25 January 2020 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION  25 JANUARY 2020 | Issue 6734 | $1.50

more than words Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Practice

Spiritual Life Update Why Waitangi?

Sneakers Bound for Samoa

Just Breathe: Managing Stress Bon Voyage!

Tips for Gap Year Travelling

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William

& Catherine Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

ACTING EDITOR Major Shar Davis | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Captain Jules Badger, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Vivienne Hill | COVER PHOTO Matt Gillon OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

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Future focus I’ll let you into a little secret ... We produce War Cry in advance, usually heading to print 10 days before the date of the edition. This means we have to be thinking ahead to what is relevant (date wise) for the edition, not the time we are working on the magazine. In the lead up to Christmas however, we completely produce the first edition, and write and edit the second edition for the next year before close-ofoffice for the year.

So this editorial was written in the previous decade (how trippy is that?). I’m thinking ahead, past Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, past my transition up to Auckland and holidays, and leaning towards Waitangi Day 2020 celebrations.

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua (I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past) is a whakataukī (Māori proverb) that speaks about Māori perspectives of time—the past, present and future are intertwined. The past is central to, and shapes both one’s present and future identity.

As The Salvation Army, our present is certainly shaped by our past—and our future too. Sometimes people say, ‘I just want to forget my past and move on’— perhaps you’ve said that. But we are shaped by our past and it offers commentary on our present reality.

We are committed to a bicultural partnership in New Zealand, and the honouring of indigenous cultures around the world is a priority in our modern expressions of mission. It is vital that we look ahead to the future, but we ignore the past at our own peril and the Army’s effectiveness.

Shar Davis Assistant Territorial Communications Secretary

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

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

Publishing for 136 years | Issue 6734 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts

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One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.

Frank Smith

Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Epeha 2:13 Nā, ināianei i roto i a Karaiti Īhu, ko koutou, ko te hunga i tawhiti i mua, kua meinga e ngā toto o te Karaiti kia tata.

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ike many New Zealanders, Graham Bidois Cameron (contributor to The Spinoff and newest external member of our Territorial Governance Board) is trying to get his head around bi-culturalism. In a blog post about Waitangi celebrations in his home town of Tauranga he wrote, ‘If I find meaning at all in Waitangi Day, it’s with these hopeful dreamers.

Waitangi Day is a repository of our hope for this wonderful little country.’

As Salvationists with our mission of ‘caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society’, and called to be bearers of hope, Graham Cameron’s is one of those voices we need to listen carefully to when it comes to how we approach Waitangi Day. A Christian and doctoral student of Religion and Theology at Otago University, Graham says, ‘It’s on a day like this that I can believe that the hope of partnership endures despite the betrayals, the racism, the hate, the failure and the loss. We know we’re different from each other, but we have something to offer each other in that diversity. We are trying to be a nation together and the gift of our tāngata whenua is worth protecting, learning and honouring. We don’t need to fear each other, but we do need to be honest with each other. That honesty will include a time for grieving. But that’s not forever.’

We often say that there are two sides to every story—and then there’s the truth. But when it comes to our beloved Aotearoa, this is an unhelpful adage because the truth is, we have a complex and painful history—the effects of which spill over into our present reality. That some of us don’t see it that way sadly illustrates this. Our history needs to be taught, discussed and wrestled with by everyone claiming New Zealand as their home. To speak of ‘sides to the story’ robs us of owning our shared

history—honouring the pain of the past—and working together to build a future filled with hope and reconciliation. And yet, there’s one day of the year, when many New Zealanders choose sides— often unintentionally and largely out of indifference.

In 2018 I had the privilege of being welcomed onto Te Tii Waitangi Marae, along with other Northern Division officers and leaders. It was a moving and challenging experience to be faced with the still raw grief and pain of elders who lament the post-colonisation disenfranchisement of many Māori.

The emotion that stirred within me that day—and what I can only describe as the grief of the Holy Spirit welling up within me—is something I will never forget.

I don’t know about you, but the choice to engage in Waitangi Day celebrations instead of going to the beach or spending the day in the garden (expressions of indifference I have previously participated in) feels like an invitation from the God of hope and reconciliation.

With Māori making up around 55 percent of our social service clients, William Booth’s ‘I’ll Fight’ call is as real and relevant today in Aotearoa as ever it was. Imagine if that same statistic was represented in our officer ranks, corps leadership and faith communities? I challenge you to look around and consider who is under-represented and overrepresented in your corps or centre.

As Salvationists, we have an important and prophetic role to play as a movement that preaches and works for reconciliation, justice, hope and freedom for all. It can’t be the job of Māori Ministry alone to advocate for biculturalism—it will take an Army—a united Army—Māori and Pakeha together.

BY JULES BADGER

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Sneakers Bound for Samoa Two hundred pairs of good-quality, donated sports shoes are en route to young people in Samoa, thanks to a partnership between shoe bank Lazy Sneakers and The Salvation Army.

Lazy Sneakers is a Wellington-based charity which collects and distributes sports shoes to people who need a pair for free. They have drop-off sites in Wellington and have started a project in Auckland for good quality second-hand sneakers that can be reused; sometimes, sneakers are even donated brand new.

Founder Maia Mariner, a student at Queen Margaret College, was eager to expand beyond New Zealand and help young people in the Pacific Islands play, participate in or develop their potential in sports.

‘There are a lot of young athletes who want to participate in certain sports, but they don’t have the proper footwear,’ Maia says.

‘It’s really important to me to help Samoa because that’s where my family is from.’

The Salvation Army helped Lazy Sneakers identify where the donations would be most appreciated, and will

distribute the sneakers once they arrive in Samoa.

Maia often gets to share the donations in person, which she says is incredibly rewarding.

‘Children are just so excited to receive a new pair of shoes, and they feel really cool when they put them on.’

‘That makes me feel really good, because I’ve been able to help them feel better about themselves.’

Now, eight boxes worth of sneakers will ensure that 200 young people in Samoa get this confidence boost as well.

Maia is keen for Lazy Sneakers to continue sending sneakers to Samoa and other Pacific Islands in the future.

‘We really want to help as many people as possible.’

MORE INFO | Check out their website lazysneakers.co.nz or Facebook page @lazysnkrs.

TEAMOF THEWEEK Information Services Group

(Territorial Headquarters) This week we’re giving a BIG shout-out to an entire team! ISG (Information Services Group) is a tireless bunch of clever people who make sure Salvation Army computers, phones and other techy-techy stuff around the territory are functioning well and in tip-top shape. Often a disembodied voice at the end of the phone when we’re having a bad day, each member of this team is deserving of our sincere thanks. They’re patient with us, work under immense pressure (there’s not many of them for the size of the operation they serve) and committed to ‘enabling the mission’ at the front line.

Thanks ISG—you’re our team of the week!

Weird of the Week: Even in small amounts, grapes are toxic to cats and dogs.

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WARCRYINHISTORY This week, we bring you a photograph from The Salvation Army Trade Department’s exhibition in Christchurch in 1906. No surprises that the brass instruments are front and centre in the display!

Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Ploughman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission

QUIKQUIZ 1 What percentage of lettuce is water?

Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success.

Henry Ford

Language and Literary Studies A Māori Phrase a Day, by Hēmi Kelly This is an incredibly simple, fun and practical Māori phrasebook for all New Zealanders (or anyone wanting to learn to kōrero in te reo).

It’s been 30 years since te reo Māori was declared an official language of New Zealand and it’s great that more and more people are embracing, learning and using our indigenous language.

Written by language expert Hēmi Kelly, this book is easy to use, full of useful phrases for around the office or home and is the follow up book to his previous bestseller, A Māori Word a Day. You’ll learn everyday uses, English translations, factoids and handy word lists. Here’s a couple of phrases to get you started, because everyone loves a good weather chat, right? Pakaru mai ana te au (it’s raining cats and dogs). He rangi wera tēnei (it’s hot today). (Reviewed by Shar Davis)

2 Who wrote Bridget Jones’s Diary?

3 What country gifted the Statue of Liberty to America?

4 Which scientist is credited with inventing the cat door?

5 What did Moses turn the river Nile into?

Answers on page 22

TOPFIVE

As students and educators across the territory head back to school, here are five teachers whose successes travelled beyond the classroom.

Pear Tart with Goats Cheese 2 sheets of flaky pastry, frozen

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

4 pears, cored, sliced lengthways

Join the pastry sheets together to make a 20x30cm rectangle.

Lay on the prepared tray. Score a rim around the edge of the pastry, taking care not to cut all the way through. Prick the inside with a fork. Arrange pear slices inside the rim.

3 Tbsp maple syrup 100g goats cheese, or goat feta cheese, crumbled 3 Tbsp almond flakes 2 Tbsp cream

Drizzle with the syrup and scatter with the crumbled cheese and flaked almonds. Brush the outside edges with the cream.

Bake for 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden

Source: eatwell.co.nz

5. Hugh Jackman: Yup, Wolverine was once a P.E. teacher in the UK. This led to an endearing viral video in 2013, when he recognised one of his former pupils, who was interviewing him on a red carpet.

4. Eleanor Roosevelt: Before she became a famous activist, Eleanor taught American Literature and History and only left teaching to take up her role as First Lady of the United States in 1933.

3. Brian May: Better known as Queen’s lead guitarist, Brian worked as a Mathematics teacher in the 1970s.

2. Barack Obama: Prior to his political career, Barack taught Constitutional Law and Race Theory at the University of Chicago Law School for 12 years.

1. Anne Sullivan: Anne achieved the seemingly impossible task of teaching Helen Keller, a blind and deaf student, to communicate with the world. Keller became a writer, lecturer and activist, inspiring the world thanks to Anne’s teaching.

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more than words

Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice

Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document.

It was first signed on February 6, 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs on behalf of their hapū (kinship group). Two versions are accepted: a Māori text signed by more than 500 chiefs which is often referred to as Te Tiriti o Waitangi (or Te Tiriti) and the English text, known as the Treaty of Waitangi (or the Treaty) with just 39 signatures. Under law, both texts are recognised and both may be referred to as ‘the Treaty of Waitangi’ or as ‘the treaty’, however the two versions have significantly different and debated meanings.

BY HANA SEDDON & LIBBY WILSON

Main Photo: Haka on Encounter Culture night, Encounter Congress 2019 (photo by Harrison Bellve). Inset top: Captain Hana Seddon (photo by Bruce Millar). Inset bottom: Libby Wilson (photo by Chris Cope).

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he iconic ballad ‘More than Words’ was released in 1991 by the band Extreme. It was an immediate hit with fans who resonated with the song’s simple message—actions speak louder than words. The message of that song is connected to similar themes in the Bible that insist we produce evidence to accompany our claims. ‘My dear brothers and sisters, what good is it if someone claims to have faith but demonstrates no good works to prove it? How could this kind of faith save anyone?’ (James 2:14).

The words and intentions expressed in Te Tiriti o Waitangi should have produced positive outcomes for Māori and evidence of a positive partnership between Māori and the Crown, especially when we consider the role of the church in shaping Te Tiriti and in gaining agreement from Māori who signed the spiritual covenant in 1840. However, history tells the traumatic story of the breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the generational impacts experienced by Māori. Sadly, the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand was not taken seriously and documented commitments to a bicultural partnership were not honoured.

The Waitangi Tribunal was created as a permanent commission of inquiry to make recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and/or the Treaty of Waitangi. The Tribunal’s role includes the application of treaty principles to each inquiry into these breaches in order to find a way forward.

In the ‘Stage One’ report from the WAI2575 Health Service & Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry in 2019, the Tribunal acknowledged that the development of treaty principles continues over time. In their reflection on the well-known ‘Three P’s’ of participation, protection and partnership, they concluded that they were reductionist in their view of the treaty and were now outdated.

In the WAI2575 claim, the Waitangi Tribunal instead applied: • The guarantee of tino rangatiratanga—the ability for Māori to exercise authority over their own communities • The principle of partnership—good faith, mutual respect, ability to express tino rangatiratanga • The principle of active protection—mana motuhake, ability to manage own affairs utilising tikanga Māori and that tikanga is also present in mainstream services • The principle of equity—specifically targeting disparities, expected benefits of citizenship are realised • The principle of options—the right for Māori to have access to and choose social and cultural paths, to exercise tino rangatiratanga.

In the same way that the Waitangi Tribunal continues to develop in its view of the treaty and the application of its principles, The Salvation Army must also continue to review its own position and practice. In recent years The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora has reviewed its own commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the implied partnership between tāngata whenua (people of the land) and tāngata tiriti (people of the treaty).

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In 2015, The Salvation Army Māori Ministry’s Strategic 10 Year Plan Te Ōhākī was launched and the Army’s territorial leadership committed to four key goals. These goals reflected kōrero expressed by people from across Aotearoa through a consultation process with representatives from various cultures, corps, centres and ministries with the facilitation of Graham Bidois Cameron (Ngāti Ranginui). Following this, the Army’s Bicultural Statement was reviewed and expanded in 2018.

While acknowledging the development of these written documents has been an important step, we must give ‘more than words’ and demonstrate our sincerity so that our collective actions speak louder than our strategic plans and policies. The midway point in the ten-year timeframe gives us the perfect opportunity to review our commitment to these goals and any progress made towards them, as well as looking forward to significant advances in the years ahead.

Titiro whakamuri // Looking back over 2019 • Three new Divisional Māori Ministry Leaders appointed: Captain Christine De Maine (Southern), Envoy Anihera Carroll (Midland), Ken Te Tau (Central) • Additional cultural leadership and kaiāwhina roles in other areas • Graham Bidois Cameron appointed as first Māori member of Territorial Governance Board • Tiriti o Waitangi workshops commenced with Tāngata Tiriti • Jay Ruka spoke at Just Action, along with several other Māori leaders speaking into different areas of The Salvation Army • Bilingual worship led by Māori Ministry during Congress and Commissioning • Gathering with the wider church at Waitangi, Ihumātao and many other places • Māori participation on the Recruitment Steering Group and in several other forums • Te reo Māori being embraced by more The Salvation Army learners across the country • New relationships developed with marae, such as in Papakura and Manurewa • New faith expressions and Māori Ministry groups starting • Māori theology being explored and studied by more Salvationists • Māori Consultation Hui across Aotearoa for input into the future of Māori Ministry • … and much, much more!

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Titiro whakamua // Looking ahead to 2020 • Relaunch of the next phase of Te Ōhākī from 2020–2025 • Release of an ‘action plan’ resource to work towards Te Ōhākī goals • Launch of the Pukapuka Rauemi—a Māori resource book to support people to use tikanga Māori (protocols) in The Salvation Army • More online waiata/tikanga Māori resources to support people in corps and centres • Better access to training to improve cultural responsiveness and engagement • Stronger focus on recruiting Māori at all levels of The Salvation Army • … and much, much more!

One of the most exciting resources to be released in early 2020, in alignment with Te Ōhākī, is Te Pukapuka Rauemi Māori. This book will provide explanation, context and instruction on why, when and how to use tikanga Māori/protocols within The Salvation Army. It will increase knowledge of formal and informal Māori welcoming process that are also honouring to God. This book should be seen as a supportive pillar alongside local and personal knowledge that exists within corps and centres about tikanga marae/protocols and kawa/procedures.

It will help to offer a place to belong by welcoming and recognising the importance of tikanga Māori in Aotearoa.

Every action, big or small, that takes us closer to honouring our treaty partner is a step in the right direction. Our actions as individuals, whānau, teams, as a church, an organisation and as a country are a demonstration of our beliefs and a witness to the world. In 2020, may we see the possibilities, the opportunities, the solutions and a unified way ahead.

Mauri ora!

Libby’s story…

I’ve grown up in New Zealand and lived in many places between Gore and Auckland. I’m Pākehā and thought I was pretty welcoming and supportive of Māori. It turns out I was wrong!

I didn’t know what I didn’t know, and that had a pretty drastic and negative impact on some of the Māori and Pasifika staff I worked with.

I’d invited some Māori and Pasifika representatives to be part of a recruitment steering group working on human resources policy. I thought they could just slot into the standard process we had set, but I soon realised there was tension in the room. We hadn’t spent the time on whakawhanaungatanga—

THE BIGGEST LEARNING FOR ME WAS THAT I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND MĀORI OR PASIFIKA CULTURE… getting to know each other—or on an appropriate welcome.

I had assumed the standard way I run meetings in my culture would work fine—turn up, quick welcome and straight into the agenda. Things soon got worse and terms like ‘colonisation’ and ‘white person’s agenda’ were used. People felt disrespected and some people were so upset they left the room. It was the ultimate cultural clash, despite these people all being mature, good, committed people.

Sometimes you have to crash into a wall to realise that things need to change. This was my wall. It was hard. It hurt.

I didn’t know how to do things any longer. The way I had done things for so long wasn’t working. I needed to change.

While I would never have wanted this clash to happen, the journey and relationships that have come from it have been amazing. We were able to have some honest conversations about who we are and what is important to us. We involved Wairangi Jones in a tikanga Māori reconciliation process getting to know each other properly and then we talked about what had gone wrong at our meeting, how we felt, the impact and what to do to ensure it didn’t happen again.

The biggest learning for me was that I didn’t understand Māori or Pasifika culture—I probably still don’t, but I’m learning. I’m leaning into the awkwardness. I didn’t appreciate what it means to really provide a place where Māori, Pasifika and other cultures are comfortable to participate and able to have a voice. I didn’t understand that tino rangatiratanga— one of the basic promises of Te Tiriti o Waitangi—means that where Māori are impacted by a decision, this means they need to be involved in making that decision.

We are now trying to make sure we have Māori and Pasifika reps on all our working groups and that we include Māori voices whenever we are making changes. There has been so much that has happened this year through partnerships between Māori Ministry and others in The Salvation Army.

I discovered this past year that Te Ōhākī exists and has a recruitment and training goal. Once we saw those goals we realised there were some mandates that we had and were doing nothing about, until now.

Hana Seddon (Māori Ministry) and I are working together on many things these days, including this article that represents

the partnership of Māori and Pākehā in The Salvation Army, where we weave together our cultures, perspectives and skills.

I am learning that there is so much that has been taken from Māori. So many treaty breaches. They need us all to stand with them in their journey as they develop their own solutions to the issues that Māori are facing. I now see the importance of my role of standing alongside tāngata whenua in The Salvation Army. I’m starting to see good things happening. It feels like this is the right time—God’s time—for The Salvation Army to build on the roots of its history and our engagement with Māori. Watch this space!

Te Ōhākī Māori Ministry Strategic Plan 2015–2025 Goal 1: Te tikanga o te hāhi—Being Church together Our systems, policies, procedures and people reflect an intention to support tangata whenua to live out their Christian faith as Māori.

Goal 2: Kia rarangatia te tira—Leadership Our development plans make a greater investment in Salvation Army Māori leadership to intentionally develop Māori leaders in preparation for senior and strategic roles.

Goal 3: Whakawhanaungatanga—Relationships Our operational models foster and implement a culture of whakawhanaungatanga to better develop an environment that is welcoming and inclusive for Māori and all people.

Goal 4: Kia rere iho te whakawa—Justice Our response to the ongoing social injustice of poverty that impacts Māori, shows commitment to reducing inequalities for Māori.

MORE INFO | maori.salvationarmy.org.nz

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Just Breathe As the New Year ramps into full gear, the pressures of working, studying and the daily grind are all coming back into the fore. In stressful situations, sometimes it feels unhelpful when people remind you to simply take a deep breath. However, there is a lot of merit to this advice.

Here’s the cool thing about breathing—other than the whole ‘keeping us alive’ part—it is a simultaneously unconscious and conscious act. Our bodies go on breathing without us actively thinking about it, because the brain knows we will die without oxygen. But, when we focus on our breathing, we can take control of it.

The benefits of learning how to take deeper, controlled breaths are multiple. It is well-proven to slow down your heartrate to a healthy rhythm and calm your body (and brain) to think clearer and more rationally, particularly in a stressful situation.

Here are some of the incentives to learn how to control your breathing: • Increase alertness • Reduce muscle tension • Calm the brain and nervous system (which helps emotional control) • Reduce depression • Improve energy metabolism • Boost immune system to protect the body from bacteria/viruses • Regulate blood pressure • Manage chronic pain, stress and fatigue • Improve diabetic symptoms.

IN THE SAME WAY WE ICE A MUSCLE WHEN IT IS SORE, SLOWING DOWN OUR BREATHING PATTERNS IS THE BEST MEDICINE WHEN YOU FEEL YOUR HEARTBEAT START TO QUICKEN.

Shallow breathing, in comparison, can aggravate pre-existing medical conditions, increase injury risk and prolong recovery in the long term.

Some initial steps you can take to help your breathing are to quit smoking, get regular aerobic exercise and avoid exposure to pollutants. You can also practice deep breathing with different exercises, which you can incorporate into your daily routine or call upon when you feel the squeeze of stress.

3. 4–7–8 Method: Breathe in for four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, then exhale for eight seconds. Repeat.

Bonus Tip: ReachOut, an Australian mental health organisation, has created a free app called—take a guess—Breathe. It measures your heart and breathing rate, then coaches you through to a lower heartrate. It is not the only app of its kind, either, so hunt around for one that works best for you.

Three Breathing Exercises to Try 1. Lie on your back—or sit—with one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Inhale through your nostrils and exhale through the mouth. Breathe in until your stomach is pushed out as far as possible. When you exhale, feel your stomach pulling back in while your chest and shoulders remain relaxed.

In the same way we ice a muscle when it is sore, slowing down our breathing patterns is the best medicine when you feel your heartbeat start to quicken. It is also important to learn these breathing techniques preventatively—using the same analogy, it is like stretching the muscle. Then, if panic strikes, you will know how to adjust and slow your breathing with more ease. It also means that when a friend or colleague needs your help, you can provide constructive advice on how to help them through it.

2. Try the four-step Navy SEAL Box Technique: Inhale, hold the breath, exhale, hold the breath. Repeat this cycle, with each of the four steps lasting four seconds.

Sources: HomeCareAssistance.com and Rachael Rifkin/headspace.com

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TESTIFY! After growing up in neglect, struggling with addiction and spending time in prison, John Bruce has since given his life to Christ and found a family in the Sydenham Corps.

I grew up in welfare; I was placed in a home when I was four, but it was quite violent. I left at a young age and was a street kid in Hamilton for some years, living in and out of boys’ homes.

I then spent time in youth prison, corrective training and adult prison; it was a natural progression from youth to adulthood.

When I was released, I was in The Salvation Army’s Men’s Supportive Accommodation in Christchurch. The hospital drug tested me to check my med levels and found a multitude of different drugs in my system. It was time to get straight and clean. One of the staff members asked if I wanted to go to church. I tentatively said ‘yes’, went to a service and I gave my heart to Jesus.

Three weeks later, at the church I had been going to, I witnessed how the pastor was only acknowledging the wealthy side of the church. I went looking for a church that was inclusive to everyone and found Sydenham Corps.

I’ve been there ever since. It’s a beautiful family we have going there at Sydenham.

I started drinking methylated spirits when I was nine, to numb out all the abuse that had happened. My addiction progressed from there, until I gave my heart to Jesus. After that, I gave up swearing, got rid of all my associated clothing from Mongrel Mob, and slowly went off my medication with the help of my doctors. Soon, all that was left to give up were cigarettes, as I was still quite a heavy smoker. The morning I got made a soldier, I had a few cigarettes, went into church and I’ve never had one since.

I have just been put on the leadership team at Sydenham Corps, so I am

IF YOU HAD TOLD ME ALL THOSE MONTHS AGO THAT I WOULD BE TAKING PEOPLE FOR BIBLE STUDY, I WOULD HAVE LAUGHED AT YOU. looking to get some experience with sermons, plus I am leading a bible study.

If you had told me all those months ago that I would be taking people for bible study, I would have laughed at you. I also supervise a group called DALTA (Deliberate Acts of Love To All), taking volunteer men from around Sydenham to do jobs—like gardening—for the community.

I am connected with Navigators as well, and they are quite big on memorising scripture. That is really strengthening my faith. One of my favourite verses is Proverbs 3:5–6, ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit

to him, and he will make your paths straight’. That proverb is so small, but so powerful. It doesn’t say a little bit or when you feel like it, but ‘with all your heart’, completely and with everything.

If you give your heart to Christ, that is a renewing of you. It is about looking past the lies that a lot of people have told themselves as young kids and replacing it with the truth. I can relate well with the homeless, the addicted and the broken people. I hope that in time I can go back to these people and show them there are different options.

I want to give back what I have been given and lead others to Christ.

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Following last edition’s feature on gap years, this week we are sharing some tips and necessary checkpoints to organise your first holiday out of school.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

So, you’ve decided that 2020’s the year: you’re finally organising that holiday. Whether you are planning a road trip with mates, laying down the foundations for your gap year or finally bringing to life that trip to New York you have been dreaming of since forever, there is some travel admin to be done first. You might not know where to start. While all the work of setting up your holiday can seem daunting, keep the end goal in sight. We all need a good rest sometimes. Don’t forget even God took the day off once!

LET’S KEEP THINGS PLANE AND SIMPLE Flight comparison websites, like Webjet or Skyscanner, let you search across multiple airlines and travel dates to find the best option. However, the cheapest way to purchase is usually direct from the airlines. The same rules apply to coach hires, ferries, and other transport options; look up the companies directly in case they have sales or deals.

You can also go through a travel agent but remember that agents get paid a commission to push certain products. Before you book, search online to check you are getting a good deal.

TI PS

In general, the earlier you book your flights, the cheaper they will be.

If you are landing in a foreign country, a location with limited public transport or somewhere you have never visited before, avoid flying in late at night.

Put a ribbon on your suitcase so it is easier to spot at the baggage claim.

You will get the worst currency exchange rates at the airport.

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HOW ACCOMMODATING OF YOU With websites like Airbnb and Stayz entering the fray, you have far more accommodation options up your sleeve to choose from. If going through these sites, look for verified hosts or good reviews as a general indicator of safe, enjoyable places to stay.

If you have the budget, you can stay in a hotel. If you are on a budget, hostels might be a great option (especially when travelling within a group).

TI PS

While websites like booking.com and trivago are great for comparing hotel deals, check hotel websites directly for special offers before you book.

Set aside rest days when booking accommodation. If you are zipping across towns, regions or countries, you need to have some days to just chill in one place and catch your breath.

Also factor in jetlag for your first few nights.

GETTING TO AND FRO If you are under-21, most countries won’t let you behind the wheel of a hire car, and under-25s will probably be charged a young driver surcharge. Unless you travel with an adult driver, options for getting around are walking, hiring bikes or scooters, using public transport (remember some places are better resourced than others) or taxis/ride-share apps.

Another option is to join a tour. There is a lot of middle ground between Contiki and Seniors Cruises—such as day trips, active tours and mission trips. While they may incur a greater cost, your

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP transport is organised for you and the decisionmaking is passed into someone else’s hands, leaving you to relax and go with the flow. However, if you prefer to explore without a schedule, it might S not be for you.

TI P

Take photographs of any scratches, dents or markings when you rent a hire care, as proof of the condition the car was in.

While it is important to plan, try to approach travel with a sense of flexibility. Things are bound to deviate from the plan at times. Remember, Proverbs 16:9, says ‘In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.’ Take this to heart, wherever travel leads you. Look out for what God is trying to say to you; you might go out to see and do certain things, and find he directs you down an entirely different path.

TI PS

Tours can help solo travellers link up with people and stay safe (it might keep your parents’ fears at bay too!).

It helps to learn a few important phrases, but you don’t need to be fluent in the language of the country you’re visiting.

You don’t have to be part of a tour for your whole holiday—consider short-term options.

Check whether you need an international adapter plug.

SAFE TRAVELS! Keeping yourself safe during your travels includes everything from staying physically healthy to protecting yourself and your valuables. Make sure to research location-specific tips ahead of time for staying on the good side of the locals and check with your GP about any vaccinations you might need to enter certain countries.

TI PS

Eat healthy. Veggies, fruit, and protein will fuel your travels and reduce your chances of falling sick.

Pack a small first aid kit, and don’t forget about sunscreen!

Scan copies of important documents and email them to yourself. Also, take extra passport photographs with you for visas.

Give someone a copy of your travel itinerary before you leave. Then, someone knows where you are supposed to be at every stage.

As you travel, add your most-played songs to a playlist. When you get home, you can listen back and be reminded of your time away.

Keeping a journal is another great idea.

Remember, you can’t see everything. Fact.

Don’t go somewhere just because it’s a tourist destination … but at the same time, don’t avoid places because they are a tourist destination.

Go to the places you most want to visit.

FOMO What if you’re the person staying home while your friends are all abroad, scrolling through your Instagram feed, seeing all the updates from their travels and feeling completely left out?

If you are struggling with travel envy, here’s some tips to keep your mood up.

TIPS Take a social media #vacay. Living vicariously

through your friends is no good if it makes you feel jealous.

Only post social media updates once you have left a place—that way no one can track you online.

Keep the future in mind; think about how you can earn money or work in a position which will allow you to travel one day.

Separate your sources of money in case one gets lost or stolen. In some countries, it can pay (#punintended) to take a ‘dummy wallet’ with you—containing an expired card and some small notes—to distract thieves.

Be a tourist in your own town and try some new things. If you would prefer to stay indoors, plan a good ol’ staycation.

Try to keep perspective, be grateful for what you have and stay busy.

25 JANUARY 2020 WarCry 13

New Spiritual Life Development Appointments for 2020

5M o a cu re conf o rm l t ur e it hurr y a n o f b u s y y to d ov nes s, e rlo ad

g m in eco d in b d e o 2 G ginalis ves li u mar o r

3 A g t in ip ra r i o sh d te i o n o de e la t i t h G r w

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1 Assimilating to a culture of busyness, hurry & overload

A new appointment position has been established within our Divisional and Regional teams this month. The appointment title says it all: Divisional Secretary, Spiritual Life and Prayer Coordinator—modelled on an initiative by Northern Division in 2019. This is an additional appointment, integrated with current roles. The primary intent of the role is to support divisional leaders in their spiritual leadership of their divisions, by assisting with events or providing resources for anything that can deepen spiritual life. While there will be local variations as to how this looks across the territory, this new development strongly supports the ‘We Commit’ plan launched at Encounter Congress last year.

You may wonder why this new position has been created, given that spiritual life development and prayer is intrinsically part of who we are. It’s in our DNA as the Army. But if you give some thought to the scale and complexity of our mission—which is dynamic by its very nature—you would also acknowledge that it is possible to be so involved in all we do, that we stop being who we are. If we are to be passionate disciples of Jesus, then we need to pattern our lives on the same priorities that he lived by, as recorded in the gospels. Often we read how at the end of an extraordinarily busy day, Jesus withdrew to the mountain and prayed. In order to achieve this, Jesus needed to send the crowds away. So, one outcome of having a person in place in your division or region, is to provide opportunities for taking time apart—or the provision of resources to help you do this where you are.

Because we live in an age where busyness is celebrated and unrelenting pursuit of ‘more’ is commended, we need to guard our spiritual life as Salvationists. We want to be living expressions of the life Christ died to bring. If we don’t, we

may find ourselves feeling distanced from God and lacking connection with each other. Being offered opportunities and resources to deepen our spiritual lives and to strengthen our shared life in faith communities is a key purpose in the territory establishing these new roles.

In a survey involving 20,000 Christians worldwide that sought to identify the key obstacles to growth for believers, busyness was found to be the major distraction from spiritual life. That’s quite a challenge for us! A diagram shows how this happens:

4 v u I n cr we lne eas r as a d ab l ing s o a b u m p t ili t y o u p t se as t h i o n cu la r ow s to li v e

BY HEATHER RODWELL

Is this something that you can identify with?

There are practices (spiritual disciplines) we can build into our lives personally and maintain individually, just as athletes adopt a regime to maintain their fitness. There are also practices we engage in corporately in our corps and centres, so that as faith communities we enjoy the deepening of our shared life expression. It is my hope that the people placed in these new roles will be seen as people who can add value to divisional and regional intentions around the spiritual lives of everyone under their care. They will also assist when, as a territory, we do things like focussed prayer seasons and other initiatives. I invite every reader of this article to contact me via email (heather.rodwell@ salvationarmy.org.nz) to share what you believe need to be key priorities for the territory in regard to our spiritual life and prayer.

Many people struggle in establishing meaningful spiritual practices such as Bible reading, a meaningful prayer life, sustained service to the mission, and a life that truly reflects that of Christ Jesus. Many people live with a gnawing sense that there must be more to this ‘Christian life thing’ than what they are currently experiencing. John Ortberg alerts us to the subtle way in which a diminishing spiritual life occurs:

I commend to you the officers appointed into your division or region for the purpose of strengthening the spiritual life and prayer across their areas of influence. Please pray for them and for every expression of Salvation Army mission and ministry across New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa as we are lead by the Spirit of God into 2020.

Colossians 2:6,7 TPT In the same way you received Jesus our Lord and Messiah by faith, continue your journey of faith, progressing further into your union with him! Your spiritual roots go deeply into his life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to him!

For many of us the great danger is not that we will renounce our faith. It is that we will become so distracted and rushed and preoccupied that we will settle for a mediocre version of it. We will just skim our lives instead of actually living them.

DIVISIONAL SECRETARY SPIRITUAL LIFE AND PRAYER COORDINATORS

Captain Naomi Holt— Northern Division

Major Bruce Tong— Midland Division

Major Steph Herring— Central Division

Major Louisa Ranamalo Raico—Fiji Division

Captain Selalina Prescott— Tonga Region

Major Bronwyn Aldersley— ASARS National Mission Coordinator

Major Susan Goldsack— Southern Division

25 JANUARY 2020 WarCry 15

Skeleton Army Debuts Off-Broadway New Salvation Army musical, conceived and performed by Canadians, captivates audiences at Theatre 315 in New York City.

A Salvation Army officer tortured by the demons of his past finds assurance that God’s plan reaches even the deepest caverns of darkest England. On the poverty-stricken East London streets of Victorian England two armies line up for battle. The Skeletons fight for the comforts of the present.

The Salvationists fight for the hope of tomorrow. Caught in the middle, Charles Jeffries, a charismatic young leader of the Skeleton Army, must decide what side he really is on.

So begins the newest Salvation Army musical, Skeleton Army, which premiered off-Broadway on August 29 at the Armyowned Theatre 315 in New York City.

The two-actor show depicts clashes between early-day Salvationists and the notorious Skeleton Army in London’s East End. Kyle Higgins stars as Charles Jeffries, leader of the Skeleton Army, and Kathryn Higgins plays three roles: a barmaid in the Blind Beggar pub, the Salvation Army officer at Whitechapel Road who helps set Jeffries on a new path, and Jeffries’ wife.

With music and lyrics by Canadian Staff Songster Leader Major Len Ballantine and based on a book by John Copeland, the musical was directed by Brad Cain, produced

by Carol Jaudes and originally conceived by Neil Leduke, interim national director of marketing for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda. This team worked in close collaboration with The Salvation Army USA East Arts Ministries Bureau, headed by Kathyrn Higgins, daughter of Major Ballantine, to bring this true story to life.

Blood and Thunder When The Salvation Army began in London, England, opposition movements arose among the working class who objected to the Army’s teetotaling stance. Originally known as ‘The Unconverted Army’, the Skeletons first arose in Whitechapel in 1881, the setting of the musical. They later spread to Exeter, Weston-super-Mare and other southern towns.

The confrontations between the Skeletons and The Salvation Army often resulted in open rioting. They pelted Salvationists at open-air meetings with flour, dead rats, rotten eggs, stones and brickbats. They shouted down Salvationist preachers and banged pots and pans to drown out the Army brass. As confrontations escalated, many Salvationists were beaten or even killed.

In April 1884, when the owner of an alcohol shop in Worthing, England, raised objections to the Army’s marches, a group of more than 4000 Skeletons assembled to oppose Salvationists. General William Booth requested protection from police, but he was turned down. He told Salvationists to march on Sunday anyway and the Skeletons chased them back to their barracks and almost burned it down.

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The Skeleton Army mocked the symbolism of The Salvation Army, exchanging ‘soup, soap and salvation’ for ‘beef, beer and bacca’. Skeletons also used banners with skulls and crossbones with the motto ‘Blood and Thunder’ (satirizing The Salvation Army’s war cry ‘Blood and Fire’). They wore red bands on their caps with the moniker ‘Skeleton Army’ and even sold their own copies of a Skeleton War Cry.

Transformed at Whitechapel Charles Jeffries, the musical’s main character, at 16 was employed by a tobacconist’s firm and was the second-incommand of the Whitechapel Skeleton Army. Jeffries accepted Christ at a watch-night meeting in Whitechapel that he had come to disrupt, became an active soldier and was himself the victim of many attacks by his old colleagues. The musical focuses mainly on these early encounters, but his influence in the wake of his conversion was nearly as dramatic.

After Jeffries became an officer in 1882, he was sent to Penzance, England, where he converted more than 300

people and appeared before the magistrate seven times for preaching in the streets. In 1884, he helped pioneer the Army’s work in Australia and was imprisoned in Sydney for seven days for preaching outdoors. He was instrumental in opening 12 new corps, establishing rescue homes and commencing the social work in Adelaide and Melbourne.

Jeffries married Captain Martha Harris and together they had seven children. Returning to England, he was appointed as provincial commander for Wales and North West of England before serving as field secretary, overseeing the appointments of more than 2000 officers. He also spent a year in China, pioneering the Army’s presence there in 1918. As British commissioner from 1931 to 1935, Jeffries was one of the seven leaders involved in the Army’s first High Council before being promoted to glory in 1936.

Birth of a Musical During a Q&A at the musical’s première, Leduke recalled stumbling across the story of Charles Jeffries and the Skeleton Army in Salvation Army history books in 2009. ‘As I did more research, I realised this is a story that needs to be told. It’s a powerful story of redemption, of someone’s life being completely transformed by God and The Salvation Army.’

Composer Major Ballantine noted a unique twist in this transformation story: ‘It’s about the way God uses exactly who you are, the strengths that you have; it shows how God can use all of your past circumstances, even if they are nasty, for his glory if we surrender to him.’

Director Brad Cain agreed, noting the symbolism in the box of memories that Charles and Martha Jeffries unpack together over the course of the musical: ‘Everyone has a different story, but God will use the moments in your life to transform you as well’.

‘It seemed like an impossible task, to write a show about two gangs, essentially,’ said Kathryn Higgins.

‘The thing that we learned in the rehearsal process was that the third actor is the audience. We needed that give-and-take from the crowd, which made it feel like we had another 50 people in the show.’

Writer John Copeland recalled how God had put it on his heart to write a musical and it was confirmed the very next day by Kathryn Higgins who called him seeking a performance piece. ‘I thought of the story of Charles and realized that the change in our lives pre- and post-conversion is just as epic. God will take everything that you bring to him—bad decisions, fears, mistakes—and he will redeem all of that with new life.’

Tribute: Ray Allott Raymond (Ray) John Allott was born to officer parents James Cook and Agnes Coventry Allot (nee Dowdle) on 23 July 1935. Ray’s early years were spent in Hokitika, Leeston, Oxford, Geraldine and Pahiatua, before his parents retired to Woodville in 1939.

Ray left school at 15 and undertook a five-year electrician’s apprenticeship while helping support the family following his father’s death. Ray found employment in Levin and began attending the corps, where he met and married Coral Manning in 1957.

Ray and Coral entered Training College (as members of the 1958 Courageous session), where their eldest daughter Margaret was born.

Their first appointment was in Port Chalmers, where their second child, John, was born.

The Allotts were appointed to Miramar Corps in 1964 while their travel paperwork for missionary service was completed. In August, they arrived in Chile—having travelled for two months by boat.

Their third child, Evadne, was born in Chuquicamata while they were stationed in Calama.

In 1974, Ray was appointed as Property Secretary in Santiago, a post he held until they returned to New Zealand in 1978. Coral had separate appointments as Corps Officer and matron.

During their time in Chile, the Allotts had a wide variety of experiences. Under the communist government, the family recall spending endless hours queuing for food and living in fear, but also times of tremendous opportunity for ministry.

Upon their return to New Zealand, the Allotts were appointed Corps Officers, serving at Dunedin North and Linwood Corps. Appointments as managers followed—Addington Social Service Centre (1984), Omaio Rest Home and Village in Stoke, Nelson (1988), and Omahanui Rest Home and Village in Ahuriri, Napier. After 37 years of active officer service they retired to Woodville in 1996, serving in retirement as Corps Officers of Woodville Corps from 2002–2005. Ray also served on the Woodville Museum committee, as chair of the Woodville District Vision, as a Rotarian and on the Lindauer Centre committee.

While Ray had been diagnosed with a lung condition in 1978 preventing his return to further overseas service, he continued to enjoy pastimes that relied on good lung condition including gardening, brass playing and choral singing.

In recent years however, Ray became increasingly reliant on portable oxygen. He could be easily found by following the oxygen tube! Even during these years, he remained as active as possible.

In 2017, as Ray’s health deteriorated, the Allotts moved to Palmerston North to be closer to support and care facilities. Ray was Promoted to Glory on 31 July 2019, aged 84.

Ray is survived by Major Coral (Palmerston North), daughter Margaret (Lt-Col, Papua New Guinea), John (Dunedin) and Evadne (Major, USA); his brothers Lt-Col Bill (Christchurch) and Major Ivan (Palmerston North) and sister Marion (Australia).

Ray’s life was celebrated on August 5th at Palmerston North Corps, led by session-mate Lt-Col Russell Hamilton. Ray’s legacy is tremendous, as evidenced by the wide variety of tributes shared at his funeral and lives impacted in Chile and New Zealand.

The ‘Well done’ from his Saviour is well deserved.

BY GEOFF MOULTON Skeleton Army appeared at The Salvation Army’s Theatre 315 at the end of August for a limited run.

25 JANUARY 2020 WarCry 17

GAZETTE Promotion to Glory: Major Heather Phelps, on Wednesday 18 December, from Auckland, aged 87 years. Heather Shirley Stewart was born in Hastings on 14 February 1932 and entered the Training College from Hastings Corps in 1953 in the ‘Heralds’ session. Heather was commissioned 25 January 1954 and appointed Assistant, Wellington Florence Booth Girls Home. This was followed by appointments as Assistant Officer over the next 7 years at Wellington Residential Nursery; Wellington Autumn Lodge Eventide; Dunedin Samaritan & Emergency Lodge; Christchurch Sunshine Lodge Eventide; New Brighton Corps; Masterton Corps; Cecelia Whatman Children’s Home, Masterton; and Miramar Corps (1961). In September 1961, Heather was appointed Corps Officer, Miramar Corps, and in January 1962 Corps Officer Sumner Corps. Following Heather’s marriage to Lieutenant Mervyn Phelps on 9 February 1963, Heather joined Mervyn in his appointment at Hawera Corps. Over the next 10 years they served as Corps Officers at Stratford Corps (1964); Riverton Corps (1966); Oxford Corps (1967); Richmond Corps (1968); Woodville Corps (1969) and Naenae Corps (1971). In 1973, Heather and Mervyn were appointed Assistant Officers, Wellington Bridgehaven, Miramar; Gisborne, Te Waiteata Youth Hostel; Auckland, Epsom Lodge; and Auckland West Community & Family Services. In January 1995, Heather and Mervyn were appointed as Court Officers, Auckland South Community & Family Ministries, and it is from this appointment that they retired on 14 January 1999, Heather having given 44 years of active service. Please uphold Mervyn, their daughters Janine and Jennifer, and their extended families in prayer during this time of grief and loss. Well done, good and faithful ‘Herald’ of Jesus Christ!

Promotion: Effective 4 December 2019: Captains Filikesa and Sesenieli Bogi, Captains Amelia and Jeremaia Naviko, Captains Malia and Sila Siufanga, Captains ‘Ana and Frederick Vaea were promoted to the rank of Major.

Effective 11 December 2019: Captain Lyn Beets, Captain Rebecca Gane, Captains Paul and Raewyn Gardner, Captains Timothy and Zelma Malton and Captain Miriama Simanu were promoted to the rank of Major. Effective 13 December 2019: Lieutenants Sarah and Andrew Green, Lieutenants Peter and Janelle (Jenny) Ratana-Koia and Lieutenant Jordan Westrupp were promoted to the rank of Captain.

Admission to Long Service Order: We congratulate the following officers on attaining their Long Service Awards: Effective 10 December 2019—25 years service: Majors June and Michael Allwright, Major Wendy Andrews, Majors Brenda and Mark Ennever, Major Louise Kennedy, Major Beverley and Peter Macdonald.

Effective 20 January 2020—30 years service: Commissioners Bronwyn and Lyndon Buckingham, Lieutenant-Colonel Jennifer Groves, Colonel Heather Rodwell, Major Suzanne Hay, Major Lesley Nicolson.

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Effective 19 January 2020—35 years service: Major Paul Jarvis.

Effective 19 January 2020—40 years service: Commissioners Andrew and Yvonne Westrupp.

We thank these officers for their faithful service and pray God’s richest blessing upon each of them.

Retirement: Major Wendy Andrews, on 10 December 2019, completing 25 years of active service. Wendy Barney entered the Training College from Clifton Corps in 1993 in the ‘Crusaders for Christ’ session. Following her commissioning on 10 December 1994, Wendy was appointed Corps Officer, Hornby Corps Christchurch. In 2000, following the closure of Hornby Corps, Wendy was appointed Associate Officer, South West Planting. In 2001, Wendy was appointed Court and Prison Officer, Christchurch, with an additional appointment as Chaplain to the Women’s Prison in Christchurch (2004).

An appointment as Coordinator to the Street Outreach Services in Christchurch followed in 2007. In 2010, Wendy was appointed as Divisional Secretary for Community Ministries, Central Divisional Headquarters.

In 2013, Wendy was appointed as Midland Divisional Secretary for Community Ministries, with an additional appointment as Divisional Secretary for Emergency Services. Wendy returned to Christchurch in 2014 as Director of the Bridge Programme.

On 25 October 2015, Wendy married Captain Lindsay Andrews. Remaining in the Southern Division, Wendy was appointed as Assistant Divisional Secretary for Personnel in 2017, with the additional appointment as Divisional Missionary Fellowship Secretary. In 2018, Wendy was appointed the Divisional Secretary for Personnel, Southern Division, followed in 2019 by an appointment as Divisional Secretary for Community Ministries, Southern Division. It is from this appointment that Wendy retires from active service. It is with sincere thanks and appreciation we honour Major Wendy Andrews for her loyal, sincere and faithful service to God. We pray God’s blessing on her and Lindsay in the days ahead.

Major Kathleen (Kathie) Garbett, on 8 January 2020, completing 17 years and 25 days active service. Kathie and her husband Russell Garbett entered the Booth College of Mission in 2001 from Gisborne Corps in the ‘Crossbearers’ session. Following their commissioning on 15 December 2002, they were appointed as Corps Officers, Te Aroha Corps and Corps Plant Officers, Matamata.

In 2005, Kathie and Russell transferred to Waikato Bridge as Assistant Officers and Chaplains of Recovery Church. Corps appointments followed in the Southern Division as Corps Officers, Rangiora Corps (2007), Invercargill Corps (2010) and Ōamaru Corps (2013). It is from Ōamaru that Kathie enters retirement. With sincere thanks and appreciation, we honour Major Kathie Garbett for her great capacity in leadership, vigilant ministry and earnest heart after God, serving God in The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory. We pray God’s blessing on Kathie and Russell in the days ahead.

Majors Denise and Stephen Crump on 8 January 2020, completing 32 years, 11 months and 22 days of active service.

Denise and Stephen entered Booth College of Mission from Te Aroha Corps 1985 in the ‘Proclaimers of the Gospel’ session.

Following their commissioning on 17 January 1987, Denise and Stephen were appointed Corps Officers, Aranui Corps, followed by appointments as Corps Officers, Porirua Corps (1990) and Glenfield Corps (1995). In 1999, Denise and Stephen were transferred to Australia Southern Territory as Corps Officers, Balga Corps, with responsibility for Community and Family Services. On their return to New Zealand in 2003, Denise and Stephen were appointed as Corps Officers, Manukau Corps, with responsibility for Community and Family Services. Stephen received an additional appointment as Assistant Officer, Northern Public Relations Department. In 2005, Denise and Stephen received an additional appointment as Chaplains, Manukau Employment Plus. In 2008, Denise and Stephen were appointed as Corps and Community Ministries Officers, Tauranga, with additional appointments as Chaplains to the Recovery Church and Employment Plus. This was followed in 2012 with appointments to Hutt City Corps as Corps and Community Ministries Officers. In 2018, an appointment to Taupo Corps followed as Corps Officers and Directors, Community Ministries. Denise received an additional appointment in 2019 as Chaplain to Blue Mountain Adventure Centre. It is from these appointments in Taupo that Denise and Stephen enter retirement. It is with sincere thanks and appreciation we honour Majors Denise and Stephen Crump for their loyal, sincere and faithful service to God through The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga and Samoa Territory. We pray God’s richest blessing on them in the days ahead.

Majors Beverley and Peter Macdonald on 8 January 2020, having completed 25 years and 30 days of active service. Beverley and Peter entered Booth College of Mission from Edendale Corps in 1993 in the ‘Crusaders for Christ’ session. Following their commissioning on 10 December 1994, Beverley and Peter were appointed as Corps Officers, Greymouth Corps. In 2000, Beverley and Peter were appointed Corps Officers, New Plymouth Corps, with Peter receiving an additional appointment as North Taranaki Director of Community and Family Services.

In 2000, Beverley and Peter were appointed as Corps Officers, North Taranaki Corps. In 2001, Peter was also appointed THQ Business Administration Referral Officer for ILUs. In 2007, Beverley and Peter were appointed to Waikato Bridge as Officers in Training and Chaplains, Bridge Recovery Church Waikato. In 2011 Beverley and Peter were appointed to Auckland Bridge as Assistant Officers and Chaplains, Bridge Recovery Church. During this time, Beverley also held additional appointments as Centre Manager, Manukau Bridge and Clinical Team Leader, Auckland Bridge. In 2015, Beverley and Peter were appointed to Dunedin Addiction

Services, Peter as Director and Beverley as Programme Manager and it is from these appointments that Beverley and Peter retire from active service. It is with sincere thanks and appreciation we honour Majors Beverley and Peter Macdonald for their sincere and faithful service to God through The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory. We pray God’s richest blessing on them in the days ahead.

Major Lyn Beets on 8 January 2020, having completed 15 years and 29 days active service. Lyn Beets entered The Salvation Army Booth College of Mission from Taupo Corps in 2003 in the ‘Bridgebuilders’ session. Following her commissioning on 11 December 2004, Lyn was appointed Corps Officer, Te Aroha Corps with responsibility for Matamata Corps Plant and Chaplain to Employment Plus, Matamata and Te Aroha. In 2007, Lyn was appointed Corps Officer, Matamata Corps Plant. In 2008, this was followed by an appointment as Assistant Officer, Levin Corps, with responsibility for Foxton Corps. In 2009, Lyn was appointed Corps Officer, Carterton Corps; Director of Community Ministries, and ILU Referral Officer, Carterton.

In 2013, Lyn was appointmed Corps Officer, Rangiora Corps. In 2017, Lyn was appointed as Assistant Officer, Midland Division, with additional responsibilities as Divisional Silver Star Secretary and Divisional Missionary Fellowship Secretary.

In addition, Lyn was appointed as In Charge, Hawera Corps. It is from these appointments that Major Lyn Beets enters retirement. It is with sincere thanks and appreciation that we honour Major Lyn Beets for her faithful service to God through The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga and Samoa Territory. We pray God’s rich blessing on her retirement.

Envoy Marilyn McRae on 8 January 2020, having completed 6 years of active service. Marilyn and Peter McRae were warranted as Envoys on 8 January 2014, and appointed Corps Officers, Narrogin Corps, Western Australia Division, Australia Southern Territory. In 2017, they transferred to the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory and were appointed to Masterton Corps. Marilyn received an additional appointment as Director of Cecilia Whatman Oscar Programme. In 2019, Marilyn and Peter were appointed the Team Leaders for the Wairarapa Region and it is from this appointment that Marilyn retires. It is with sincere thanks and appreciation that we honour Envoy Marilyn McRae for her loyal and faithful service to God. We pray God’s blessing on Marilyn as she continues in retirement to support Envoy Peter McRae at Woodville Corps.

Appointment in Retirement: Effective 16 January 2020: Majors Lindsay and Raewyn Chisholm, oversight of Fiji Division until the arrival of new Divisional Leaders.

Please pray for Majors Lindsay and Raewyn Chisholm as they prepare for this service in retirement.

‘LET THE PAST INFORM OUR FUTURE.’

The whakatauki Ka mura, Ka muri is a proverb describing how Māori traditionally view the future. It says that we are all walking through life backwards. We look to the past to the inform the way we move forward.

Consider this as we start a new year, at this critical time in history.

Last year saw New Zealand rise to the challenge of eradicating single use plastic bags at the supermarket. Remarkably we’ve changed our practice, reaching into the boot or back seat of our vehicles to retrieve the shopping bags we’re responsible for taking with us. This is just one simple step in the right direction towards reducing the hazardous impact of plastics choking the oceans and our land.

I wonder how it is that within my lifetime plastic packaging has gone from being celebrated to despised. Something that we thought gave life is now threatening life, not only for ourselves but for the whole ecosystem. I wonder what other examples will emerge with the passing of time revealing that not everything that seems good, brings good.

Excessive screen time on pre-schoolers’ brains has been thrust into the limelight.

There are observable patterns in children who have grown up with over-exposure to screens. Causal link has been made to rising levels of anxiety within our communities. Similar to the plastics dilemma, we now know that while technology has enabled many great advances by which we all benefit, there are unintended consequences socially and emotionally of these gains.

How can we embrace the wisdom of the past to inform our decisions for the present as we move into 2020? Despite 20/20 suggesting perfect vision, that is not our reality.

However, there is a way of knowing that doesn’t rely on our own cleverness. This way of knowing looks to enduring truth that has stood the test of time. In reference to our spiritual lives, this includes the Bible and other writings both old and new.

In this territory, as we commit to intentionally making passionate disciples of Jesus, it is essential that we adopt an unswerving commitment to timeless practises and spiritual disciplines. These will provide us not only a shield against the erosion of life that will otherwise occur, but we will be rewarded with greater life.

Now is the time to arrest the erosion of faith, community and family by recognising there might be a sting in the tail of what appears as better and greater success.

In respect to the environment, remember that we do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children. In respect to the wealth we enjoy, remember that not all that glitters is gold.

Before we move too much further into this year, ask yourself the question: What would it look like to walk backwards into the future with our thoughts directed toward the coming generations but with our eyes on the past?

Colonel Heather Rodwell Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development 25 JANUARY 2020 WarCry 19

l u f r e d n o W Life Its’ a

Life for Ivan Miller is literally about ‘putting one foot in front of the other’.

The son of Salvation Army officers is on a mission to walk the length of New Zealand to raise mental health awareness. It’s a very personal journey, that he tells in his own words …

I had a very strong feeling that I was meant to go on this walk—call it spiritual or something like that. I am a spiritual person. The purpose is to get people talking and to connect with anyone that wants to talk about mental health—so I called it a ‘Walk for Life’.

I started at Cape Reinga at the beginning of the year and am making my way down to Stewart Island. Then, I am heading back up through the West Coast and ending up at Cape Reinga where I started.

It’s literally a matter of putting one foot in front of the other—I find so many metaphors for life through walking.

Step by step I have never been a walker and really didn’t know how to prepare. The first destination was Ninety Mile Beach. I was so unfit and my pack was so heavy, I had to stop every 100 metres, panting.

I could only walk five minutes at a time.

Those negative voices started coming back: ‘You can’t do this’.

When I finally got to the campsite I got rid of a whole lot of stuff from my pack.

I had learned my first lesson: we all have to carry a burden, but we can get rid of the things we don’t need to carry.

That very first night, I woke up in my tent at three in the morning and I was wide 20 WarCry 25 JANUARY 2020

awake. I said a very short prayer, ‘Thank you God, thank you’, and that was all I needed. I felt very sure at that moment that I was going to be able to keep going, and that I was there for a reason.

One hundred metres at a time may not get you there as quickly as you want, but it will still get you there.

Within a month, I could easily walk up hills without panting. The longest walk I have done in a day is 44 kilometres, and I did two in one week. I thought, ‘Wow, I’ve done two marathons in a week’.

A bitter-sweet story My own struggle with mental health began when I was about 13 and I was sexually abused. It had a huge impact on my schooling. My parents had just broken up so it was very tumultuous at home.

At 18, I escaped to Australia so I could hide my problems. I distracted myself with a lot of drinking and drugs. By the time I was 21, I was a speed addict, shooting up every day.

I realised that I was not going to get to 22 if I kept going, so I called my brother back in New Zealand and he brought me home.

I voluntarily put myself into rehab at The Salvation Army’s addiction service

on Rotoroa Island. It was a bitter-sweet experience. We were encouraged to get real and tell our stories. But it was 1992, and I am gay, and I was asked not to talk about it—the feeling was that it would make others feel unsafe. So, I had to edit my life, and that made it hard to get to the root of the problem.

Growing up, I had to hide who I was.

I remember at the age of 15, signing the petition against homosexual law reform, simply so that no one would know I was gay.

But there were really lovely people at Rotoroa Island and I had time to rest. I made my first tentative steps to talk about my sexual abuse with a counsellor—I actually made up a story so that I wouldn’t feel it, but I was testing the waters. Rehab helped me to forgive myself, and it gave me enough skills that I never went back to hard drugs.

Heading for breakdown But I didn’t like myself for a long time.

I was still using alcohol as a means to distract myself and I drifted back to Australia.

I was living in Bundaberg in a hostel, working on a tomato farm. A neighbouring hostel was set on fire and 15 people died. That’s when the posttraumatic stress was triggered. I would wake up at night sweating, thinking our hostel was on fire. I started having these flashbacks of the abuse—I had never forgotten about it, but until then had been able to push it out of my mind.

I found myself wishing I had been in the fire. It just became overwhelming. So, my brother rescued me again and helped me come home.

I went to live with my dad Dusty Miller, a retired Salvation Army officer, in Blenheim—we hadn’t talked a great deal for about 15 years. But I found that we actually quite liked each other.

We started going fishing together and I realised that I wasn’t rejected like I had thought.

But the flashbacks got worse and I couldn’t sleep. They could be so bad I would collapse and be physically sick.

Finally, I couldn’t keep it to myself anymore. I told my sister about the sexual abuse. She encouraged me to tell dad.

Once I had opened Pandora’s Box, I had a full breakdown. The day after talking

REHAB HELPED ME TO FORGIVE MYSELF, AND IT GAVE ME ENOUGH SKILLS THAT I NEVER WENT BACK TO HARD DRUGS. to dad, I woke up and felt like I was floating off the bed. Everything became very unreal. I walked a few blocks into town and realised I had forgotten how to get home again. I didn’t know what was happening to me.

prayers of anger, to trying to find one thing about the day that had been good.

It was a change of mindset and change of focus. It’s something everyone can do, because it makes people kinder and more connected.

It took about a year before I ended up in the mental health unit. I was just floating in space. I took a trip around the North Island—thinking that this was my suicide note in 3-D; I would say goodbye to everyone I loved.

I graduated from NMIT with a Bachelor of Arts and Media.

But after seeing my mum in Wellington, I couldn’t stop crying for days. I told my psychologist that I didn’t feel safe and I needed help. I was suddenly in the mental health unit, very heavily medicated.

The road to recovery I had a friend that I met in the unit called Graham—we would often just hang out and watch TV together.

Sometimes he would carry me, and other times I would carry him.

He was the one that suggested we sign up to study together at the NelsonTasman Institute of Technology.

That was the beginning of my real recovery. It gave me structure and the learning was wonderful. I met new people who didn’t know my story, so it felt like a clean slate. I started to come off some medications.

Sadly, as I was going up, Graham was going down. I took him out to the pub to play pool and hang out. At the end of the night, I said to him. ‘You’re going to be fine, aren’t you?’ He assured me he was okay. The next day he took his own life.

At that point, I really committed to not letting that happen to me. So, I reenrolled the next year in my studies, I got a job to support myself and I really disciplined my sleep.

Listening to the Spirit I don’t usually have a full beard like I have now, but I thought I would go full Forrest Gump for my hikoi. As I walk, I find myself listening for that spiritual voice.

At one stage I desperately wanted to avoid a mountain climb, but something kept me coming back to it. So I made my way up the track, and I heard this voice, ‘Is someone there?’ This old man appeared from out of the long grass, looking a bit feral with a dreadlocked beard.

He had an old, mouldy, broken-down caravan, full of rubbish, and he invited me in for a ‘brew’. He poured me a drink in this old stained cup and mentioned the ‘outside rats’ had got to the biscuits.

Then he told me his story of how he had been attacked about 10 years ago and was left in a coma with a head injury.

I left there very humbled by his kindness. I learned a lot about myself and about making judgements. I knew I was supposed to meet this man.

My Walk for Life has really been a journey of connection. I have had so many conversations about mental health. Everybody has a story to tell.

I am full of wonder every day, as I sit in Kauri forests listening to the sounds of the trees, as I watch the sunset every night, with nothing to distract me. I find that it’s a wonder-filled, wonderful life.

I attended group therapy in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. It taught me to stop focusing on the negative and dig deep to find the positive.

I changed my position from hurling abuse and blame at God with these bitter 25 JANUARY 2020 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 4 February: Pōwhiri, Territorial Headquarters, Wellington 5–6 February: Waitangi Celebrations, Waitangi 7–10 February: Installation of Divisional Leaders in Fiji Colonels Suzanne (Chief Secretary) and Melvin Fincham (Territorial Secretary for Mission) 5–6 February: Waitangi Celebrations, Waitangi 8–9 February: Fiji Officers Councils, Installation of new Divisional Leaders Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 5–6 February: Waitangi Celebrations, Waitangi 8–9 February: Fiji Officers Councils, Installation of new Divisional Leaders

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I would like: to learn about who Jesus is information about The Salvation Army The Salvation Army to contact me prayer for the following needs:

Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Quiz Answers: 1 96 percent, 2 Helen Fielding, 3 France, 4 Isaac Newton (while at Cambridge University), 5 Blood (Exodus 7:19–25).

22 WarCry 25 JANUARY 2020

Code breaker!

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.

Solve the clues to crack the code, then use the code to work out the secret message.

A=

(6–3)

C=

(1+1)

E =

(3–2)

G=

(4+4)

H=

(5–1)

L =

(10+2)

O=

(3+2+1)

R=

(5+2)

S =

(12–1)

T =

(3+3+3)

V =

(5+6–1)

Y =

(2+3)

Proverbs 19:20

The secret code:

4

3 10 1

3

8

7

1

3

9 !

5

1

3

7

3

9

11 2

4

6

6 12

Thank-you medal!

Create a thank-you medal to give to one of your teachers— in fact, you can copy and trace the outline and make them for all of your teachers if you want!

What to happened in t n la p the s s? maths cla are u It grew sq . ts o ro

ened ed happ i What e teacher tces a h l t e n o whe one's sh every together? ent on They wss trip. a cla

Kid: Mum, today I got in trouble for somethin g I didn’t do!

Mum: What was it?

Kid: My hom ework.

Fun fact: There’s a school in Colombia where, to get to school, the students have to travel by zipline—yikes!

It’s time to go back to school, which means you’ll be meeting all your new teachers soon. You might have fun teachers, goofy teachers, strict teachers, know-it-all teachers or creative teachers, all with their own strengths and abilities.

You might have a favourite teacher, because they teach your best subject, or they help you with tricky maths problems. Maybe they give you cool, creative ways to complete your homework.

And then there might be teachers whose classes you don’t like quite as much. Maybe they teach a subject that you don’t enjoy. Maybe they don’t let you partner up with your close friends for projects. Maybe you find them too strict, or too boring. Maybe they give you too much homework, or you don’t understand the way that they teach.

However, it’s important to respect our teachers, no matter what. They’re around to give you the right skills and knowledge so that when you leave school, you’re ready to take on the world. It makes God happy when we respect the adults who are looking out for us—whether it’s our parents, sports coaches or teachers.

THINK ABOUT …

how you can be a good student and show your appreciation to your teachers as you start your year at school.

25 JANUARY 2020 WarCry 23

Kaua e hoki i te waewae tūtuki, ā āpā anō hei te ūpoko pakaru.

Do not turn back because of minor obstacles but press ahead to the desired goal.