20 Feb 2016 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 20 February 2016 | Issue 6636 | $1.50

STATE OF Moving THE Targets NATION REPORT 2016 NZ: FIRST SLAVE-FREE COUNTRY? FIREZONE: AMPLIFY CREATIVE ARTS CAMP BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANXIETY PRAYING WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE TERRITORY LEADS THE WAY ON NEW GOVERNANCE MODEL

02 WarCry 20 February 2016

Kia ora Who do you see?

WAR CRY

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga Territory FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL André Cox TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Robert Donaldson 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

Major Christina Tyson GRAPHIC DESIGN

Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson STAFF WRITERS

Ingrid Barratt, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond, Vanessa Singh CONTRIBUTORS

Martin Barratt (movie reviewer), Kris Singh (music reviewer) PROOF READING

Major Jill Gainsford OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Phone (04) 384 5649 Fax (04) 382 0716 Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department Phone (04) 382 0768 Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT MakeReady | www.makeready.co.nz PAPER Novatech is an environmentally responsible paper

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All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

In this edition we introduce you to Matt Friedman, a long-time activist in the abolition of human trafficking. Some readers would remember Matt’s disturbing and inspiring contribution to the 2013 Salvation Army Just Action conference. Matt has a powerful challenge for all New Zealanders: ‘Let’s say that we want [New Zealand] to become the first slave-free country!’

Activism is fuelled by empathy. Matt had an instinctive sense of the injustice of human trafficking, but it was an encounter with an 11-year-old girl that sparked his empathy with their plight.

Empathy lies behind much of The Salvation Army’s social action. This week, our Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (which organised the Just Action conference where Matt spoke) launched its ninth State of the Nation report, which examines trends in the following areas: our children, crime and punishment, work and incomes, social hazards, and housing.

As well as commentary, the State of the Nation carries plenty of statistics, graphs and tables. Some might wonder what the point of this document is. Isn’t The Salvation Army supposed to be about helping people? Isn’t it a distraction to consider policy issues that are surely more the concern of government agencies than churches? Well, this is where empathy comes in.

Like other Christian churches, The Salvation Army believes in the inherent dignity and value of every individual—and so the statistics in our report are not really about numbers at all, but people. We see and care for the most vulnerable in our society. We empathise with them. And so we want to spark conversations about how to make New Zealand a better place for everyone. In this pursuit, our State of the Nation report has Remember the 5 SMART rules when proven to be a great conversation starter. thehungry internetand and mobile phones Jesus applauded those who saw andusing fed the thirsty, who housed the homeless, clothed theBenaked, 1. SAFE: careful notcared to give for out personal information. the sick, and visited those in prison. In this, Jesus was pointing This includes your email phone feel number and act, to the need for empathy—for people whoaddress, will see, and passwords. rather than merely philosophise. So … who do you see that is in 2. MEET: Meeting someone you have only in touch And need? What do you see that we could do better as been a society? with online or on your phone are you ready to act to build a better Newcan Zealand? be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and only when they are with you.

Christina Tyson

3. ACCEPTING: Accepting

BIBLE VERSE Psalm 140:12 New International Version

emails or messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems—they may contain viruses or nasty messages!

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

‘I know that the Lord secures justice for the Someone poor and 4. RELIABLE: online might lie about who they are upholds the cause of the needy.’ and some information on the

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E P O W E R T M P H O N E

Q S H P A R G O T O H P T

‘E mātau ana anō ahau mā Ihowā e tohe te whakawā a te tangata e tūkinotia ana, te mea hoki e rite mā carer ngā 5. TELL: Tellana you parent, or a trusted adult if someone rawakore.’ or something makes you feel WISE WORDS

Source: www.childnet.com

The opposite of poverty is not wealth. In too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice.

Bryan Stevenson

Let’s Talk

A C D S D R M I S T X E T

F O T F E Z A L M D X P T

E N H G E L I E U A A I Z

T Z N S S A L M U R G X Z

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Y A U B M I N T E R N E T

D O M D A O L N W O D L S

M G B Y R E T T A B T S S

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internet is not true. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows.

uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online or by phone.

S I T X U W E B S I T E S

Stay Safe Online

23 Let’s Pray

Let’s Talk | 03

Photo: Beggar in Queen St, Auckland, 2013. Photography: NZ Herald.

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

B

ack in 1981 the New Zealand band Blam Blam Blam (including singer Don McGlashan) had a minor hit here with the song ‘There is No Depression in New Zealand’. Along with praising our lack of depression, the tongue-in-cheek song claimed New Zealand had no dole queues, drug addicts, racism, or sexism—and no sheep on our farms.

While Blam Blam Blam has faded into the forgotten corners of Kiwi music history, the idea they were mocking, of New Zealand as a paradise where life is great for everyone, has remained.

Today (20 February) is the United Nations World Day of Social Justice, a day to promote social justice causes. It comes just a few days after the release of the annual Salvation Army State of the Nation report that, among other things, assesses social justice for parts of New Zealand society.

Social justice often seems a vague catch-all term, but at its core is the aim that every person is treated equally, with an equal opportunity to receive the benefits of a society and equally protected from harm.

But those benefits are dramatically different in the poorest countries compared to New Zealand. Being denied social justice in the developing world can be a matter of life and death, or of horrors that make our own miseries seem small.

The idea that ‘your life isn’t as bad as those people’ has become a popular stick with some to beat the less fortunate in New Zealand. There is no poverty in New Zealand, the argument goes.

The people with the lowest wages in our society who are more likely to live in freezing, leaking homes and have high rates of poverty-related illnesses usually only seen in the third world

that hold them back in education and work. The people who have less access to the best education and are more likely to be the victims of violent crime. These people are not suffering like those in South Sudan, so the argument goes. They’re ‘whingers, bludgers, addicts, breeders, who don’t know how lucky they are to live here’. Anything to avoid calling them ‘people’, or worse yet ‘our neighbours’.

But why should that be acceptable in our country? Are we not better than asking, ‘Is your life miserable enough for me to help’?

This year’s State of the Nation report is titled Moving Targets. Social justice around the world is a moving target—the targets look different in New Zealand to South Sudan, but the aim is still justice.

Christians have a long history of leading social justice movements, based on Jesus’ call to love our neighbour.

However, as the secular world has begun enthusiastically embracing social justice, sadly many Christians behave like the church leaders in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Those who wore their faith openly and preached loudly about the importance of care for the suffering, but walked by on the other side. In contrast, Jesus chose to describe a hated and marginalised foreigner risking their life and using their own possessions and money to help the suffering man, without expecting any reward.

The World Day of Social Justice is more than another pointless UN gimmick; it’s an opportunity for us to take a fresh look at how we love our neighbour—to think about what justice looks like in New Zealand. Or not, after all there is no depression in New Zealand. Yeah, right.

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Bookshelf Cook Book The Best of Alison Holst Alison Holst In response to the sad news that Dame Alison is no longer cooking for the nation comes this rerelease of her most popular book ever, which has sold more than 200,000 copies. As a ‘best of’, it has many of Alison’s most popular recipes—like lazy lasagne and her Christmas cake. At times it shows its age—especially with the number of microwave recipes, which was cutting edge technology when the book was first published.

But as always, it also shows how ahead of her time Alison was, with ‘delicacies’ like tempura and anchovy. This deserves to sit beside the Edmonds Cookery Book in every Kiwi home. (New Holland)

Playlist

Christian Life Evangelism in the Inventive Age Doug Pagitt There is a seismic shift happening in this major part of the Christian life, and Doug Pagitt is a leading light in a new way of thinking about (and doing) evangelism. He speaks from the experience of being an evangelist, but also being regularly evangelised by those who don’t share his views. Experiencing how uncomfortable it is to be on the receiving end, he started to ask the question: should we evangelise each other at all? His answer is that we need to re-frame evangelism as not about conversion, but about resonance—seeing every person as uniquely created by God, and with a unique connection with God that we need to listen to. (Abingdon)

Life Skills The Power of Habit Charles Duhigg A fascinating insight into why we form habits and how to reshape them. Duhigg is part storyteller, part scientific writer and part motivator. He distils cutting-edge scientific research into riveting anecdotes, ranging from the civil rights movement to the phenomenon of Saddleback church—where pastor Rick Warren plugged into cultural habits. Recent research has found that habits are formed in the subconscious part of the mind. The bad news is that this explains why bad habits are so hard to break. But the good news is this gives us the tools to know how to alter our habits and form new ones.

(Turtleback)

Reel News

Pop Wonderful Crazy Night Elton John Wonderful Crazy Night is an offering that encapsulates the bouncy, piano-driven pop that carved Elton John a place in pop culture. While not a particularly inventive or risky record, it does what it does well and makes no bones about it.

Opening with the title track, Elton establishes an upbeat and hopeful tone. There are plenty of soft rock and country influences, especially in ‘I’ve Got 2 Wings’ and ‘A Good Heart’. Elton’s lyrics and melodies are still as catchy and cheesy as they’ve ever been, delivered with a great vocal performance.

Fans of Elton John should (and undoubtedly will) pick this one up.

Worship Here as in Heaven Elevation Worship Elevation Church’s latest album carries many of the hallmarks of the church’s sound. With its massive, layered arena anthems and heavy electronic influences, Here As In Heaven is geared for bigger settings, and as such is complemented by its big expansive sound. There are a lot of great moments to enjoy, including the title track and praise anthems ‘Grace Like a Wave’ and ‘Praise Goes On’. Synths take centre stage, with big fat basses and sparkly arpeggios the driving force behind many songs, although there’s some respite in the piano ballads ‘First and Only’ and ‘For a Moment’. A musically interesting album and definitely worth a listen.

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of The Best of Alison Holst, tell us your signature dish.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 07 Mar. The Ultimate Vegetarian Collection winner is: Faith Henderson

Drama Spotlight Tom McCarthy / M (Offensive language & content that may disturb) Based on the 2003 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation, Spotlight details how reporters from The Boston Globe uncovered widespread and systemic child abuse by Catholic priests in Boston and the Massachusetts diocese. It would also lead to other investigations across America and the rest of the world.

In 2001, the Globe’s ‘Spotlight’ investigative team discovered that Father John Geoghan was a serial abuser who was moved from parish to parish by the church for decades, eventually molesting 130 children. Soon after, the team begins to realise that the scope of the scandal goes way beyond Geoghan himself. Two years later they find 87 priests have committed sexual abuse in the Massachusetts diocese—eventually 249 clergy are uncovered.

In the course of their investigation, the team uncovers a number of abuse survivors and go to great lengths to gently draw out their painful memories.

The victims recount their stories in harrowing and graphic detail, which is deeply unsettling for viewers. That said, Spotlight handles these scenes with great sensitivity. In fact, the whole story is never brash or overemotional, but ruthlessly detailed, precise and gripping.

Boasting a stellar ensemble cast (with Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo as standouts), the ‘Spotlight’ team are not depicted as powerful heroes but more as everyday hardworking individuals. They are committed to exposing the Catholic church’s deceit simply because it’s their job to uncover the truth when people in power are doing something terribly wrong.

Vatican Radio called the film ‘compelling’, saying it helped the US Catholic Church ‘to accept fully the sin, to admit it publicly, and to pay all the consequences’. Spotlight is uncomfortable viewing for those of faith, but it’s an important and powerful story that needs to be told to prevent such abuse continuing.

Feature | 05

SlaveFREE Nation

New Zealand could be the first country in the world to become slave-free, says human trafficking expert Matthew Friedman. With 30 years’ experience, Matt has seen the horrors of modern-day slavery but still dares to dream of a truly free world.

BY INGRID BARRATT

‘I

’m so tired of people who are practical and logical and rational, I’m so tired of it,’ says Matthew Friedman, author of Where Were You?, a book based on his decades of experience in counter-human trafficking. Since 1991, Matt has worked in the Asian region designing and managing antitrafficking programmes, including six years as a regional manager for the United Nations. Matt knows all about the enormous obstacles in the international fight against modern-day slavery.

But he also knows there is hope. After speaking at The Salvation Army’s Just Action conference in 2013, US-born Matt has a vision for our nation: ‘When it comes to New Zealand I’m really clear: let’s say that we want to become the first slave-free country!’

06 | WarCry 20 February 2016

And Matt also has words for the practical, logical voices that say it can’t be done: ‘Yeah, you’re right, there will always be someone in slavery, but we’re striving for something, we’re striving for a vision of a slave-free country. Forget about whether it’s practical or logical, forget about all that. This is the vision statement!

‘Why not New Zealand, why not?!’ he continues, with obvious passion. ‘You’re committed enough, you’re small enough and engaged enough. Let it be New Zealand. Then people like me can go to Australia and the rest of the world, and say, “Look, New Zealand is stepping up. You can do it too.’ ”

White slavers After a lifetime of fighting the good fight, Matt still has a palpable passion for ending slavery. It’s a destiny that began eerily close to home. Matt recalls in Where Were You? that when his grandmother was 23, she took a boat trip from Germany to the United States.

She was to take the train to California to meet her husband who had gone before her, but accidentally got off at Chicago. Frantic, she asked passers-by in German, ‘Am I here? Am I in California?’

A friendly stranger came up to her, speaking in German, and saying that her husband had sent him to escort her to their beautiful new home. ‘As she was leaving with this stranger, another German couple saw what was happening, took her away from this man, and got her back on the train … The German-speaking man was what people used to refer to as a “white slaver”,’ Matt recalls.

‘My grandmother always had a shiver when she talked about it, because it would have been so easy to believe what this person was saying—she so wanted to believe it was true. And that’s what we’re dealing with in trafficking situations—people who have never had a break in life are being told they’ve got this great opportunity, and they so want to believe it.’

Matt’s next significant encounter with trafficking was in New York, where after gaining a degree in psychology, he got a job counselling women in prostitution. ‘I learned how fragile a person’s life can be. There was a girl; she was 15 and doing well in school.

All of a sudden, she gets a boyfriend; he turns her onto to drugs, which affects her schooling. The boyfriend and school and drugs affect her relationship with her parents. She’s eventually kicked out, and to raise money for the boyfriend and drugs she becomes indebted to a pimp. Before you know it, she’s being forced into prostitution to pay for her debt.’

Amulya’s legacy The term ‘human trafficking’ had not yet been invented, but Matt was beginning to recognise a pattern in which people are deceived and coerced into situations of absolute bondage. ‘I had no intention of being in human rights,’ explains Matt. ‘But it seemed like every time I turned the corner, I met someone in that situation.

It wasn’t until I met an 11-year-old girl that I had to surrender to the fact that this was something I was meant to do.’

The young girl he calls ‘Amulya’, although he doesn’t know her real name. As a young man Matt was working for the Indian Government in public health, and was asked to investigate some brothels. ‘At one of the brothels, upon entering the waiting area, a young Nepalese trafficking victim saw me and ran up to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and said, “Save me, save me, they are doing terrible things to me!” ’ Matt turned to the police officer who accompanied him and said, ‘We need to take this girl out of here now.’ The officer told him that would be impossible, and the girl’s captors would kill them before allowing her to leave.

When Matt returned with more police, the girl was gone. ‘I will never know what happened to that precious child,’ says Matt. He was haunted by her memory, suffering recurring nightmares. ‘I finally surrendered. I accepted the fact that I could no longer turn away.’

The calling It was only a few years ago that Matt truly began to understand how this sense of destiny was actually a higher calling. ‘I went through a rough period at the UN, when it seemed like everything around me was imploding and there was so much discouragement. One day I felt like I needed to go to church—I hadn’t been to church for years. And there I felt this rejuvenation of my spirit. It allowed me to forgive myself, forgive people and give up my baggage.

‘My relationship with God is very strong. I go to church and read my Bible, and it’s very fulfilling in so many ways. I feel like I don’t strive anymore, and things come easier as a result.’

Matt also acknowledges the huge influence and support of his wife, a reporter he met a few years ago when she interviewed him. They have been married for a year and a half—she is also a dedicated Christian and has joined him in the fight against slavery. His two teenage sons, from a previous marriage, are also passionate anti-trafficking advocates.

Matt is open that being at the forefront of a fledgling human rights movement can take its toll. Latest statistics show that

THERE’S NO SLAVERY IN NEW ZEALAND, IS THERE? According to the Global Slavery Index, around 600 people are estimated to be trapped in slavery in New Zealand.

Allegations surfaced last year that Korean women were being held against their will in an Auckland apartment. However, police investigated them as illegal immigrants, rather than victims of trafficking.

Last year, a man appeared in court accused of smuggling 16 people into New Zealand, extorting large sums of money and forcing them into exploitative working conditions. This is the second case of its kind in New Zealand.

Immigration New Zealand is investigating a restaurant in Auckland, where workers were allegedly underpaid, worked extreme hours and kept locked up in a small garage.

In the past year, 400 complaints of intimidation and underpayment of migrant workers were made to the Labour Inspectorate— but authorities are only alerted to a very small fraction of such exploitation.

Australia is passing legislation to prevent the use of forced or slave labour in their supply chain, but the New Zealand Government has so far taken no such action.

After human rights abuses were found on fishing boats in New Zealand waters, a Bill came before Parliament to outlaw ‘slave fishing’. The Bill failed to pass.

But … New Zealand is in a better position than most countries to stop slavery all together. There is less vulnerability here than many other countries, we are more isolated, and Kiwis have a general belief in human rights. It exists here, but it shouldn’t. And we can do something about it!

Feature | 07

I can’t understand why a girl under 17 can be commercially raped 7000 times and the world is not up in arms about it. around 50,000 victims of trafficking are assisted annually, a grand total of 0.04 percent of the total estimated number of victims.

Meanwhile, profits generated by traffickers are estimated to exceed US$150 billion.

‘I met a guy who was a trafficker in Vietnam, and he said, “I’ll give you my name, address, I’ll give you everything because you’ll never be able to do anything about me,” ’ admits Matt. ‘We’re just handful of people striving against a problem that is so huge.’

But for the victims who are rescued, it is literally a life-saver.

‘The faces and the pictures I have of those who have benefitted is a driving force—it really is,’ concludes Matt. ‘For those people, it has made all the difference.’

A modern abolitionist movement So, what will it take to change the world? ‘We need a modern-day abolitionist movement,’ states Matt simply—referencing the movement led by William Wilberforce to end slavery in the UK. ‘Our culture has an emphasis on individuality, and that is when these problems fester. The issue of human slavery is big enough and problematic enough that we should all care about it.

‘I can’t understand why a girl under 17 can be commercially raped 7000 times and the world is not up in arms about it,’ he adds.

Matt and his wife are about to embark on an awareness-raising road trip, doing 100 presentations across the US. They aim to give people concrete ideas about what they can do to help—whether that’s giving money, going to see a film about the issue, or telling someone else. ‘If you get 10 million people out there, each doing a couple of things to end trafficking, that’s going to make a big impact.’

Matt recently moved into the private sector, through an organisation he set up called The Mekong Club. Based in Hong Kong, the organisation works with private businesses to train them to recognise trafficking within their organisation. ‘We’re offering a safe space for manufacturers to work with each other to make plans and priorities, and they hand that over to us and we help them make that happen,’ explains Matt.

There have already been great results. Airline Cathay Pacific received training, and as a result added the anti-slavery film Not My Life to their in-flight movies, with very positive feedback.

British Telecom held a competition among 10,000 staff to come up with ideas on how to use technology to help anti-trafficking.

As a result, they developed cloud technology that links NGOs in Indonesia so they can share vital information.

‘In my heart of hearts, I feel that if the private sector gets involved, we can go from helping 50,000 victims a year, to 300,000, to a million, to a million and a half,’ concludes Matt.

This is exactly how New Zealand can realise the vision of becoming slave-free: ‘If we can get enough people together from different areas—banking, government, manufacturing, business —and together aim for a couple of changes a year, that’s how it’s going to happen. It will eventually create a mass movement.’

Kiwis are already highly-motivated, adds Matt—explaining that around 40 per cent of his staff come from New Zealand. ‘It’s an issue that really resonates with Kiwis.’

Although slavery is a Goliath to slay, Matt has a sense

of ‘optimism and re-birth’ about what’s next: ‘You can feel overwhelmed and start asking the question, “Can anything be done?” But there’s a competing thought within me that says, “Well, wait a minute, we’re getting closer. We have to try this idea, and another idea. We haven’t found the breakthrough yet, but we’re constantly getting closer.

‘If you’re walking down the street and someone trips and falls, you naturally reach out to help them up. It’s what human beings do.’ Helping victims of slavery up is the most naturally human thing we can do, concludes Matt.

WHERE WERE YOU? Make a contribution to the anti-slavery movement by buying the book Where Were You? All proceeds go to ‘R3’ organisations who rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate rescued sex slaves. Available from Amazon.

10 things you can do RIGHT NOW to help stop human trafficking 1. LEARN: Read slavery-related websites, watch films and read books about the topic. Take the Slavery Footprint Survey (http:// slaveryfootprint.org) and share it.

2. SHARE: Talk about what you have learnt with friends, family, at your school, in your church or workplace. Share articles online.

3. TEACH: Teach young children about the techniques used by traffickers—especially on the internet and in malls.

4. REPORT: If you see anything that doesn’t seem right, report it to the police—such as an underage girl selling sex on the street, a domestic worker who is not allowed to leave the home, labourers kept together and working extreme hours, a teenage girl with a much older ‘boyfriend’.

5. ENCOURAGE: Encourage our government to review existing laws and procedures on human trafficking. Encourage news media to cover the issue of slavery. Encourage your local school to cover the topic. Encourage police to identify and respond to the issue.

6. CONSUME RESPONSIBLY: Go online and see if the companies you buy from have codes of conduct or policies to address human trafficking (see www.behindthebarcode.org. au). Congratulate those that do, and politely encourage those that don’t. Support the companies that are taking the issue seriously.

7. GIVE: Donate to a human trafficking programme. Hold a fundraising event.

8. VOLUNTEER: Donate your time or expertise to an organisation fighting slavery—either in your local region, or further afield via the internet.

9. USE YOUR TALENTS: If you are a writer, write a blog. If you are a painter, paint a picture. If you do sports, use it as a platform to raise awareness. If you are musical, write a song. If you like movies, post a short film.

10. COMMIT: Commit to doing five actions per year (even more if you are up for it) that will contribute to the fight against slavery.

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HEALTH

LIFESTYLE

Getting Kids to Love Veggies

Praying with your smartphone The answer for so many people today is ‘get an app’. It seems like pretty soon you’ll go to the doctor and they’ll say ‘there’s an app for that’.

Prayer is the latest area of life where there’s an app to help—quite a few actually. Some are even very helpful.

PrayerMate is probably the most popular app and a good example of what’s on offer. Need to remember to pray for that friend who’s going for surgery in a month? Put a reminder in the app and it goes on your list of things to pray about that day.

Well, maybe ‘love’ is too strong a word. But experts agree that these tips are the most effective ways to get your kids eating their veggies.

You can also set up an alarm to remind you to pray at certain times of the day (annoyingly, unlike some apps, it won’t remind you about a specific request, just a general reminder to pray).

Eat your vegies: Kids learn through imitation—sometimes it’s scary how much they pick up on our behaviour! By far the best predictor of a child’s eating habits is the eating habits of their parents. So … eat your veggies!

In the app you make a topic of things you want to pray for—for example, you can make a list of friends’ names, with notes on specific prayer requests and photos if you want. You then make a prayer list for each day with the different things you want to pray for from each topic, or PrayerMate will make a random list.

Make food fun: Having a race to see who can eat their piece of carrot first is far more effective than nagging kids to finish. They might not like broccoli, but they might try ‘little trees’ if they are the dinosaurs who have to eat them. Arrange food on the plate in fun ways—like turning veggies into a face, or mashed potatoes into a volcano that explodes with peas.

PrayerMate includes a section with prayers from the Bible and sections on different things people around the world are praying for, that you can subscribe to.

Just one bite: The biggest thing about getting your kids to eat their veggies is persistence. Start by enforcing that they eat ‘one bite’, and reward them for doing so with heaps of praise. Don’t force them to eat all their food, as this can cause greater food phobias.

For small groups who want to share prayer requests you can write up a prayer request and email or text it to different people—although PrayerMate will only message individuals, while an app like PrayerNotebook allows you to message a whole group.

Get them cooking: Kids love to help. They’ll be more invested in meal times if they help with food prep, or get to choose a vegetable for themselves at the supermarket. If you really want to be a super-parent, start a veggie garden with your kids.

Eat a rainbow: Again, the key is making veggies fun. One method is to ‘eat a rainbow’—get them eating a vast array of vegies such as tomatoes, carrots, capsicum and so on … the aim of the game is to eat all the colours of the rainbow. Give a small reward for completing the challenge.

Prayer apps are not for everybody. And there are risks, like apps that allow you to post on Facebook how often you pray, what for and what prayers were answered, potentially turning your prayer life into a competition of ‘look how holy I am’, or spilling private information for all to see.

Cheat a little: It’s totally okay to add flavour to their veggies—a little bit of butter or cheese will help it go down. You can even sprinkle a little sugar on fruit. They’ll grow out of this eventually, and for now, the aim of the game is getting them to try a wider variety of healthy foods.

But these prayer apps are a tool that, when used well, will encourage you to talk more to God and that’s a great thing.

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. Doug Larson

Jaffa Nut Brownies Make as a treat for yourself, or to give away to a friend or neighbour | Makes 18 100 g butter 75 g dark cooking chocolate 2 large eggs ¾ cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence rind of 1 orange ½ cup chopped walnuts ½ cup flour

Cube the butter and break the chocolate into pieces. Put both into a microwave bowl and heat for 2 mins on 50% power (medium), or warm in a medium-sized pot over low heat, until butter has melted and chocolate softened.

Add eggs, sugar, vanilla essence, orange rind and chopped nuts. Stir until well mixed. Sift in flour and fold together, but do not overmix.

Spread mixture into 20 cm square tin with bottom lined with baking paper and sides sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake at 180°C for about 15 mins or until centre feels firm when pressed. (Don’t worry if sides rise more than centre.)

Cool and cut. Dust lightly with sieved icing sugar just before serving.

From Very Easy Vegetarian by Simon and Alison Holst. Go to www.holst.co.nz

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A School-Related Anxiety

My child has moved up to intermediate this year and is really anxious about his new school. How can I help?

Imagine how you feel when you start a new job … nervous, anxious to do well, overwhelmed and out of place in your new environment. This is what your child is going through.

Leaving the familiarity of primary school for the bigger, wider world of intermediate is a significant life change.

The best thing you can do for your young man is to be his greatest source of encouragement. There is a lot of wisdom in the Bible about worry, so sit down and share this with him: Cast all your anxiety on [God], because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

As a parent, God will work through you to encourage your child. Let your son talk about his worries, listen with empathy, come up with solutions together, and maybe pray about it with him.

Your child’s anxiety may be based on imagined fears, such as ‘I won’t be able to do the tests’. Teach him that worrying in this way is a waste of energy. He only needs to do his best today, and leave tomorrow to God. For children who tend to be anxious, it can be comforting to have routines.

So, create regular routines for before and after school. When it comes to homework, be there to provide help—but ensure you don’t put undue pressure on your child. Many children who suffer from anxiety are perfectionists who really want to do a good job.

Be a helping hand, encourage him in his strengths, help him practise for tests, and let him know you only want him to do his best—these things will help him gain confidence and lessen anxiety.

Of course, children can go through as many issues as adults—bullying, academic or social pressure, crushes, friendships, and so on. If your child is facing challenges that he is naturally reacting to with anxiety, be involved in solving the problem and even ask his teacher for help. You are not only your child’s protector, but his guiding hand through life.

Testify Alan Johnson is the man behind The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report.

State of the Nation is now in its ninth year, and it’s become something special. You find in our society that only things that are important to the ‘important’ people are measured and analysed. So, in our report, we’ve tried to be a witness for the issues that affect vulnerable New Zealanders by measuring things like unemployment, child poverty, people going to jail, and homelessness.

As the senior policy analyst [and interim director] for The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, I undertake social research and policy analysis, so we can advocate for vulnerable people and seek changes to make New Zealand a better society.

My generation has made some really bad choices that our children and grandchildren will look back on and say, ‘What were they thinking?’

We’ve been reckless with our borrowing of money; we’ve wasted and misused resources like water.

You can’t have a just society in an unsustainable environment, the two go hand-in-hand.

I certainly believe that Christ’s message is about looking after the most vulnerable, and I take my inspiration from Matthew 25:40, ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for me.’ Everyone is made in the image of God, and so we need to show respect and compassion to everyone.

I was a Manukau City Councillor for about 15 years, but I think real change happens within our neighbourhoods. I have been able to do more good by being involved in our local rugby league club and as a board member of the intermediate school my kids went to, than in politics.

I’ve worked in the area of housing for almost 30 years, and I can’t remember a time when the housing situation in Auckland has been worse. As an economist, the only solution I can see is that people are going to have to move out of Auckland.

I’m also part of the Child Poverty Action Group, because we can only be a good society if we look after our children. If it’s okay for a child to live in a garage today, it will be okay for them to live in a car the next year, and be homeless the year after—because we’ve

Help The Salvation Army feed Kiwis in need

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accepted unacceptable standards.

We may not have the starvation of developing countries, but we do have a poverty where people are cold and living in grim conditions.

There is also a lot of spiritual poverty. People lack hope and a sense that their lives are significant.

We live in a materialistic society, and our economy is based on the theory that people are self-serving and competitive. But there’s another side to humans—we are compassionate, thoughtful and generous. We need to build a welfare system based on reciprocity, where everyone gets to contribute to the community.

I’m inspired by the apostle Peter, because he was such a flawed character. That’s a bit how I see myself, a very flawed character, but through Christ I can find salvation and redemption. And that leads me to try and live a life of service.

Let’s Talk I would like: to explore what it means to follow Jesus information about Salvation Army worship and activities prayer for the following needs:

NAME: ADDRESS:

Quickly, easily and securely donate food at foodbank.org.nz

Please post to: War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

10 | WarCry 20 February 2016

SUDOKU

Difficulty Medium

5 1 8 3 4 2

1

4 2 3 1

8 9 7 8 5 6 8 9

BY ALAN JOHNSON

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2 4 6

Wise targets critical for our social progress

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The Salvation Army launches its ninth State of the Nation report this week, providing analysis into New Zealand’s social progress.

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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.

QUICK QUIZ 1 What chocolate bar was named after Frank Mars’ favourite horse?

2 Which upcoming Marvel Comics movie has a Christian director?

3 What is the collective noun for cockroaches?

4 Who shot J.R.?

5 How many arms does an octopus have?

6 The Hundred Year War was fought between which countries?

7 What is another name for maize?

8 What is the common name for asteroid 134340?

9 In U2’s song Sunday Bloody Sunday, what is under children’s feet?

10 Which gospel records the miraculous catch of fish after Jesus’ resurrection?

3 6 4 2 1 7 5 9 8

5 1 2 3 9 8 6 4 7

9 8 7 4 6 5 3 1 2

6 3 9 7 4 2 8 5 1

2 7 8 6 5 1 9 3 4

1 4 5 8 3 9 7 2 6

7 2 1 9 8 3 4 6 5

4 5 3 1 7 6 2 8 9

8 9 6 5 2 4 1 7 3

Find more Cartoons by McKerrow on www.facebook.com/cartoonsbymckerrow

The theme of the 2016 State of the Nation report is ‘moving targets’. We see this as a dual metaphor. On the one hand, it is an allusion to the way in which some government agencies appear to be using targets and the numbers behind them in a less than straightforward and reliable manner. This practice has many subtle and ingenious approaches—ranging from changing the definitions behind indicators so results appear better, to inventing new numbers like pseudo-service level indicators that are difficult to verify and have no point of reference, to simply changing reporting formats in the name of improving accountability without any improvement in the reliability of the information provided. All of these approaches have recently slipped into the reporting practices of some government agencies. While the targets may not change with such practices, the meaning behind them can. This can cause us to slip into a ‘movable feast’ mentality, where we find any reason to celebrate success or progress even though we have lost our sense of the purpose behind it all.

To some extent, our State of the Nation reports have contributed to these recent practices. When The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit conceived of these annual reports in late 2007, we were intentional about the use of a range of social and economic indicators to measure social progress or at least to spur public debate about such progress. There is now a close alignment between indicators reported in State of the Nation reports and the Government’s better public services targets, with five of the 10 targets covered in this and previous reports. Given the political capital the Government has invested into these result areas and targets, there is huge pressure on public sector managers to come up with favourable results. And come up with favourable results they do, as indicated in the latest results reported by the State Services Commission. The problem is the people and agencies responsible for the results are also largely responsible for the analysis and reporting of them.

Identifying social problems and setting targets or objectives to guide New Zealand on a path that avoids gross inequities, and advances quality of life depends on accurate and objective statistical collection and analysis. These targets must be relevant to the aspirations New Zealanders have for the future and sufficiently compelling to motivate their energies and imaginations.

Quick quiz answers: 1 Snickers, 2 Dr Strange (Scott Derrickson), 3 An intrusion, 4 Kristin Shepard (in Dallas), 5 6 (six arms, two legs), 6 England and France, 7 Corn, 8 Pluto, 9 Broken bottles, 10 John (21:3-11).

Close Up | 11

In our 2015 State of the Nation report, The Salvation Army called for more transparency around how results and outcomes from public services were accounted for. The subsequent response from Government has been quite disingenuous.

When asked in Parliament about the prospect of having the Better Public Services target results scrutinised by the Office of the Auditor General, the Associate Finance Minister said, ‘We do better than that; we get them scrutinised by the New Zealand public. We transparently put them out for them to be analysed by New Zealanders.’ It is unrealistic to expect the New Zealand public to critically examine the often flimsy information offered by officials to determine the integrity and accuracy of data on such specialist fields as child abuse or early childhood education (ECE) enrolment.

When asked a similar question about transparency in ‘delivering better public services for New Zealanders’, the Deputy Prime Minister referred to risk analysis on welfare dependency undertaken by Treasury. Few people would claim that risk analysis ever makes things clearer, but such analysis is not the same thing as tangible results verified by a party that does not have a vested interest in reporting good news stories.

In his 2013 book The Great Escape, 2015 Nobel Laureate Angus Deaton said, ‘Unless we understand how numbers are put together, and what they mean, we run the risk of seeing problems where there are none, of missing urgent and addressable needs, of being outraged by fantasies while overlooking real horrors, and of recommending policies that are fundamentally misconceived.’ Open government depends critically on the availability of comprehensive and comprehensible, relevant and reliable information. Regrettably, there are emerging signs that this is not always the case with information being published by some government agencies. This means the targets against which we might measure performance and progress become tenuous and can be moved to suit whichever argument is politically expedient.

The other side of the dual metaphor of moving targets signals the need to periodically revise targets. The reason for such revision should not be political expediency, but rather the need to acknowledge progress or changing priorities so that targets remain relevant and challenging. Changing targets should not be about focusing on the next favourite political hobby horse or scapegoat. Rather, new targets should remain relevant to our priorities for social wellbeing so we avoid the risk of ‘pursing policies that are fundamentally misconceived’, as Deaton has warned. For instance, the Government’s focus on children’s health and safety and on education in their Better Public Services target provide a sound conceptual model for how social progress might be achieved. However, the details of which specific targets to use must not be set in stone, and the Government has already acknowledged the need for revised targets three to five years into the programme.

A good example in terms of new targets is that of ECE. When the first State of the Nation report was released in 2008, the Labour-led

Government of the time had rapidly expanded the availability of ECE subsidies through its 20-hours free programme. This expansion almost doubled the cost of ECE subsidies in four years and was partially justified on the basis that access to ECE would close educational gaps between children from low-income and middle-income families. There was substantial empirical evidence to support this as an organising idea. The reality, though, was that most of the value of this expenditure went to middle-class families simply because there were few ECE centres in low-income neighbourhoods and suburbs. Large gaps in access to ECE between middle and low-income communities, and in particular between Māori and non-Māori families, persisted. Previous State of the Nation reports drew attention to these inequities. To its credit, the present Government has rapidly expanded the provision of ECE centres in low-income communities and the results are noted in this report. It seems likely that the Better Public Services target of having 95 per cent of pre-schoolers enrolled in ECE will be met through this initiative.

The problem is that the target—and indeed, the State of the Nation reports’ advocacy—have focused on quantity rather than quality. Quality in some ECE centres is now emerging as an issue, although the overall extent of this problem has not yet been well documented. The ultimate test of the effectiveness of the $1 billion expansion in ECE subsidies over the past decade is whether or not the cognitive ability and school readiness of the poorest 20 per cent of new entrants have improved. These outcomes should be the focus of ECE targets, rather than quantity or quality measures, but such targets are difficult to quantify and measure.

The Better Public Services targets are a commendable effort at focusing on tangible results from the public sector and a good way of popularising the idea that public services should contribute to social progress and address inequality. But this may eventually be seen as political or bureaucratic chicanery if there is no independence in how results are accounted for, and if targets become redundant because they are no longer relevant to the emerging concerns of the time. The absence of a target or two around housing is one such example.

This, the ninth State of the Nation report, continues The Salvation Army’s efforts to raise questions around our social progress as a nation and highlight both good and bad aspects of New Zealand’s social and economic conditions.

The indicators we offer have not altered fundamentally, although some of the measures used to illustrate them have changed, partly in response to changes in the format of information offered by government agencies. We hope the change to an online delivery format this year will provide the information from this report to a wider audience.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/MovingTargets for the full report State of the Nation author Alan Johnson is a senior policy analyst and acting director of The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit. Go to www. salvationarmy.org.nz/socialpolicy for more information on the unit's work.

Amplify 2016 was another incredible eight days of hanging out, learning more, getting creative, digging deeper, encountering Jesus and a whole heap of good times.

Amplify is The Salvation Army’s territorial creative arts camp for anyone between 15–30 years. It was held at Silverstream Retreat near Upper Hutt from 11 to 18 January.

Delegates chose a major and minor to focus on throughout the week (dance, drama, photography, church production, writing, music, sports, hospitality, etc.), and also took part in a bunch of cool workshops, daily Bible studies, Night Churches, local Sunday services, and plenty of other sweet activities throughout the week.

Amplify is always an amazing time, and 2016 was no different. Check out some of the highlights …

Photography: Shaun Fole y, Nigel Millar

and AJ Wells

Top Four Classic Moments

Top amplify by the numbers

1. Every year, there’s a bit of controversy with the Big Game. Last year, it was missing puzzle pieces; this year it was the Yellow District being disqualified for skipping a challenge and following a team instead. Tsk tsk, guys!

1. The number of carb-based meals at camp: 9/10.

2. That time Night Church speaker Shandri Brown, from the Australia Eastern Territory’s Youth Department, let us in on a secret: you can get away with most things if you add ‘In Jesus’ name’ at the end.

3. Good times when the group heading to serve at Masterton Corps on the Sunday morning got stuck on the Rimutaka Hill after their bus broke down. They got there eventually … we think.

4. Seeing everyone get into MCs Annika and Daniel’s ‘manolo’ chant game. We’ve never seen so many flailing, whacky arms going at once. Manolo … nolo!

2. The number of times people fell in love across the flames of the braziers: too many!

3. The number of coffees consumed by staff members: 200-plus.

4. The number of ladies trying to court Ben Maxwell: enough to feed his ego.

5. The number of sunny days at camp: the most ever!

6. The number of times people entered the room but couldn’t find President Jo: one billion.

7. The number of injuries to Darren Frazer: enough to get a bulk discount at the doctors.

8. The number of times buses have broken down at an Amplify: one—yay, Masterton!

9. The number of parties in Heaven because of the decisions and transformations across the week: too many to count!

20 February 2016 WarCry | 13

Top Four night church challenges

Top Four Bonding Moments

1. Shandri’s ‘Full life’ challenge: Shandri challenged us to consider that God loves us and wants us to live a full life, and that we don’t need that love or acceptance from anywhere else. We need to stop pursuing what we already have or what we think we need and accept God’s love.

1. Checking out some incredible talent at the Café Acoustic Night was awesome.

So many talented young people took to the stage and were encouraged by their peers—and that’s what it’s all about!

2. Shandri’s ‘Incomplete Gospel’ challenge: Shandri challenged us that if we only hear an incomplete gospel, we will follow God incompletely. Following Jesus isn’t always easy (sometimes we aren’t told this)— following Jesus costs us everything.

3. Karl’s ‘What’s Your Mask?’ challenge: Karl made use of a suitcase full of crazy masks to illustrate that in life we often choose to wear masks. But God knows we’re special and wants to reveal our true selves so we can be real and authentic.

4. Shandri’s ‘Your Amplify Self’ challenge: Using the story of Daniel, Shandri talked about how the world tries to convince us that we are our circumstances and can’t change. Instead, God wants us to be our true and best selves, to be our ‘Amplify selves’ all year round. Fitting in is not a win.

Don’t just take our word for it —check out what some actual Amplifyers had to say about the week!

1. What was your overall Amplify highlight?

2. How did God speak to you through the week?

3. What are you hoping to do now that you’ve been to Amplify?

BRITTANY WARD / Albany Bays No. of Amplifies: 2 Major/Minor: Vocal / Songwriting 1. There was so much that I enjoyed over the week, but the main highlight was the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.

2. I felt God speaking to me and saying that it doesn’t matter if I don’t know what it is I want to do in the future/career, but that the main thing is that whatever I do in life, to do it for God and not to try impress others or fit into a certain crowd.

2. Packing every camper and staff member onto a bunch of different buses and sending them to six different corps to serve and share with them in their Sunday worship services. So cool seeing so many young people get into ministry—some for the first time!

3. The four Night Church services of the week were a cool opportunity to meet together, get into worship and the Word, hear from God, and get into some really meaningful discussion and prayer times together. Life changing!

4. This year’s in-house Exhibition Night was an amazing time of encouragement and celebration for all we had learned and developed during the week. Different majors and minors had the opportunity to perform or showcase what they had been up to. So good!

3. I want to share more of my music and use it in a way that is worshipping God and also spreading my music for others to hear.

REIHANA JEGANATHAN / Mt Albert No. of Amplifies: 2 Major/Minor: Drama / Dance Hip Hop 1. A chance to meet new people and learn new things through majors, minors and workshops.

2. God spoke to me through my peaceful times, during prayer and worship.

3. I hope to spread God’s love to others and teach them how exciting he can be. If they are not interested, I can ask them if they would like to join me during Amplify 2017 —as I did this year with two other friends.

SARAH THOMSON / Johnsonville No. of Amplifies: 2 Major/Minor: Visual Arts / Creative Writing 1. The atmosphere and people—everywhere you went people with a smile on their face,

20 February 2016 WarCry | 15

a story to tell, and you could see their passion for God too!

2. During the last Night Church, I remember seeing how God was moving in everyone and seeing what others were doing for those who were overwhelmed in the Spirit.

And I could see how much God loves all those people. It was truly amazing!

3. Amplify has really woken me up to how amazing God really is and how he moves in people’s lives. I would love to share God’s love with the world. I’m planning to become more involved with the people around me and to build them up to become people who know God.

Amplify has really woken me up to how amazing God really is and how he moves in people’s lives.

JADE DAY / Invercargill No. of Amplifies: 4 Major/Minor: Big Band / Music Advanced 1. Having fun with everyone and meeting new people. I also loved my Bible study with Paul and Rachel Gower. We made waffles and I connected really well with them—I felt at home.

2. God mainly spoke to me through different people and worship. I think God made me realise who I am and I felt blessed to actually be in his presence.

3. Since I’ve left camp I want to be more involved at church and make people feel safe and loved. I want to take on leadership with the music team and praise God even more and bring others to church.

DELANA SARO / Invercargill No. of Amplifies: 2 Major/Minor: Leadership / Creative Writing 1. Catching up with old friends and making some really cool new friends, and learning heaps in my leadership classes. Also, some of the Night Churches that got me inspired and more connected with God. 2. God showed me what my true calling was and how I can use it in the church.

3. I’m going to use my gifts within my corps and also within my community.

ANNA OSBORNE / Napier No. of Amplifies: 3 Major/Minor: Leadership / Craft 1. Seeing God move at Night Church, especially for the youth from Napier (the boys’ eyes were ‘sweating’). I also learnt that crafts aren’t horrible! And spending time with other people exploring what it means to be a leader and how we can be leaders.

2. God really spoke to me by confirming things that he had already placed on my heart.

Last year was a bit of a rollercoaster in my journey, so knowing that I’m in the right place and on the right track is settling.

3. Continue to do what I’ve been doing only more excellently and with more confidence.

NICK ALLWRIGHT / Christchurch City No. of Amplifies: 7 Major/Minor: Assisted with Music Performance and Music Advanced 1. Being a part of the worship teams for Night Church, creating some sweet sounds in worship to God. And getting to play drums, something that doesn’t happen too often these days!

2. God spoke to me through my Bible study leader, Rosy Keane. Rosy carries something that I want: a great understanding of the Word and a fantastic ability to bring the Word to life.

3. I absolutely loved teaching at Amplify 16, and now I want to teach more often than once a year—not sure what that looks like.

I was really challenged by the idea of being your ‘Amplify self’ all year round.

CLAIRE GARDNER / Johnsonville No. of Amplifies: 3 Major/Minor: Taught Dance / Assisted with Dance Hip Hop 1. At the Exhibition Night, I was so proud to see my dance class working together on stage and pulling off their dances so well!

2. I was really challenged by the idea of being your ‘Amplify self’ all year round.

It’s too easy to slip back into bad habits and unhealthy spiritual practices when we get back home, but God gave me a strong sense that it is possible to stay on point for him year round.

3. I would love to be part of enabling young people to use their gifts and talents for God. I’d like to empower youth to use their talents as an act of worship, to acknowledge that they’re gifts from God and to give back to him.

MAX O’BYRNE / East City No. of Amplifies: 1 Major/Minor: Drama / Photography 1. I had so much fun in the drama major, putting together a piece to perform in front of camp. The performance was nerve-

20 February 2016 WarCry | 17

… I felt God asking me to step forward in front of everyone. I was afraid of what people would think, but I went forward and God spoke to me. racking and exciting, and I’m definitely excited to do it again.

2. During Night Church I felt God asking me to step forward in front of everyone. I was afraid of what people would think, but I went forward and God spoke to me. He said he wanted me to help others and bring them closer to God. After being home I am definitely improving in the way I see and treat others.

3. I have already registered to become a leader for a young youth group. I would also love to have a Saturday night church service aimed at teenagers to bring them closer to God.

ALYSSA KINNIBURGH / Napier No. of Amplifies: 2 Major/Minor: Drama / Preaching 1. Learning new ways to use our talents for God with other people in The Salvation Army.

2. I feel God spoke to me a lot in different ways and times. Through others, God taught me not to hold onto bad things

that happen, but instead to forgive as he forgave us.

2. Through the Bible study sessions, Night Church, the worship songs …

3. I would like to take what I have learnt during Night Church, my major and minor and workshops and apply that in everyday life. I am striving to remember to be forgiving and patient everywhere I go.

3. Take every bit that I have learnt and put them in action. I hope that I’ll be able to teach those who want to learn, how to play, and to improve the standard of our corps worship team.

JOEL MILLINGTON / Wellington City No. of Amplifies: 4 Major/Minor: Assisted with Music Performance and taught Worship Leading.

You’re surrounded by a wonderful community that is spiritually and creatively involved.

1. I took a week’s annual leave from work and it was so worthwhile! Sharing with young people and seeing God move powerfully in their lives.

2. ‘Christ is enough for me’ was a song that was played at Night Church. The revelation that Christ is all supreme and all-knowing and that he is always there if we call on his name.

3. Continue to empower and equip young people in my corps to reach their potential in their creative giftings.

THERESA FRANCES TALAHIVA ELIABETH PALU Nuku’alofa Corps No. of Amplifies: 1 Major/minor: Music Performance / Music Advanced 1. The Night Churches and Bible study sessions.

SABRINA DAVID / Glen Eden No. of Amplifies: 1 Major / Minor: Visual Arts / Preaching 1. I got to meet so many amazing people!

You’re surrounded by a wonderful community that is spiritually and creatively involved. Everyone has different gifts and talents, and we all came together to use them to glorify God. 2. I realised God was wanting me to step out of my comfort zone. So throughout camp, I found myself taking opportunities I never thought I’d take! From performing at the Café Acoustic Night to preaching at Wellington City Corps.

3. Amplify helped me discover so many creative ways to get involved with church and serve God. I look forward to applying the knowledge and skills I’ve gained from both my major and minor in my own corps!

18 | WarCry 20 February 2016

LEADERSHIP LINKS

Cultivating people of depth has to be one of our highest priorities!

Her faith was as solid as a rock and she had a heart of pure gold.

Her conversations were always seasoned with grace and godly wisdom. Her love for Christ was unmistakable and his presence in her life almost tangible. She was the greatest encourager in the corps and the best example of a living saint one could ever hope to find. She was known to many as a woman of deep faith.

Christian commentator and author Gordon MacDonald writes, ‘Cultivating people of depth is one of the Church’s top priorities! Deep people are a treasure greater than the preacher, greater than its latest programmes and even greater than its worship band.’ That’s a bold claim. Are deep people that important?

MacDonald describes what a deep person looks like: ‘Deep people are those whose lives are organised around Jesus, his character, his calling to a serving life, and his death on the cross for their sins. The abilities of deep people may be quite diverse, but each has the power to influence others to follow Jesus, grow in Christlikeness and live a life of faithful service. They love life, mix well with people, but are wary of spiritual entrapments.

They are known for their wisdom, their compassion for others and their perseverance in hard times.’

In Salvation Army terminology, we call this depth ‘holiness’.

We would say those who possess these attributes are ‘living the holy life’. Our Territorial Strategic Mission Plan’s first goal is to make ‘dynamic disciples of Jesus’—holy people with a deep and dynamic faith in Christ. Can you think of people in your corps or centre that fit that description? Are you a person of deep faith, living a life of holiness?

If cultivating deep believers is a priority for the Church, what can we do in our corps and centres to develop deep leaders? How did Jesus grow his followers from shallowness to holiness?

1. Emulation: In Jesus’ day, disciples desired to be like their rabbi. Role modelling was and still is vitally important today.

‘Come follow me.’ (Mark 1:17) 2. Information: Jesus taught biblical truths in a way that made followers think deeply about their meaning and application.

‘Therefore I tell you …’ (Mark 11:24) 3. Examination: Jesus sent his disciples into ministry situations and allowed them to be tested in the field. ‘Where is your faith?’ (Luke 8:25) These three principles are key to developing mature believers who live holy lives. They will become pillars of the church, Kingdom influencers who inspire others to go deeper in the Lord. They will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Cultivating people of depth has to be one of our highest priorities! Can I encourage you this year to do whatever it takes to deepen your faith and grow in holiness.

Lieut-Colonel Rod Carey Territorial Secretary for Programme

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

Territory leading big governance changes The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga is among the first countries leading worldwide changes in how The Salvation Army is governed.

Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson says a new governance structure started in this territory in November 2015 is focused on improving accountability, including moving power from individuals to groups and freeing up leaders to focus on governance.

Practically, the changes have seen management at all levels given the power to make more decisions—including dramatically increasing the amount Divisional and National Programme boards can spend in some cases without needing approval from higher up.

It also streamlines the approval process from different boards for a project.

Decisions are also to be made by boards, where each member has an equal vote. The new model covers all levels up to the Cabinet, now renamed as the Territorial Governance Board, where all members have an equal vote and equal legal responsibility for governing the Army, as required under New Zealand law. The territory is also looking to appoint some independent directors to the board who are not Salvation Army senior managers. They may be Salvation Army soldiers or from outside The Salvation Army and will bring skills and knowledge that aren’t already represented on the board, Robert says. He is also hoping to encourage a wider group of people presenting and giving information to the board.

‘We need to have more access to a broad range of voices from areas of The Salvation Army: employee voices, client voices, member voices, young people. It will end up with a reasonable mix of senior management, mostly officers, and external people.’

Taken all together the hope is these changes will simplify and improve decision making, while increasing accountability and transparency.

The other major change sees Robert as the Territorial Commander stepping away from all day-to-day management that he was required to be involved in before, to focus on his role as denominational leader alongside Commissioner Janine Donaldson and on governance. That governance role involves

Mission Matters | 19

managing five key areas: making a strategy, providing policy (rules and guidelines), appointing people to carry out that plan, making people accountable, measuring performance, and making sure risks are managed, Robert says.

‘The only boards I sit on now are boards with governance in the title. I don’t sit on any of the management boards. The Chief Secretary functions like a CEO, he runs The Salvation Army. My main task [as Territorial Commander] is to make sure this movement is very clear about its strategy and making the other four things fit.’

The changes are a ‘massive cultural shift’ from the hierarchical model The Salvation Army was founded on, where individual leaders were encouraged to consult others, but had the final say on all decisions, he says.

While that model was ‘efficient and effective’ in the early days of The Salvation Army, when it was a small but rapidly expanding group, it does not work as well in today’s world, where the Army works in 127 countries putting millions of dollars into a wide range of projects, Robert says.

Governance laws in many countries, including New Zealand, mean the model has to change to be legal.

‘Even the idea of voting has never been considered by The Salvation Army. At the moment The Salvation Army, in its regulations, effectively says: “You’re the Territorial Commander and everything is consultative to you, subject to the law in your country.” But the requirements of the Charities Commission and our Trust Deed say a board makes the decisions and the Territorial Commander is just one vote on the board.’

We want to be accountable and we want to be transparent.

However, it’s not only legal requirements driving the changes.

The Salvation Army’s theology on power, and on accountability and transparency are also at the heart of the decision to change, Robert says. The Army believes all resources are God’s and it should be held accountable for using those resources for the common good. That means it is committed to making sure people who support its work can see how their resources are used and making sure those resources are used well.

When it comes to power the belief is similar, including that the desire for power without accountability is wrong; that leaders are accountable and should serve, humbly, in love and for the common good.

‘Our Christian theology of accountability actually stands against our Salvation Army hierarchical structure where power rests with individuals. We want to be accountable and we want to be transparent.

It’s not just a matter of adapting because the world has changed, but

Photo: Salvation Army trustees Mjr David Bateman, Lt-Col Lynette Hutson, Col Willis Howell, Comm Robert Donaldson, Lt-Col Rod Carey, Capt Gerry Walker. Photography: Luke Tearle. the drivers from within say, “No one person should have total power.

We’re a community, doing work together and people should be heard.” ’ Those reasons apply to The Salvation Army worldwide and are part of a move to consider changing the way it is governed internationally.

The Hong Kong Macau Command, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary Territory, Australia Eastern Territory, and the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland are also piloting new governance structures. At the same time, The Salvation Army has also set up an International Governance Review, which will be making a proposal on possible worldwide changes to its governance structure.

… there needs to be a cultural change, from a command mentality to a collaborative, consultative way of working.

Robert, who was appointed by Salvation Army General André Cox to chair the review, says it has become apparent the system needs to change and the General is committed to this. Those changes will eventually see a huge shift in how decisions are made and who makes them, but replacing a system that has been in place for 150 years and is used in 127 diverse countries will take time and will be done carefully, Robert says.

The new governance model for this territory will be reviewed by the Territorial Governance Board after 31 October this year. Further developments will be suggested from the review, both by people within this territory and from International Headquarters in London. A new, permanent plan will then be made, which International Headquarters will be asked to approve.

Similarly, the International Governance Review will consider the changes made in each of the five territories already trialling new models, along with other research, to make its proposal for worldwide changes. Any final plans that are agreed will probably be rolled out to different territories at different times as appropriate.

However, whatever is agreed, the changes will need to go further than just the rules that leaders of The Salvation Army work by, Robert says.

‘The biggest change that needs to happen within The Salvation Army internationally is there needs to be a cultural change, from a command mentality to a collaborative, consultative way of working. We can change the structures, but there has to be that cultural change too.’

20 | WarCry 20 February 2016

In the second of this four-part series on Galatians, Chick Yuill looks at chapter two, where an argument between two great apostles changed the Christian church.

If history teaches us anything, it is that freedom is not cheaply won.

Nor is it preserved without blood, sweat and tears. And the story Paul sets out to tell in the second chapter of Galatians is further proof of those uncomfortable truths. It’s a tale that the Galatians and the ‘judaizers’ who were troubling them with their Jesus plus version of the gospel needed to hear.

As the unfolding story reveals, Paul’s insistence on forgiveness through faith in Jesus alone and freedom from ritualism and legalism has been forged in the red hot crucible of confrontation and controversy.

Conversation in Jerusalem Fourteen years after his conversion Paul travelled to Jerusalem.

This is probably the visit mentioned at the end of Acts chapter 30.

The ‘revelation’ that Paul tells us prompted his journey may well be a reference to the message of Agabus, a prophet who warned there would be a famine in Judea. In response to this prediction the believers in Antioch took up a collection and despatched Paul, accompanied by Barnabas and Titus, to Jerusalem with their gift—the earliest example of the church engaging in famine relief.

If nothing else had happened on that occasion, Paul’s visit to Jerusalem would amount to little more than an interesting footnote in church history. It turned out, however, to be a visit of more than passing significance. While Paul was there, he took the opportunity to arrange a private conversation with the three leading apostles—Peter, James and John—to ‘set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles’ (2:3). Paul’s concern, as we saw in chapter one, was to combat the influence of the ‘false brothers’ who ‘had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves’ (2:4). And the four-fold outcome of that meeting was everything Paul might have hoped for.

TIMELINE TO A CONFRONTATION The sequence of events leading up to Paul and Peter’s confrontation.

Paul’s encounter with the Risen Jesus (probably around the age of 30) was an act of grace that freed him from the treadmill of legalism and ritualism: … God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me… (1:15–16) That was followed by three years of meditation and preparation: I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus … (1:17) After that there was a brief two week visit to meet the leaders of the church in Jerusalem: Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas (Peter) and stayed with him fifteen days. (1:18)

Firstly, the Jerusalem leaders endorsed his teaching that salvation comes through faith in Christ and that nothing else is needed. How Paul must have loved writing that little phrase that carried so much meaning for him: ‘those men added nothing to my message’ (2:6). That was doctrinally important.

Secondly, they recognised there was room for their different ministries: ‘they saw that I had been entrusted with preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews’ (2:8).

The good news they shared was the same, but their emphasis and presentation would vary according to their very different contexts.

That was missionally important.

Thirdly, they did not insist that Titus should be circumcised, even though he was a Gentile (2:3). That was practically important—for reasons that should need no lengthy explanation!

And fourthly, the meeting concluded with a pledge of agreement: ‘James, Peter and John … gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me’ (2:8). That was important for the unity of the church. The only thing they asked of Paul was that he should ‘continue to remember the poor’ in Judea (2:10), something to which he was already committed.

Confrontation in Antioch Rarely in the 20 centuries of church history has a meeting run more smoothly and ended better than this one. But the battle for freedom in Christ was far from over and things did not continue smoothly.

The action moves swiftly from Jerusalem, the spiritual centre of Judaism and the cradle of Christianity. Now the scene changes to Antioch, the most important city in Syria, the place where the believers were first called ‘Christians’ (Acts 11:26) and a vibrant centre of missionary outreach.

Peter was visiting the city, presumably to see first-hand what was happening in the mission to the Gentiles. It’s safe to assume that he would have been supportive to the progress being made, for we know that some time before this he had undergone a dramatic change in his thinking. Peter’s vision in the city of Joppa and his encounter with There was a second visit to Jerusalem where Paul consulted with Peter and the other leaders: Then after 14 years, I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and, meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. (2:1,2) Later, there was a subsequent meeting with Peter in Antioch that led to a confrontation between the two leaders: When Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. (2:11–13)

Soul Food | 21

PART TWO OF FOUR Cornelius, a Roman Centurion in Caesarea, had left him in no doubt that the old barrier between Jew and Gentile had been dismantled through the death of Jesus. (Acts 10) Peter’s words to Cornelius are unequivocal: ‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile … But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean’ (Acts 10: 28). And that earlier testimony to God’s revelation makes his behaviour in Antioch all the more disturbing and disappointing.

It seems Peter spent some time in Antioch, happily enjoying the company of the Gentile converts and sharing food with them. However, when a group of ‘judaizers’ arrived from Jerusalem claiming to be from James, Peter withdrew from such fellowship out of fear of their criticism.

This had a negative influence on other Jewish believers, and even Barnabas was tempted to follow Peter’s lead (2:11–13). Peter was undoubtedly the leading figure in the church at that time. It was his confession of faith at Caesarea Philippi when he declared his conviction that Jesus was ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’ that became the rock on which the Church is founded (Matthew 16:13–19).

It was his preaching on the Day of Pentecost that brought 3000 people to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus. Clearly, Peter must have been a formidable figure who carried immense authority and charisma.

Definitely not a man to be challenged lightly.

But none of that cut any ice with Paul at this time. He saw no room for compromise on this matter, saying, ‘I opposed him to his face because he was clearly in the wrong’ (2:11). And, unlike their discussion in Jerusalem, this was not a private conversation between the two men: ‘When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?” ’ (2:14) In the presence of the assembled believers, Paul accused Peter, eyeball to eyeball, of compromising the truth of the gospel, of behaving in a cowardly manner, and of sheer hypocrisy. It’s an unsavoury incident that sits uncomfortably with our modern sense of the diplomacy and tact expected of Christian leaders, and of the confidentiality that should surround any disagreement in the church.

So what?

What can we say about this unpleasant stand-off? Or, more correctly, if we are to allow Scripture to shape us and form our thinking, what does this incident have to say to us? I would suggest there are several answers to that question.

This incident tells us there are some issues that are too important to be fudged and that honest disagreement does not grieve the Holy Spirit. If Paul had compromised on this issue, Christianity might have withered into a Jewish sect rather than grown into a worldwide church.

It tells us that even the most gifted and charismatic of leaders are flawed and need to be challenged. A failure to do so will erode the spiritual health and the missional strength of the movements they are called to lead. There is an all too human tendency—even in those who are called by God and committed to Christ—for power and authority to distort their perspective and even on occasion to corrupt them. The history of the Church is littered with the sad stories of leaders who

failed to hear the honest criticism of those around them.

It tells us that some things need to be dealt with in the open.

There is a world of difference between proper confidentiality and an inappropriate kind of secrecy that effectively disempowers the members of the Body of Christ, and allows leaders to make decisions without accountability to and scrutiny by the people of God. A local church or a denomination that discourages open and honest debate or that concentrates power only in the hands of the few who sit at the top of a hierarchical pyramid, will by its very nature be unable to develop a theology and missiology to reach a constantly changing world.

These are questions that are uncomfortable for us to ask and even more painful for us to answer. To evade them may be the easier option.

But to face them boldly and humbly may be as significant for our mission today as Paul’s confrontation with Peter was for the direction and mission of the Church 2000 years ago.

What are the major challenges facing us today as we seek to share the grace of God with a culture that is often as different and distant from the church as the Gentile world was from the traditions and practices of Judaism in Paul’s day?

COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY BARNABAS was a Jew from Cyprus, a very early convert to the faith. His birth-name was Joseph, but his fellow-believers in Jerusalem had named him Barnabas, which means ‘son of encouragement. It was an apt description of the man. He was among those who sold their land and gave the money to the apostles to provide relief for those in need (Acts 4:36,37).

When the church in Jerusalem was initially afraid to accept Paul because of his past actions, Barnabas spoke on Paul’s behalf and allayed their fears (Acts 9:27). The many references to Barnabas in the story of the early church present a picture of a wise and Spirit-filled man. He was committed to reaching people with the gospel and able to address the concerns of his more conservative brothers, who found it difficult to comprehend the speed with which the message of Jesus was breaking through the confines of the Jewish faith.

TITUS had a very different story. He was a much younger man, a Greek, who had been brought to faith in Jesus under Paul’s ministry and who become his trusted companion. He is mentioned frequently in Paul’s letters, always with great affection. In The New Testament letter that bears his name, he is addressed as ‘Titus, my true son in our common faith’ (Titus 1:4).

That same letter tells us that later in Paul’s missionary journeys he remained for a time on Crete to oversee the progress of the churches on that island. Clearly, this was a young man whose faith and talents developed to the extent that he became a kind of apostolic deputy to his ‘father in the faith’. His part in the story Paul relates in Galatians 2 would prove to be very significant.

22 | WarCry 20 February 2016

CALENDAR FEBRUARY 19–21: Fathers and Kids Weekend / Blue Mountain Adventure Centre 21: Welcome to Incoming Officers / Midland Division 20–21: Westgate Corps 20th Anniversary 22–23: Officer’s Councils / Midland Division 25–26: Addictions, Supportive Accomm. & Reintegration Service Workshops 26–28: Cabinet Retreat 27: Foundations of Youth Work Training / Northern Division 28: Divisional Celebration Meeting (Wellington City) / Central Division 28: Pre-School Ministry Conference / Northern Division 28: Welcome to New Officers / Northern Division 29–1 March: Officers Councils / Northern Division

MARCH 1–3: Officers Pre-retirement Seminar / Booth College of Mission 2: Spiritual Day / Booth College of Mission 3: Divisional Business Conference / Central Division 4: World Day of Prayer 5: Moral and Social Issues Council / Territorial Headquarters 5: Junior Soldiers Big Day Out / Northern Division 5–6: SpiritSong at New Lynn Corps 6: New Zealand Children’s Day

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 20–21 February: Westgate Corps 20th Celebrations 25 February: National Church Unity Meeting (TC) 26–29 February: Cabinet Retreat 6 March: Waihi Corps 7 March: Midland Division Retired Officers Gathering 11–12 March: Territorial Executive Council 13 March: Welcome, Messengers of the Gospel Ngā Kārere o te Rongopai Session 14–22 March: International Moral and Social Issues Council, London (TC)

Salvation Army Submission on Medically-assisted Dying The Salvation Army has made a submission to the Health Select Committee following a petition requesting that ‘the House of Representatives investigate fully public attitudes towards the introduction of legislation which would permit medicallyassisted dying in the event of a terminal illness or an irreversible condition which makes life unbearable.’ The petition asks for a change to existing law. The Moral and Social Issues Council prepared a submission approved by the Territorial Commander on behalf of The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory.

The Salvation Army strongly opposes any change to the current legal situation with respect to euthanasia and assisted suicide. It strongly supports increased resources for hospices and palliative care research to enable New Zealand society to continue to respond appropriately to the suffering of terminally ill people. To read the submission, go to the Submissions area of www.salvationarmy.org.nz/socialpolicy.

For additional information, go to the Euthanasia area of www.salvationarmy.org/masic or contact Captain Ross Wardle, Chair of the Moral and Social Issues Council—e: ross_wardle@nzf.salvationarmy.org

Do you know these people?

HAMILTON, David James, born August 1971 in Townsville, Australia GEORGE, Gene Kelvin, born 1947 in Otorohanga BAYLY, Roger Phillip, born 1959 in Wanganui

Help us find these missing people and bring peace of mind to their families p: (04) 382 0710 | e: family family_tracing@nzf.salvationarmy.org salvationarmy.org.nz/familytracing

Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 26–29 February: Cabinet Retreat 25, 27 March: Johnsonville Corps Easter Services

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Nuku’alofa, Oamaru, Otahuhu, Palmerston North and Papakura Corps, Salvation Army Bridge Centres, The Salvation Army in Korea.

Find SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES online:

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War Cry … DIRECT to your door Annual subscription (including p&p) $75 (within NZ). To subscribe, contact Salvationist Resources, p: (04) 382 0740, e: mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org

Remember the 5 SMART rules when using the internet and mobile phones 1. SAFE: Be careful not to give out personal information.

This includes your email address, phone number and passwords.

2. MEET: Meeting someone

you have only been in touch with online or on your phone can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and only when they are with you.

3. ACCEPTING: Accepting

emails or messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems—they may contain viruses or nasty messages!

4. RELIABLE: Someone online

might lie about who they are and some information on the internet is not true. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows.

Fun4Kids | 23

E P O W E R T M P H O N E

Q S H P A R G O T O H P T

S I T X U W E B S I T E S

A C D S D R M I S T X E T

F O T F E Z A L M D X P T

E N H G E L I E U A A I Z

Source: www.childnet.com

M G B Y R E T T A B T S S

U S E R T S C A R E F U L

N U F D R A O B Y E K A R

Pixels

Careful

Photographs

Power

Danger

Icon

Safety

Download

Images

Smart

Email

Internet

Texts

Fun

Keyboard

Trust

Mobile

User

Mouse

Websites

E G A P E M O H X A Y W U

Parents Phone

Stay Safe Online

‘But let your “Yes” be “Yes”, and your “No”, “No.” ’ Matthew 5:37 (NKJV)

It’s ok to say ‘No’!

Let’s Talk

We want to remember the danger of talking to people online, visiting nasty websites, and even people messaging us online or texting our mobile phone (if we have one) and asking us to send

D O M D A O L N W O D L S

Homepage

Read It

Jesus wants us to be smart and stay safe by saying ‘yes’ to what is good and ‘no’ to everything that is bad for us or others. But sometimes our friends and people we don’t know can pressure us into switching our ‘no’ into a ‘yes’.

Y A U B M I N T E R N E T

Battery

5. TELL: Tell a parent, carer or trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online or by phone.

T Z N S S A L M U R G X Z

Let’s Pray photos of ourselves or meet them somewhere. These are dangerous things that are not good for us.

It’s okay to say ‘no’ when someone you don’t know starts messaging you. It’s okay to say ‘no’ by refusing to visit websites that contain rude, violent or mean stuff. It’s okay to say ‘no’ by not sending photos of yourself over your phone or online when someone asks you to. It’s okay to say ‘no’ when someone you don’t know or that your parents

don’t know and trust asks to meet you in secret.

It is NOT a good idea to keep secrets about any of this! It IS okay to talk to Mum or Dad about what’s happening. They understand it can be hard to talk over technology sometimes and they want to keep you safe too. So show them the sites you’re visiting and let them know about the people you talk to online and over your phone.

Dear Jesus, help me to use the internet and my phone in a way that keeps me safe.

Help me to always talk to Mum and Dad about what I am doing and to trust their advice. Amen.

KIDS PEAK ADVENTURE 25–29 April 2016

MOTHER & KIDS WEEKEND 13–15 May 2016

THE ODYSSEY 9–15 July 2016

KIDS PEAK ADVENTURE 3–7 October 2016

FATHER & KIDS WEEKEND 28–30 October 2016

THE JOURNEY

14–20 November 2016

To book your adventure contact us today freephone 0800 00 BMAC (2622) | bmac@nzf.salvationarmy.org

bluemountainadventure.org.nz

@bluemountainadv facebook.com/BlueMountainAdventureCentre