23 July 2016 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 23 July 2016 | Issue 6647 | $1.50

ATE 30 YE R B E AR EL C SO S ER

RNATIONAL E T LEA IN D

s i r A

IN TONGA ION ISS FM

, a g n o T e!

LEARNING TO BE AN AVERAGE ACHIEVER SELF DENIAL: ONE FAMILY, ONE HOPE LESSONS FROM LEGO FIREZONE: STICKS AND STONES … THE TRUTH ABOUT WORDS WELCOMING REFUGEES

Let’s Talk | 03

02 WarCry 23 July 2016

Kia ora It’s a small world WAR CRY

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga Territory FOUNDERS William & Catherine 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 PROOF READING

Major Jill Gainsford COVER

Photo: General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox with Tongan young people Photography: Major Christina Tyson 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

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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.

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When I was five, my parents took me to Disneyland. One of the highlights was the ‘It’s a Small World’ ride. I recall sailing past figurines of children from all over the world singing along to the simple happy tune, ‘It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears / It’s a world of hopes and a world of fears / There’s so much that we share that it’s time we’re aware / It’s a small world after all’.

Now, perhaps more than ever before in our history, we’re conscious of just how small our world really is. We’re far more aware that what we buy and how we live can have a negative impact on the livelihoods and futures of those who are part of the production chain in other countries.

We understand how the policies of governments impact lives far beyond their nation’s borders. I’ve recently returned from The Kingdom of Tonga, where The Salvation Army celebrated its 30th anniversary. With its very flat land mass, it was obvious to me that Tonga is on the front line of global warming. This, of course, is not something that Tonga has much power to change.

It’s an area where the global community must step up its game.

We’re also aware that the world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since World War II—and that tightening borders is not the solution. Again, this is a challenge that requires nations to work together.

In this edition, you’ll read about how The Salvation Army is supporting refugees in Solingen, Germany. Local Salvation Army church members saw the need—and so they went to authorities with one simple question: ‘What can we do to help?’

This week, The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga is kicking off its annual Self Denial Appeal to support the mission needs of the Army in developing countries and in places where financial resources are sparse. It’s a small world and we want to play our part. What can we do to help? We can give and ask God to bless and use our giving.

Christina Tyson Editor

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09 INGRID BARRATT

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BIBLE VERSE Leviticus 19:33-34 New International Version

‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.’

Rewitikuha 19:33

‘Ki te noho hoki te tangata iwi kē ki a koe, ki tōu whenua, kaua koutou e mahi i te kino ki a ia.’

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WISE WORDS

Paddington Bear was a refugee with a label —‘Please look after this bear. Thank you’—and he had a little suitcase.

Michael Bond

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like to think I fly the banner for averagely-achieving mums.

Recently, we held our first proper, kids-high-on-candy birthday party. And by ‘held’, I mean, we got the people at McDonald’s to provide (what can only loosely be called) food —as well as balloons, gift bags and a playground.

I made a cake. And by ‘made’, I mean I bought a giant banana cake with chocolate icing at Pak ’n Save, iced over it using a whole bottle of red food colouring, then plonked on a picture of Lightning McQueen (a sassy race car, and my son’s hero).

The whole shebang was a health and safety nightmare … and the kids loved it! They slid, banged, ran, jumped and kapowed. They ate fried food. I got several compliments for my ‘double-iced’ cake (my lips are sealed). And when everyone had left, a wonderful thought crossed my mind. ‘It’s someone else’s job to tidy up.’

But for me, the best moment—or more accurately, the most breath-taking moment—was when my son Jacob put his four-year-old arms around me and whispered, ‘I’m so proud of you, Mummy.’ It was a moment he has surely forgotten, but I will never forget. Those words were like a candle flickering in the dark. Proud of me? The mum who rents a party and doesn’t even bake a cake.

In the past, I have tried so hard to be an A+ mum … and failed spectacularly to live up to my own expectations.

According to the blogosphere, motherhood is about how well you can create perfectly organic meals, while keeping your home

Pinterest-perfect, rocking your child to sleep with no thought to your own bone-tiredness, and crafting toys by your own hand.

All while blogging about your perfect life as a mum.

Feeling the weight of failure spiralled me into postnatal depression when Jacob was born, and since then, I’ve been on a journey of slowly realising that being an average parent is actually okay. It’s okay to be average at baking, cleaning, crafting and remembering bath time. It’s even okay to underachieve in party management. Because we are giving extraordinary love, attention, care and affection every day. And most of the time we do remember bath time. Like so much in God’s world, it’s the unseen things that matter the most.

Fast-forward four years, and I’m taking my child to McDonald’s for his birthday. I like to think I’ve learnt a thing or two about letting go of false expectations.

Jacob constantly reminds me of how God sees us. We expend so much energy trying to be successful. If life is a party, we’re striving to have the most fashionable outfit, the killer dance moves, the best jokes and the most expensive toys. Yet God cuts right through all our successes and failures. He loves us deeply and widely and vastly. God puts his arms around us and whispers, ‘I’m so proud of you.’

Everyone is welcome to God’s party. And even though our culture doesn’t give us permission, I think that God gives us permission to sometimes—just sometimes—let others tidy up.

While we bask with him in the beautiful chaos of life.

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Bookshelf Psychology Grit Dr Angela Duckworth There is a popular statistic that if you deliberately practise any one thing for 10,000 hours you will become an expert. Dr Angela Duckworth sums up this ability to stick with something in one word: grit.

Incorporating tales from her own life at West Point Military Academy, Duckworth asks why naturally talented people frequently fail to reach their potential. Resilience and single-mindedness seem to be the keys to outstanding achievement.

Duckworth offers a ‘grit formula’ in this book—and although it’s wise to be wary of formulas, the good news is that talent does not define your success. (Penguin Random House)

New Tech

Bible Reading The Big Little Bible Bible Society NZ Bible Society New Zealand has launched a new app for mobile devices to help parents share the Bible with their kids. Aimed at kids aged 8–10, the app includes 30 Bible stories from the Contemporary English Version and seeks to bridge the gap from paraphrased Bible stories to independent real-text Bible reading.

The Big Little Bible app’s illustrations use a unique ‘one line’ art technique called contour drawing, where the pencil never leaves the page. Kiwi illustrator Meesh Holswich’s unique style of art dovetails with the overall message of the Bible.

‘One line, one thread, from the beginning of the Bible until the end, it’s all one story. Each illustration is made with one continuous line, which then joins with the next illustration, and the next, representing the one story than runs through the Bible from beginning to end,’ she says. The 100 illustrations took more than six months to complete and were made especially for the app.

Bible Society New Zealand’s biblical literacy research found that many children would read, listen to or watch Bible stories more often if they were on computer or mobile app. This is their third mobile app.

Download The Big Little Bible app for FREE from the Apple and Google Play stores

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of Glimpses of Te Omanga, tell us why you are grateful for the hospice movement.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 6 August.

Blessings of the Righteous winner is G. Kitto

Memoirs Glimpses of Te Omanga Keith Newman Working as a nurse at Lower Hutt’s Te Omanga Hospice for seven years, Beryl Anderson was able to share first-hand the experiences of people in hospices. Here, she collates their stories, expelling the myth that hospices are places people go to die. On the contrary, the care received in the hospice has, in some cases, so revived ill people that they have returned home to enjoy many more months of life. With the current hotly debated topic of euthanasia, these stories provide a differing perspective where people are given the dignity of allowing nature to take its course in a caring atmosphere.(Self-published. Order from dougandberyl@xtra.co.nz)

Theology Delighting in the Trinity Michael Reeves In this defining book, available from the Booth College of Mission library, Reeves begins by acknowledging that many people won’t even pick up a book on the Trinity as it has received a rather bad rap as heavy-weight doctrine.

But he makes the great point that ‘Christianity is not primarily about lifestyle change; it is about knowing God’. Here, the Trinity—God the Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus —is presented as the source of love, and the ultimate love relationship that defines God. The Trinity is what allows us to have a relationship with God, and the Trinity is what strengthens us to live the Christian life. (IVP academic)

Reel News

Drama Love and Friendship Whit Stillman / G Love and Friendship, based on Jane Austin’s novella Lady Susan, is a celebration of the author’s sharp wit and famously satirical voice. The real joy of this film is that it recaptures Austen the novelist, rather than Austen the rom-com brand. Although the costume, foibles and linguistic charm of the 1800s are all here, the idealism is gone.

Romance is strictly in the background, focusing instead on the complexities and nuances of societal mores in which money and social standing are paramount. The film’s scenes are even played out like an Austin novel, capturing tableaus of conversation.

The main character, Lady Susan, is played by Kate Beckinsale—a widow who has no money. But she has one very distinct advantage, her great beauty.

And this she uses with unequivocal skill, manipulating the men around her so that she is never without the comforts of home. If, as the title suggests, the film is about love, it is in the most ironic sense. And if it is about friendship, it’s a Victorian version of a ‘real housewives’ alliance.

A fascinating sub-theme focuses on the meaning of Christianity and the 10 Commandments, highlighting the hypocrisy of a society that preaches sacrifice, but practises social manipulation for selfish gain.

Director Whit Stillman captures the story, the wit and irony with great relish. He delights in every wicked nuance and makes the most of the more ludicrous characters. Sometimes it teeters on slapstick, but there are also many laugh-out-loud moments. It may not capture the heart like the more romantic Austin genre, but it is still excessively diverting.

War Cry does not endorse or condone all the content in the films, albums and books we review. Our reviewers endeavour to inform readers of helpful and harmful components of the items under review.

Feature | 05

Welcoming Refugees Germany has made space for more refugees than any other European country. Salvation Army officer Captain Ollie Walz and his wife Christiane have been leading The Salvation Army’s response in Solingen, a city of 155,000 people between Düsseldorf and Cologne.

BY CHRISTINA TYSON

y August 2014, the United Nations’ refugee agency, UNHCR, reported that the number of people forced to flee their homes across the world had exceeded 50 million for the first time since the Second World War—an increase of six million from 2012. Aid agencies were struggling to cope with the emerging humanitarian crisis.

More and more people were making dangerous journeys across borders by boat and then on foot to flee violence and war. Many were from Syria, which had already suffered an influx of refugees from Iraq and was in the grip of civil war.

Toward the end of 2014, Ollie and his wife were in their car coming home from a Salvation Army territorial leadership conference, listening to a news report about refugees on the radio.

‘We said to each other that it was clear this would be a big thing in Germany,’ Ollie recalls. ‘We weren’t sure at all of what we could

do, but already we could see that the refugees would come with so many needs.’

On the Monday after, the local newspaper ran a story saying The Salvation Army was receiving donations of clothes for refugees—even though Christiane had not been asked about this.

She and Ollie only found out when a TV station phoned to ask how the clothing appeal was going. ‘That was the first we heard,’ says Ollie, ‘but we felt this was God’s way of saying to us that we must care about the refugees.’

Germany is an attractive destination for refugees because it has a good government and a strong economy. ‘A lot of countries were saying, “We don’t want refugees—we don’t like you and you’re not welcome.” And so they offered no food or support. And, of course, some countries are very poor and did not have the resources to help. Austria was welcoming, for example, but is a small country.

06 | WarCry 23 July 2016

‘But then our German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said, “We will welcome all refugees.” I was so proud of the German people! To see in Munich hundreds of people come to the train station with food and clothes, and nappies and toys for the kids. I was proud of our very strong welcome. The Germans saw how bad the situation was for the refugees and it touched their hearts.’

Rallying the troops Ollie and Christiane are corps officers (pastors) of a Salvation Army church congregation—or ‘corps’—of around 30 people. Ollie says while that sounds small, in Germany, it is a fairly typical size for The Salvation Army.

The couple, who are in their mid-30s and have four children aged from four to 13, also oversee the Army’s youth work in Germany, Poland and Lithuania. But life was about to get busier.

‘Our first problem was what to do about receiving the donated clothes,’ Ollie says. ‘We started by putting out a basket in our second-hand shop with a sign that said, “For refugees”. But in just over one week, we received two tonnes of clothes—too much for our small shop to handle. So we moved our Volkswagen out of the garage and stored the clothes in there. Within a week our garage was full. The German people were so generous. They gave us good, new stuff for the refugees. Not rubbish. It was amazing!’

As the refugees poured across the German border from Salzburg in Austria, they were taken to a large refugee centre in Rosenheim for processing. When refugees arrive in Germany, they are allocated to refugee camps in various cities, staying for two to three weeks at most. From there, they are helped into accommodation in flats—often in a third location, but with some staying in the same city.

‘Our cities didn’t really know how many refugees were coming, so at the beginning it was a real learning process for all of us to find out the good way to help,’ remembers Ollie. ‘Everyone in Solingen was really struggling at first. We were learning all the time about the best systems to help people.’

Initially, Solingen turned its school gym halls into refugee camps. ‘The men were on the right-hand-side, the women on the left. It was just bed, bed, bed—no privacy. And kids were running everywhere. It was a very strange atmosphere.’

Last August, with the gym halls full, Christiane and Ollie went to a new refugee centre set up in an old government building just 200 metres from their house. ‘We simply asked, “What can we do to help you?”

‘The man we talked to did not know The Salvation Army, but he was happy we came. I told him that we could not help with personnel because we were only small and all our people work, but we could help with clothes and toys for the children. We also offered to create a children’s room at the centre—to paint and fit it out for the kids.’

Those from the Salvation Army corps were eager to show their support. One of them suggested their brass band could play for the refugees, and the refugee centre said yes. ‘So we went, taking helium balloons for the kids, and our band played. We decided not to wear Salvation Army uniform, because the refugees don’t understand it and some come from countries where the military is not friendly—many have left their countries because of war. So only a few of us wore clothing with Salvation Army branding.’

Almost 200 people came to the outdoor concert. ‘They were dancing, clapping and laughing—they had a great time! And our Salvation Army people were really touched by the refugees as well.’

Feature | 07

The blessing of helping others They went ahead with transforming a room at the centre for children, and now run a children’s programme that includes making balloon animals, craft, singing and food. The aim is to give the children a good time, a touch of normality.

Ollie says you don’t have to scratch below the surface very far to see the effects of trauma on these young lives. ‘When a balloon pops and children huddle together in fear, you have to think about what they have experienced.’

The Salvation Army doesn’t want to inflame religious tensions, and for that reason does not include any Christian component in its children’s programme, Ollie explains. ‘One day, a child whispered to our assistant, “Are you Christian? I am also a Christian.” For some who come from Muslim countries, this is a secret—their Christian faith is not something they can speak about—so I don’t want to pressure them about Jesus. We’re not doing this to make Christians, but to help people in their need.’

He says the children have now become so familiar with The Salvation Army, they will often simply walk through the door to the Army hall whenever it’s open.

sounder path than fear and hatred. ‘Many people are afraid of what welcoming refugees will mean for their own income, for instance.

For Germans, to get housing can be hard, yet we are finding flats for refugees. So it is a challenge to support refugees, even for a well-organised country like Germany.

‘But we have welcomed them anyway, because it is the right thing to do. Now, we will support them to integrate, helping them learn the language and culture and get work, so they become part of Germany.’

Speak Up for Refugees Salvation Army General André Cox asks Salvationists and friends to sign a petition signalling their solidarity with refugees. The #WithRefugees petition has been organised by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). It will be delivered to the UN’s headquarters in New York in September ahead of the UN General Assembly high-level summit to address large movements of refugees and migrants.

kids, while the women cook together,’ Ollie explains.

‘It’s not just about food and cooking; it’s about fellowship. They have great fun, chatting and laughing. It’s like being a “normal” person again, enjoying something that they would have been able to do in a more peaceful past. They can also enjoy food that has the taste and smell of home—Arabian food, not European food.’

I can’t even imagine what it is like to be so afraid for your children, so desperately in need of hope and security.

Compassion in action

The corps’ initial support for the refugee centre in their neighbourhood was extended to providing clothes and toys to five centres. During the busiest part of the refugee influx, these items were usually distributed on a Friday. The hall where Sunday church services are held was emptied and clothing moved in. A table with coffee and cake was laid out to help people feel welcome, with a separate area for children to play.

Those distributing clothing soon learnt that different cultures had different ways of choosing their clothes. ‘People from Africa would stay four hours and look over and over the clothing, with the whole family and children chatting and being together, but those from Arabic countries of Syria, Iraq and Egypt were very quick—just a few minutes,’ Ollie says.

They also learnt the blessing that comes from helping others.

‘To give a man a pair of trousers, or a child an old teddy bear —they’re so happy! It’s really amazing how grateful people are.’

With more distant borders closing, meaning less opportunity for refugees to make it to Germany, the need for clothing has decreased, so people now go direct to The Salvation Army’s secondhand store, rather than its hall.

However, a more recent development has been opening the corps’ kitchen to refugee women. When Ollie and Christiane were first appointed to Solingen, the kitchen was in a very bad way. The Salvation Army had put on a Saturday meal for the homeless and the elderly for 20 years, but the kitchen was long overdue a costly makeover. With funding support from Norway and Canada along with other sources, a cramped and ill-equipped kitchen became a great space that offers another precious touch of normality.

On Fridays, women from the refugee centre have an open invitation to bring their food (purchased from a small allowance they receive) and cook a meal at the Army hall. ‘We look after the

The Salvation Army’s profile in Solingen has lifted because of its refugee work, but Ollie is more excited that, as the refugees have come to know The Salvation Army, the first step in a relationship has been formed. ‘They will look for us again,’ he says, with certainty. ‘Besides, this is really the work The Salvation Army has to do: to see the need of people and be there to respond.’

Unsurprisingly, Ollie now has a far greater empathy and compassion for the plight of refugees. ‘Their lives were in danger,’ he says, struggling to find the right English words to explain what is in his heart. ‘When I think about what they’ve done to reach Germany … you talk to people and they are crying as they share their hard stories. Some have children just one or two years old, and they’ve put them in small boats and then carried them hundreds of miles.

‘As a parent, I can’t even imagine what it is like to be so afraid for your children, so desperately in need of hope and security.’

As well as developing empathy for refugees, Ollie says he has gained a deeper understanding of the Bible. ‘I now better understand what it meant for Jesus to be a refugee child. I read the Old Testament and understand what it is like to go out from your country to be a refugee.’

Those who attend the corps have also benefited from serving.

‘A member of our music team had a child come and give her a big hug to say thank you—this was for her a special moment. ‘So we have given, but we have received back love. You can see the heart of our people, some of whom had to leave their own homes after the Second World War and were helped by The Salvation Army. Now they are supporting and praying for the refugees—they are giving back. Of course, we will stop when we are not needed. We have learnt to be flexible, to look for the next thing to help people.’

Ollie understands why some people are not happy to see an influx of refugees to their country, but he says selflessness is a

The petition calls on governments to: ΕΕ ensure every refugee child gets an education ΕΕ ensure every refugee family has somewhere safe to live ΕΕ ensure every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution to his or her community.

The Salvation Army works with and alongside refugees around the world, with programmes in Europe and across a number of African countries.

General Cox says, ‘The Salvation Army’s long-standing approach of “Heart to God, Hand to Man” has included providing practical and spiritual assistance but also pressing governments to help the poorest, most vulnerable members of society. The #WithRefugees petition will raise awareness of the difficulties faced by people forced to flee their homelands and, I hope, will lead to governments doing more to provide refugees with a safe home and the opportunity to be integral members of society.’

According to UNHCR figures, worldwide levels of displacement are higher than at any time in human history. More than 65 million people have been forced from their homes, including more than 21 million refugees, over half of whom are under 18.

The UNHCR website says, ‘Each day war forces thousands of families to flee their homes. People like you, people like me. To escape the violence, they leave everything behind—everything except their hopes and dreams for a safer future. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, believes that all refugees deserve to live in safety. Add your name to the #WithRefugees petition to send a clear message to governments that they must act with solidarity and shared responsibility. We stand together #WithRefugees.’

Go to www unhcr.org/refugeeday/petition and sign the petition

AN INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE Stay up-to-date with The Salvation Army’s response to the refugee crisis at www salvationarmy.org/ihq/ europerefugees

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Lifestyle | 09

BUDGET

HEALTH

Brain Blowout

Frying Better Than Boiling

Q&A How can I be closer to my brother?

Research has found that cooking your veges in high quality olive oil is better for your health than boiling them.

It’s so satisfying when—every now and then—a health study offers up news we actually want to hear. In this case, research from the University of Grenada has found that cooking vegetables in extra virgin olive oil is better for your health than boiling them.

Researchers found that cooking vegetables with extra-virgin olive oil increased the antioxidant-rich phenols—naturally occurring compounds known to be anti-inflammatory and a preventative against chronic illnesses.

But boiling did not have the same phenol-boosting effect.

The sneaky ways your brain tricks you into blowing your budget, and what you can do about it.

The cost sunk fallacy: The more you invest in something, the harder it is to pull out—even when we can see that it’s not working. This isn’t just for big decisions, like whether to keep your business going, it also plays into our thinking when we go to the mall because we need a new pair of jeans. We can’t find jeans we really like, so we buy some that are okay—only to spot a pair we love a couple of weeks later and buy them too. Recognise when you’re being tempted to invest in the wrong thing and ask yourself what the real cost will be. This works with everything from your weekly shopping, to knowing whether to stay in a bad relationship.

Choice-supportive bias: We’ve all been there—talking ourselves into buying something, only to admit too late that it wasn’t the right decision.

Bring on buyer’s remorse! This is because when we want something, we tend to ignore the opposing voices in our head to protect the decision we want to make. When you find yourself doing this, give your opposing voice some space.

Anchoring bias: If you go out for pizza and it costs $50, you’d walk out of the restaurant. But two doors down, pizza is selling for $30 … which suddenly seems cheap. Shops do this all the time by overpricing their products, then when they go on ‘sale’ you feel like you’re getting a bargain. The only way to avoid this is to do your research, know how much you should spend, and be strong in sticking to your budget.

‘Essentially this builds on the fact that we know many antioxidants and other phytochemicals need fat to be absorbed—taken a step further it seems that by actually cooking in the oil (as opposed to dressing or drizzling with cold oil) more oil gets into the vegetable itself and makes more of the phenols available as well as adding those present in the oil,’ says nutrition expert Dr Joanna McMillan.

‘It’s a lovely study as it shows us that cooking can be beneficial, and indeed frying and roasting in the right oil can also be a good thing.’

Extra virgin olive oil is made with the freshest olives, meaning lower acidity and more stability when heated. ‘Light’ olive oil or plain olive oils are chemically refined versions that don’t contain the health benefits or the stability during cooking.

Other oils—especially vegetable oil—have added chemicals that make some experts question whether it’s even fit for human consumption.

But there is one important caveat (and a bit of a bummer): this is not an excuse for a fry-up! Using oil is always going to have more calories than water, but a good solution is a quick sauté or stir fry in extravirgin olive oil.

Source: www.stuff.co.nz

The bandwagon effect: This is making a decision just because ‘it’s the normal thing to do’. It’s normal in our culture to go into debt to buy a house, car or lounge suite. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right decision—only you know how much you can really afford.

Learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun! Julia Child

Hearty Beef Casserole This casserole’s rich savoury smell will fill the house, promising a wonderfully comforting meal | Serves 5–6 750g blade (or other stewing) beef steak 2 Tbsp flour 1 Tbsp butter or oil 2 onions, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 2 stalks celery, sliced 425g can savoury tomatoes 1 tsp oregano 2 Tbsp orange juice 1 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp instant beef stock 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Slice steak into 5mm strips, removing all fat. Dust with flour, then brown half at a time in a pan with butter and oil.

Brown onion, then place everything into a casserole dish and cook at 180°C for 40 mins.

As soon as the meat is tender, stop the cooking process as overcooking may dry out your meat.

Did you know? Cooking in earthenware containers has always been common in most nations, but the idea of casserole cooking as a one-dish meal became popular in America in the 20th century, especially in the 1950s when new forms of lightweight metal and glass cookware appeared on the market.

From Dollars and Sense Cookbook by Alison Holst www.holst.co.nz

How can I build a closer relationship to my brother? We come from a loving family, but don’t have much in common and have never been close.

Being siblings is a unique relationship—but you are also unique individuals. This means you will have different personalities, strengths and weaknesses.

Yet you have one thing in common: the same family. For you, this sounds like it was a source of strength, rather than pain—so you have a great starting point to develop a closer relationship. However, the things that cause siblings to drift apart usually start early in life— there is no one you will be more compared to than your siblings.

This can cause us to wear unfair labels (such as, ‘he’s sensible, but she’s a runaway’). It can also cause competitiveness that leads to resentment.

So, the first step to building a closer relationship with your brother is to identify and let go of anything that may be a source of resentment.

Often the most simple and effective way is simply to understand you’re different—but that doesn’t mean better or worse. Accept your sibling for who they are, and accept yourself for you who are.

And accept if your brother doesn’t put the same effort into your relationship. You are doing this because it is a desire of your heart.

You may have to break old patterns—picking up the phone, saying an awkward ‘I love you’ (and getting an awkward response), and taking an interest in the things that are important to him. Celebrate his strengths—knowing that they are not a threat to your own strengths.

It may feel uncomfortable while you change the ‘steps’ of your family ‘dance’—but as you persevere, he will more than likely adapt and learn the new ‘steps’ too.

Just ensure you don’t wear yourself out trying to make the relationship work. See it for what it is, and make it work as best you can—but only if it is working for you as well.

Testify Filipe Saafi of Tonga made some poor choices, but now he’s focused on giving his best to God. I’m 23 and work as The Salvation Army’s regional youth and children’s worker in Tonga.

When I was young I was a good boy, obedient to my parents and attending the Wesleyan Methodist Church with them every week. But it didn’t mean anything to me.

Starting high school away from my village of Talasiu was my first experience of peer pressure.

I started smoking, drinking and even taking drugs, just to fit in with the older boys. In primary school I had been among the brightest, but now my studies started to suffer.

I hate looking back on this time because I hurt my mum so much. I’d come home drunk and sometimes I’d get angry and throw things. I’d hear her crying and praying for me at night and I saw I had lost the respect of my community. But I didn’t know how to change things.

At Easter 2008, my mum and sister went away to an Easter camp, but I was too sick. My friends invited me to parties, but I said no because I was sick.

Then I heard music coming from The Salvation Army hall across the road. I’d been to some youth things at The Salvation Army there before—but only for the food. They were having an Easter camp there, with lots of people staying on the property.

I ended up watching the movie

The Passion of the Christ at The Salvation Army. I could see myself in the crowd as Jesus was dying. I didn’t know I was crying until I felt the hands of people on me as they prayed for me.

That was on Good Friday.

On Easter Sunday I went back.

There were lots of thoughts and memories going through my head, and I was still worried about what my friends would think of me if I got serious about following Jesus.

But then the corps officer preached about the women going to Jesus’ empty tomb and the angels asking them: ‘Why are you looking for life in the place of death?’ That really spoke to me, and I opened my heart to God for the first time.

I knew it would be hard for me to stand against my friends, but the corps officer told me, ‘If you want to change your life, you must change the people you are with!’

After a while, I decided to

drop out of school to focus more on God. I worked in The Salvation Army’s garden and cleaned their toilets, and while I did that I would be praying. I’d tell God, ‘Even though the corps officer is not around and not checking what I am doing, I believe you are watching … and I am doing this for you!’

Because I knew God was faithful to me, I wanted to be faithful to God. After a while, people in The Salvation Army encouraged me to go back to school. It was hard studying when I was two years behind, but I prayed that same prayer: that I would do my best for God. I passed two years of study and graduated.

Today, I tell other young people about the importance of study, because I believe that’s the key to a good future. I also challenge them to make good decisions and to live their lives for God.

Let’s Talk

Helping you find lost or separated family members

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

salvationarmy.org.nz/family-tracing

NAME: ADDRESS:

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

10 | WarCry 23 July 2016

Close Up | 11

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Arduous Emergency care (5,3) Provide food for Power to withstand hardship ‘Do ___ others as ...’

Half a matched set Impolite look On the Socialist spectrum Alternative to steps Literally, ‘I forbid’ Halo It might be airtight Graph line Greyish Rustic dance (4,5) Tall and thin

29 Facilitate 30 Not well versed

Down 1 2 3 5 6 7 8 10 14 17 18 21 22 26

Disconnect Click with someone (3,2,3) Italian money Develop industry Accent (6,4) Yearly Person losing weight Current passes through this Similar (4-6) With no intelligible meaning Childlike (4-4) Kind of ticket Modem connection (4-2) Secluded valley

QUICK QUIZ 1 2 3 4 5

What animal was introduced to NZ in 1837 to establish a fur trade?

What NZ poet uses the maxim ‘tell the story, tell it true—charm it crazy’?

Which three areas of the UK voted to remain part of the EU? What condiment was sold as medicine in the 1830s?

What ruler was eaten by worms before he died?

Why putting your phone on silent could be the most spiritually significant thing you do this year.

You may have had a chuckle at the ads on TV where a variety of people are driving with a friend in the car, while Lionel Ritchie croons his famous song, ‘Hello’. When a cellphone goes off, the passenger takes the driver’s hand—leaving them feeling somewhat bemused, confused or amused. At the end, the message is, ‘Put me first. Drive phone free.’

The campaign, funded by the New Zealand Transport Agency, is a response to the high rate of accidents caused by drivers checking their phones. The NZTA found that even though we generally disapprove of texting or talking on the phone while driving, most of us a guilty of doing it at times. Driver distraction causes 12 per cent of accidents in New Zealand.

That’s because humans can’t do two things at the same time. A lot of recent research has found multitasking is a myth. We can rapidly switch from one task to the other.

But when we try to do two tasks at once, both tasks suffer. Try texting in a meeting—can you really give all your attention to the person talking? Or how about talking on the phone, while trying to hear what someone in the room is saying to you—it’s so frustrating!

Author Walter Brueggemann says our obsession with multitasking is the result of a ‘culture of commodity’. We want more stuff.

We want more money. We even want to cram more tasks into our time—because we need to be more productive.

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

This means we no longer know how to truly experience Sabbath rest, as God intended for us. The Israelites turned the Sabbath into a farce because of their culture of ‘more’—perhaps most conspicuously with Solomon and

his accumulation of wealth, exotic possessions and, of course, his 700 wives. That’s why God, in Isaiah, says he ‘hates’ their worship and is ‘weary’ of their festivals (Isaiah 1:12–17). They never truly rested from their obsession with acquiring wealth.

‘This is the epitome of ‘multitasking’, says Brueggeman.

‘In my horizon, the most unwelcome form of multitasking is with the cell phone—on the phone while at dinner with a guest or while driving. But a much more poisonous form of multitasking is taking notes during a church service … not notes on the sermon but a grocery list or calls to return or deals to make. Multitasking is the drive to be more than we are, to control more than we do, to extend our power and our effectiveness. Such practice yields a divided self, with full attention given to nothing.’

Pretty heavy stuff. But what Brueggeman is really saying is that multi-tasking has become so ingrained in our thinking, we find it difficult to give our full attention to one thing. In particular, it can take away our ability to give our full attention to the most important things: God, and other people.

As always, God knows us better than we know ourselves. What psychology is just discovering, God has known all along: when we try to do too much, we can’t fully do anything.

God says, ‘Put me first.’ If we want to worship God with a truly undivided heart, we need to recapture the real meaning of Sabbath rest. Stopping. Really stopping. Not trying to get things achieved on the side. Just being.

And maybe it’s starts with the simple act of turning our phone off.

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

One Family, One Hope Bringing hope and life to the family of Salvationists around the world is the aim of this year’s Self Denial Appeal.

The annual Self Denial Appeal, which encourages Salvationists to give one week of their earnings to support overseas mission, launches this month. This year’s theme is ‘One Family, One Hope’, which Territorial Public Relations Director Shane Chisholm says is based on the idea that all around the world, Salvationists are all part of one big family of God, working together for one hope of changing lives here and forever.

‘We’re a global family, here to support each other and spread the good news of the gospel.’

The theme is based on the text from Matthew 12:46-50. In verse 50, Jesus says, ‘Whoever does the will of my father in heaven is my brother or sister or mother.’

Funds from the appeal are used to support The Salvation Army’s work in developing countries, such as India, Jamaica, Moldova and Myanmar. Work by the Army in these countries is being highlighted for the appeal to show how the money helps supporting and building God’s family.

One thing that makes the Self Denial Appeal stand out from other international charity appeals is that it does more than just support immediate life needs, Shane says. ‘The funds raised from this appeal don’t only help with physical needs of those in developing countries, it also transforms lives through the spreading of the gospel.’

Commissioner Janine Donaldson is a big supporter of the Self Denial Appeal after seeing first-hand the hope that Self Denial brings to people—and the value of giving for the person who is giving. ‘It’s providing fantastic health care for people, it’s providing education, it’s providing refuge for girls and boys who have been abused—safe spaces. People are able to be rescued from a number of terrible things.’

During a trip to India last month, Janine was able to see one of the projects being highlighted this year as an example of how the Self Denial Appeal transforms lives around the world.

Seeing the impact of that service—which provides counselling and support for women in the sex industry and care for their children —along with visiting other Salvation Army programmes in India was a powerful reminder of the value of the Self Denial Appeal, Janine says.

‘As we went around India we saw the benefits of sharing our resources with others yet again, and it’s motivating for me. I’m challenged to think: What am I doing to achieve that? What am I offering? What am I sacrificing?’

During her trip, Janine visited projects providing homes for elderly people with nowhere to live and food and education for children living in a slum—sometimes the only meal they get all day. Another motivating visit was to the Philippines, where she was reminded that the Self Denial Appeal provides still more opportunities to people, she says.

‘Where I visited, I saw how money that is provided through Self Denial helps children go to school who would otherwise never get that opportunity—and that provides opportunity for a better future.’

However, the value is not only for those who receive, Janine says.

People in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory have ‘very giving and generous hearts’ and for the past two years have raised more than $1 million annually. And this giving also helps the giver. Giving is an important part of who The Salvation Army is and an important Christian spiritual discipline, Janine says.

God needs his people to have open and generous hearts.

‘I think it helps keep you grounded. In places like New Zealand where it’s so easy to obtain things, it’s very easy to take for granted how rich we are. An old song in the Salvation Army songbook reminds us that out of his riches God giveth and giveth again—but God needs his people to have open and generous hearts.’

The Self Denial Appeal begins on 24 July, and the appeal Sunday —when donations are collected—is on 28 August. In addition to raising funds, people are being encouraged to pray and spend time considering the mission and needs of each country by using a Self Denial devotional booklet of devotions by Captain Mal Davies from the Australia Southern Territory. The booklet includes specific prayer activities and a prayer focus for each week.

Celebration is also part of this year’s appeal, Shane says, with paper moustaches, glasses and bowties included in the promotional supplies corps receive. The aim is to get corps to take photos showing their family and corps family, with people encouraged to share their photos online, using the hashtag #selfdenial2016.

‘We’re hoping to encourage people to have a little bit of fun as they remember that at the end of the day we’re all one family and we’re all contributing to the worldwide Salvation Army.’

23 July 2016 WarCry | 13

‘Authentic leadership opportunities, decision making and spokespeople roles are the heart of our project to show that teenagers have the passion, commitment and knowledge to change attitudes and behavior,’ says Ashleigh.

‘BE A MATE, DON’T SEND HATE’ When I was at primary school the faces of my bullies looked very much like the faces of my friends. The girls who one week were hanging out with me at lunch time were the next week forming the ‘evil canevil gang’ and I was their main target. I’m not sure if this happens so much with guys, but girls, we are our own worst enemies.

The internet is creating more and more ways to bully and be bullied. But some clever Kiwis are taking a stand.

Once upon a time in a land long ago—before the internet—schoolyard bullies were left powerless when their attacks were met with the pronouncement of these 13 words: ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me’.

Let’s face it, most of us have probably looked at a post or two and quickly formed an opinion.

But forming and sharing that opinion are two different things. We make snap judgements based on a captured moment or an article with a bias that is nowhere near the truth.

At least that’s what children told themselves as they cried themselves to sleep remembering the sting from nasty name calling, which often was a poor effort of finding an insult that rhymed with their name or some physical feature.

There is a solution to cyber bullying that many well meaning adults have suggested that is both unrealistic and impractical. Simply ignoring your phone or avoiding the internet altogether is not the solution. That smells a little like the ‘sticks and stones’ mantra that has lost its power to the trolls and keyboard warriors of today’s environment.

Who am I kidding? That’s the very reason I hid my middle name from the world for so long. I would go so far as to make people promise to not reveal my middle name if I was filling in any official forms that others would see. Negative words can have lasting consequences in our lives!

With the increasing power of the web there are more and more ways to bully and be bullied. Where once you could generally leave your bullies at the school gate or your front door, these days the nastiness travels the World Wide Web to torment you like a spider that scurries across your bedroom wall as you’re about to go to sleep—keeping you always on alert and full of anxiety.

But reimagining the mantra is a group of students who have created an award-winning anti-bullying initative led by youth in its development and delivery.

Sticks ‘n’ Stones aims to educate students about the physical and mental pain inflicted by bullying at schools, including cyber bullying.

18-year-old Ashleigh Smith, the current chair, will shift to a mentoring role in line with the group’s commitment that this is youth-led, rather than having adults coming into schools and telling students how to behave like so many other anti-bullying programmes.

Simply ignoring your phone or avoiding the internet altogether is not the solution.

RUSHING TO JUDGE Texts, Facebook, Tumblr, Askfm, Snapchat are all ways people share their lives with their family, friends, acquaintances and even total strangers. This window into each others’ lives can be misread as an open invitation for comment and criticism.

‘We decided our group would be totally teenage-led, so we make all the decisions. It is teenagers relating to teenagers and young people taking the lead to promote positive actions.’

It’s a refreshing change to see the youth voice being given the microphone to speak into its own culture and offer solutions.

While Mean Girls is a made-up story, it reeks of real-life inspiration. School girls have grown up and become mummy shamers—criticising others to make themselves feel better. There’s a quote I’ve seen shared on social media that cuts to the chase: ‘You can always tell who the strong women are. They are the ones building each other up, not tearing each other down.’

Luke 6:31 reminds us: ‘Do to others as you would like them to do to you.’ Sounds pretty straight forward, aye? If we thought about how we would feel reading, hearing or receiving the stuff we so flippantly dish out would we be so willing to do it?

‘CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE U WRECK YOURSELF­—WHAT ARE U POSTING ONLINE?’ Many people treat the internet like a goldfish, when it’s much more like an elephant. Goldfish are known for having a short-term memory, while elephants never forget.

We post online and think the delete button will make it all go away. But you need only look at how often there are news items about some celebrity’s deleted tweet to know that once something is online it will never really go away.

Have you heard of ‘the Streisand effect’? It describes the phenomenon when trying to hide, remove or censor a piece of information instead ends up publicising that same information more widely. It’s usually helped along by the internet.

Before you share that picture of you or someone else, try pausing and ask: ‘Is this something I’d want a prospective employer or future mother-in-law to see?’

I’m probably showing my age, but I don’t really understand why sending snapchats of your friends asleep or in a state of compromise is a good thing for you to do. You might think it’s harmless, but you have no control of where and how that picture gets used once it’s left your possession.

‘DON’T BE A SHEEP, BE A SHEPHERD’ It is really easy to be caught up with the crowd, following along with the majority or remaining silent when to speak up for someone else might paint a target on your back. Ashleigh recently attended an international anti-bullying conference in Ireland. The theme was ‘Bullies, Bullied and Bystanders’.

Unless we’re careful about our actions, anyone

of us can fulfil the role of the bully or the bystander. Often bullies have been bullied. This does not excuse the behaviour, but it does add to the complexity of this whole issue.

So, what does it take to move from being a bystander? How can we make change that is lasting? Because let’s face it, bullying exists in workplaces, churches, sports teams and families. How would Jesus have us respond?

life speaks to others? How does your online presence impact others?

Romans 12:1 –2 says, So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-towork, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.

How does your online presence impact others?

1 Timothy 4:12 says, Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

That’s a pretty big challenge right there! If we each embraced the challenge and sought to go against the tide of popular opinion and behaviour, stopped throwing sticks and stones and lived a life that reflected Jesus—how would things change? How would you change?

I reckon God is looking for young people to put their hands up to be involved in reaching their own generation for him. Like Sticks ‘n’ Stones has recognised, there is power in the familiar voice of one’s peers. Where is your voice heard? What is the message that your

Readily recognise what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

You can check out Sticks ‘n Stones at

sticksnstones.co.nz

14 | WarCry 23 July 2016

Our Community | 15

Tonga, Arise! General’s Visit Marks 30 Years of Mission

Excited Tongan Salvationists welcomed the first visit of a General to their country for the Army’s 30th anniversary celebrations. The theme for the weekend was ‘Arise’, taken from Isaiah 60:1 —Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

Tongan officers and soldiers gathered at Fua‘amotu International Airport on Friday 1 July, enjoying music from New Zealand’s Hamilton City Corps Band as they waited for General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox to clear customs. While at the airport, the General took the opportunity to meet Tonga’s Prime Minister, the Hon. Samuela ‘Akilisi Pohiva.

The Army’s international leaders were accompanied by territorial leaders Commissioners Robert and Janine Donaldson.

Previous national leaders of Tonga were also back to share in the 30-year celebrations.

Tonga’s regional leaders, Captains Sila and Malia Siufanga, are the first indigenous national leaders of The Salvation Army in Tonga.

Sila was sure the weekend would be a time of great encouragement and challenge for Tongan Salvationists. ‘We are part of an international Salvation Army, but we have been here 30 years and we want to belong locally—to be a truly Tongan Salvation Army!’ he said.

The first full day of celebrations got off to a great start with a march of witness through the streets of Nuku‘alofa to Queen Salote College Hall, the weekend’s venue.

A large ‘Arise’ banner and Army flags led the way, with Hamilton City Corps Band and the Tonga Regional Youth Band helping to keep people in step. Every corps took part, with some of the many children sponsored by The Salvation Army’s ‘Cherish a Child’ programme marching as a group. International and territorial leaders were at the front of the march, but once at Queen Salote College, they stood on the college steps to take the salute as people marched past.

In the meeting that followed, the General urged people to nurture their relationship with God and not to become complacent, compromise their faith or rely on past experiences. ‘This isn’t a time to sit down—this is a time to rise up, because God has a work to be done in this Kingdom of Tonga!’ he said. Well over 50 people moved to the mercy seat to pray after the General finished preaching.

In the afternoon, the international leaders shared lunch with Tonga’s officers, followed by officers councils.

The evening was a spectacular celebration of Tongan culture, the joy of Jesus, and the energy of the Tongan Salvation Army. Young and old from every corps performed, with the audience donating money to show their appreciation of the talents on display. The $2396 Tongan dollars raised will help strengthen the Army’s work in Tonga.

Commissioner Silvia Cox reminded people that the Army’s message was one of freedom and hope. ‘It is a message worth proclaiming—and it is our duty to do so,’ she said. ‘Let us arise and shine for Jesus!’

On Founders’ Day Sunday, General André Cox enrolled 30 senior soldiers in the morning holiness meeting—increasing the region’s total number of soldiers by 20 per cent. In the evening meeting, he enrolled 30 junior soldiers, telling adults these children were looking to them to see what it meant to live like Jesus.

16 | WarCry 23 July 2016

Our Community | 17

The General emphasised that becoming soldiers meant more than just becoming church members; in a world of sin and suffering, Salvation Army soldiers also needed to be ready to serve.

It was the first Sunday since the law prohibiting most commercial business on the Sabbath was tightened to re-emphasise that Sunday is a holy day in Tonga. The General asked if Sunday worship was so respected and routine that Salvationists took it for granted, becoming satisfied with a superficial relationship with God. ‘If we neglect the Word of God then slowly we will become dry in our soul, and we will die,’ he cautioned.

In the afternoon, the General and Commissioner Cox shared lunch with some of Tonga’s local officers, taking the chance to thank them for their faithful service. Over a pizza dinner, the international leaders spent time getting to know some of Tonga’s young adults.

Following the evening enrolment of the new junior soldiers, the General’s private secretary, Captain David Williamson, testified that after ignoring God’s voice for a long time, he finally started living out what he promised as a junior soldier: ‘to be [God’s] loving and obedient child’. In obeying God by becoming a Salvation Army officer, ‘I have found the most fulfilling life. God has given to me more than I could imagine or dream,’ he said.

Youth and children’s worker Filipe Saafi also shared his testimony, telling how God had brought purpose and direction to his life. [Ed—see page 9.]

Commissioner Silvia Cox emphasised that God’s soldiers needed to have the determination to do God’s will, to continue to run the race that God had for them even when it was hard, and to live their lives with purpose. ‘We need to run toward the goal—and the goal for us here is: Tonga for God!’ In both the morning and evening meeting, Regional Commander Captain Sila Siufanga encouraged people to open their hearts to God, his voice frequently breaking with emotion.

Individuals, couples and families moved forward to the mercy seat in response to his invitation. In the morning meeting, the General called people to fulltime service as Salvation Army officers, with a large number signalling their willingness.

The General presented certificates of appreciation to Mele Tupou Sina for seven years’

service as a kindergarten teacher (the certificate accepted by her daughter); ‘Alelaite Kauhalaniua, for 12 years as a kindergarten teacher; Lemaki Ulamoleka, Tonga’s longest-serving corps sergeant major, at 20 years; and Siua Palu, the longest-serving senior soldier.

In bringing the 30th anniversary celebrations to a close, Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson thanked all who had made the weekend such a success—including the visiting Hamilton City Corps Band (which included a number of other New Zealand players), Tonga’s regional leaders, Captains Sila and Malia Siufanga, and Colonels Barbara and Willis Howell.

‘I think that in a territory made up of New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga, because you are the youngest part and the smallest nation, maybe sometimes you feel the least important,’ the Territorial Commander told Tonga’s Salvationists. ‘But if only the rest of the territory could have your heart and commitment. We are so proud of this region!’

Captain Sila Siufanga thanked the General and Commissioner Silvia Cox for their excellent ministry over the weekend, presenting them with tapa cloths, a precious possession in Tonga. ‘You are now honorary Tongans,’ he assured the couple.

On their way to the airport the following day, the international leaders stopped at Fua‘amotu Corps, where they were treated to some dancing, followed by an impressive example of Scripture memorisation by a four-year-old from the corps. There were plenty of tears as the dancers said farewell to their guests with the song ‘Thank You for Giving to the Lord’.

‘Thank you for making our stay such a wonderful visit,’ responded the General. ‘We have felt very much a part of the family, because we are family. We thank you for your faithfulness—you are a people who are very close to God.’ Sila asks people to pray for committed Tongan officers, the region’s youth and children, and local leaders willing to serve God and their communities. ‘Even though Christianity has been in the Kingdom of Tonga for a century, it still needs to be lived out in people’s lives. It’s not just about dressing up for Sunday—it’s about God living in us, and us helping to bring the full life of Jesus to others.’

General Thanks Cyclone Relief Workers Fiji is described as ‘the happiest country in the world’, but that wasn’t true after Tropical Cyclone Winston struck in February, leaving sorrow in its path as it took lives and destroyed homes and crops.

The Salvation Army in Fiji has been serving since then, their efforts aided by generous financial support from New Zealand donors. Recovery in Fiji is progressing, although a lot of people are still experiencing trauma after the strongest recorded cyclone in the Southern Hemisphere.

General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox visited Fiji to thank some of those involved in the cyclone relief work before heading back to The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters in London.

The couple travelled to Saweni Corps, near Lautoka in western Fiji, where they received the type of grand welcome reserved for a respected chief. Many officers had travelled to Saweni from around Fiji, joining locals to meet the Army’s international leaders.

Commissioner Robert Donaldson, leader of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory, thanked Fijian Salvationists for helping in the troubled times following Cyclone Winston. ‘You have gone out into the community and modelled the love and servant nature of Jesus Christ,’ he said. ‘You have shown Fiji the heart of The Salvation Army.’

A multimedia presentation ‘Stronger than Winston’ gave an overview of the relief efforts. After watching this, General Cox expressed his deep gratitude to those who had worked so hard. ‘When people’s hopes are dashed, we roll up our sleeves and we go out,’ he said. ‘Thank you for being a living example of Christ as you reached out to people who were hurting. Our hearts should always be open and tender to meet the needs of those around us.’

In a brief Bible message, the General encouraged his listeners to guard against hypocrisy, which he said weakened the credibility of the church. ‘When we do not walk what we talk, then we walk with a limp.

God says, “If you truly love me, show it to your brother—love and serve him.” ’ Such love was to be without discrimination, he added.

A group of young men from Saweni Village received special recognition from both the General and Commissioner Donaldson because of their work to help those affected by Cyclone Winston. ‘You have learnt about team spirit as you have come together to work and serve,’ said Commissioner Donaldson. ‘You’ve learnt to rely on one another and to care for and support each other.’ It was his prayer that they would follow Jesus, make good choices, and stand for God in their families, studies, work and community as godly men.

A delicious and generous afternoon tea was enjoyed as the young men from Saweni presented a number of cultural dances.

Gifts were then given to the General and Commissioner Silvia Cox, before a heartfelt song of farewell from the Fijian Salvationists to their international leaders.

18 | WarCry 23 July 2016

Mission Matters | 19

LEADERSHIP LINKS

Do we have any intention of living the life we sing about with such conviction?

Someone has offered the rather uncomfortable observation that while we Christians work hard to not tell lies, we don’t seem to mind singing them. Ouch!

The sound of a congregation passionately singing praises to God can be wonderful and inspiring. But tell me, do we really mean everything we sing? Or do the words simply fall from our lips like leaves off trees in autumn—without any real thought, let alone any real intention of actually living the life we sing about with such conviction?

Consider these lines from songs most of us know and sing with full-voiced gusto. Measure what we so easily declare in these lyrics against the life we actually live. And take special note of unconditional words like all, every/everything, surrender: • ‘I give my life to follow / Ev’rything I believe in / Now I surrender’ • ‘All that I am, all I can be / All that I have, all that is me / Accept and use, Lord, as you should choose, Lord’ • ‘Though I’m weak and poor all I have is yours / Ev’ry single breath’ • ‘All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give’ • ‘Lord … I live for you alone / Ev’ry breath that I take, ev’ry moment I’m awake / Lord, have your way in me’ • ‘I’ll stand / My soul, Lord, to you surrendered / All I am is yours.’

If what’s found in Scripture gives us any indication, a mismatch between what we say (or sing) and how we live is like fingernails scratching down a chalkboard to God. We can sense his exasperation as he protests: These people say they are mine. They honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more than human laws learned by rote.

(Isaiah 29:13, NLT) I hate all your show and pretense—the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies …. Away with your hymns of praise! They are only noise to my ears. I will not listen to your music, no matter how lovely it is. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, a river of righteous living that will never run dry. (Amos 5:21–24, NLT) The sad truth is that it’s possible to sincerely admire and even worship Jesus without refashioning any part of our lives to mirror his. It’s the spiritual version of that frustrating practice of over-promising, then under-delivering.

The power to change all that is completely in our hands. We can live out the lyrics we sing so they are a true reflection of our lives, remembering that how we choose to live is ultimately far more important to God than the mere words we offer him.

Colonel Willis Howell Chief Secretary

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

Aspire Success Continues to Impress The Salvation Army’s Aspire programme is into its second year, and despite slimming down in numbers, leaders, students and parents say positive results from last year are continuing.

The Aspire programme supports teens aged 11 to 16 years at risk of poverty and social exclusion, with strained school involvement or a lack of engagement in positive social groups, and their families. More than 530 young people in 32 centres took part last year.

The Warehouse Group funded 100 per cent of the programme last year as its charity of the year. While there was less funding this year Warehouse Stationery and The Salvation Army have supported the programme for 250 young people and 22 Aspire groups in 20 locations.

Linwood Corps’ Children’s Ministry coordinator Hayden Mundy says excitement from schools after last year saw them expand this year from six to eight Aspire groups in the East of Christchurch. ‘The schools have loved the Aspire programme. We had one school that didn’t take it last year, but they were the first in this year asking to take part.’

The programme runs in four sections, with groups meeting weekly to work through a work book and activities based on the Circle of Courage model, which identifies four key development areas for teens: the need for connectedness, the need to achieve, the need for responsibility and independence, and the need for purpose and generosity. They also do a three-day outdoor adventure camp and come up with a project to support their community.

Upper Hutt Corps youth worker Scott Keane, who runs Aspire at Upper Hutt College, says the positivity from their group last year had encouraged more people to sign up this year. Last year, nine of the 12 boys they invited, joined up. They expected the same this year, but instead only one student who was invited decided not to join and the group has been very committed.

Schools help identify who would benefit most from the course, and Scott says his group is a mix of students—some from a background of serious, complex social needs, some who

are struggling but have leadership potential, and others needing help academically. The mix helps the group engage with people they often wouldn’t otherwise and to learn from each other. The support from the group helped one boy get over anger and trust issues he had from being badly bullied. Others found connections that encouraged them to stay in school, Scott says.

‘One boy, the school weren’t sure they were going to see him much last year—there was potential for him to drop out. But he was really committed to Aspire and they credit Aspire with him staying at school last year. This year, he’s had his ups and downs, but he’s sticking it out and we keep in touch.’

Among the Linwood Corps Aspire members, many had issues with truancy, Hayden says, but they’ve only had one person miss a team meeting all year and that was for a good reason.

‘Last year, we had one girl who was disengaged, causing huge issues in the classroom. At the beginning she was sitting out on the edge of the [Aspire] group. At the end she was all in, and the school was talking about how she was different in class.’

Many in the group develop strong bonds with their leaders, and in a survey of last year’s Aspire members 91 per cent said they felt their leader was someone they could trust. It’s a result Hayden’s seen again this year. Such as one student who was struggling and isolated from her friends and family.

‘She’s had a huge connection with our youth worker. They’ve started some mentoring and she’s saying, “You’re the person that I can trust most in my life. I feel able to be open and talk to you.” We’re now looking at how we can build strong connections with family, friends and community.’

At Albany Bay Corps, Children’s Ministries coordinator Olivia Huszack says the combination of group support, Aspire lessons and hard work from leaders helped one teen who was self-harming and suicidal to recover. She has returned to being an assured and happy young woman who loves volunteering at a primary school class the corps helps run.

‘She started coming to our youth group this year and to see the difference is incredible. She knows who she is and how much God loves her. She got that just from how we loved her.’

Many of the Aspire lessons focus on team work and leadership, with games and skills, but team members also work hard on applying lessons to their everyday lives. ‘They set challenges for themselves through the week based on what they’ve learnt. If they can’t see how it relates to school and to home then we have a nice group and it makes no difference,’ Hayden says.

All the leaders say the outdoor experience was a powerful time that helped their young people bond into a strong close-knit group,

who invariably surprised and inspired their leaders with the way they supported and encouraged others through activities like caving, abseiling and rock climbing.

Providing a place to belong was also key thing for their young people, Olivia says, and many had carried on to join the corps’ community youth group.

‘The kids who have come to youth group really feel like they belong to this place. They feel really comfortable with the leaders.

They’re opening up and sharing a lot more because we’ve built that relationship and they know we’re not just here for the year, we’re here for the long-term.’

… they know we’re not just here for the year, we’re here for the long-term.

An end-of-year survey showed Aspire’s community project helped young people grow in confidence and self-worth. Ideas ranged from one Linwood group starting an anti-bullying campaign at school by making a song and video, to the Upper Hutt High teens fundraising for the corps’ Community Ministries work.

For their community task, the Albany Bays teams fundraised to kit out 40 backpacks full of items for homeless teens, supported by a major discount from The Warehouse. They donated the backpacks to Youthline. ‘When they were putting them together, they were really thinking about who the bags were going to. I spoke with Youthline and they said they’ve given out almost all of them and they’re being used,’ Olivia says.

Aspire is also about developing relationships with families. So, the groups run family events such as community meals and movie nights.

At Albany Bays, Aspire groups meet at the corps and the leaders make sure they take time to speak to parents when they drop their children off at the group, Olivia says.

‘Parents are sharing a lot more about what’s going on in their children’s lives and their own lives. We ask if there’s anything else we can do for them. A couple of kids we know have been struggling, and one family has used our food bank and Community Ministries services.’

The end-of-year Aspire graduation celebration was also a good time to bring families together, with each young person celebrated, with positive stories about them and what they had learnt. This also provided Linwood with one of its highlights of the year last year, Hayden says, when an Aspire parent and school teacher interrupted his thank-you to the families to thank the Aspire leaders after seeing the impact on her son and others at school.

20 | WarCry 23 July 2016

Soul Food | 21

LESSONS FROM LEGO When his Lego skills left a toddler unimpressed, Jeremy Suisted learnt a difficult lesson in thankfulness. He reflects on the importance of that small word ‘thanks’, and on its extravagant implications in the unseen Kingdom of God. A few weeks ago, I was playing Lego with one of my friend’s kids. Pieces were strewn across the floor, and we were creating all kinds of freeform cars and buildings.

Midway through our Lego session, I noticed something. This boy is a polite kid, and 90 per cent of the time, when he’d ask me to help look for a specific piece, he’d add ‘please’ on the end.

But occasionally, he’d leave it off, and his request became more of an order. ‘Find me the chassis.’

Now, apart from my general unease that this pre-schooler knew more about correct mechanical names of a car than I did, I’d find myself feeling jarred the rare time when he neglected to say ‘please’ or ‘thank you’.

So I devoted myself and sorted through the mosaic of scattered Lego pieces to build a cannon-touting Western carriage—painstakingly following the instructions and hunting out each obscure piece. I finally completed the construction and proudly handed it over to him.

‘Thanks,’ he said. He then put it aside and played with something else, neglecting my masterpiece.

I wasn’t crushed—I won’t let a toddler get the better of me *single tear*—but it made me think. Why is it that we have to be taught gratitude? Why is this something that doesn’t come naturally to us?

You’d think that a child would recognise that their very existence and continued care was a total gift, provided by their parents. Every meal, every hug, every trip—it is all gift. Yet, children need to be taught to be thankful. And perhaps, so do we.

A year of living biblically When someone does something nice for me, I have learnt to say ‘thanks’ and to be thankful. But for the general grace of life and the glorious moments, I realised that I have cultivated a life that at best, takes them for granted. At worst, I have come to expect beauty and comfort to be a given—and am more angered at their absence than thankful for their presence.

Am I thankful for the glass of water after a hot run? Am I thankful for the ability to run? For the smell of coffee? For the laughter of friends? For the first moment of each day, as sleep gives way to life?

Esquire editor A. J. Jacobs spent a year trying to live by all the moral codes of the Bible. In his book—The Year of Living Biblically (a hilarious and insightful read)—Jacobs took the verse ‘give thanks in all circumstances’ literally, and forced himself into the habit of perpetually saying ‘thanks!’ to anything good he noticed. He writes:

It’s an odd way to live. But also kind of great and powerful. I’ve never before been so aware of the thousands of little good things, the thousands of things that go right every day … When you’re thanking God for every little thing—every meal, every time you wake up, every time you take a sip of water—you can’t help but be more thankful for life itself, for the unlikely and miraculous fact that you exist at all.

When we pursue thankfulness, it turns resources into delights.

It transforms the normal into unique. Life becomes more colourful, food more tasty, friendships become sweeter. Each moment is charged with life.

Learning from the Psalms In the Psalter, a famous verse says, ‘This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’

I’ve read and sung this verse many times before, but have missed the claim it is making. Although it points to a great day of joy and celebration—the resurrection of Christ—these words have also been sung and prayed many days before and many days since.

It starts with a ‘this’ and a roar! This—this day—this one specifically, is a day that has been made and is worthy of joy and thankfulness. Each day is a gift, and each day is worthy of thanks.

I have come to expect beauty and comfort to be a given—and am more angered at their absence than thankful for their presence.

Saying ‘thanks’ makes us more thankful. I have learnt this the painstaking way, of trying to record moments each day which are worthy of thanks. At first, my list was embarrassingly short—I saw all of life as something I expected.

But as I began to record moments and reflect on each day, suddenly my gratitude grew. A tiny green sprout, to be sure, but it slowly infiltrates to unexpected moments of my day—and I find myself speaking ‘thanks’ to God in the mundane and the ordinary.

From the way the sun shines on the road, to the smell of coffee in a café, a kind word from a stranger or a great moment with a friend —each of these is a gift, and each is worthy of thanks.

Is this your rabbit?

Giving thanks is far from a meaningless platitude; it is a doorway into an invisible kingdom, where we see things unseen.

The world is full of the invisible. As anyone with a rudimentary understanding of physics will know, we live in the midst of invisible waves and hums. Right now, I am standing in a cocktail of AM radio waves (and their slightly cooler FM cousins), WiFi signals, electromagnetic pulses, photons bouncing around the room,

When we pursue thankfulness, it turns resources into delights … Life becomes more colourful, food more tasty, friendships become sweeter. Each moment is charged with life. microwaves from space and bizarre world of quantum particles.

We know these invisible hums and energies are there around us, but we can’t see them. We’re not on their wavelength, so we live and move within them, aware-yet-unaware.

A few months ago, I was chatting with my Uncle Clive. He had been up in Kingsland, Auckland, and was walking back from a cafe, when suddenly a lady appeared with a rabbit. She wasn’t a magician, but she stopped my uncle and asked him, ‘Is this your rabbit?’

Clive politely told her he didn’t own a rabbit. She thanked him and, told him she’d found this rabbit wandering along—so was going doorto-door in Kingsland, trying to find the owner.

Clive left, about to go on with his day. But then he stopped, and went back. ‘I knew that there was a good story there,’ he said. ‘What drives a person to grab a lost rabbit and go door-to-door, trying to find the rabbit’s owners?’

So Clive went back and chatted with this person. I don’t know what happened to the rabbit, but I do remember Clive’s words, ‘There was a good story there.’

Through the bustle of the everyday, he had heard the hum of something more—and had decided to chase it. To look behind the scenes, and to discover the extraordinary behind the ordinary.

Each moment is charged with the hum of possibility and of a sense of yearning for God’s Kingdom to break through.

The hum in the ordinary Frank Laubach was a missionary to the Phillipines who decided to focus his life on seeing the potential and extra-ordinary behind each moment.

After spending years building the habit of continual prayer, Laubach remarked, ‘All during the day, in the chinks of time between the things we find ourselves obliged to do, there are the moments when our minds ask: “What next?” In these chinks of time, ask him: “Lord, think thy thoughts in my mind. What is on thy mind for me to do now?’ When we ask Christ, “What next?” we tune in and give him a chance to pour his ideas through our enkindled imagination. If we persist, it becomes a habit.’

Perhaps it is no accident that the most common miracle of Jesus’ was healing the blind. Perhaps even this is a message of grace and a hint that in following Jesus, we all need to have our eyes opened to the hum of God’s Kingdom and the possibility that is in each moment.

So today, why not pray and ask to have your eyes opened to what God is doing around you? Why not follow the lead of Laubach, and ask Christ, ’What next?’ Why not silence your soul and listen for the hum of the Kingdom and the story behind the ordinary?

Jeremy Suisted is an innovation consultant and blogger, whose articles you can find at www.jeremysuisted.com.

AN EXERCISE IN THANKFULNESS

Jesus among the ordinary

Spend some time in contemplation …

When I read the gospels, one thing of late has been jumping out at me.

Almost all of the people who Jesus encounters remain nameless. They aren’t the famous names of history, but are the ordinary people of the everyday.

The descriptions of these people stress this: a blind man, sick mother-in-law, leper. A woman caught sleeping around. A man who can’t walk. A Roman.

Who are these people? They are the people we walk past every day. The lawyer. The solo mum. The entrepreneur. The immigrant. The teacher. The tradesman. The student.

Again, when one of the earliest followers of Jesus shared the story of God’s redemption with a non-Jew, the only description we get is of him as an Ethiopian eunuch. No age or name—just a brief title.

These moments of love, of possibility and of depth are not hidden away at some Christian conference, at the top of a mountain or within the pages of a dense theological book. They are here in the everyday.

What are some things you are thankful for? Spend some time really thinking about this.

Pick one thing of particular meaning to you. Why are you thankful for this?

How does this reflect an unseen truth of God’s kingdom?

Now for the hard part …

The Bible says ‘Be thankful in whatever circumstances’. Think of an area of pain or suffering in your life—what can you thank God for in this circumstance?

How does this circumstance reflect an unseen truth of God’s kingdom?

How can thankfulness help you through this circumstance?

Give this to God in prayer.

22 | WarCry 23 July 2016

CALENDAR JULY 24: Self Denial Appeal Launch

AUGUST 2–3: Leadership Essentials / Booth College of Mission 8–11: Officers Fellowship / Midland Division 12–14: Missional Leadership Hui / Booth College of Mission 12–14: Southern Division Kids Camp (Timaru and North) 19–20: Central Division Youth Conference / Wellington 22–24: Lead to Grow Conference / Wellington 23–25: Re-reading the Scriptures / Booth College of Mission 28: Self Denial Appeal Sunday

SEPTEMBER 30 Aug–1 Sept: Personal Leadership / Booth College of Mission 19–22: 12 Steps Course (Part 1) / Booth College of Mission 29 Sept–2 Oct: Now is the Time Congress / Wellington

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 23 July: Northern Division Youth Councils (TPWM) 25–27 July: Appointments Conference, Booth College of Mission 3 August: Spiritual Day, Booth College of Mission 21–25 August: General’s Consultative Council, Singapore (TC) 27–28 August: Wellington, Wellington South Corps Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 25–27 July: Appointments Conference, Booth College of Mission 19–20 August: Central Youth Conference 28 August: Tawa Corps

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Chch City, Chch North, Clendon Corps Plant, Dannevirke and Dunedin City Corps, Central Division staff, and The Salvation Army in the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Solvakia.

Crossword Answers: Across: 1 Uphill, 4 First aid, 9 Cater, 10 Endurance, 11 Unto, 12 Hers, 13 Stare, 15 Leftist, 16 Ramp, 19 Veto, 20 Aureole, 23 Alibi, 24 Axis, 25 Ashy, 27 Folk dance, 28 Lanky, 29 Expedite, 30 Unread. Down: 1 Uncouple, 2 Hit it off, 3 Lira, 5 Industrialise, 6 Stress mark, 7 Annual, 8 Dieter, 10 Electromagnet, 14 Like-minded, 17 Nonsense, 18 Dewyeyed, 21 Raffle, 22 Dial-up, 26 Glen. Quiz Answers: 1 Australian brush tailed possum, 2 Sam Hunt (who released a new book of poems Salt River Songs in July 2016), 3 Northern Ireland, Scotland and London, 4 Ketchup, 5 Herod (Acts12:23).

MISSION CONFERENCE

An engaging two days on aspects of mission today.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS: Pastor Paul de Jong, Senior Pastor, LIFE Church / Chris Clarke, CEO, World Vision FRI 30 SEP, 9AM–3PM | SAT 01 OCT, 9AM–12PM Registration required

WORSHIP

Uplifting worship and challenge from the Word.

FRI 30 SEP, 7PM / Celebrate Now / Snr Ps Paul de Jong SAT 01 OCT, 7PM / Vision Now / Comms Robert & Janine Donaldson SUN 02 OCT, 8AM / Prayer Meeting 10AM / Life Now / Comms Robert & Janine Donaldson

KIDS

Exciting kids activities throughout Congress, including during the Mission Conference.

FRI 30 SEP, 9AM–3.30PM, 7PM / SAT 01 OCT, 9AM–12PM, 7PM / SUN 02 OCT, 10AM–12PM Registration required

Booth College of Mission Library Located in Upper Hutt, Booth College of Mission Library is a welcoming study space, with comprehensive, engaging books that will help you build your faith and the faith of others.

Membership Officers and Salvation Army staff are welcome to make use of the library and can sign up completely free of charge. Others are encouraged to become members as well, for an annual fee of $50. All library users can have books delivered straight to their doorstep (or office) anywhere in New Zealand by post (charges may apply).

Borrowing Policies The loan period for all books is six weeks and renewals and book requests can be made by phone, by using the online catalogue, or by email. Reference books and assignment books are not available to borrow.

Contact Librarian Alisha Tyson Phone (04) 528 8628 Email library@nzf.salvationarmy.org Go to www.salvationarmy.org.nz/boothcollege

YOUTH

Youth and young adults late-night gatherings plus a BYO dinner. Perfect for catching up with old mates and making new ones.

FRI 30 SEPT, 10PM–LATE / Café Hangs SAT 02 OCT, 4.30PM–6PM / BYO Dinner—we’ll supply dessert!

10PM–LATE / Youth Now / Fulton Hawk

CONCERTS

THUR 29 SEP, 7PM / Rhythm + Culture SAT 01 OCT, 2PM / #talentnow SUN 02 OCT, 2PM / National Youth Band and SpiritSong MICHAEL FOWLER CENTRE, WELLINGTON, NZ 29 SEPTEMBER–02 OCTOBER FOR MORE INFO GO TO

salvationarmy.org.nz/now

Fun4Kids | 23

code breaker

j es us sa id, ‘follow me and you won’t be wa lking in t h e da rk.’ a bcdefgh i jklmnopq rst uvwxyz A B C D

E

F GH I J K LMN O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Use the key to break the code.

Clue: John 8:12 (CEV).

Match the lightbulbs with the power source Unscramble these words 1. rchot

5. anlecd

2. snu

6. oomn

3. gtilh

7. apml

4. essdnark

8. ssrat

* Verses are from

Answers: 1. torch, 2. sun, 3. light, 4. darkness, 6, a. f; 3, c; 4, b; 5, d; 1, c.;8.2,stars.

5. candle, 6. moon, lamp, the NI7.VR

read it ‘Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way.

It is like a light that guides me.’ Psalm 119:105 (NIRV)

There are times we don’t mind being in the dark. It can be helpful to be in the dark when we’re sleeping (even though some of us like a night-light). But WALKING in the dark is NOT fun! We can bump into things and hurt ourselves. And it’s easy to get lost too.

The Bible is God’s letter to us. Reading the Bible and following its advice is like turning on a bright light so we know the best way to live.

The BEST THING in life is to know and follow Jesus and the teaching of the Bible.

let’s pray

Dear Jesus, I want to live for you.

Help me to read and understand the Bible so I have enough light to see where I am going in life.

Amen.

Try this TWICKY tongue twister …

You’ve no need to light a night-light On a light night like tonight, For a night-light’s light’s a slight light, And tonight’s a night that’s light.

When a night’s light, like tonight’s light, It is really not quite right To light night-lights with their slight lights On a light night like tonight.

16 SELF DENIAL APPEAL 20 SHARE WHAT YOUR ‘FAMILY’ LOOKS LIKE:

#selfdenial2016

WATCH THE SERIES, VIEW EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND DONATE:

www.selfdenial.info