25 July 2015 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 25 July 2015 | Issue 6622 | $1.50

Celebrating 150 YEARS Internationally

KIWI BUYERS GUIDE TO ETHICAL SHOPPING LIFESTYLES OF THE RICH AND FAMOUS FEEDING THE 500,000 WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE EXCITED ABOUT TE REO BUMPER BOOK GIVEAWAY BEING A CHRISTIAN AT HOME

02 WarCry 25 July 2015

Kia ora We are family WAR CRY

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga Territory FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL André Cox TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Robert Donaldson The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination.

War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR

Major Christina Tyson GRAPHIC DESIGN

Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson STAFF WRITERS

Ingrid Barratt, Robin Raymond, Vanessa Singh CONTRIBUTORS

Kris Singh (music reviewer)

PROOF READING

Major Jill Gainsford COVER

Photography: Keri Shay 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

This edition’s feature article is by Pakistani Salvationist Nazia Yousaf. Many Salvationists in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga will have met Nazia’s parents, Lieut-Colonels Yousaf Ghulam and Rebecca Yousaf, who recently served in New Zealand.

As you read Nazia’s story, you’ll see that her parents gave their daughter a wonderful start in life. In a country where Christians are treated as second-class citizens and where women have even less opportunities, Nazia’s parents encouraged her to pursue a career. She was also encouraged to be vocal about her Christian faith. That’s no small thing in Pakistan.

In reading Nazia’s story, I couldn’t help but reflect on what it means to be part of God’s family. We have different experiences because we live in different countries, yet we enjoy a strong connection with other Christians around the world. This goes far deeper than just having a few things in common, like perhaps supporting the same sports team, liking the same music or even having similar political views. As Christians we may have none of these things in common (and may even have strong opposing views), but we still feel a sense of unity.

John 1:12–13 says, ‘Yet some people accepted [Jesus] and put their faith in him. So he gave them the right to be the children of God ... God himself was the one who made them his children.’ Why do we feel a kindred spirit with Nazia as she shares her story? Because we are family—God’s family!

In this part of the world, The Salvation Army is part-way through its annual focus on overseas mission. As we prayerfully consider our sacrificial gifts for the Self Denial Appeal, let’s think of our brothers and sisters in Pakistan and other places without the resources and perhaps also the freedom that we enjoy. Let’s think of our family overseas and do all that we can to lighten their load.

Romans 15:13 New Living Translation

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

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 132 years

ISSN 0043-0242, Issue 6622 Please pass on or recycle this magazine

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Christina Tyson Editor

BIBLE VERSE

PAPER Novatech is an environmentally responsible paper manufactured under environmental management system ISO14001 using FSC® Certified, Mixed Source, ECF pulp from responsible sources and legally harvested forests.

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‘I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him.

Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.’

Rōma 15:13

‘Nā, mā te Atua, nāna nei te tūmanako, e whakakī koutou ki te hari katoa, ki te rangimārie, i runga i te whakapono, kia hua ai tō koutou tūmanako, i runga i te kaha o te Wairua Tapu.’

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WISE WORDS

Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.

Corrie Ten Boom

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Let’s Talk | 03

BY INGRID BARRATT

F

inally, the Aussies have admitted we do something better than they do. Australian linguist Nathan John Albury has researched Kiwi attitudes to te reo Māori and found that we have ‘embraced and preserved the Māori culture and language far better than European Australians’.

This might seem like a case of ‘damned by faint praise’, since European Aussies have a notorious reputation for injustices to Aboriginal people. But when Albury undertook research to discover what Kiwi youth know about ‘reviving the Māori language and what future they think it should have in New Zealand’, he found something quite remarkable.

In a large scale survey, 83 per cent of Māori youth and 70 per cent of European/Pakeha youth ‘claimed that the Māori language must be saved because it is part of a shared, interethnic, New Zealand identity. The vast majority also agreed that either Māori language should be made compulsory in schools for all New Zealand children or that the language should be taught more than it is and to a higher proficiency.’

Albury noted that New Zealand stands out for the way we incorporate Māori words into the English language, and assessed that te reo ‘holds a firm, treasured place in New Zealand society, culture and identity.’

With Kiwis taking part in Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week), from 27 July to 2 August, Albury’s findings are both a celebration and a challenge. As younger generations grow up with respect and aroha for te reo Māori, it can only become

Sign for Taumata (listed in the Guinness World Records as the longest official placename in the world), photography: Bruce Jenkins / photonewzealand.com

stronger. Albury found that the majority of Kiwi youth believed they should speak te reo. ‘They called on the New Zealand prime minister to start using Māori language, and they asserted that language is a matter of public policy, not just something for Māori homes.’

The younger generations give us hope. But the fact that we still need a special week to advocate for te reo is a sign that we are not there yet. The horrific injustices toward Māori culture and language are not forgotten. By 1979, fewer than 100 children could speak Māori. Part of reclaiming Māoritanga—for all New Zealanders—is to acknowledge the atrocities of the past.

And to commit to being part of healing the past by nurturing the taonga of the Māori language.

As we do so, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori can become a time of real celebration. I pray there will be a time when we all participate in and cherish te reo—that it is taught in schools and in homes. That Māori and Pakeha will discover a spirit of reconciliation by sharing the language. This is surely God’s work, and every step of grace we take towards each other will be a step towards healing and national wholeness.

In his commentary, Albury says, ‘The language is still endangered but New Zealanders are fighting to save it.’ For our nation, let us fight the good fight.

Ko taku reo taku ohooho, ko taku reo taku mapihi mauria: My language is my awakening, my language is the window to my soul.

04 WarCry 25 July 2015

Bookshelf Adventure Going Up is Easy Lydia Bradey Kiwi Lydia Bradey was the first woman to climb Everest without oxygen. Making the final ascent on her own, her achievement was marred by controversy by those who doubted her claims. Now vindicated, Lydia relates her tales of adventure as one of our country’s great mountaineers. She is candid about the highs and lows, including an account of losing confidence after her record-breaking ascent, and the grief of losing fellow climbers. Even more engaging is her personal story, as a non-sporting only child raised by a single mother, with the determination to enter into this male-dominated world.

(Penguin Random House)

Playlist

Sport/Leadership Legacy James Kerr Author James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the All Blacks—who he describes as the world’s most successful sporting team—to reveal 15 lessons for leadership.

Kerr examines how the best in the world stay the best, maintaining sustained success and exceptional standards. The servant leadership model of the church stands in sharp contrast with the will to power that drives business success, but Kerr has some surprises. He focuses on purpose, whānau, authenticity, character and whakapapa—aspects of leadership that the church could do well to learn from. For fans of the All Blacks (isn’t that everyone?), this will be a top read. (Constable)

Brass Band Sounds of the Gospel: 125 Years of the Melbourne Staff Band Mervyn E. Collins A coffee table book, accompanied by 80-plus photographs, opens with a historic photo of the Melbourne Staff Band proudly marching down the street. It is captioned: ‘to extend the Kingdom of God, and to encourage Christians in their faith and ministry through the pursuit of excellence in music and in the presentation of the Gospel of Jesus.’ This mission has taken the band around the world. Collins (writer, musician and bandmaster), provides a colourful history of Salvation Army brass bands, beginning with William Booth’s reluctant adoption of the popular music form. (Salvo Publishing)

Reel News

Worship Planetshakers Outback Sessions Planetshakers strips away a lot of the elements that hallmark their style, and instead presents an earthy, laid-back acoustic worship album. Though not as stripped back as they might claim, the record is well produced and consistent.

There’s a mix of old and new songs, but each has its place, and the album flows well. Opening with ‘Like a Fire’, Outback Sessions immediately shows both its greatest strength and weakness—the songs that have great lyrics are as obvious as those with poor ones. Putting that aside, the songs and their arrangements on the whole work really well, and Outback Sessions is a solid worship album.

Indie/Worship Citizens and Saints Join The Triumph (Deluxe Edition) Citizens and Saints’ greatest strength is their ability to write great, theologically deep lyrics and marry them with upbeat indie pop.

Join The Triumph is no exception, and though it’s a re-release of 2014’s version, there’s plenty here to appreciate. Four new tracks are part of the re-release, including ‘Before The Throne’ and the atmospheric and guitar-driven ‘Hiding Place’.

These two tracks, along with two other remixes, flow well from the album’s original content, which breathed new life into hymns like ‘There Is a Fountain’. This is still a great album a year on, and if you haven’t heard it, the deluxe album should be a must have.

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of Sounds of the Gospel, tell us your favourite brass band tune.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 10 Aug.

Biopic Love and Mercy Bill Pohlad / M (Drug use and offensive language) More of a love song than a traditional biography, Love and Mercy is a celebration of Brian Wilson, the genius behind The Beach Boys. And like all great love songs, the film is richly layered, empathetic, heart-aching and tender.

The story is set during two distinct phases of Wilson’s life: the recording of Pet Sounds (critically regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time) where Wilson’s depth of musicality is finding expression. He shows a Mozartesque obsessiveness in his orchestration and use of occasional animal sounds. Yet it is also the beginning of his personal unravelling, as drug abuse and mental illness take hold. Paul Dano plays the young Brian with intelligent naiveté and other-worldliness—he appears too tender for this world.

Especially the harsh world of commercial success.

The Beach Boys of the ’60s is intersected by Brian Wilson in the ’80s, unraveled after years of drug and alcohol abuse, misdiagnosed a paranoid schizophrenic, and under the autocratic control of psychologist Eugene Landy—who appears to be the real sociopath. When Wilson meets Melinda, she becomes the catalyst that saves him and gives him back his humanity.

The older Wilson is played by John Cusack with exceptional vulnerability and sensitivity.

The two distinct ‘Wilsons’ of the story echo his fractured self—the musical genius, the icon, the abused boy, the broken man. But it is not a ‘mental illness’ film. His illness is only ever portrayed as part-in-parcel with his genius. Ultimately, the film is a love story—between two people, and between Brian Wilson and the world.

Go to

salvationarmy.org.nz/saresources

Feature | 05

BY AMINA NAZIA YOUSAF Salvationist Nazia Yousaf shares a fascinating insight into life as a Christian in Pakistan.

Photography: Keri Shay

06 | WarCry 25 July 2015

’m Amina Nazia Yousaf, although most people know me as Nazia. I’m 36 years old and trained as a nurse. My parents are Salvation Army officers Lieut-Colonels Rebecca Yousaf and Yousaf Ghulam. They recently left New Zealand for Sri Lanka, after serving in New Zealand for two years.

I grew up in The Salvation Army, which has proved to be a blessing from God for my life. I have many cherished recollections of my Christian upbringing, of the development of my values and of my experiences as a follower of Jesus Christ. When I was only eight, I saw Jesus in a dream. He told me, ‘You are my beloved daughter.’ I have known since that time that Jesus loves me.

I have always found The Salvation Army an inspirational place.

When people ask me about my confidence and abilities, I respond that my parents and The Salvation Army are the reason for these.

Growing up with four sisters and one brother, I never had to experience any discriminatory attitudes from my family because I was a girl. My sisters and I were treated equally and given many opportunities by the family and our church. We were allowed to choose our professions and were also given permission to choose our own marriage partners, something culturally unacceptable to most people in Pakistan.

I and my siblings spent many years of our life away from home. This also is not common in Pakistan, where children usually stay with their parents until they get married—and even after marriage. My parents focused on our education and careers, encouraging and supporting us. I’m grateful to God we all received a good education. This was only possible with their support and because of the sacrifices of my sister, Shazia, who left home at 16 to work and support us financially when our parents couldn’t.

I entered a Salvation Army girls’ hostel as our family circumstances didn’t permit any other education. Major Loraine Fudge, our hostel superintendent, always encouraged me. She identified that I had a caring and sensitive nature, which led me to join the nursing profession.

When I left home at 16 to start my nursing training, my father told me I would meet different people in my life’s journey. If I liked a person and thought he would be a good marriage partner, my father wanted to be the first person to know. In our culture, arranged marriages are more favoured, but my father’s words gave me the confidence to be more open to friendships.

Eventually, all of us were left in Karachi when our parents were appointed to Salvation Army roles in Lahore—1200 kms away. Although difficult at the time, I now see this was God’s plan, preparing us and them for their overseas appointments in New Zealand and, last month, to Sri Lanka.

Seeking God’s guidance I always felt an empty space in my heart while serving as a nurse in Karachi, where I was a Christian among many Muslim staff.

Although I had many friends, I was seen as different and did experience religious pressure. In 2009, this discomfort increased and I started reflecting on it. It was not an easy decision, but I chose to leave my permanent nursing position—with all its financial incentives and security—and moved away from Karachi, despite it being considered a city of opportunities.

Although financially poorer, this was a spiritually rich time.

I was living with my family again, on the Salvation Army territorial headquarters compound in Lahore. My connection with fellow Christians and Salvationists became stronger with every passing day. I also benefited from exposure to excellent Christian teaching.

During this time, I started work with a prestigious organisation in Lahore. This was going well, but after just a couple of weeks I realised once again that this was not what I was meant to be doing, despite my high salary. This was such a crisis decision for me. I remember one evening, after midnight in July 2010, when I shouted out to God with many tears, ‘God, please help me and let me know what you want me to do. Please talk to me!’ And God did.

I can’t express in words the new feeling of God’s presence in my life. God assured me again that I was his beloved daughter and said he wanted me to serve him. He showed me a vision in which, on one side, was the prosperity of the world—and on the other, a life of sacrificial serving. God asked me to make a choice about which side I would choose.

That morning, during breakfast, I told my family I had decided to leave my job because of this vision. While this could have meant the end of my nursing career, my father supported me and allowed me to choose what was best for my heart, mind and soul.

One day, Colonel Marguerite Ward, head of The Salvation Army’s women’s work in Pakistan, asked me if I would help as a volunteer in the Women’s Ministry Department by writing health fact sheets. She also asked me to provide material for the health component of the Projects and Community Development Department.

I had never anticipated this request and cried with happiness.

While I was looking to serve somewhere voluntarily, little did I know that God had already planned for me to serve The Salvation Army. After starting as a volunteer, I was soon hired by the Community Development team, and since 2011, I have been working with the Projects team. I feel as if I have found my destiny in this work!

Our family faced a terrible tragedy in January 2008, when our eldest sister, Shazia, passed away at the age of 30. Six years later, my officer-sister’s husband, Captain Columbus, also passed away, leaving our sister and three young girls. This second tragedy took place while our parents were in New Zealand. We all found it difficult to cope, but with God’s grace were able to bear these losses and stay firm in our faith.

My father always said that ‘preaching the story of Jacob’s wrestling with God is easy, but experiencing it is something different’. I am so grateful to The Salvation Army in New Zealand, our Pakistan leadership, and all the family and friends from around the world for their prayers and support in these times of sorrow.

Serving Pakistan The Salvation Army serves Pakistani people at the grassroots level.

Despite many conflicts, Pakistan is a faith-based nation. Faith is the centre element of our lives, as well as a social symbol.

Living out the gospel of Jesus Christ is a very important aspect of life for the Pakistan Salvation Army. It is inspiring to see people in a small village coming daily to church to pray or worship very early in the morning, sometimes between 4–5 am before going to

Feature | 07

their work. Attending Sunday church services is also important —for the whole family. Our churches, Sunday schools and youth groups are strong, with many committed prayer warriors.

Salvationists love to serve their church and community voluntarily.

Our soldiers are the strength of The Salvation Army in Pakistan.

The Salvation Army has a strong presence among women, with a passion to see positive change in women’s lives. Our female officers are especially competent, working hard to integrate their own ministry with our Community Development Department. As I go around the Pakistan Territory, I can see that our Salvation Army women are making a difference. Literacy, life skills, small business, mother and child health care, and awareness campaigns are all making a valuable contribution to the community. Seeing these successes gives me a great sense of satisfaction—I am proud to be part of this group that is taking care of God’s people.

Despite pressure from some Christians who feel we should only serve them and their families, our Social Department serves without discrimination in our communities. In our two physical rehabilitation centres, the majority of our clients are Muslims, who often express their appreciation for the work we are doing.

The Salvation Army in Pakistan has responded to five major disasters in the past five years. I was part of the team that conducted a needs assessment in Jhang following the great flood of 2010. After providing emergency relief, funded from overseas territories, we continued working in the flooded areas in Peshawar, Jhang and Sindh doing community development work, which we recently finished. None of the beneficiaries in those areas were Christian. Many times, people asked us why we Christian people were helping them. Our response was simple: Jesus loved them, and so did we.

While preaching is not allowed, our lives serve as a witness of God’s love to the world. We are especially grateful to those overseas territories that provided funding for our emergency relief work, and then helped to rebuild destroyed communities afterwards.

The Salvation Army serves Pakistani people at the grassroots level.

Challenges of discrimination We, as a Pakistani nation, face many challenges, such as terrorism and extremism. However, this is a double challenge for Christians.

Life isn’t easy for religious minorities—Christians represent only two per cent of the population in this Islamic republic. The laws of our country discriminate against Christians and can make us feel like second-class citizens. Non-Muslims are not allowed to become president, prime minister or governor. Because of this, there is no strong political leadership among Christians.

Pakistani Christians often have their religious identity challenged. Generally, Christianity is considered to be a foreign religion in the Indian sub-continent. While working as a nurse, I still remember one of my colleagues, a surgeon, asking if I had ever been to my own country. This was such a strange question that I didn’t know if he was kidding. I responded that I am very much a Pakistani, born and brought up here. He should not consider me a ‘foreigner’ just because I am a Christian!

Pakistani Christians have faced social and political discrimination for centuries. This discrimination creates a faulty sense of identity and low self-esteem. Christians in Pakistan are marginalised with low-income jobs. The majority of Christians are

sweepers (considered a suitable job for us), poor, and with either just a basic education or none at all. We are often considered lowcaste ‘untouchables’, a concept that comes from Hinduism’s caste system.

Christians in Pakistan have faced social and political discrimination for centuries.

Those of us able to get a good education—in nursing, medicine, teaching or business—aren’t faced with the same disdain as the untouchables, but we still face different kinds of discrimination in many places. Despite this, many of us realise that we have come a long way and can speak well of our faith as Christians of Pakistan.

We will never accept that we are second-class citizens.

Pakistani Christians often feel pressured to leave their jobs as a result of mistreatment in the workplace, including being teased about our faith. This is why many Christians prefer to work in Christian organisations.

Our children face challenges in their schooling, especially in villages where they can’t sit with other children and are prevented from using the same washroom or drinking water. Children and teachers engage in bullying and biting, and ask Christians to convert. Many Christian students have left school because of this, with our people preferring to send their children to Christian schools.

One challenge often not appreciated by Christians in other countries concerns the marriage of Christian women who are asked or pressured to embrace Islam. Christian girls receive marriage offers with the condition of converting. Cases are reported of Christian girls involved in forced marriages, but due to the marginalised status of Christians in Pakistan many more families don’t speak out due to shame or fear. I have received such marriage proposals. Praising my humility, bravery and the level of my professional skill, I’ve been offered the proposal of marriage with the promise of an easier life if I choose to become a Muslim’s wife.

The blasphemy law is also a major challenge. This law forbids blasphemy against any recognised religion, but is mainly used against religious minorities. As a result, Christians live in fear.

We have been taught at home never to argue about our faith with others and to avoid religious conflict, but nobody can predict when the blasphemy law will be used against us. This law has seen Christian villages, colonies and churches burnt and people killed.

Some Christians have been jailed.

Despite this difficult environment, I have many Muslim friends who support me well, speaking out for Christian rights and being prepared to stand with Christians. However, we all still struggle with the question of tolerance in our society.

Pakistan’s Christians really depend on Christian organisations for support in development and advocacy. I ask that our brothers and sisters in faith uplift us in prayer. It is too easy for us to lose patience in Pakistan because of corruption, discrimination and terrorism. Please pray that God will bless us with the ability to cope with our situation and that he will help us to build bridges in our communities. Pray, too, that God blesses us with good political and religious leadership so that we may enjoy peace—which is this country’s most important need.

08 | WarCry 25 July 2015

BUDGET

ENVIRONMENT

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Bumper Book Giveaway

Or, why money can’t buy you happiness. Really.

It’s indoor season and there’s no better way to enjoy the in-vironment than to surround yourself with books, glorious books. Gecko Press have given us four of their favourite children’s books to give away.

When our War Cry team interviewed mental health expert and author of the Black Dog books Matthew Johnstone, he said something that fascinated us.

He had met the editor of a highly prestigious publication called the duPont Registry, described as ‘the world’s premiere marketplace’. You probably won’t have heard of it, because its target audience is the billionaires of this world. The editor travels the world, reviewing super yachts, luxury cars and homes that start at a million dollars.

But the editor told Matthew something intriguing: ‘I have to say I’ve never met anyone in that category who is really happy, because if you have everything, what else is there?’ As a result, this man has completely simplified his life.

There is a part of human nature that finds meaning in setting a goal and working to attain it. A holiday is special because it is a well-earned rest.

That second-hand car you have saved for will feel like a Porsche. It’s not the object that brings happiness, but the earning of it. So, with that in mind, here are some practical tips from sorted.co.nz for sticking to your savings plan: ΕΕ Set realistic goals: Often, savings plans don’t succeed because people are too ambitious. Start small and increase the amount as you’re able, rather than the other way around. ΕΕ Leave a little: We are tempted to break into our savings when there is no money for a little splurge. So, if you can afford it, set a small amount aside those little temptations. ΕΕ Make it automatic: Set up a savings account and make an automatic payment to go into it. That takes the ‘I don’t feel like it’ factor away.

This month, Wellington-based Gecko Press celebrated its 10th birthday and it’s a bit of a New Zealand success story. Their sales went up by 20 per cent in the last year alone, bucking the trend of declining books sales. Despite being small, international publishers, who only print 15 carefully selected books per year, Gecko Press have won several international book awards.

This time of year is a great chance to get your kids into reading—some of the known benefits of reading are increased concentration and imagination, better language and communication skills, and development of logical thinking! But most of all, reading a good book is a heap of fun.

Gecko print have especially selected four of their favourite books from the past decade, to give away to War Cry readers.

Donkeys: This was the first book Gecko ever published.

It is about two donkeys who have loved each other for many years, but have a silly argument. It also features a ridiculously small goat, a too-squishy hippo, an overclingy ostrich, and a lone camel.

Dunger: From the beloved Joy Cowley, this pre-teen book follows William and Melissa, who have been roped into helping their old hippie grandparents fix up their holiday home in the middle of the Sounds.

Snake and Lizard: Snake and Lizard are a lovable, foolish pair, always arguing, embarking on adventures and telling one another hotly contested tales.

Most important, remember that God created us to find meaning in life through relationships, not through material things. If we strive for riches, we may have full pockets but empty hearts. Your return for investing in people will be rich indeed.

My Happy Life: Dani and her crew of friends are probably the happiest people they know. But then things happen that Dani isn’t prepared for.

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

Omar Khayyam

TO WIN: If you would like to win these books, send an email to warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org with ‘Bumper Book Giveaway’ in the subject line. Or send an envelope to: Bumper Book Giveaway, War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141. Entries close 10 Aug.

Paella

This recipe may stray from its Spanish origin, but one of the ‘rules’ of paella is that there are no rules! | Serves 2–3 2 Tbsp olive oil 6–8 chicken wings or nibbles 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 red pepper, sliced ¾ cup arborio or calrose rice 1 tsp smoked paprika large pinch saffron strands (or ½ tsp turmeric) 2 cups hot chicken or fish stock (or 2 cups water and 2 tsp stock powder) 2 tomatoes, cubed 1 cup cooked and peeled prawns or sliced squid tubes 4–6 small, whole fresh mussels 1 cup frozen peas or beans chopped parsley to garnish

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in large pot or wok. Add chicken and brown on all sides, then remove.

Add remaining oil, onion and garlic, and cook until onion has softened and slightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Stir in sliced pepper and cook for 1–2 mins longer, then add rice. Mix well to ensure all rice is covered with oil and cook, stirring frequently, until rice looks milky white.

Stir in paprika, saffron (or turmeric), stock and tomatoes, cover and bring to boil. Simmer for about 15 mins until chicken and rice are cooked, stirring occasionally so the rice doesn’t stick.

Add seafood of your choice and peas or beans, stir, then top with mussels. Replace lid and cook until mussels open, about 5 mins. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley.

From Simply Delicious One Dish Reciples by Simon Holst. Go to www.holst.co.nz

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A How can I start speaking Māori at home?

Even if you don’t consider yourself a Māori language speaker, it’s easy to incorporate te reo into your everyday kōrero or conversation.

The Māori language is a taonga (treasure) that gives our country its distinct and unique cultural identity.

Surveys show that most Māori and many non-Māori know at least some te reo—this is a wonderful indicator that it is a thriving, living language.

If you aren’t in the habit of speaking Māori you may feel whakamā or embarrassed about giving it a go. The first step is always the hardest, so start off small. Begin by incorporating words you’re familiar with into your everyday kōrero or conversation. You might be surprised how many words you already know—such as kia ora (hello), haere mai (welcome), kai (food), wai (water) and aroha (love).

Then begin extending your knowledge by learning and using a couple of new words a day. By just doing that, you will have learned over 700 words and phrases in a year! Start out with the basics: ΕΕ Answer the phone and greet others using ‘kia ora’ or ‘tēnā koe’. ΕΕ Label household items with their Māori names. This will also help remind you to kōrero Māori. ΕΕ Keep a list of new words or ones you find difficult to remember on the fridge. ΕΕ Learn some simple waiata and nursery rhymes that you can enjoy with your children (get some ideas from the internet). ΕΕ Borrow children’s books in Māori from the library and read them.

Both you and your children will benefit. ΕΕ Practice speaking Māori to your children. They will be learning the language from you as well as providing an uncritical ear.

Testify Margaret Abbott of Rotorua has discovered the power of prayer even in the youngest of lives.

I work at a Christian early childhood centre in Rotorua. Being able to share about Jesus with the children is a wonderful blessing.

Through songs, stories and discussions with the children, we hope to be able to influence their young lives. For those children who don’t come from Christian homes, our hope is to show them that God is awesome, that he loves them and that he wants us to be caring towards others.

My work at the centre is with the two-year-olds. Recently, a little girl began using some swear words in an angry tone, directing her words at other children. At first, we weren’t sure of the best way to deal with this. We started by ignoring her behaviour in the hope that she would stop swearing, but she kept it up. This led to a complaint from a parent who was embarrassed when her own two-year-old started using these same words.

This complaint led me to search for a better solution. Over morning tea, one of the teachers from our three to five-year-old area said that when this happened in the older children’s playground, the teacher would stoop down to the child’s level, tell them it was not acceptable to speak like that, and would then pray with the child, asking God to help them speak more kindly.

My initial reaction was, ‘I think they’re too young to understand.’

But when there was another incident, I felt an urgency to go and pray with the little girl. I engaged with her eye to eye and gently told her that it made God very sad when she used those words. I told her, ‘I am going to pray to God and ask him to help you to remember not to say those words to your friends.’

As I prayed, the girl’s body relaxed and her facial expression softened. When the prayer was over, I gave her a big hug and left it at that. And we have not heard that language again.

Since that day, that little girl has joined in our daily prayer before lunch. We begin by saying ‘karakia tātou’ (let us pray) and then ‘whakapiri ō ringaringa’ (praying hands together). Each day we hear her joining in. If we open our eyes, we see her praying hands together and the same softness in her expression that I witnessed when I first prayed with her.

I see God shining through this child, and it is a reminder for me that praying individually with a child of any age is a powerful experience—one that God wants us to continue.

The Bible passage that speaks of this to me is Luke 18:15–16, ‘People were bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them.

When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him saying, “Let the

HELP SHAPE THE NEXT

GENERATION

Here is a list of phrases you can cut out and keep on the fridge or somewhere handy: Mōrena: good morning; Haere mai: welcome, come here; Kei te pai: ok, good; E noho: sit down; Waiho tēnā: leave that alone; Kia tūpato: be careful; Homai te kihi : give me a kiss; Homai te awhiawhi: give me a hug; Tino nui tōku aroha ki a koe: I really love you.

Source: Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (The Māori Language Commission).

Go to www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz

little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” ’ ‘Do not hinder them,’ said Jesus. I think that if I had not prayed that day with this child, I would have hindered her opportunity to meet with Jesus.

God blessed me that day with wisdom that I intend to put into practice whenever the opportunity arises in the future.

Praying with a child of any age is a powerful experience.

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

NAME:

FOR FREE RESOURCES AND HELP IN PASSING THE BIBLE ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION, VISIT WWW.BIBLEMONTH.NZ

THE BIBLE: PASS IT ON

ADDRESS:

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

10 | WarCry 25 July 2015

SUDOKU

Difficulty Easy

8 9 2 5 9

7 4 3

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3 6 5 7

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

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Kiwi Buyer’s Guide to Ethical Shopping

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Where do we start when we don’t want our shopping to fund injustice, abuse or environmental damage?

Each Sudoku number puzzle has a unique solution that can be worked out logically (not mathematically). The numbers 1 to 9 appear once in every row, column and 3x3 square.

Up to 1.5 million children work on cocoa farms in Ghana and Ivory Coast, according to an International Labour Rights Forum 2014 report. Many are slaves—trafficked and horribly abused.

Less than one per cent of the world’s clothes can be certified as ethically produced, and until 2013 armed groups in the Democtratic Republic of Congo were making about $USD185 million a year from us buying electronic goods, funding the killing, rape and displacement of more than seven million people.

Ethical shopping is something I know I should do, but I make excuses like, ‘It’s too expensive’ or ‘the problem’s too big’. Or I try to salve my conscience with, ‘At least I buy Fair Trade chocolate!’

Kiwis care about this issue. According to FairTrade Australia New Zealand, last year we spent $85 million on FairTrade products, up 28 per cent on 2013. That’s mostly individual cups of coffee and tea, chocolate and bananas. But with a bit of digging I found lots more options to do the right thing with my money.

The Salvation Army was founded as a church ready to work in the worst situations, combatting suffering and injustice and bringing God’s love. Getting clothed and fed by slaves, using technology that funds suffering, and paying companies damaging God’s creation is a poor representation of that. So, here are some tips to help us make a difference in our everyday shopping.

But first, two important things to remember: Firstly, you can’t do everything. You may be unable to afford some things or not always able to find more ethical alternatives—but every little helps.

Secondly, the often-quoted phrase ‘every dollar you spend is a vote for what you believe in’ is true, but so is every dollar you don’t spend! Always think about if something is a need or a want, and what your want might cost someone.

QUICK QUIZ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Is a ladybird a beetle, an ant or a fly?

Which football team won the 2015 Champions League?

What part of the body is affected by glaucoma?

What are kept in an apiary?

In which African country is Tripoli?

What type of snake is said to have killed Cleopatra?

How many balls are on a snooker table at the start of a match?

What image is on the Canadian flag?

A supermarket sold 72 oranges from its stock of 96. What percentage is this?

10 Who did Cain kill in the first book of the Bible?

The weekly grocery shop 8 5 7 1 3 6 9 2 4

9 1 6 8 4 2 3 5 7

2 3 4 5 7 9 8 6 1

4 9 2 3 6 1 5 7 8

1 7 3 9 5 8 2 4 6

6 8 5 7 2 4 1 9 3

5 2 8 4 1 7 6 3 9

3 4 9 6 8 5 7 1 2

7 6 1 2 9 3 4 8 5

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

1. Look for products with the FairTrade symbol Plusses: FairTrade is the world’s most recognised and trusted ethical mark, focusing on fair pay and conditions for workers, and considering environmental issues. Rainforest Alliance also does good stuff, with a heavy focus on environmental issues.

Minuses: There’s still a fairly small range of FairTrade and Rainforest Alliance-certified food products in New Zealand: chocolate, tea, coffee, bananas, vanilla and ice blocks.

Quick quiz answers: 1 A beetle, 2 Barcelona, 3 The eyes, 4 Bees, 5 Libya, 6 An asp, 7 22, 8 A maple leaf, 9 75%, 10 Abel (Genesis 4:8).

Close Up | 11

Two boys (aged 10 and 13 ) sew clothing at the Sajaad Tailor shop in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Photography: Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

2. Look for Trade Aid products Plusses: A great Kiwi ethical brand, with 29 NZ stores, lots of food products and a good online store. Minuses: Not widespread in supermarkets (but getting into more, so keep looking) and more expensive than less ethical brands. If your budget is tight, try substituting one or two items for Trade Aid ones.

3. Look local Plusses: Buying NZ-made and going to markets, etc. is better for the environment, and workers are more likely to have been treated well.

Markets can be cheaper too and products usually use less packaging, sprays and harmful chemicals. Minuses: Sometimes harder to find or more expensive. With bigger companies, some ingredients are sourced internationally—check labels if this is important to you.

4. Go to an organic store Plusses: Everything’s ethical and/or environmentally friendly.

Minuses: They’re (mostly) more expensive, have a smaller range and are harder to find.

5. Get the Shop Ethical app on your smartphone Perhaps the best advice we can give. It costs $4.99 and is available on iPhone and Android phones. Plusses: This app lets you look up information on the makers of everything from toys to food, electronics and pet stuff.

Gives a grade from A-F on ethical and environmental issues, with links to an incredible level of detail on why. Minuses: An Australian app, so misses some Kiwi brands. Confusingly, it has info about the UK company behind Tip Top bread (another F), but not the NZ ice-cream company. Still, lots of things on your shopping list are there. After a few weeks of road testing my shopping list has changed, but the cost is pretty much the same.

6. Get the Conscious Consumer app If you’re looking for a cafe or restaurant, this is a great Kiwi app. Plusses: Free! Handy map tool. Offers specials at some places. Minuses: Can be glitchy. Doesn’t show anything for some small towns.

Needing clothes Obviously, we recommend Salvation Army Family Stores—buying second hand is more environmentally friendly and you’re supporting the Army, but if you want to buy new and also support ethical producers, there are some great ethical Kiwi companies. And also check out Baptist World Aid’s 2015 fashion report on the big companies.

1. Liminal Apparel Plusses: Similar price to unethical brands ($25 a t-shirt) and sells Freeset products. Freeset rescue women sex trafficked in India and teaches them a fairly paid trade, making ethical clothes and accessories, using organic cotton. Sold in Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Oxford (Melbourne) and online. Check out their website, liminal.org.nz for an excellent example of how ethical shopping

changes lives. Minuses: Only t-shirts, hoodies, scarves and bags.

2. AS Colour Plusses: WRAP certified (US NGO assessing worker’s rights and environmental issues), good adult range, plus bags, hats and kids’ t-shirts. Prices are good ($22 t-shirt) and their sale items even better ($6 t-shirts or dresses anyone?). Stores in Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and online. Minuses: Only in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. Shipping quotes from their online store are more expensive than other companies on this list.

3. Kowtow Plusses: Kiwi fashion label selling Fair Trade, organic clothes in 18 countries. Big range, good online store and sold in 40 NZ stores.

Minuses: High fashion adults clothing, generally expensive and not for everyone. ($75 for a plain men’s t-shirt, $65+ for women’s.)

4. FeralNZ Plusses: Boutique Kiwi-made women’s fashion, WRAP certified, cool one-off designs, and they do custom orders. Minuses: Only online, only one men’s product, prices from $30 (t-shirt) to $300 (merino jacket).

5. Metal Baby Plusses: Ethical Kiwi-made baby clothes. Cool designs for a small range of onesies, t-shirts and hoodies at good prices ($25 for a t-shirt, $28 for a onesie). Minuses: Online only, but shipping’s pretty cheap. Don’t confuse them with the people selling heavy metal-themed kids clothes!

6. Kathmandu Plusses: Men’s and women’s FairTrade tees for $30. Working to 100 per cent sustainable cotton and 59 per cent of current cotton is FairTrade.

Minuses: Despite the rhetoric, the t-shirts are their only fully FairTrade items. Great start, but may need encouragement to do more.

Buying electronics You can’t buy ethical, because almost nothing is and there’s no way of knowing. We know terrible stuff happens in all electronics companies’ supply chains, but not which products are tainted.

The problem: Conflict minerals (illegally mined in conflict zones— mainly tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold) are the high profile issue, fuelling violence. But there’s also child labour, sweatshops, debt bondage, toxic waste dumping and more.

The solution: The industry is, very slowly, changing through public pressure. For example, since 2014 Intel says all its microprocessors are conflict mineral free. But there’s a long way to go. The fantastic Dutch company FairPhone, set up to try and build a fully ethical smartphone, have only managed to source two conflict-free minerals so far.

Bottom line: Buy less, tell companies what you think of them and buy from companies making an effort. There’s loads of info online to help.

See ethical.org.au or enoughproject.org.

Got recommendations? Drop a line to warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

12 | WarCry 25 July 2015

Part 2 of 3

In a society that seems increasingly fearful, how does the concept of showing hospitality to strangers sit with the Christian church? asks Coralie Bridle.

Part one in this three-part series looked at the first of three voices from which the church can hear ideas about how to better extend hospitality to strangers in its midst. Philosopher Richard Kearney critiques the way the West has traditionally dealt with strangers, foreigners and notions of ‘otherness’ and suggests that fostering ‘a radical attentiveness to the stranger [can function] as a portal to the sacred’. In part two, Coralie considers the voice of Christian ethicist Christine Pohl.

Christine Pohl, in company with writers such as Henri Nouwen, says many contemporary Christians have lost touch with what it means to welcome the stranger. Hospitality has come to mean polite civilities, mostly among like-minded people, rather than a moral, ecclesial or biblical imperative. ‘Hospitality is at the heart of Christian life, drawing from God’s grace and reflecting God’s graciousness,’ she writes.

And so we turn to investigate the biblical examples for extending welcome to the stranger. As Pohl explains—from the stories of ancient Israel, to the Good News of the Kingdom inaugurated in Jesus, through to the life and practice of the early church under the inspiration and direction of the Holy Spirit—welcome and hospitality toward the stranger is central to the meaning of the Christian gospel.

The story of creation and the character of God give us some indication of the cosmic dimensions of this notion of welcoming the stranger. In the beginning, God created and welcomed into that creation all animal, plant and human life to share his universal hospitality (Genesis 1 and 2). As the ultimate host, God clearly patterned the notion of making space for all. The Psalmist writes, ‘The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.’

(Psalm 24:1–2).

While these verses articulate a premise of God’s ownership of creation, they also carry an expression of responsibility. God is a responsible and trustworthy host—the buck stops somewhere.

Fashioned as we are in the image of God, all human beings reflect the same image and, in so doing, are worthy of care, compassion and inclusion (Genesis 1:27–28). When we welcome the stranger, we are acknowledging the image of God that resides in both guest and host.

Even after the fracture in our relationship, with estrangement and enmity beckoning, God takes the vulnerable and exposed, drawing them back into a life-giving relationship (Genesis 3:21).

As Pohl comments, ‘God’s guest list includes a disconcerting number of poor and broken people, those who appear to bring little to any gathering except their need.’ If we can see our one-time enmity toward God, then we are more able to acknowledge our responsibility to be hospitable to the stranger in front of us. Our host is merciful, gracious, loving and forgiving (Psalm 145:8–9). As human beings, when we respond in hospitality toward the stranger, we participate in

the welcome of God (Romans 5:8). When we welcome the stranger, we stand on holy ground.

Welcoming the stranger Christology (the study of who Jesus was and is) speaks powerfully to the notion of welcoming the stranger. His incarnation presents us with a change of dynamic. Now the ‘host’ seeks welcome from the creation.

Revelation 3:20 records, ‘Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.’

This interchange of roles, between host and guest, continues throughout the ministry of Jesus. When Zacchaeus plays host to Christ, he is, in turn, welcomed as a guest of the eternal Kingdom (Luke 19:5–10). It is in the moment that the travellers to Emmaus show hospitality to a ‘stranger’ that they encounter the risen Lord (Luke 24:13–35). As Pohl notes, ‘Jesus welcomes and needs welcome; Jesus requires that followers depend on and provide hospitality.’

There is a call to vulnerability underlying this statement. It can be more ‘gratifying’ to hold to the host role. There is a latent power in such a position. But rather than clinging to such power dynamics, Christ patterns the exact opposite in his response to our broken reality (Philippians 2:5–8). He became a defenceless baby, he knew the experience of refugee status, he felt the sting of rejection and he lived the reality of being a scorned and convicted criminal.

Welcome and hospitality toward the stranger is central to the meaning of the Christian gospel.

While the welcome of Christ included conversation with the wealthy (Mark 10:17–22) and spiritual leaders (John 3:1–10), it was a welcome that embraced those on the extreme margins of society (Luke 4:18–19; 23:42–43). Christ’s actions, example and teaching were uncompromisingly clear: when we welcome the stranger, we welcome him (Matthew 25:45; Luke 14:12). As Letty Russell comments, in Just Hospitality: God’s Welcome in a World of Difference, ‘When we extend a welcome to others on the basis of hearing and learning and trusting in the possibility that Christ is present in the other persons, we will hear a gospel that is situation variable …

Christ will call some to repent, some to stand up and walk, some to share a gift, or pray without ceasing.’

The Old Testament also develops a deeper understanding of the dynamics of welcoming the stranger. In the ancient world, the nomadic life of characters such as Abraham and Sarah depended on the offer of hospitality. This offer acknowledged that at any moment it might be ‘I’ who stood in need of assistance. Large households—comprising family and servants—extended care and attention to the passing stranger.

Abraham’s introduction to the pages of scripture comes out of a context of displacement. He left the familiar and comfortable as he

Soul Food | 13

welcomed God’s call to: ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’ (Genesis 12:1).

In Genesis 18:1–16, the unfolding story of Abraham and Sarah, as they entertain three strangers, becomes formative for God’s people (Hebrews 13:2). As Pohl articulates, the manner in which Abraham welcomed and entertained his guests was not uncommon in the ancient world. What is instructive in this incident is that in the welcome and hospitality extended to the strangers, God, in the guise of guest, drew near to the host with both promise and blessing (Genesis 18:10).

To welcome the stranger is to invite the blessing of God. The compelling stories of two women at the polar extremes of financial security are also instructive. The widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:8–24), and the Shunamite woman (2 Kings 4:8–37) both offered hospitality to prophets of God. In turn, the guest became a conduit for a ‘special connection with God’. In both cases, a miraculous restoration of their dead sons followed. Pohl notes, ‘In the stories of women who provided hospitality to men of God, there is an especially strong sense of reward.’ To welcome the stranger is to invite God’s blessing.

The Israelite nation, as the covenant people of God, also speaks to the notion of welcome and stranger. As a people enslaved in Egypt—subsequently incorporated in the Exodus event and invited into covenant relationship with Yahweh—they are a people familiar with the welcome and provision of God (Exodus 14:19–30, 16:13–15; Deuteronomy 7:12). They were also well aware of the responsibilities of covenant relationship (Leviticus 19:9–10, 33).

Hospitality to the alien, or stranger, was a core component in the community life of God’s covenanted people. Their ongoing status reinforced this understanding: ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers (Leviticus 25:23).’ There is an acute denial of the human propensity for staking out ‘what is mine’ in this account. Even as the so-called ‘chosen people’, the Israelites were to be representative in their continuing status as guests— permitted to dwell in the land by God’s grace and provision.

Their experience as the vulnerable and abused, at the hand of the Egyptians, was supposed to live on in their collective memory, so that in the face of the stranger, or the oppressed, they would note their own history and respond in welcome and embrace. To welcome the stranger is to be as one with the other, because it is a shared, or collective, identity.

The early Christians The early church comprised a ‘reconstituted household’ in which social status, gender, and ethnicity, were transcended. At the table of God, all are equal and none are excluded. Paul clearly says to the church at Rome that they are to welcome as they themselves have been

welcomed: ‘Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God (Romans 15:7 ESV).’

In the church, hospitality is also a manifestation of how God meets human need in the world. It is a concrete expression of love. The community of the early church lived this commitment to meeting need (Acts 4:32–35). Their hospitality bore witness to the authenticity of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The church also lived the call to move beyond settled boundaries.

The story of Peter and Cornelius is illustrative in this regard (Acts 10:9 –48). The roles of guest and host are reconfigured, and the boundary lines between who is in and who is out are erased.

As John Vanier, of L’Arche communities, notes, ‘Welcome is one of the signs that a community is alive. To invite others to live with us is a sign that we aren’t afraid, that we have a treasure of truth and of peace to share.’

In our world full of strangers, estranged from their own past, culture and country, from their neighbours, friends and family, from their deepest self and their God, we witness a painful search for a hospitable place where life can be lived without fear and where community can be found. … if there is any concept worth restoring to its original depth and evocative potential it is the concept of hospitality. It is one of the richest biblical terms that can deepen and broaden our insight in our relationships to our fellow human beings. Old and New Testament stories not only show how serious our obligation is to welcome the stranger in our home, but they also tell us that guests are carrying precious gifts with them, which they are eager to reveal to a receptive host …

Hospitality, therefore, means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines. It is not to lead our neighbour into a corner where there are no alternatives left, but to open a wide spectrum of options for choice and commitment.

Henri Nouwen Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life

14 | WarCry 25 July 2015

Giving Thanks for Daily Bread

More than half a million loaves of bread have been given to Kiwis in need through a partnership between The Salvation Army and Goodman Fielder.

The Goodman Fielder Cares Trust donates the specially baked bread to 10 Salvation Army Food Banks in Wellington, Motueka, Christchurch, Dunedin, Whangarei, Auckland and Hamilton. It has been donating bread to charities, including The Salvation Army, since 2006.

Trust chairman Ian Fraser handed over the 500,000th loaf to Territorial Secretary for Community Ministries Major Pam Waugh at a playgroup at Hutt City Corps last month, where the Goodman Fielder

(l–r) Mjr Pam Waugh, Ian Fraser and Nicholas Lysaniuk. bread is used for sandwiches for 150 pre-schoolers and care-givers, as well as in food parcels.

The 500,000 loaves would stretch for 150km of bread if they were laid out end to end, Ian said.

Pam said the donation helped The Salvation Army to provide about 55,000 food parcels a year. The bread was greatly appreciated by clients and by staff, she said. ‘Meeting this level of demand can be very difficult, so it’s immensely reassuring for our staff to know that a substantial part of our clients’ need is met each week.’

New Farm Added to Help Young People

More young people will be able to train in agriculture through the expansion of The Salvation Army’s Jeff Farm.

The Salvation Army has bought a 421.5ha farm next door to its Jeff Farm property, in Southland, expanding the farm to more than 11,000ha.

Jeff Farm was left to The Salvation Army in 1952 by farmer Edmund Jeff to be used for training people to work in farming. Each year, four students live onsite at the farm and are trained in farming skills by manager John Chittock and his senior staff. The students spend time in the field and in classroom work, leaving after two years with a National Certificate in Agriculture.

The farm produces graduates who are extremely well regarded in the industry, Secretary for Business Administration Lieut-Colonel Lynette Hutson said. However, competition for places as a cadet on the farm is strong, with a waiting list of applicants each year. The new farm

will allow two more cadets a year to be trained onsite and help fund the training of others.

The trust that oversees the farm had been planning to expand in the past few years, Lynette said. ‘The farm was only big enough to take a small number of cadets. We wanted to expand the number we could take, so had been looking at some properties quite a distance from the farm. But, when this property came up right next door, it was just a fantastic opportunity.’

The purchase was completed on the last day of March and work is being done to have the new land fully integrated with Jeff Farm and ready for the new cadets next year.

Along with training more cadets, the increased farm size should help increase the farm’s profits, which are put back into supporting young people.

The Salvation Army disburses over $192,000 from the Jeff Farm Trust Account in scholarships for young people to study agriculturerelated courses at Lincoln University, the nearby Telford Rural Polytechnic at Balclutha, and at Taratahi Agricultural College.

The scholarships were targeted at helping vulnerable young people, or those who would not be able to train without financial assistance, Lynette said. ‘We had one young man came down from Northland for an interview in Masterton—his father drove him down. They did not have enough money to stay anywhere, so they slept in the car. The level of motivation is incredible. We were delighted to award him a scholarship.’

The remainder of the farm’s are used to fund other Salvation Army youth work nationally, with a focus on strengthening the development of young people.

Our Community | 15

Growth Celebrated at Levin Levin Corps (Lieutenant Chris Collings) was in celebration mode on Sunday 28 July, when three people were enrolled as soldiers and four as adherents.

Anita Carr, Paula Harvey and Maureen Stevens became soldiers, while David Carr, Ron and Beverley Hubbard, Phil Pomeroy and Michelle Moyes became adherents. Michelle gave her testimony, speaking confidently of the changes God has brought about in her life.

God has truly blessed Levin Corps, with folk ready and willing to take their place in whatever role they can fulfil in God’s service.

Marlene Dunsmore

Wanganui Salvationists Muck in For Flood Clean-up Clothing evacuated families and shovelling mud were a big part of the work for Wanganui Salvationists who helped clean up after last month’s flooding.

Wanganui City Corps officer Major Glenn Anderson said the corps had been working closely with the Red Cross, the Wanganui District Council and other volunteer groups to assist their work in the city.

The corps, along with Wanganui City Mission, donated food to the district health board, which was airlifted to families cut off in rural areas in the early days of the flooding. They also encouraged corps members who wanted to help to sign up with volunteer groups that were forming in the city. Those volunteers helped with tasks including clearing mud, some of it contaminated with sewage, from public areas.

After discussions with the Red Cross and local council, the corps’ official role was to help clothe families evacuated from their homes, said Glenn. ‘Some people left their houses in just what they were standing in. We opened our [Family] Store on the Sunday, the day after the flooding, and set up a system and evacuees began trickling in. Early this month we had helped about 26 families with clothing.’

Some families had also been helped with furniture, but that was limited as many were still out of their homes or had taken up assistance offered through the Mayoral Relief Fund, set up to help flood victims.

Corps members were also supporting two single men at the corps whose houses were flooded, as well as friends who were affected, Glenn said.

In the city, 18 houses were red stickered, meaning they would probably be demolished and a further 160 were yellow stickered, requiring repairs before people can move home. However, Glenn said the major damage had been to rural areas. Early estimates suggest it could cost $40 million to repair infrastructure and roading.

While he was expecting the corps would mostly be providing emotional and spiritual support in the coming months, there was concern that the cost of the rebuild could force the council to increase rates, when hard-up families in the town were already facing tougher times, with 200 state houses due to be sold.

Tough Times on West Coast Keep Greymouth Corps Busy Job cuts—including mine closures—and a slowing economy have hit the coast hard in the last few years, and Corps Officer Captain Avis Owen said the numbers of people needing help have been steadily increasing, especially over winter. However, she said it’s also presenting the corps with an opportunity to transform lives, inside and out.

The growing need has been seen in a rise in people seeking help from the corps’ Community Ministries and coming back more often for assistance, Avis said.

Budgeting is an area where the corps has been working hard as job cuts take their toll. When Captains Avis and Mark Owen moved to Greymouth two years ago, the budgeting service was just starting, but now has five budgeting advisors. In the past 12 months they’ve seen a total of 61 clients with a shared debt of more than $1 million.

‘Those that have been made redundant from the mines and other industries have nothing left to play with. Kiwi Saver drawdowns have become standard,’ Avis said.

When someone comes for help the corps is very deliberate about trying to make a difference in all areas of their life, Avis said. It’s about getting people the physical help they need, and reaching out to them as a church.

One of their best examples was a woman who came for budget assistance last year after being left with a large and unexpected debt following a relationship breakup. ‘She was completely blind-sided,’ Avis said. Even with budgeting assistance and help from Community

Ministries it was a struggle, but with some hard work her situation began to change. Keen to give back, the woman began volunteering at the Greymouth Family Store, Avis said. ‘That was a step to her coming back to church and recommitting her life to the Lord, which was really exciting, and becoming an adherent.’

The woman was discharged from the budgeting service last month and has become an assistant community worker, helping out in the food bank. Later this year she will begin training to become a budgeting advisor herself. ‘I want to cry sometimes. I’m so humbled looking at where she is now and where she was 18 months ago, it’s a life transformation’, Avis said.

While the work doesn’t seem likely to slow anytime soon, seeing lives transformed keeps the Army’s staff going on the coast, Avis said.

‘What inspires us is a vision God’s given about being a place people can come and encounter and grow in him.’

We’d love to hear your news Send 400–600 words with one or two clear and captioned photos.

Promotion to Glory tributes are usually around 300 words. Please send large, high-quality digital images in .jpg format. Email news reports to warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

16 | WarCry 25 July 2015

Kiwis Help Out in Huge Nepal Relief Effort

(l–r) Mjr David Bennett, Nazia Yousaf and Capt Ralph Hargest; Mjr David Bennett with Emergency Services team and locals.

Delivering thousands of kilos of food and supplies to homeless earthquake victims is all part of the day’s work for two Kiwis on the Salvation Army International Emergency Services team working in Nepal.

Captain Ralph Hargest joined Major David Bennett as the second representative from the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory on the eight-strong international team in Nepal after flying out on 4 July to spend two months assisting the team, which is based in Kathmandu.

The team also includes officers from the Pakistan, and Netherlands and the Czech Republic territories working alongside local officers and volunteers. [Ed—Nazia Yousaf,

whose story features in this edition, is another member of the Emergency Services team.]

David said the work was extremely busy, focusing on getting food and shelter to people left homeless, including many living in rural places that are almost cut off due to poor roads that can be almost impassable during the monsoon season.

‘One Sunday, we delivered food to a village of 880 families,’ he said. ‘Each family receives 30 kilograms of rice, five kg of dahl, one kg of salt and three litres of cooking oil. You can do your maths and see how much we had to have for 880 families!’ Some people walked for four hours to the village to collect supplies.

The international team is

also managing six camps in the Kathmandu valley, assisting families before they return home. By the end of last month, the team had distributed almost 160,000 kilogrammes of food and water, as well as other emergency supplies, including water filters, tarpaulins, solar lamps, hygiene kits, school kits and mosquito nets. They have also been distributing 1000 high-quality tents, which arrived from Pakistan at the end of June, just before the worst of the monsoon rains arrive. Some families had set up the tents near their damaged homes, giving them somewhere safe to live while rebuilding.

Ralph assisted with The Salvation Army’s response to the

Commissioner Brian Peddle Appointed Chief of the Staff General André Cox has appointed Canadians Commissioners Brian and Rosalie Peddle to Chief of the Staff and World Secretary for Women’s ministries. He writes: After a great deal of prayer, reflection and, as you would expect, wide consultation with senior colleagues, I have decided to make the following appointments: Commissioner Brian Peddle, an officer of the Canada and Bermuda Territory currently serving as International Secretary for the Americas and Caribbean, is appointed as Chief of the Staff, effective 1 November 2015.

Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, also from the Canada and Bermuda Territory and currently serving as Zonal Secretary for Women’s Ministries, Americas and Caribbean Zone, is appointed as World Secretary for Women’s Ministries, also from

1 November 2015.

It is of vital importance for the General of The Salvation Army to be supported in ministry and leadership by a trusted colleague who can effectively and efficiently fulfil the role of the Chief of the Staff. I have been richly blessed thus far in my term as General to be supported in this way by Commissioner William Roberts.

Commissioner Silvia Cox has appreciated the support of Commissioner Nancy Roberts in relation to the work of women’s ministries. As Commissioners Roberts moves towards the conclusion of their active service as officers, we salute them, thank them and pray for them God’s richest blessing upon their lives as they continue to fulfil their lifelong calling to serve God. Commissioners Peddle have served as Salvation Army officers since the mid-

1970s, in a variety of ministry appointments—corps and divisional leadership, youth and training work—including service as divisional leaders in New Zealand and as Chief Secretary/Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries in the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland. They led their home territory (Canada and Bermuda) with distinction and vision for a little over three years before coming to their present appointments in 2014.

I believe that the Lord’s hand is upon these godly comrades, and that as they once again lay their lives before the one who called and ordained them for ministry, they will experience a new touch of Holy Spirit power that will enable them for the increased leadership responsibilities to which they are now appointed.

Canterbury earthquakes in 2011 and attended an international disaster training course in Sydney last year, but this was his first overseas posting. The former military chaplain was hopeful his military training and time spent in the South Island high country would help him adjust to the conditions, which could include travelling to remote rural regions hard hit by the earthquakes.

While the scale of the help needed after the disaster was huge, Ralph was looking forward to putting his training into action and experiencing a new culture. ‘It’s very exciting, I wouldn’t pass this up. This is a privilege to be able to help.’

GAZETTE Appointments Effective 1 July: Mjr Peter Macdonald, Director, Addiction Services Dunedin; Mjr Beverley Macdonald, Programme Manager, Addiction Services Dunedin.

Change of Centre Management From 1 July, the Palmerston North Men’s Hostel and Men’s Transitional House, which have been under the management of the Palmerston North Corps and Community Ministries, will come under the management of The Salvation Army Addictions, Supportive Accommodation and Reintegration Services.

This change will allow for what has become a complex mix of services, inclusive of addiction, reintegration and supportive accommodation services, to be managed in a more streamlined way. Philip Eichler will continue his ministry in Palmerston North as Director of the Men’s Hostel and Transitional House.

Noticeboard | 17

International Bible Reading Challenge

CALENDAR

WEEK 28 1 Corinthians 13–2 Corinthians 1 WEEK 29 2 Corinthians 2–6 Go to www.salvationarmy.org/biblechallenge for daily reading guides and more.

JULY 31: Divisional Headquarters Team Day / Northern Division 31–2 August: Junior Miss Camp / Tonga Region 31–2 August: National Youth Band Mission Weekend / Timaru Corps AUGUST 1: Moral and Social Issues Council / Wellington 1–2: Top of the South Regional Weekend / Southern Division 3–7: ‘Sounds of Silence’ Officers Retreat / Wairarapa 7–9: Youth Councils / Northern Division 14: Regional Lunch (Auckland City and South) / Northern Division 15–16: Canterbury Regional Weekend / Southern Division 21: Kneedrill Youth Event / Northern Division 21–23: Kids Camp / Midland Division 23: Self Denial Sunday 24–27: North Island Officers Fellowship / Rotorua 28–30: Women’s Camp / Fiji Division 28–30: Kids Camp / Central Division 31: Business Coaching (HR) / Northern Division 31–4 Sept: Corps Administrators Roadshow / Midland Division

SEPTEMBER 4: Regional Lunch (Auckland West & North Shore) / Northern Division 4–6: Thought Matters Forum / Australia Eastern Territory

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 26 July: Wanganui Corps 1–4 August: New Plymouth, Stratford, Hawera, Feilding and Palmerston North 9–10 August: Midland Division Governance Board and Visit 11 August: HomeCare Governance Board and Visit 16 August: Albany Bays Corps 18 August: Blue Mountain Adventure Centre Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 26 July: Wellington South Corps 5 August: Booth College of Mission 9–10 August: Southern Division Governance Board and Visit

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Wanganui City, Wellington City, Wellington South, Whakatane and Whangarei Corps, the Officer Support Unit, The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda.

Salvation Army Positional Statements The Salvation Army publishes Positional Statements, approved by the General, that briefly state its view on moral or social issues. These statements are not binding on Salvationists but are published for their guidance and for the information of the general public.

Territorial Positional Statements exist for the following topics: • • • • •

Abuse Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs Domestic Violence Ethical Consumption Family

• • • • •

Marriage The Occult Responsibility for All Creation Social Justice Spiritual Abuse

In addition, International Positional Statements provide guidance for the following topics: • • • • •

Abortion Corruption Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Gambling Human Trafficking

• • • •

Sabbath Observance Suicide Prevention The Salvation Army and the State The Use of Power

When International Positional Statements fit well within a New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga context, Territorial Positional Statements are not published on the same topics.

A Territorial Positional Statement on Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs was recently published. This updates and combines the content of two previous statements: Alcohol and Harmful Substances, and Tobacco.

Questions on any Salvation Army Positional Statements can be address to Captain Ross Wardle, chair of the Moral and Social Issues Council—e:ross_wardle@nzf. salvationarmy.org.

Go to www.salvationarmy.org.nz/PositionalStatements to view local positional statements and for links to the international statements.

INTERESTED IN SOCIAL JUSTICE? For reports, challenging articles and Salvation Army government submissions.

www salvationarmy.org.nz/socialpolicy

To advertise your event, email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

18 | WarCry 25 July 2015

LEADERSHIP LINKS

Have we perhaps lost our ache for souls?

As Salvationists recently gathered to celebrate the Army’s 150th birthday, it seems fitting to reflect on a story from our early days. The setting focuses on a night when Founder William Booth was living with his son, Bramwell.

Long after everyone had gone to bed, Bramwell was woken by activity in his father’s room. Wanting to be sure he was alright, Bramwell went to check. As he opened the bedroom door, he found his father pacing near his bed.

‘What are you doing awake?’ Bramwell asked. ‘You should be asleep!’ ‘I am thinking,’ the General answered. ‘I am thinking about the people and their sins. What will the people do with their sins?’

Every time I think of that story I feel a sharp pang of conviction. Why? Because in spite of the fact that I’m very well aware of people around me who are dangerously trapped by sin and in desperate need of salvation, I’ve never lost a minute of sleep over it.

I wonder … how well do you sleep? Have you ever been kept awake by the knowledge of people bound by sin?

The latest statistics for first-time decisions to follow Christ for our territory (to the end of June) show we are at the bottom of a three-year decline in the number of people brought to Christ as a result of our ministries, programmes and services (2012–13: 1,188; 2013–14: 814; 2014–15: 709). Does this concern you? It makes me wonder if we have perhaps lost our ‘ache’ for souls?

A few years ago, I read a piece by former territorial commander Commissioner Wesley Harris where he observed: Generally speaking, one of the differences between early day Salvationists and ourselves is that we often lack their sense of urgency. They would be amazed at [how] … we often close a meeting with a perfunctory nod towards the Mercy Seat, and a passing reference to the possibility of someone kneeling at it.

Perhaps we too easily assume that there are no unconverted people in the hall. Our forebears in the faith used language that had the ring of urgency ... The unsaved were in dire danger unless they became awake and aware of their spiritual condition.

Early day Salvationists took the eleventh of our Articles of Faith seriously. Do we?

As a young officer, one of my mentors was Commissioner George Jolliffe, who had served as private secretary to William Booth and even lived in his house at one stage. I asked him … the secret of the Founder’s drive. He replied, ‘It was his belief in hell!

That was what led him to challenge the cabby or the engine driver wor the donor about their soul’s salvation.’

Friends, people today are still in danger of being lost for eternity unless someone awakens them to their need of a Saviour. Can we count on you to do something about that?

Here’s to sleepless nights and lined altars.

Colonel Willis Howell Chief Secretary

BY LIBBY WILSON

New Salvation Army Respect Policy The Salvation Army has just launched its new Respect Policy addressing bullying, harassment and other undesirable behaviour and how to tackle it. National Health and Safety Coordinator Libby Wilson, who helped create the policy, discusses what it’s all about.

The Salvation Army is about caring for people and is committed to providing a healthy, safe and respectful environment for staff, free from bullying and harassment and where people are treated with respect and dignity. But there is a risk of people being bullied or badly treated.

The Salvation Army’s new Respect Policy lays out the standards of behaviour we expect to be upheld in The Salvation Army, what is unacceptable, and what you can do about it if you believed you’re being bullied.

We began working on this policy in 2014, ahead of the release of WorkSafe New Zealand’s guidelines requiring employers to have systems in place to identify bullying and prevent it. More than a legal requirement, we saw this as an opportunity to create even better work places, by improving fairness, safety, dignity and respect, to help fulfil The Salvation Army’s mission.

A group of staff spent 18-months developing the policy with the help of an expert, Haydn Olsen from Workplaces Against Violence in Employment. We also used feedback from two staff surveys. We wanted feedback from our staff because we wanted to create something that would work in their work places.

Workplace bullying is defined by WorkSafe New Zealand as ‘repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed towards a worker or a group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety’.

It includes behaviour that intimidates, humiliates or isolates people, undermines their reputation or standing, or abuses power. Common bullying behaviours include things like displays of aggression, putting someone down, gossiping or making false accusations about someone, overloading, changing expectations unreasonably, and removing supports.

The Army employs about 3000 paid staff across the territory.

In our first workplace survey 180 people responded and about half of them said they had seen or experienced bullying. Mostly, this involved people being talked to in a demeaning manner, shouted at, ignored, excluded or publically criticised.

Mission Matters | 19

Our territorial leaders, Commissioners Robert and Janine Donaldson, have made their support of the new policy clear and regret any bullying or harassment that has taken place. They have confirmed that bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the Army.

To help people recognise and address bullying, Territorial Secretary for Personnel Captain Gerry Walker, Human Resources (HR) manager Bruce Wall and I have also been travelling the country this year doing training days. So far, we have visited 10 sites in New Zealand and worked with 320 managers, officers, health and safety representative and administration staff, and we will be running eight more presentations this year.

We all have a duty to encourage a culture where people are treated appropriately and respectfully.

We all have a duty to speak up and encourage a culture where people are treated appropriately and respectfully. This will help us build on the good culture we already have within The Salvation Army.

The respect policy can be found on the territorial intranet, by asking your manager or corps officer, or by emailing hradmin@nzf. salvationarmy.org.

Effects of Bullying on a Person Workplace bullying can have serious effects on a person’s quality of life at and outside of work, including: • depression and low self-esteem • anxiety, stress, fatigue and burnout • feelings of helplessness • post-traumatic stress disorder

Bullying and other undesirable behaviour have a massive impact on individuals, their self-esteem and relationships. It also damages The Salvation Army and undermines the values of our organisation.

If people do see or experience bullying, the new policy outlines what they can do about it. This ranges from using self-help to informal resolutions such as manager intervention and mediation and formal investigations.

Where possible, the first thing we want people to do is to attempt to resolve things at the informal level, as when things get to the level of a formal complaint it is harder to repair relationships. Start by looking at the definition of workplace bullying and think whether it describes your experience. If you think it does, check with a trusted person to see if they agree. Keep a written record of the behaviour; when it occurs and what happens. Where possible, have a conversation with the person you perceive as bullying you, or speak to your manager.

Describe the behaviour, how it’s affecting you and what you’d like them to change. It may sound silly, but this informal approach does often work and is usually the best way to resolve issues.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing this on your own, take a friend or involve your manager or someone you can trust. In October, we will also begin training Salvation Army contact people to provide information to people in situations like this. If approaching the person directly doesn’t help, or you don’t feel comfortable with doing that, you can request informal intervention or make a formal complaint and request an investigation. You can do this through your manager, their manager, or directly through the HR Department.

To help us get a clear picture of any problems and ways to resolve them, we will be collecting and reporting anonymous statistics about complaints of bullying to the Army’s executive boards.

• deterioration in health • Increased likelihood of using drug and alcohol • abuse as a coping mechanism • possible serious physical, emotional and mental health issues or suicide attempts.

The effects of bullying can be long-term. People who had experienced bullying in the past five years, but weren’t currently experiencing it, still reported worse health than people who hadn’t been bullied.

Witnessing bullying also affects people badly and can lead to a hostile work environment with more aggression and negative behaviour. People who have seen bullying at their work report greater levels of stress and anxiety than people who haven’t.

Effects of Bullying on a Workplace Bullying also negatively impacts work and organisations.

Coercion or bullying from managers can lead to: • lower motivation, performance and commitment from staff, and make them ill • staff taking more sick leave to avoid work or coming to work ill • increased resignations • poor customer service and product quality • the company being viewed as a bad employer, which makes it hard to recruit staff and damages its reputations with the public.

GOD & FAITH

from our lives that holds us back and hurts others.

Dress to impress

‘Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity’(Colossians 3:12–14).

Not only do we need to cut the bad stuff out of our lives, we need to put good stuff in. God calls us to be his ambassadors in the world. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love are so important in our families—be God’s ambassador of those things!

When we serve our families by tidying up, cooking dinner and being an all-round good person, we are doing it for God. Calm the farm

How do we model Christ to our family … even when they’re annoying?

Growing up at home can be tough. One of the toughest parts is simply living with people—people can be annoying … especially family!

Families tend to be great at annoying each other. You generally spend a lot of time together, you get how each other works and you know what each other likes and dislikes.

This can be a really positive thing and also a really challenging thing.

It can be really hard to be a true example of a Christian when you’re living with people 24/7. We all have differences of opinions, beliefs and behaviour. We can all get irritated or excited, we can all get happy or upset, and we can all have good days and bad days. There are plenty of ups and downs!

So, how do we survive living with people while still upholding our Christian beliefs and values?

The Bible is a great source of advice.

Colossians 3 gives us some really simple

pointers to how to navigate life as a Christian at home.

Focus on God

‘Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things’ (Colossians 3:1–2).

When we set our hearts and minds on God, it’s easy to imitate his character and reflect him in all we do. We should be constantly looking to God for guidance and direction —in the good times and bad times.

New for old

‘But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator’ (Colossians 3:8–9).

When we become Christians we are meant to look and act different. We should be constantly working toward a holy lifestyle, which means cutting out the yucky stuff

‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts’ (Colossians 3:15–16).

When we have the peace of God in our lives, it is so much easier to encourage peace and harmony in all our relationships. When we’re calm, we radiate that. We should be trying to bring people together and uplift each other, not push people away. This can be harder than it sounds, but it’s so important.

Do it all for God

‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him’ (Colossians 3:17).

Everything we do should be done in and for God. When we serve our families by tidying up, cooking dinner and being an all-round good person, we are doing it for God. We need to remember that as we interact with our family we should be bringing glory to God. Hopefully, that will change our attitude toward doing the dishes …

25 JULY 2015 | 21

FIREZONE.CO.NZ

Firezone asked a bunch of different people how they find being a Christian at home.

what’s your story?

1 Tell us a bit about your family. | 2 Do you find it easy to be a Christian at home? | 3 How does being a Christian affect how you interact with family? | 4 What character traits do you think Jesus wants us to display? | 5 What advice do you have for other Christian

young people?

Catherine Wells | Tawa Corps

Delana Saro | Invercargill Corps

1 I have a loving mum and dad and a brother,

1 My step-dad is Christian and my biological

Richard. We used to go to church when I was little and then we ended up not going at all. My mum sometimes now attends The Salvation Army. My brother, husband and I are Christians and attend church regularly.

3 Because I became a Christian in my late Jessica Watts | Invercargill Corps 1 I am the eldest of two children. Both

Mum and Dad created a strong Christian foundation.

2 Because my parents have always supported

me throughout my Christian walk and encouraged me in all decisions, I have found it reasonably easy being a Christian at home.

3 Like every child, I had my moments and

sometimes still do; however, the Christian values and beliefs I was brought up with have helped me make the right choices when interacting with my family.

4 The traits love, patience, kindness,

calmness, gentleness, forgiveness and helpfulness come to my mind. Jesus wants us to respect and love everyone.

5 Don’t give up! You are so loved. Jesus is

proud of the decision you made in becoming a Christian. Being a Christian isn’t always easy—you may not have support from your earthly family, but know that your heavenly family will always support you.

Olivia Campbell | Johnsonville Corps 1 I come from a family of five. I have attended

The Salvation Army since I was born.

3 Being a Christian definitely makes me think

more about how I act at home and interact with others. Knowing I have God’s love and forgiveness helps me interact with others in a loving and caring way. I am constantly reminded to see people through God’s eyes.

4 I think Jesus would like to see people who

love each other, are quick to forgive, slow to anger, and are accepting and encouraging.

5 Stay strong, talk to another Christian who

you trust, and pray. Continue being yourself and God’s light will shine through you into your families and other people’s lives.

teens I saw a big change in the way I would react with my family. I treated them with more respect and became more loving.

4 I think that Jesus would want us to be

serving the people we live with. Being respectful and using the Fruit of the Spirit to better our relationships with others.

5 Even when it is hard, lean on God to help

you through. Don’t turn away from what you believe in when others are telling you what to do. Also, talk to your youth leader.

dad is also Christian. My mother isn’t but she supports my point of view. My sisters aren’t Christian.

2 I find it easy to be a Christian because my

family is supportive of my choices.

4 The same kindness and gratitude and

respect that he showed to other people.

5 When in doubt, look to the Bible because

the Bible has all the answers you’re looking for. If you cannot find the answers, ask somebody at church!

Ryan Watkins | Porirua Corps 1 I have one younger brother. Everyone in my

family is a Christian expect for Dad.

2 I found it easy growing up Christian, Daniel Hay | Sydenham Corps 1 I am an only child, my parents are both

Salvation Army officers.

2 I found it very easy to be a Christian when I

was living with my parents, and even since I started flatting it has still been easy— although my flatmates believe different things, all discussions around spirituality and God have been healthy and constructive.

3 My flatmates seem to think of me as some

kind of moral, social, and religious guru, so they either seek my wisdom on spiritual matters or laugh at how impassioned I get.

4 There’s a quote by Mother Teresa that goes:

‘Love begins in the home, and it is not how much we do but how much love we put in that action.’ I believe Jesus would most want us to love our family; not doing things out of obligation, but out of deep love.

5 I think the best thing to do would be to

model Jesus. We can either turn our family away or towards God through our actions, because if we call ourselves Christians we represent Christ and how we act is how people see him. So, if we want to turn our family to Jesus, my advice is to be the best Jesus you can be.

because Mum always made sure I was going to church and reading my Bible, etc. As I got older it was little harder, but I managed to get through it with prayer and support.

4 Love, kindness and respect.

5 Don’t give up! At times it might seem rough

or you might not see a way out, but just be steadfast in your faith—God will help you to help others see him.

Charlie Robinson | Glen Eden Corps 1 I have two brothers and a half-brother. I am

the only Christian in my family.

2 I have learnt to keep my ‘church life’ quite

separate to my family life, as a lot of my family don’t like the fact that I go to church and call myself Christian.

3 Being a Christian doesn’t change much,

except that I disagree with certain things they agree with. Our differences cause tension at times, but are generally okay.

4 I think Jesus would like us to talk about our

faith with our families and share what we believe in.

5 I would say just don’t try to hide it. I spent

so long hiding what I believed in to make my family happy; eventually, I just started being me, and we grew to be comfortable with that together.

GOD & FAITH | 22

We thought it would be cool to hear from the other side—the parents! We had a chat with a few parents about what it’s like being a Christian with children. Check out what they had to say …

parents tell all

1 Tell us a bit about your family. | 2 How does being a Christian affect your parenting? | 3 What do you do differently as a Christian family that other families may not do? | 4 What one trait would you like to pass on to your children? | 5 In your own opinion, how could young people better reflect Jesus in their homes?

Caleb Peke | Tokoroa Corps 1 I am a husband and father to five children:

Caleb Jnr (7), Angel (6), Arama (4), Awhina (2) and Kahurangi (7 months).

Stephen Ward | Queenstown Corps 1 From the UK, applying for residency. Married

to Francesca—we have one child.

Angel Pearson | Nelson/Tasman Bays Corps

2 Being a Christian makes me a better parent

1 We’re just a little family: me, my husband

3 We always sit down together before bedtime

2 Our faith is our pivot point. We’ve always

Owen, and our 16-year-old daughter, Lily.

during those stressful times.

2 Scripture gives us a good moral compass

to parent from. It allows us the flexibility to adapt, the faith that things will get better, and the knowledge that we are loved and supported.

3 We pray to God to build relationship with

him, we thank him for stuff that we have, and we ask for other stuff as well. We are thankful for a night’s sleep, a cheque in the post, a friend who popped around to say ‘hi’. We ask for healing, sleep and a growing relationship with God.

4 Positivity! There is plenty to get down in the

dumps about if you look around. Staying positive equips you for any circumstance and enables you to learn from anything that happens … and it makes life much more fun on the way.

5 By doing what their parents ask (he, he!) …

but seriously, though, my young nephews pray without a second thought. They expect their prayers to be answered. That’s a good way of representing Jesus. I think the responsibility lies with the parents though.

The vast majority of children are a product of where they come from and how they live.

tried to teach the biblical principles rather than just rules, with the intent that Lily would know what is right to do. I’m really enjoying seeing the young woman she is becoming.

and ask each other what God has done today, and give thanks by singing praises.

4 I’d like to pass my culture on to my kids.

5 God has gifted good things to all of us, and if

we acknowledge that this is from God, that light from God inside us will shine brighter in our homes.

3 In some ways, not a lot. We’ve failed

miserably at the traditional ideals, like praying together at dinner. It’s more subtle than that. One example is we’ve never knowingly lied to Lily—right back from Santa and the Easter Bunny, we still enjoy make-believe and mystery, but there was a suspension of disbelief, not lying. Now, she can talk very frankly to us about things that other parents might shudder to hear. I think that comes back to a founding principle of ‘telling the truth even when it hurts’.

Elizabeth Walker-Ratu | Queenstown Corps 1 I come from a family of four kids and now

live with my husband and one-month-old baby.

2 It’s very early days at the moment, but in my

parenting I definitely want to be looking to God in prayer and the Word when making decisions for my son.

3 Having meals together as a family and also

4 My highest hope is to pass on a deep,

abiding, certain faith in Christ.

5 Home is perhaps the hardest place

—because it’s where you can be your truest unguarded self. So, young people [and us older ones!] can better reflect Jesus by making sure that he is our truest unguarded self. Then he’ll shine out, regardless!

devotions every evening.

4 My love for God and family.

5 Showing more respect towards their parents

and elders.

BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT.

Pop

Hilary Duff

COWARD

Metalcore

Haste The Day

Hilary Duff’s latest record is her first since 2007’s Dignity, and though there’s an eight-year gap between them, you’d be hard pressed to find many musical differences. Breathe continues Duff’s style of upbeat pop, with plenty of pumping basses and catchy hooks, and doing little to change the formula. Not that that’s a bad thing—knowing her audience and delivering has to be the biggest strength of Breathe.

Duff’s vocals are pleasant but not powerful, though they deliver devastatingly catchy hooks. The Shakira influenced vocal hook in ‘Lies’ is a great example, and is one of the stronger tracks on a justifiably predictable record.

Christian metalcore act Haste The Day are back with their first effort since 2011’s live record Haste The Day vs Haste The Day. Coward is everything you’d expect, for better or worse, and though not hugely innovative, fans will enjoy it.

Opening with ‘Begin’, the familiar style of angular, disjointed and atonal guitar riffs is immediately apparent. The vocal balance favours screaming, though the band utilises their ability to switch between melodic and hardcore well, with soaring vocal interludes and ambient guitar passages. There’s also positive spiritual content, which is great to see in this genre! Worth a listen for fans of the metal persuasion.

MUSIC

MUSIC

LYRICS

GOD CONTENT

LYRICS

GOD CONTENT

Tītiro

stomach

Aroha Waiata Haere mai

be strong

Kia ora

hui

Karakia Aē

Mōrena

Whānau iwi

waha

look

match the pictures with their shadows

yes

tribe

mouth

family

welcome, come in hello/ thank you

prayer

good morning

puku

Kia kaha

song

meeting

Te Ope Whakaora

Māori Language Week is from 27 July to 2 August.

It’s a week when we celebrate the Māori language and try to use it more often as we talk to one another. The best way to get better at speaking Māori is to speak Māori often with your friends and family.

love

find the word

Cross out all the pairs of letters that appear in the grid. Use the leftover letters to spell how God wants us to be …

spot the picture

Where are these pictures in this edition of War Cry?

SELF DENIAL APPEAL 2015 1. Using only addition, how do you add eight 8s and get the number 1000?

Read It ‘What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal’ 1 Corinthians 13:1 (CEV)

2. Which 3 numbers have the same answer whether they’re added or multiplied together?

Let’s Talk It’s not easy to learn a new language, especially when you start. But it can be lots of fun! And as we practise, we get better. So, what does the language of love that Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 sound like?

Well, it’s interested, caring, not rude or mean, and it doesn’t use swear words or yell in

Answers: Match the Shadow: 1 & 11, 4 & 7 , 5 & 10, 8 & 2, 9 & 3, 12 & 6; Find a Word: Loving; Maths Brain Teasers: (1) 888+88+8+8+8=1000, (2) 1, 2 and 3, (3) Because there was a third girl, which makes them triplets.

Kōrero Maori

Fun4Kids | 23

Match the these Māori words with the correct translation …

Please give sacrificially to the Self Denial Appea 3. Two girls Support work of The Salvation Army oversea werethe born to the same mother, at the same time, on the same day, in the same month and in the same year and yet salvationarmy.org.nz/selfdenial somehow they’re not twins. Why not?

an angry way that makes other people feel bad or upset. The language of love is often very quiet— because when we speak this language, we realise it’s important to listen first, and then think and sometimes pray too before we speak.

When we spend time with God by reading our Bible and praying, we learn to speak God’s language of love better every day.

Let’s Pray Dear God, I want my language to show people that I love you. Help me to become better at listening and to think before I speak so people will know that I really care about them.

Amen.

Te Ope Whakaora

SELF DENIAL APPEAL 2015 Please give sacrificially to the Self Denial Appeal.

Support the work of The Salvation Army overseas.

salvationarmy.org.nz/selfdenial