette Ogotau’s article on page 3, she shares the importance of te reo Māori which ties her to whakapapa, and laments the loss of language in the undermining of Māori identity. In this edition’s Bible verse from Deuteronomy, the requirements given to us by God are to pass on the knowledge, culture and faith to our children and grandchildren, and we could benefit so much by extending our understanding of ‘nuclear’ family to include a more generationally inclusive model. I am hopeful that this re-evaluation of the important things in life will result in a stabilising and nurturing environment for our families in these changing times. Vivienne Hill Editor
All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated. Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission. Publishing for 137 years | Issue 6750 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry
www.salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts
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Deuteronomy 6:6–7 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tiuteronomi 6:6–7 Hei roto ano i tou ngakau enei kupu e whakahau atu nei ahau ki a koe i tenei ra. Whakaakona marietia atu hoki ki au tamariki, korerotia i a koe e noho ana i tou whare, i a koe e haere ana i te huarahi, i a koe e takoto ana, i tou aranga ake hoki.
M
y Ngāpuhi grandmother shared childhood stories of gathering kaimoana, eating fresh rēwana and boil-up; waiata, climbing trees to get out of chores at the marae ... and getting caned at school for speaking te reo Māori. Sir James Hēnare said, ‘The language is the core of our Māori culture and mana. Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori. If the language dies … what do we have left to us? Then, I ask our own people, who are we?’ When I think about who I am, I think of my tīpuna. I feel their oppression, being beaten into submission, stripped of their God-given identities. As a result of our past, I mourn for my grandmother, my mother, my siblings and the unfortunate disconnect to our whakapapa; the missed opportunities and the loss of identity. The devastating fact is we are not the only ones. Over 200 years ago, te reo Māori was the only spoken language in Aotearoa. It was beautifully used on the haukāinga, expressed in daily life and whakamoemiti, passed down to generations. However, by 1980, factors like colonisation and urbanisation influenced a rapid decline in te reo Māori being spoken, leaving less than 20 percent of first language speakers. Despite the gradual loss of our reo, our history is rich with kaitiaki who advocated, promoted and protected our culture. Kaitiaki, such as Sir Āpirana Ngata (politician and reo advocate); Dame Naida Glavish (‘Kia ora lady’); Sir Tīmoti Karetu (academic, first Māori Language Commissioner); Hinewehi Mohi (musician and first to publicly sing the national anthem in Māori); Sir Kingi Matutaera Ihaka (interpreter, Anglican priest, broadcaster and Māori Language Commissioner); Hone Harawira
(activist and parliamentarian); Ngā Tamatoa (university students, activists for Māori rights, racial justice and petitioners to have te reo taught in schools); wāhine in our own Te Ope Whakaora book, Salvationists and leaders. In 1975, some of these kaitiaki were part of the establishment of the Māori Language Week initiative. It was intended to encourage people in New Zealand to support te reo Māori. In 1987, Māori finally became recognised as an official language of Aotearoa. Today we embrace te reo through kōhanga reo, kura kaupapa, and whare wānanga. The desire to learn is spreading, developing empowerment and connection for both Māori, Pākehā and Tauiwi. For me, the whakatauki ‘Tōku reo, tōku ohooho, tōku māpihi maurea, tōku whakakai marihi’ is about cherishing my precious language and reclaiming my identity. For many others like me, this is a journey. Rick Warren says, ‘The glory of God is a human being fully alive’, therefore, the responsibility is on all of us to be part of this revitalisation, for Māori to occupy spaces, to live, speak and think te reo Māori on behalf of our tīpuna and our generations to come. If being fully alive brings God glory, we need to work together to achieve this. So, ‘Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua’, let’s acknowledge the past to create a better future. We’ve come too far to give up now! What will you do? Kia kaha te reo Māori, karawhiua! BY ROXETTE OGOTAU Roxette works as Kaiāwhina (assistant) for Northern Divison Māori Ministry. 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 3
Glossary of Te Reo Words In recognition of Māori Language Week, here are the translations of the te reo Māori words that appear on page three and also some everyday words you hear, but you may not know the meaning. Haukāinga: Home, true home, local people of a marae, home people Ihu Karaiti: Jesus Christ Iwi: Tribe Kaiāwhina: Helper, assistant, contributor, counsel, advocate
Reo: Language, voice Rēwana: Bread made with potato yeast, leaven, yeast—a substance added to dough to make it ferment and rise Tamariki: Children
Kaimoana: Seafood, shellfish
Tauiwi: Foreigner, European, non-Māori, colonist
Kaitiaki: Trustee, minder, guard, custodian, guardian, caregiver, keeper, steward
Tīpuna: Ancestors, grandparents— plural form of tipuna and the eastern dialect (tupuna, variation)
Karakia: Prayer
Waiata: Song, chant, psalm
Karawhiua: Give it everything! Sock it to them! Go for it! Give it heaps!
Wairua Tapu: Holy Spirit
Karaitiana: Christian
Whakapapa: Genealogy, genealogical table, lineage, descent
Kōhanga reo: Māori language preschool Kura kaupapa: Primary school operating under Māori custom and using Māori as the medium of instruction Mokopuna: Grandchildren Pākehā: New Zealander of European descent 4 WarCry 05 SEPTEMBER 2020
Christian Living The Logic of God: 52 Christian Essentials for the Heart and Mind Ravi Zacharias Arguably one of the greatest Christian apologists of our time, Ravi’s understanding that behind every question is a questioner enables him to adequately and compassionately address the deepest questions of the heart and mind. This devotion-style book consists of 52 readings and is intended to be read weekly so that you have sufficient time to process your thoughts. Each reading begins with a quote from the Bible, followed by a short thought from Zacharias, some reflection questions and personal application. The Logic of God acts as a guide on a journey for answers about what you do and don’t believe, discussing topics such as making sense of suffering, how God transforms disappointment and the pursuit of peace. This book simply explains profound truths and is ideal for someone who likes to think but is pressed for time. It is both intellectual and practical, insisting on action as a by-product of your faith. (Reviewed by Lauren Millington)
Whakamoemiti: To praise, express thanks
Whakataukī: Proverb, significant saying Whare wānanga: University, place of higher learning—traditionally, places where tohunga taught the sons of rangatira their people’s knowledge of history, genealogy and religious practices.
TOPFIVE
Hooray, springtime is here! Along with the sweet smelling flowers that come with this season, here are five other popular scents that are bound to put you in a good mood. 5. R ain—While it’s not necessarily fun to be caught in a downpour, it sure does smell nice. 4. Bacon—Vegetarians aside (obviously), this sizzle is a great wake-up call. 3. Coffee—The scent to give you strength throughout the day. 2. B ooks (new or old)—Leaning in to sniff the spine before reading the first sentence is a tell-tale sign of a bookworm. 1. Popcorn—whether cuddled up on the couch or sharing a box at the cinema, the buttery goodness of these kernels is de-lightful.
Weird of the Week: September 9 is the most common birthday, while 9/10 of the most common birthdays also occur in September.
QUIKQUIZ
1 What is aulophobia? 2 What common symbol is called an octothorpe? 3 How many hydrogen atoms are there in vitamin C? 4 How many films did David Yates direct in the Harry Potter franchise? 5 What king was the youngest of eight brothers? Answers on page 22
¼ cup plain flour 2 eggs, lightly whisked 1 ¼ cups packaged dried wholegrain breadcrumbs 4x100g pork schnitzel 1 Tbsp olive oil ½ cup low-fat mayonnaise 2 Tbsp lemon juice
SALLIEOF THEWEEK
Barry Kirby (Tawa Corps) Barry Kirby is a new dad and that’s why he’s our Sallie ‘Father’ of the Week! Daniel Howard was born on 22 July, weighing in at a dapper 6 pounds 8 ounces (2.9kg). His dad, Barry, is a soldier at Tawa Corps and a member of the leadership team. He also works for The Salvation Army as a field worker for Reintegration Services. Barry and wife Natalie have been accepted as candidates of the 2021 session of cadets. Barry’s favourite thing to do with his new son is to pray God’s truth over him. Fatherhood has reminded Barry that just as Daniel doesn’t have to do anything to receive his love, he doesn’t have to do anything to receive God’s love either.
Pork Schnitzel with Pear Coleslaw
Half a cabbage, finely shredded 2 pears, quartered, cored and thinly sliced ½ cup pecans, chopped
You can tell what was the best year of your father’s life, because they seem to freeze that clothing style and ride it out. Jerry Seinfeld
Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Dip pork in flour to coat, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Heat oil in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add pork and cook for 5 minutes turning halfway, until golden and cooked through. In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise and lemon juice together. Add cabbage, pear and pecans. Toss to combine. To serve, place pork schnitzel on a plate with coleslaw on top. Tip: You could replace pork with Chicken Schnitzel, and also use apple instead of pear.
Source: countdown.co.nz
WARCRY INHISTORY
This photograph comes from the 27 August 1910 War Cry, showing divers returning to the surface after struggling to refix the broken chains of the French submersible Pluviose. They succeeded in bringing the vessel into harbour. Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Ploughman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 5
War Cry wanted to bring together two significant calendar events coinciding with this issue—Father’s Day and Māori Language Week. We talked to Captain Shaun Baker who is on a learning journey both as a dad and as a speaker of te reo. For Shaun, coming to faith resulted in the affirmation of his identity as Karaitiana Māori. Now he’s determined to make sure his own tamariki don’t miss out on that beautiful collision.
Photography: Captain Karen Baker.
BY JULES BADGER
‘I
’m Karaitiana Māori—that’s who I am. I choose to be a Christian, but being Māori is part of my DNA. I can’t escape that and nor do I want to,’ says Shaun, ‘but there’s so much still to learn.’ While Shaun’s dad, Ken Baker (Pukekohe Corps), is of Ngāpuhi descent, the whānau have strong connections with Ngati Ahuru in South Waikato. ‘It’s Dad’s Mum that we connect most with, because she was on her own and passed away in Putāruru when Dad was a baby. She lived in a tent on Whakaaratamaiti Marae, and about six years ago Dad discovered her burial spot. The whānau had a special ceremony and placed a stone on her grave and had an unveiling. Just this year, Dad finally saw a photo of his mum for the first time,’ Shaun explains. Like his dad before him, Shaun’s journey to discovering and embracing his cultural heritage hasn’t been straightforward, but he’s determined to keep the learning going for the sake of the next generation. He’s particularly excited to observe the ‘increasing seamlessness’ between faith and culture within the lives of his three tamariki. Together with wife Karen (Ngāi Tahu), Shaun encourages Cholae (11), Joel (9) and Liam (7) to increase their knowledge and experience of tikanga. ‘Both our boys are part of the kapa haka group at Cambridge Primary School, and Joel was one of forty children chosen from six local schools to participate in a six-week course learning basic te reo, songs, kapa haka and the history of local Māori. Cholae rates te reo as the number one language she wants to learn and she’s keen for her Poppy to help her.’
Disconnected That Shaun’s tamariki are engaged in this way is especially significant when you understand that like many Māori, Shaun grew up disconnected from his cultural heritage. ‘I was born in Whangārei, but then in 1978 our whole family—Mum, Dad, myself and my brother—moved to Melbourne when I was four. It was 20 years before we returned, so I was very much raised as an Aussie kid. For some reason, Dad largely let his culture go while in Australia—to the extent that he lost the language.’ Shaun’s only recollection of tikanga during his childhood was at age nine. ‘There were Māori communities in Melbourne—always have been—and there was a group of Dad’s friends who organised a hāngī, followed by basic te reo classes for the kids. That was my first real taste of Māori culture.’ For Shaun, this positive experience was memorable because at school he was bullied for being Māori. ‘I experienced a significant amount of racism at school. It was mostly from kids of a similar age—name calling and racist jibes. But I had nothing in the 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 7
toolbox to combat it—no coping mechanism. Anger built up inside me, and the one time I fought back I was the one who got into trouble. It was extremely confusing as a child. I was crying out that this injustice was happening to me, and I couldn’t understand why there were no consequences for those responsible. I know it’s a divisive topic—racism—but dealing with it as a 9-year-old? That’s rough. It became destructive to my mindset and level of confidence.’ Around this time, Shaun’s Mum, Anne, became a Christian, and things slowly began to change for Shaun. He started attending church with his mother and went to Sunday School and then youth group. Nearly ten years later, Ken also surrendered his life to Christ. ‘Dad was an alcoholic. He wasn’t violent towards us, but he would frequently come home intoxicated. He’d walk in on Bible study and would blaspheme the Bible in front of everyone, which was interesting as a young teenager. Those who know my dad now just can’t comprehend that he could’ve behaved like that. But he did.’
ONE THING THAT I WANT SALVATIONISTS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND IS THE BASICS OF TE TIRITI O WAITANGI. Awakening It wasn’t until the Baker whānau moved back to Aotearoa in 1997 that Ken’s faith and culture began to come together, paving the way for a beautiful collision in Shaun’s life. ‘Dad attended a te reo course, and what that did for him was awaken something he hadn’t known how to tap back into. Before long he was speaking the language fluently! The downside for me was that I had left home by this stage.’ Shaun fell away from church upon his return to Aotearoa, and by his mid-twenties was living and working in Whangārei. ‘I totally turned my back on God for a few years. But then one night I was in my apartment on my own and I came to the realisation that if I died tonight I wouldn’t be with Jesus. I got on the phone to my mum, and she suggested I come down to Blenheim so they could support me while I got my life back on track. I sold everything I had and got on a plane.’ 8 WarCry 05 SEPTEMBER 2020
In time, Shaun settled at Blenheim Corps. The first service he attended included an invitation to an event the following Saturday—the cadets from the training college were coming. ‘I had no idea what a cadet was, let alone an officer. Kim McKerrow shared her testimony and that was really significant for me. I haven’t left the Army since!’ Shaun was enrolled as a soldier in 2005.
A hands-on Dad ‘It was Dad who invited me to my first ever kapa haka experience within The Salvation Army, which at the time was led by Joe and Nan Patea. Then in 2006, I ended up being part of the group who welcomed General Shaw Clifton and performed at that year’s commissioning. It was an amazing experience for me to be part of that.’ In a God-ordained coincidence, Cadet Karen Hill was being commissioned at that same event, and the two met. Karen was appointed to Wellington, but a romance quickly blossomed and was sustained despite the distance. The couple were married in 2007, with Shaun entering Booth College of Mission in 2008. Following Shaun’s commissioning in 2010, the Bakers have served together as corps officers in Pukekohe, Queenstown and now Cambridge. It’s been a busy decade for the Bakers with the arrival of three tamariki during that period. ‘Shaun is such a hands-on Dad and has been since day one of parenting,’ says Karen. ‘As our children have grown, he has always encouraged them in everything they’ve done. He’s attended almost every sports practice/game/dance competition where possible. He’ll even share the taxi-ing, sports gear packing, snack-grabbing chaos of those moments because his value of ‘being there’ for his children and his sense of whānau is strong. He’s also encouraged the children to know and ask questions about their heritage.’
New doors Like most corps officers, Shaun is very involved in his local community. He’s chaplain to Cambridge Primary School and a member of the Board of Trustees. And while Shaun’s had to push ‘pause’ on his involvement with Māori Ministry for this season; even so, God continues to open doors, with the entire Cambridge Primary School Board of Trustees planning on completing a te reo course together in 2021. ‘I’ll be part of a group of people I know and get on well with and we’ll be learning together and can encourage each other.
…IT’S NOT ALWAYS EASY, BUT WHĀNAU IS EVERYTHING. I’m on that board for another 18 months, so we’ll be able to use the language more in our work together,’ explains Shaun. ‘I want to be more confident when I’m in the various contexts where I can express my faith and culture, and there’s this crossover and interlinking that God is arranging—I’ve still got a way to go, but this makes the next learning steps realistic and attainable for me.’
A call for all Salvationists Shaun believes there are many within The Salvation Army, including Pākehā, who value Māori culture and want to see Māori not only come into relationship with Jesus, but take their place as leaders. ‘One thing that I want Salvationists to better understand is the basics of Te Tiriti O Waitangi. If people of all nationalities who call Aotearoa their home made an effort to understand the historical significance of the story around our treaty, I believe we’d have fewer acts of ignorance towards Māori.’ Shaun has never experienced anything but love and inclusion within The Salvation Army, but there are times in his life when he sometimes feels pushed into situations because of the colour of his skin. ‘I feel out of my depth sometimes—not in a racist way, but the gaps in my knowledge and experience become obvious. It really is a gradual journey.’ Nonetheless, Shaun is firm in his denouncement of racism in all its forms and, as a Salvationist, he believes it’s this cruel injustice that requires a faith response.
Racism and our Salvationist DNA ‘If I see racism on the street I’m going to go and defend the person toward whom that injustice is being committed. That’s just part of my Salvationist DNA coming out. We hate injustice, so I’m going to step in if I see it happening and call it out. Racism is never acceptable—never. But if it’s directed at me personally, I see it more as a form of persecution—something all Christians experience in one form or another. I look at it through that lens and ask myself what might be going on for the other person to cause them to behave that way, because there’s clearly something not right there. I’m more inclined to pray for them—I’m old enough to hold firmly to my identity
in Christ. But I have grave concerns about how it affects other people, and my place in Christ demands that I respond and provide support.’
Whānau ‘Whānau is important—not just for Māori. It really breaks my heart when I see families who don’t see eye to eye, or whānau where the grandparents aren’t involved with their mokopuna— or not allowed to see them. I know my dad may not be proud of the example he set for me in those early years, but he’s more than made up for it. I couldn’t ask for a better Dad, and I’m so grateful my kids have a Poppy who loves them and takes such a keen interest in their lives. I love to watch him, watch them, play sports—he’s so proud of them! So, my advice is: do whatever it takes to reconcile because the regrets later will be hard to live with—it’s not always easy, but whānau is everything.’ ‘I love that Dad always gets us treats when Mum says not to! He’s also taught me lots of rugby skills and all about the NFL and AFL.’—Joel (9) Joel is a natural sportsman who loves tackle rugby, hockey and has represented his school in cross country and athletics.
‘Dad’s kind and responsible and I love that he will tickle my tummy when I start to get upset. He’s done a lot of stuff for us like buying things for us that we like.’—Liam (7) Liam loves Lego, Star Wars and Toy Story and also plays tackle rugby and hockey.
‘I love that Dad always turns something serious or tense into something funny by acting silly, chasing us around the house or tickling us. I also love that he never gives up on us, even when we find things tough.’— Cholae (11) Cholae competes regularly in local and national Irish Dancing competitions, enjoys netball and plays the keyboard.
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First Father’s Day Your first Father’s or Mother’s Day as a parent should be a celebration of the early months, weeks or days of parenthood. However, sometimes those days are not as joyful as you had hoped. Missing sleep, increased financial pressure, changing relationship dynamics and, of course, having a little human to care for … the emotional and lifestyle upheaval of a new baby is a huge disruption to mental health. The prevalence of postnatal depression for new mothers is gradually gaining recognition, however, many people don’t realise that there is also a strong risk of anxiety and depression for new dads. Many fathers are more likely to brush aside their symptoms as by-products of their new reality, rather than pursue professional help. Depression affects one in ten dads between the first trimester and the year after their baby is born. Anxiety affects one in five during the postnatal period. If you have a history of anxiety and depression, this could be a risk period and it is important to manage your mental health accordingly.
SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR INCLUDE: Depression: • low mood • heightened irritability • crying or feeling close to tears • sadness, numbness, feeling empty • lack of interest (in the baby or things you formerly enjoyed) • exhaustion • struggling to think clearly or concentrate, poor memory. Anxiety: • worries that are difficult to ignore
• constant irritability or restlessness • tense muscles, tight chest, heart palpitations • fearful or panicked outbursts. Feelings and Responses: • loneliness • feeling trapped • anger/rage • disappointment, feeling like you are failing as a parent or letting people down, or that fatherhood is not what you expected • hopelessness or helplessness.
Fathers whose partners have postnatal depression are two and a half times more likely to develop their own symptoms in the six weeks following their child’s birth. Therefore, just as we increasingly watch out for new mums’ mental health, we need to look out for new dads’ too. Being a new parent should be challenging but rewarding—and both parents should ideally be in a good mental headspace to do their role and enjoy it.
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TALKING THROUGH SHARED STRUGGLES CAN HELP YOU FEEL LESS ALONE. Mind You Here are suggestions for how new dads can stay mentally resilient, from the website: ‘The Conversation’.
• When the stress builds, don’t withdraw. Supporting your partner and staying involved will help build a better connection with your baby and grow confidence. • Use your time wisely … and creatively. For example, use lunch breaks to exercise, or pre-plan meals and freeze spare servings. • Nurture your relationship. Schedule in quality time with your partner to debrief how you are both feeling. • Put mistakes in perspective. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, but remember you don’t—and can’t—know everything. • Connect with fellow dads. Talking through shared struggles can help you feel less alone. • Find healthy coping strategies. Ditch alcohol, smoking, junk food diets and the like—they won’t provide the right mental or physical energy. Watch your diet, exercise and sleep habits. • Monitor self-talk. Decide which thoughts are unhelpful or untrue. Focus on what you and your partner are getting right. Even if those things seem small, they matter. Sources: beyondblue.org.au, theconversation.com
TESTIFY! Lorraine Brooks’s experience at Encounter Conference encouraged her that despite her initial doubts, she was ready to become a soldier. I am the Glenfield Community Ministries manager. Prior to that I worked for the Ministry of Social Development for 21 years. I was coming along to Glenfield Corps every Sunday and they offered me a job at Community Ministries. Being part of the corps and Community Ministries has done me nothing but good. We have built a very strong relationship and we are very much one family. I’m truly blessed to have a team around me that are all here to serve. We want people to deal with our community with compassion, empathy and grace— it’s who we are. It’s amazing to come to work every day, whether it is looking after our staff, volunteers, community or corps or through the pastoral care side. Having that opportunity has grown me spiritually. I have learned about grace—to totally accept what is happening, accept who a person is and also to use prayer. My corps officers have been wonderful leaders in this. They have all shown such beautiful grace, and certainly challenged me. As a child, during school holidays, I went to The Salvation Army when I stayed with my dad’s parents in Wellington. It was lovely to come back as an adult. I was trying out different churches and at every one I had a couple of people smile at me, but nobody said hello, and nobody sat with me. As soon as I walked into The Salvation Army, somebody rushed up to greet me and I felt like I’d come home. I visited a couple of times, and then my daughter Tammy asked to come as well. It was only two weeks before I was on the morning tea roster! I’m very grateful for my church family, they are a wonderful support for me
I KNEW THEN THAT I WAS MORE THAN READY TO BE A SOLDIER. I JUST HAD TO SURRENDER, HAND MY WORRIES OVER AND BE STILL. and my daughter. I feel very blessed to be part of it. I was probably ready to be a soldier for quite some time, but always had the doubt that I might not be good enough, that my life wasn’t perfect enough. Then I went to the Encounter Conference in 2019 and found it absolutely, amazingly overwhelming. Spiritually, I really did feel a shift with the beautiful music, singing and prayers. Being at the mercy seat with so many people was amazing. It was like this huge light inside—absolutely beautiful. I knew then that I was more than ready to be a soldier. I just had to surrender, hand my worries over and be still. I came back from that conference, talked to my officers and I have felt
such peace ever since. Tammy decided to become an adherent on the same day I became a soldier. It was lovely having her there. It has made such a difference to our lives and our acceptance of and coping with Tammy’s multiple sclerosis. After all these years, to come to terms with what has happened to her—and is still happening—and still being able to have joy and feel at peace, it has made a huge difference to our lives. A big verse for me has always been, ‘Be still and know that I am God’ (Psalm 46:10). That took a lot of doing for me, being still. Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
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Our lives have once again been impacted by various Covid-19 lockdown scenarios. The country is fluctuating through levels of lockdown and no one knows exactly what this will look like in the long term, but I would like to remind you of some important things we can each do in order to stay well as we move forward during these uncertain days. BY CAPTAIN MAT BADGER
The Mental Health Foundation in their ‘Top Tips to Get Through’ article suggests the following things to help you if you struggle with anxiety and/or stress from lockdown. Firstly, find ways to connect with others each day. Connecting with others is so important for our wellbeing and helps us to feel safer, less stressed and less anxious. So, have video catch-ups with mates, play games and take advantage of the internet to connect with others. If you see people physically, remember to follow the relevant social distancing rules that apply to each of the various levels. 12 firezone.co.nz 05 SEPTEMBER 2020
But before I tell you about the other things the Mental Health Foundation recommends, I just want to unpack this first idea a bit more. While contacting others during lockdown is important, I want to say that the way in which we make contact with others is just as important. Remember, as we engage with each other via the internet, we never really know the headspace of the person who we are engaging with, and so I would like to suggest here a three-word guideline for all of us. This three-word guideline is as follows: Encourage. Encourage. Encourage. In the Bible, encouragement is a key idea that we are asked to apply to all our interactions with others—this includes our online engagement. Ephesians 4:29 says, ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen’. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 it says, ‘Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing’. If you are a Christ-follower, remember that words have power and so encouragement should be at the top of your list when engaging with others at this time. Encouragement is something we all need to keep us feeling confident, to help us know that we are valued and to help us with our motivation. We are The Salvation Army—the ‘Army that brings life’. ‘Life’ should be reflected in the positive way in which we engage with each other online. Just a thought.
The second thing the Mental Health Foundation suggests is ‘find ways to take notice’. Take time to notice the beauty in the world and around your home. Take time to feel the sun on your skin and breathe in fresh air, as these actions will help keep us in a good space. It’s an ‘attitude of gratitude’. It is important for us to be thankful to God for the many blessings we do have in our lives, rather than the things we don’t have. The third thing the Mental Health Foundation suggests is ‘find ways to be active’. As we fluctuate through stages of lockdown, make sure you keep physically active each day. Go for a walk or a run, but make sure you stick to the recommended guidelines around this for each relevant lockdown scenario. The fourth recommendation is to ‘find ways to keep learning’. Learning something new each day keeps the brain active and is good for our mental wellbeing. Maybe there is something that you have been interested in learning but never had the time. Could this be the opportunity you need to further develop yourself?
healthy mindset
Other recommendations that the Mental Health Foundation suggest are as follows: take some time to engage with nature, and if you are on medication, make sure you keep taking it. Also, try to stick to a healthy routine and make time to relax. In addition to these things, remember to wash your hands, wear a facemask and keep a track of where you have been and who you have been with. So, while all these things are important, don’t forget our three key-word guideline when engaging with others… encourage, encourage, encourage. Who are you going to connect with and encourage in the days ahead? Mat works in the Youth Department as the Territorial Youth Secretary as well as the Youth Missions Training Director and Blue Mountain Adventure Centre Director (got enough titles?!). Mat is a great guy with a great beard, and he brings experience and passion to the role of supporting The Salvation Army’s work with young people. 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 13
For Others
Above: Territorial Headquarters staff showing off masks made by Cairine Barton (bottom right). Photography: Matt Gillon.
BY JULES BADGER
Since August 12, New Zealanders have been living with a second wave of Covid-19. At the time of writing, Auckland is in alert level 3 due to evidence of community transmission, with the rest of Aotearoa at level 2. It’s been a tense time for many around the country who have loved ones living in our biggest city, but with the Ministry of Health (MOH) recommending that ‘all households should be prepared by having a supply of masks for each household member’, Aucklanders responded promptly. Some opted for disposable face masks, others turned to online stores for washable masks, while the creatives got crafting using the website’s advice on making your own mask. While there has been controversy around mask-wearing— it has now been made compulsory to wear a mask on public transport and domestic flights. Many are now taking seriously the MOH website’s statement that ‘wearing a face mask can reduce the risk of people who have Covid-19 spreading the virus to others. They may feel well or have no obvious symptoms. A face mask can help stop infectious droplets spreading when they speak, laugh, cough or sneeze’.
Doing our bit Salvationism is about ‘others’ and this bias undergirds the choice some have made to wear masks—despite the controversy and in favour of MOH advice. Also weighing in is the resounding classic Kiwi clarion cry to ‘do our bit’ for the common good. 14 WarCry 05 SEPTEMBER 2020
Captain Juanita Buckingham (Westgate Corps) says that wearing a mask ‘protects others from anything we might have, and it protects us from others. Evidence shows it’s a great way to protect ourselves and others—so we want to do our bit. We’re teaching our kids that we need to protect each other so let’s do that any way we can’. Cairine Barton (Community Ministries, Territorial Headquarters [THQ]) explains that for her wearing a mask ‘shows personal responsibility for the safety of myself and others around me. I’m doing my bit to keep myself and others well’. For Candy Hull (Public Relations, THQ) it’s also personal. Candy explains that ‘losing my mother-in-law to Covid-19, in England back in April, was an extremely distressing and upsetting time for us. Watching what is happening in other countries and the spread of this awful virus makes me want to do my bit as part of “the team of five million”’. Captain Corryn Vemoa (Tauranga Corps) says, ‘to mask or not to mask is your choice, but if it helps to keep even one person healthy then, for me, it’s worth it. As with so many other things in life, we need to look outward and ask what we can do to keep others—particularly the vulnerable—safe and healthy. Covid-19 isn’t going anywhere fast and its effects will be felt for
decades—for many people perhaps their whole lifetime. If we can minimise the negative, or at best even prevent its reach in the first place, we should take up that opportunity. Either way, let’s remember we represent Jesus in how we treat others and respect their choice.’
Standing with ‘those’ people Corryn is also endeavouring to lead by example for the sake of those who want to wear a mask, but feel unsure or anxious for fear of what others might think. ‘Someone even said to me, “Oh, are you one of those people?” That only made me more determined to wear it. Jesus stood beside those people and dang it, I will too,’ she affirms. Corryn also has two children with asthma so is understandably taking precautions. ‘With close friends and family that are immunocompromised, wearing a mask is also doing my bit toward protecting them.’ Cairine has a similar view, encouraging Salvationists to ‘put the collective wellness of others in the workplace and community ahead of a little discomfort’. She acknowledges that ‘masks can be annoying, uncomfortable on your ears and cause your glasses to fog up’, but she suggests that we keep the bigger picture in mind and wear our masks with a smile.
2020 crafting Claire Gardner (Youth Department, THQ) recently posted photos on Facebook wearing her homemade mask with the tag, ‘2020 crafting be like…’ In other words, suggesting that the homemade mask exemplifies the apex of creativity for Kiwi crafters this year! Others have followed suit, with Cairine making masks for her entire department. ‘I’ve made my own mask as it allows for my personality to shine through. I’ve also made masks for others so they can celebrate their uniqueness.’ Candy is also a talented seamstress, making most of her own clothes, enabling her to even coordinate her mask and outfit. ‘I was feeling anxious about wearing a mask and concerned about breathing through it, but wearing one that matches your outfit actually makes it fun to wear. I made my own using scraps of fabric from different outfits I’ve made.’
Taking one for the team Claire makes sense when she says, ‘If I wear one and it’s helpful, then I’ve done my part to keep myself and others safe. If I wear one and it didn’t do anything then I really haven’t lost anything, but at least I tried to help’. Being a Salvationist often means standing out from the crowd. Corryn wasn’t entirely sure if some of the looks she received at the supermarket was because she was wearing her mask, or just that she was in her uniform—probably both! So, why not follow the example of these courageous, caring Salvationists taking one for the team? After all, why blend in when you were made to stand out?!
Do Not Share Masks Masks should not be worn by young children or anyone unable to remove them without assistance. Masks should not be worn by people who have trouble breathing. Source: MOH website
Top: Candy Hull (Public Relations, THQ) showing off her matching masks and outfits. Bottom left: Captain Corryn Vemoa (Tauranga Corps). Bottom right: Claire Gardner (Youth Department, THQ).
Ministry of Health Guidelines for Safely Putting On a Mask • Ensure your mask is clean and dry and not damaged. • Before putting on your face mask, clean your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitiser (containing at least 60 percent alcohol). Ensure your hands are dry. • Place the face mask over your nose and mouth and secure with ties or loops. Make sure the mask fits snugly, moulded to your face and around your nose. Make sure the mask fully covers your nose, mouth and chin. • Your mask should be comfortable, with no gaps around the mask and your face, and allow you to breathe easily. • Clean your hands again. Source: MOH website
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E ofoofogia oe le Atua— How great is our God! This song was passionately sung by the congregation of over 110 people who gathered to celebrate the second anniversary of the official opening of The Salvation Army—Autau O le Faaolataga Samoa. It’s hard to believe that just over two and half years ago there was no Salvation Army corps, no Community Ministries and no Addiction Services in Samoa. Looking back since the official opening there is much to give praise to God for. Having given birth to the vision and commencement of the ministry, the Lord has been faithful to his promise and poured out his blessing and favour in amazing ways. The work continues to grow and develop with thousands of people being helped, healed and made whole through the threefold mission of caring, transforming and reforming through God’s power. All this has taken place during the challenges of two states of emergency in Samoa: the tragic measles epidemic and the impact of Covid-19. During the church service we celebrated the enrolment of 15 new members. Major Miriama Simanu enrolled seven junior soldiers and Lt-Colonels Rod and Jenny Carey enrolled five senior soldiers and three adherents. A report on the Addictions Services was presented by Team Leader Aukusitino Senio. The report highlighted that since the start of the Alcohol and Drug Treatment programme, over 600 people have accessed our services and received much-needed assistance. Many testify to turning their lives around with God’s help. Lt-Colonel Rod preached on the parable of the sower and said: ‘The seeds of the gospel have fallen on good soil in Samoa’, and, ‘The Salvation Army’s mission has resulted in a large return on the initial planting team of three’. He asked everyone to look around the congregation and see the marvellous work the Lord has done. ‘There is more the Lord wants to do with The Salvation Army in Samoa,’ he said. He challenged everyone to continue to liberally sow seeds of faith, hope and love and watch with awe and wonder what the Lord will do over the next two years. Following the thanksgiving service, the church family gathered for a to’onai (shared lunch) including the traditional size two pig and birthday cake. During lunch, our friends from Goshen Mental Health Trust—one of our development partners—entertained us by singing two beautiful songs. Our hearts are full and overflowing with gratitude and praise to the Lord. Truly we can say, ‘How great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God’. Vi’ia le Ali’I! BY LT-COLONEL ROD CAREY
International Salvation Army Schools and Covid-19 This is part one of a two-part look at the impact of Covid-19 on communities around the world who are delivering education in difficult circumstances and various degrees of lockdown. ‘Teams of teacher supporters in Indonesia trekked over mountains and through jungles to provide learning materials and conduct lessons in remote villages,’ reports Major Howard Dalziel (Director, Salvation Army Schools International). The number of children attending Salvation Army schools globally is recorded as 403,000 in The Salvation Army Yearbook 2019. Most of these schools have had to close in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the effort to ensure education continues for children has been a key impetus for The Salvation Army.
Minding the gap The closure of schools has exposed the reality that not all children have a stable home environment, let alone books or a space to work in. For some, connectivity to a computer or a device at home is the stuff of dreams. Educational inequities have expanded dramatically because of Covid-19. ‘Our schools have worked so hard to keep learning going, but many tend to be in underresourced communities, with little or no access to technology and parents who are not able to be “home teachers”. Much of our work during Covid-19 has focused on ensuring the education gap doesn’t widen,’ explains Howard.
Getting creative Territories and teachers have got creative with their use of technology, reports Howard. ‘Education is about using technology to enhance the role of the teacher; education is about collaboration between teachers, parents and the community; and education is about making sure that each child gets the support they need. This will not be easy, and it requires huge adaptation on the part of all the players. But good things are never easy to come by,’ explains Howard. ‘India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Philippines, Guatemala, Liberia and Democratic Republic 16 WarCry 05 SEPTEMBER 2020
of Congo (DRC) have endeavoured to train teachers to conduct online learning. Liberia have developed a learning and revision app. India North have conducted end of school exams via Zoom. Guatemala have organised WhatsApp groups for parents. In Kenya, special needs schools have done their best to get children access to physiotherapy through local hospitals, home visits or opening up part of the school building.’ Territorial Overseas Development Officer Major Debbie Clark is proud to be part of a movement that is working hard during Covid-19 to provide education for students in alternative ways.
‘There is no doubting how important education is to us no matter where we live in the world, and also that Covid-19 has created huge disruption to our students’ academic year. But I want to acknowledge all the teachers and staff of our schools who are working very hard and doing their best to provide education to students not able to attend school in developing countries where the challenges are compounded.’ MORE INFO | salvationarmy.org.nz/childsponsorship Stay tuned for part two in our next edition.
Royal Oak Housing Community Collects Auckland Architecture Award Salvation Army Social Housing (SASH)’s Royal Oak Housing Community, Te Hononga Tāngata, has received an Auckland Architecture Award from New Zealand Institute of Architects in the ‘Housing—Multi Unit’ category. SASH Director Greg Foster believes the award reinforces that their vision for a high-quality, community-driven development has come to fruition.
‘The whole design of the place was focused on creating community and ensuring that the layout of the complex would lend itself to a sense of family and community. This was done via a focus on bump spaces (places where tenants interacted to and from their units) and community spaces such as a community garden, community seating and a great barbeque area,’ Greg says. ‘When you see it on the plans, that’s one thing, but when you actually see it once it’s done, that’s very exciting.’ Tenants have been similarly positive after eight months in their new homes.
‘When you speak to them, they just feel like: a) they are living in a fantastic unit; and, b) they are a part of a thriving community.’ Greg spent time walking around the complex with the judging jury and believes that the development’s community focus was a standout factor. ‘It is a very warm design … as opposed to just a stark, colourless apartment complex, but they also liked the way that the rooms were positioned, and we talked a little bit about this community feel that we were wanting to develop there, so they could see first-hand that’s what was happening.’ In their feedback, New Zealand Institute of Architects said the development was ‘simply yet beautifully, composed’ with ‘well-chosen colours’, and that ‘wellconfigured and considered communal open space is key to the site planning’. Greg says that Royal Oak Housing Community and this award are the result of a ‘team effort’, including the Property Department at Territorial Headquarters, architects Designgroup Stapleton Elliot, McMillan Lockwood Builders and the SASH team. The team are scheduled to receive the award on September 25. Photography: Mark Scowen.
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Campbell’s Chat, 5 Sept 2020 A few weeks ago on Covenant Sunday, we considered Matthew 5 and what it means to be salt and light in the world as followers of Jesus. It’s all about influence! Our influence spreads widely, it can change and reform society, significantly shift the environment or a situation and can set the tone of a meeting or discussion—either positively or negatively. From a Christian perspective as a follower of Jesus, we can make a difference! This is what reforming society by God’s power is all about, which is part of our Mission as The Salvation Army, Te Ope Whakaora, the Army that brings life. We do this through our personal influence. However, influence is built on trust. Trust can sometimes take a long time to develop and can also be broken overnight— and take a long time to regain. Influence is built on trust and trust is built on character and competency. Character is who we are in Christ and demonstrated by what we say we do. One of our values states ‘Walk the Talk’. We live in a way that reflects, and never distracts from, what we believe. The second pillar is competency, developing our skills and gifts so that we act efficiently.
We will have greater influence for God, and people will trust us as a movement (and individually) when they have the confidence that our character is above reproach and that we exhibit the competencies to do what needs to be done effectively. NGĀ MIHI NUI, COMMISSIONERS MARK & JULIE CAMPBELL
Tribute: Major Harold Hill The Salvation Army and the Christian Church in New Zealand have lost one of their great leaders with the death of Major (Dr) Harold Hill. Harold’s contribution to the Army in New Zealand was immense. Many leaders are honoured not so much because of their personal qualities but for the positions they held. However, the true leaders of any organisation or country are those whose lives heavily influence direction, regardless of position or appointment. Harold was one of those leaders. Throughout a lifetime of service in Zimbabwe and New Zealand, and through the international influence of his teaching and writing, he was most probably without equal in the modern era of The Salvation Army. Harold was a holy man, but not in a monastic, other-worldly sense. He was a holy man, deeply human, real, earthy, who possessed passionate care and love for every person no matter where they were on the globe. His personal diaries from the 1970s, the period of emergency and civil war in Zimbabwe, and correspondence with former students from those years, right to the last weeks of his life, show the depth of his commitment to that land. His was a prophetic voice, challenging the Army’s establishment, a challenge always brought with clarity, courage, humour and factual information, but never demeaning those he opposed. As an author, Harold’s books were impeccably researched, insightful and ground-breaking, receiving praise from leading New Zealand historians. The book Te Ope Whakaora: The Army That Brings Life, which he edited, is a taonga for the Army in Aotearoa New Zealand. The work Saved to Save and Saved to Serve: Perspectives on Salvation Army History, was introduced in a foreword by retired General John Larsson as ‘a book so original that it creates a new genre; it gives an MRI scan of the Army’. Importantly, a new book, a collection of Harold’s articles and occasional papers, is being prepared for publication. Keep an eye out for it! No denominational tag limited Harold. He was ecumenical in thought, action and lifestyle. Educated theologically in a Roman Catholic seminary, he lectured and spoke at ecumenical events and represented the Army on inter-faith forums. In retirement from active Salvation Army officership, he found a worship home in St Peter’s Anglican Church, Wellington. Still, he retained a passion for building and enriching The Salvation Army internationally through
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challenging injustice, historical research and biblical teaching. This great totara is irreplaceable. Harold brought a combination of skill, intellect, scholarship, historical knowledge, faith, courage and love for humanity, and this is now lost forever. However, his influence will live on in those of us whose lives were shaped, changed and challenged by this significant, genuinely humble New Zealander—and through the writings he has left us. We offer thanks for the clear evidence of the grace of God in the life of Harold Hill.
By Colonel Margaret Hay & Major Campbell Roberts
GAZETTE Appointments: International College for Officers and Centre for Spiritual Development: Captain Susan Adams, Session 252, 13 July to 22 August 2022. Captain Brenton Millar, Session 253, 12 October to 21 November 2022. Captain Pauleen Richards, Session 254, 11 January to 20 February 2023. May God bless Susan, Brenton and Pauleen as they begin preparations to attend. We pray that the experience will enrich them spiritually and give them encouragement. Bereavement: Major Denise Smith, of her father Ian Hamilton, from Ōamaru, on Sunday 9 August 2020. We ask you to uphold Majors Denise and Ken Smith, LtColonels Russell and Doreen Hamilton, and other family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss. Major Dorothy Elphick, of her twin brother Reginald Alfred (Fred) Elphick, from Matamata, on Saturday 8 August 2020, aged 89 years. We ask you to uphold Major Dorothy Elphick, Fred’s wife Doris and other family members in your prayers in the time of grief and loss. Resignation: Effective Sunday 20 September: Major Shar Davis. Following her commissioning on 11 December 1999, Shar was appointed Divisional Assistant Youth and Children’s Ministry, Midland Division. This was followed by appointments as: Corps Officer, Queenstown Corps, with an additional appointment as Director, Problem Gambling Services Queenstown; Corps Officer, Dunedin Central Corps; Assistant Officer, Dunedin City Team; Corps Officer, Grandview Corps, with an additional appointment as ILU Referral Officer, Nawton, Hamilton; Assistant Officer, Social Policy and Parliament Unit, with additional responsibilities to assist at Community Ministries South Auckland; Assistant Officer, Christchurch City Corps, with responsibility for SOS Ministries Christchurch, with the additional appointment as Manager, Christchurch City Community Ministries; Corps Officer, Aranui Corps, with the additional appointments as Director, Community Ministries Aranui, Chaplain, U Build 4 the Rebuild Project and continued her additional appointment of SOS Ministries Christchurch; Assistant Officer, THQ; Assistant Territorial Communications Secretary, THQ, with the additional appointment as Book Production Manager; and Divisional Secretary for Mission, Northern Division. We thank Major Shar Davis for her 20 years and 9 months of active service and pray God’s blessing on her in the days ahead.
GOD STILL HAS A ROLE FOR THE SALVATION ARMY.
The Oxford Dictionary describes the word ‘movement’ as ‘progressive development, and a body of persons for special objective’. The Salvation Army is an international movement and an evangelical branch of the Christian church, expressing ministry through a balance of spiritual and social expressions. We remain mobilised by God with a mission to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in His name without discrimination—that is our special objective. William Booth said: ‘We are a salvation people; it’s our specialty, getting saved, keeping saved, getting someone saved and getting saved ourselves more and more until more salvation on earth makes for heaven within’. We have a rich history and an even richer future that had its beginnings, not in a church, but in a simple tent on a piece of waste ground in the East End of London. Here Catherine and William Booth found their future destiny in community amongst the marginalised, vulnerable of society, a destiny we inherited from those who have gone before us, that remains ours, and is as relevant today as it was then. We continue to have movement—progressive development—and remain a body of persons for special objectives. God still has a role for The Salvation Army. How do I know this? Well, each year we have the privilege of meeting people who come to us through a number of various doors; for example, our corps, multiple social service expressions and our Family Stores. I am confident that each week more people present at The Salvation Army than any other church in New Zealand. Unlike other churches that have to go looking for people, God brings them to us. My questions, friends, are these: What are we doing with them when they arrive? How do we see them? Do we see them as a customer or client or perhaps, on occasion, even as a hindrance because they arrive at an inconvenient time and interfere with our agenda for the day? Relationship: first and foremost with God, then with others—this is the road our Salvation movement travels along. Our movement is often described as ‘Christianity with its sleeves rolled up’; getting stuck in and engaged, journeying in relationship with individuals and their family/whānau. During these particularly challenging times, in whatever setting we are in, we have the opportunity and privilege of journeying alongside someone. Do not feel you can’t do this because you don’t know what to say. God goes before us, giving us power along the way and the simplest of engagement can begin a relationship. Matthew 10:42 says, ‘And if you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded’. Blessings and kind regards, Colonel Gerry Walker Territorial Chief Secretary 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 19
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Like many people, I had the year 2020 loosely mapped out by the end of January: a visit from my son in April, a trip to Australia in July, work trips dotted across the year, a work action plan I was looking forward to implementing. But that was before Covid-19 became a thing. That was before Covid-19 forced us all to recognise how powerless we really are over our lives, plans, hopes and dreams. BY MAJOR SUE HAY
As life returned to normal following the first lockdown, we started to make new plans, assuming we were in charge of our own lives again. We arranged gatherings and holidays, booked tickets and acted as if we were back in control. But then Covid-19 resurfaced. This second disruption has been hard to take. Our sense of personal safety is threatened, our certainty that all will be well is destroyed and our intent to take back control of our present and future has been thwarted. Yet again we are forced to face up to how powerless we really are over so much of our day-to-day existence.
The Blame Game Many have looked to blame God, the Prime Minister, the Government, the family at the centre of this outbreak, immigrants or people connected to quarantine sites. Blaming takes the focus off ourselves and our internal distress. Blaming others is a very human response to feelings of powerlessness. It reflects just how distressed we are. Blaming is something we resort to when we feel like a victim of our circumstances. Melody Beattie has written a number of books about recovery from the challenge of co-dependency. Her perspective on recovery can be applied to recovery from anything we feel powerless over. I came across a line in one of her prayers recently where she owned her tendency to fall into a victim mentality. She prayed, ‘God help me let go of my need to feel victimised’. How I resonate with her honest plea! In the face of Covid-19 this is a very helpful prayer. I am grateful for the reminder that there is a difference between being a victim and remaining victimised. The reminder was enough to point me to the tools we use to find recovery from addiction. These tools help us break out of the passive helplessness we can fall into whenever we feel like a victim.
Overcoming Powerlessness The first thing to do is face up to our powerlessness. For me, powerlessness can feel like an all-consuming thick cloak of fog. It is dense and dark and impossible to see a way through. But the truth is, we are actually only ever powerless over specific things. The first step of the Twelve Steps states: ‘We are powerless over alcohol’—not everything. Just one thing. Certainly this one thing can make our lives very unmanageable, but having defined the issue, we can work with it. There is a limit to this cloak of darkness. Once we describe the extent of the struggle, we create handles we can grasp hold of with both hands. This is how we start to dispel the fog around us. It shifts the problem from being vague, overwhelming and impossible to tackle to something specific, more manageable and significantly smaller. When we name what we can’t control, we start to understand what we can control.
have choices is enough to dissipate that crushing weight of powerlessness.
You Choose Even when at our most powerless, we never lose our personal power to make choices. In the face of Covid-19 we can still choose how we react and how to make the most of enforced restrictions. We can choose to wash our hands, socially distance and be grateful for what we do have. Making choices is the best way to break free of feeling victimised. Sometimes, in the face of powerlessness our attitude is the only thing we can change. So let’s choose to work through any blaming of God or others by recognising every single person on the planet is impacted by this virus. If we can transform our thinking from ‘Why me?’ to ‘Why not me?’, we start to reduce the emotional energy we are investing in being a victim. Jesus would say to us: ‘God gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike’ (Matt 5:45, NLT). In other words, we are all in the same boat. All of us are experiencing distress and powerlessness as a result of Covid-19.
THE PAIN OF POWERLESSNESS REVEALS ALL WE HAVE EVER HAD WAS AN ALLUSION OF CONTROL. I find it incredibly helpful to turn to the words of The Serenity Prayer whenever I experience a sense of personal powerlessness: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference (Reinhold Niebuhr). By praying the Serenity Prayer slowly and thoughtfully, I find God really does help me understand that I still have options—there are things I can change. Between this prayer and the naming of powerlessness I begin to regain a sense of my own agency: I start to see how to respond, where I can act and how to rely on God. Often, just recognising I
Shattering Illusions of Control New Zealand author Mike Riddle has penned one of the most deeply theological declarations I have ever read. He states in stronger language than this, that bad things happen: ‘God. In surprising places, amid inexcusable circumstances, in the presence of raw pain, beneath the deepest anguish, within the simplest joy, there is God the companion, quietly awaiting recognition’. The pain of powerlessness reveals all we have ever had was an illusion of control. Times of powerlessness thus become an invitation to recognise the limits of our own human resources and turn to God as our true source. May we know the reality of God with us in these most challenging of days. 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 21
OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 09 September: Spiritual Day at BCM (online) Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) 05 September: Māori Ministry Council (online) 13 September (Covid-19 level dependant): Installation of Major Brenda Luscombe and Welcome to Major Glenys Fairhurst (TBC) 07 October: Spiritual Day, Fiji School for Officer Training (online) Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 07 October: Spiritual Day, Fiji School for Officer Training (online)
KIDS PEAK ADVENTURE
PRAY Lautoka Corps, Levin Corps, Linwood Corps, Lomaivuna Corps, Manukau Central Corps,
WHO
The Salvation Army in Germany, Lithuania and Poland.
Kids aged 8–13 years. WHAT
A five day camp focused on developing teamwork, leadership and confidence. MORE INFO bluemountainadventure.org.nz
bmac@salvationarmy.org.nz
9 5 8 3 Want to Know More?
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I would like: to learn about who Jesus is information about The Salvation Army The Salvation Army to contact me prayer for the following needs:
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Each Sudoku number puzzle has a unique solution that can be worked out logically (not mathematically). The numbers 1 to 9 appear once in every row, column and 3x3 square. Source: opensky.ca/sudoku
Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141
Find SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES: salvationarmy.org.nz/ employment
Quiz Answers: 1 The (irrational) fear of flutes, 2 A hashtag, 3 Eight, 4 Four, 5 David (1 Samuel 17:12–14).
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‘The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.’
Matching movie dads!
Can you match these fictional dads with the movie they feature in? (If there are some you don’t know, look up these great suggestions for a movie night with Dad!)
Proverbs 23:24
Word search!
C V Can you find these W A different ways to I E say ‘Dad’ around the world in this word T R search? They could be P B forward, backward, up, down or diagonal. S O ATHAIR BABA BABBO ISA MISSIERI OTAC PABBI PADRE PAPA POP TAD TATAY TEVS VADER
Dad love!
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Write down five things that you love about your dad! It could be the things you do together, a personality trait which makes him fun to be around or a memory you’ve shared!
1 2 3 4 5
J
nsive Why is it expe ns? to keep pelica re Because you a e faced with som big bills!
What do you call a shop th at sells pets that ca swim and n fly ? A fish an d cheep sh op!
What do you call a lazy toy ? An inaction figure!
Do you have a gift for your dad this Father’s Day? Maybe you and your siblings are cooking up a special brunch? Perhaps you’ve put your craft skills to good use or pooled your pocket money to buy a present. Do you know what your dad wants most of all this Father’s Day? It is for you to grow up to be the best person you can be; someone who is kind, wise, generous, helpful and gentle. Even if you don’t have a dad to spend this day with, you probably have people like your mum, grandparents, mentors, coaches, family friends, Sunday school leaders and godparents to celebrate … not to mention your heavenly Father! These people love you very much, and the perfect way to show how much you love them back is by growing up to be someone who is overflowing with righteousness. What will really touch your dad’s heart isn’t a pre-planned breakfast or gift—although these will make him feel special—it will be the spontaneous actions that happen out of the goodness of your heart, all throughout the year. THINK ABOUT...
how can love your dad through your actions this week? 05 SEPTEMBER 2020 WarCry 23
