FAITH IN ACTION  25 JULY 2020 | Issue 6747 | $1.50
Sacrificial Self-Denial Christmas in July Covid-19 Highlights Global Inequalities
Family Tracing Service Leaves Legacy Queenstown Corps on the Move
The murky marketing relationship between sport and gambling
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WAR CRY The Salvation Army
New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William
& Catherine Booth
The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission. EDITOR Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Captain Jules Badger, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major
Colleen Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,
PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone
(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset
is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.
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Mid-Winter Christ It has often struck me as very unfair that our Northern Hemisphere friends get to enjoy a long summer break, and then another holiday bang smack in the middle of winter which includes Christmas. It’s no wonder there’s a tendency ‘down under’ for succumbing to bouts of seasonal depression—it’s a very long year when all the best bits are combined at one end! It makes sense then that some among us would take the opportunity to pause and celebrate a mid-winter Christmas. Miramar Corps has taken advantage of this invitation and you can read about their experience on page 17. Our usual Southern Hemisphere summer celebrations also mean we miss the significance of celebrating the birth of Christ in mid-winter—the Light coming out of the darkness. Given that throughout mid-winter we’re often moving at a slower, more reflective pace, eager to hunker down and rest like bulbs until spring and warmer weather arrives, the call of a July Christ may prove to be a little more accessible for many of us. As Salvationists, Christmas in December can often be a busy time of serving our communities and preparing for special church events—all good things. But perhaps there’s something to be gained in considering Jesus’ arrival to earth in the middle of a Northern Hemisphere winter? Viewed through the lens of winter chill, the Christmas story is reborn—who knows what we might see for the first time if we pause to look. Jules Badger Acting Editor
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 136 years | Issue 6747 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry
www.salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts
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You can never cross an ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. Christopher Columbus
Isaiah 58:12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. Ihaia 58:12 Ka hangā anō e ōu uri ngā wāhi kua ururuatia noatia ake; ka ara anō i a koe ngā tūranga o ngā whakapaparanga maha; ā ka huaina koe, Ko te kaihanga o te taiepa pakaru, Ko te kaiwhakahou o ngā wāhi i ngā ara hei nohoanga.
The cadets’ communal kitchen at the Training College in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea.
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he Self Denial Appeal 2020 provides each of us with an invitation to give to the international work of The Salvation Army where it’s most needed. And it really does make such a huge difference in terms of meeting the most basic needs of so many. We know this to be true because we’ve seen it with our own eyes. What astounded us the most when we were serving in Papua New Guinea was the ability of people who have so little to consider that enough. When you’ve come from a country like New Zealand where you know full well that what these people have would never be considered close to enough here—it’s hard to reconcile that inequality. But we can help. You can help. We need to understand that territories like Papua New Guinea aren’t just worthy recipients of Self Denial funds, they’re also contributors to it. Reality check. We were deeply moved to experience the energy of these Salvationists as they fundraised to help people around the world who are ‘really poor’. We were guests on Self Denial Appeal Sunday, thinking it would be a celebration of what they had received. For them, it was a time of giving, as we watched one 9-year-old girl bring her offering forward—six coins on a paper plate. She later told me [Milton] she’d spent six weeks going out and sweeping paths to earn her six coins for the Self Denial Appeal. This young girl lived in a village that had little food and no medical clinic. Tears spilled down my cheeks. I wish I could capture that moment better—that you could feel what I felt.
We can’t help but ask ourselves a different question now. It’s not just what can we afford to give or what can we save throughout the year, but how can we give sacrificially? We want our giving to cost us, because when you’ve seen Self Denial funds used to provide families who live in grass huts with sheets of tin and a tank so they can collect rain water instead of having to walk several kilometres every day carrying barrels, you know how critical that giving is. When you’ve seen the holes in the floor of the delivery suite where young mothers are waiting to give birth on the one antiquated hospital bed, giving to the Self Denial Appeal takes on new meaning. When you know that $5000 Kiwi dollars can rebuild a security fence that was washed away in a flood putting 900 children at The Salvation Army primary school in danger, you dig deeper. When you know there’s only one corps cadet curriculum book being passed around the whole group, and that there are young lieutenants lying on the dirt floor of their grass hut quarters doing their study by candlelight, you find some more money to give. And when funding to dig a bore provides a medical centre with running water, you give till it hurts. Over the years we’ve observed such generosity from the Salvationists of this territory. And we want to honour that—especially the giving of our Pacific nations. But can we simply ask that you make that generosity sacrificial? Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and let your giving cost you like it cost that little girl with her six coins for six weeks’ work. BY LT-COLONELS MICHELLE & MILTON COLLINS 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 3
WARCRY INHISTORY
It’s not every day you see people carrying their bass drums via tandem bicycle! This pic was snapped in the 16 July 1910 War Cry of Young People’s Sergeant Major Harker and Corps Cadet Harker on their way to the open-air at Hamilton. Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Ploughman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission
er While the ord d, se o cl as h period r War Cry thankfully fo nted have one pri readers, we email ly p m away! Si ve gi to y p co g.nz and ationarmy.or lv sa y@ cr ar ed w h you perfect tell us the dis st u m s ie tr n. En over lockdow ugust. be in by 30 A
TOPFIVE
This week was originally supposed to mark the beginning of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The games are now postponed, so here are five movies to watch or revisit which are based on Olympians.
Cook Book Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen Nadia Lim Celebrity Chef Nadia Lim’s TV series, Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen, introduced healthy, hearty recipes made with kitchen staples for people to cook over the lockdown period. These recipes included homemade gnocchi, apple and cranberry sausage rolls and nourishing snack foods.
Following the show’s success, Nadia collated the recipes into a one-off order cookbook with 100 percent of profits going to Women’s Refuge and Youthline. Meal-kit delivery service, My Food Bag, also matched the first $10,000 by donating food and grocery items to The Foodbank Project. The e-book can be downloaded for free at nadialim.com/ nadias-comfort-kitchen-freee-cookbook
Nadia Lim’s Maple and Peanut Butter Popcorn 1 Tbsp coconut oil or neutral oil (eg, canola, grapeseed, sunflower, rice bran)
Heat coconut oil/neutral oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot (that has a fitting lid) on medium heat.
4 Tbsp popping corn kernels
Add popping corn kernels and cover with a lid. Very soon you’ll start to hear popping! Give the pot a shake (whilst holding down the lid) a couple of times during cooking. When the popping noises slow down, that’s a sign that most of the kernels have popped. Turn off the heat and wait a minute before taking off the lid.
3. Race (2016)
2 Tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy), or any other nut butter (eg, hazelnut, almond, cashew)
4. Cool Runnings (1993)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
5. Foxcatcher (2014)
A good pinch of salt
1. Chariots of Fire (1981) 2. Eddie the Eagle (2015)
Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
Mix peanut butter, maple syrup and salt together, then drizzle over popcorn in the pot and stir together with a spoon until the popcorn is evenly coated. Dust with cinnamon (if using) and serve and eat immediately!
Source: Nadia’s Comfort Kitchen (recipe has been changed slightly for formatting)
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Happy Birthday BMAC! Covid-19 may have put the kybosh on any celebrations, but we’re not going to let Blue Mountain Adventure Centre’s (BMAC) 30th birthday pass by unnoticed! Centre Manager Kyle Aitken explains that ‘since 1990 BMAC has been a small yet significant part of so many people’s life journey. Our focus has always been to offer clients a challenge physically, mentally and spiritually. Outdoor adventure provides an avenue to experience the creative genius of God through nature, while journeying closer with others and the one we call Father. As followers of Christ, our staff intentionally journey alongside people, calling them to a higher and narrower way. God has a master plan to reach the lost with his love and BMAC continues to be part of those redemptive stories.’ Kyle is also firm in his thanks for those early pioneers. ‘We stand on the shoulders of those who went before us and set the bar high. To those who worked to make the vision a reality, giving their passion, time and skills, I want to say thank you for investing in the kingdom. We’re building solidly on that foundation and God’s continued faithfulness.’
QUIKQUIZ
1 Which actress voiced the villainous Ursula in the film The Little Mermaid? 2 Which country invented the gel pen? 3 What is Scooby Doo character Shaggy’s real name?
All photos from BMAC in 1990. Photography: Margaret and Don Baken.
4 What was the original Samoan word for ‘tattoo’? 5 Whose father had two wives, named Hannah and Peninnah? Answers on page 22
BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE TODAY! Phone (07) 892 2630 or email bmac@salvationarmy.org.nz
SALLIEOFTHEWEEK
Weird of the Week: Lego is the biggest tyre manufacturer in the world.
Bevan Sanders (Petone Corps) Bevan Sanders from Petone Corps is the programme coordinator for Central Youth Services. Bevan was an instructor at Blue Mountain Adventure Centre for many years before moving to Wellington in 2014 to work and train as a youth worker. He currently mentors young people, runs the Aspire programme in local schools, is a place-based youth worker at Petone Library and has almost completed his Bachelor of Youth Development. Director for Central Youth Services, Envoy Stew Irwin says that ‘Bevan works well across a diverse group of young people, enjoys seeing them thrive and overcome obstacles and is willing to put his hand to nearly anything.’ And that’s why Bevan is our Sallie of the Week! 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 5
The resumption of professional and community sporting seasons has brought about a great deal of excitement. However, is it also a renewed opportunity for gambling companies to harness sport as a marketing tool at a time when the country is at its most vulnerable? BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER
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rom social basketballers to competitive club soccer players, casual fans to die-hard team supporters, New Zealanders thoroughly enjoy their sport. They also enjoy their gambling. At the same time as professional sporting leagues resume after the unique disruption of the Covid-19 lockdown, The Salvation Army’s Addictions, Supportive Accommodation and Reintegration Services (ASARS) are preparing for anything to happen when it comes to post-lockdown gambling behaviour. ‘It is really unknown. We are familiar with the dynamics of opportunities for people to gamble … but what we can’t really know is how things are going to track,’ says National Director of ASARS, Lt-Colonel Lynette Hutson. On the one hand, with pokie venues closed over lockdown, many clients reported a sense of relief that they could not access the venues, thus giving them space to break the cycle of their addiction. For others, they discovered a whole new world of gambling opportunities online. The halting of live sport over lockdown did not eliminate online sports betting markets. E-sports continue to thrive, while some events—such as motor racing—were run virtually, proving that a lack of live sport did not equate to a decrease (and certainly not a cessation) in online sports betting. Lynette warns that as gamblers move from a virtual situation to a real one, and feed off of the public’s bubbling excitement, it could heighten the risk. ‘For people who have just been playing around in the Covid-19 space, it could be very easy to slip into gambling more than they mean to.’ ASARS are also concerned about the lingering emotional and mental impact of lockdown. ‘That is making some behaviours different from previously,’ Lynette explains, ‘like people feeling vulnerable, uncertain, people having lost employment, etc, and other people having lost that emotional security of a predictable world.’
The Allure and Illusion of Advertising Sport and gambling both promise great outcomes for the winner. Winning is exciting. Winners are honoured—and the moment of joyous victory is harnessed in gambling advertising. All advertising is designed to convince you that there is something missing from your life. However, Lynette finds that advertising distorts or ignores the darker side of gambling. ‘It is focusing on drawing people into that emotional space where they are happy, excited … feeling a sense of relief sometimes, from this humdrum of everyday life or the pressures that they are facing,’ Lynette says. ‘A lot of the advertising features fit young men—Māori, Pākehā, Pasifika—and they don’t tend to advertise the people who gamble most harmfully, which are more often women, and women and men with low incomes. They are already poor, and they get into trouble quicker … none of the ads feature them, that’s for sure.’ Instead, they often feature sportspeople. The sporting target market, with its many players and fans, is a huge source of income for the gambling industry. 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 7
Television and online advertising for sports betting saturates live broadcasts. In a 2020 submission to the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) reported that racing and sports betting advertisements are the second most commonly seen in New Zealand (24 percent), after internet games (27 percent). Gambling lingo has become part of the language we use to talk about games—the most common example being the use of the word ‘odds’ to describe which team or athlete is most likely to win the match. Team sponsorship is another common marketing tactic. In New Zealand, several sporting clubs are sponsored by TAB NZ (eg, New Zealand Breakers) or casinos (eg, Christchurch Crusaders, Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic). In the UK, it was reported that half of the teams in the 2019–2020 English Premier League had a gambling partner displayed on their uniforms. This drew concern from the public about the visibility of sports betting, particularly for children and youth. ‘Seeing it so prominently displayed on people who are icons in society—or people that we look up to or admire or we appreciate their skill and seeing that association—you have got that very subtle linking in our minds of these things,’ Lynette says. ‘It validates them.’ While children cannot gamble, gambling companies invest heavily in advertising to build the foundations of their future customer base, and Lynette says you can often spot when they are appealing to the next generation of gamblers. ‘You see that party atmosphere in some of the advertising, that everybody wants to be part of the great fun that is going on, and if you are thinking about young people, it’s like, “Oh, I’m just longing to be old enough to be part of this”.’ Sports are an important cog in a targeted advertising strategy to influence and entice the people who are most likely to jeopardise their lives in the process.
‘THE MOST HARM HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHO CAN LEAST AFFORD IT, AND THE MOST SPENDING COMES FROM THOSE WHO ARE MOST HARMED.’ 8 WarCry 25 JULY 2020
‘I look at some of the gambling industry and I think, How can they live with themselves?, and the same with the alcohol industry,’ Lynette says. ‘How can they justify going about making money and feeling all successful because they are drawing other people into misery?’
Oasis ASARS—specifically The Salvation Army’s Oasis Problem Gambling Services—understand that gambling (including sports betting) is a harmless and controlled pastime for the majority. ‘What is a pleasurable activity for some is an incredibly harmful activity for others and the impact on the community is disproportionate,’ Lynette explains. ‘The most harm happens to people who can least afford it, and the most spending comes from those who are most harmed.’ She tells of one man who came to their services after lockdown. He had lost $7000 in three hours and was terrified of how he was going to tell his partner. This is often the point where Oasis meets problem gamblers—after it has all gone pear-shaped. ‘Something has slipped in terms of their control, and sometimes that can be triggered by some event or things in their life, sometimes it can be that there is no one thing,’ Lynette says. ‘Before they know it, they are in way deeper than they ever intended.’ Oasis will give each client a thorough assessment to determine what has happened and where their emotional, mental and financial situation is at, organise counselling support and figure out a plan to move forward. ‘What you are trying to do is get them to a place where they can immediately start to get some practical control, here and now,’ Lynette explains, ‘and then you look at the underlying issues.’ Budgeting services and financial counselling are integral. Because gambling is so easy to hide, people often approach Oasis at crisis point when they have already amassed insurmountable debts. ‘You have to put together a response for the person that might include some quite practical things, like helping them manage to keep their electricity on, or keep their car from being repossessed so that they can go to work.’ For a pokies addiction, another helpful step is a multivenue exclusion, where people choose to exclude themselves from particular venues. However, this is impossible for online betting. ‘You can only try and help people put some safeguards
‘YOU’RE GETTING A CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT, WHERE IN ORDER TO KEEP YOUR CLUB RUNNING YOU TAKE MONEY FROM A POKIE TRUST OR YOU TAKE LOTTO FUNDING…’
around themselves,’ she says. ‘They can still go online from every room of the house … from their car, from their worksite, from their walk to the park.’ The client’s mental health is another huge consideration, as statistics prove a heightened risk of suicidality amongst problem gamblers. ‘People just do not see a way out,’ Lynette says. ‘When it comes to gambling, people can get into a recovery, but they have debt that they are never going to be clear of— thousands and thousands of dollars of debt—and so it is a pretty bleak picture.’ A picture which directly contrasts with the fun, frivolous and sporty way that gambling is advertised.
Lost Dollars Gambling organisations capitalise on the poorer communities where they seize most of their earnings. Areas such as South Auckland and Porirua, where there is easy access to pokie machines, are disadvantaged in comparison with more affluent suburbs where you would be hard placed to find a gambling establishment. ‘The wealthy don’t suffer, and the poor do,’ Lynette implores. Gambling dollars prop up several important community organisations, including sporting teams, and ASARS is working hard to influence policy for stronger frameworks around these processes. Lynette wants the public to know that the money that is gambled away in communities does not come back to them. ‘You are getting a contaminated environment, where in order to keep your club running you take money from a pokie trust or you take Lotto funding, and we know that there is only about a third going back into the community, roughly speaking.’ It is not just sporting clubs; non-governmental organisations are also vulnerable to grants from the gambling industry. ‘Whilst it looks great—“Oh, the gambling industry supports these wonderful community activities”—that is only a moderate proportion of what goes out.’ Lynette gives an example of one particular organisation, which does important work with people experiencing anxiety and relies mostly on gambling funding (with a small government contract). Not only is this another ethically ambiguous situation—many problem gamblers need access to anxiety counselling services like these because of their addiction—but recently this organisation was told that they
would no longer receive funding, as their source’s gambling income had declined due to Covid-19. This valuable mental health organisation, without being fully funded by the Government, risks closure when gambling dollars dry up. ‘You have got these two things linked in a very compromised way,’ Lynette says. The Salvation Army, in conjunction with the Problem Gambling Foundation and Hāpai te Hauora, have put up a paper to the Government trying to get some action in these areas and establish a healthier funding scenario. They will be meeting with the Hon. Tracey Martin, Children, Seniors and Internal Affairs Minister. ‘The issues that have been raised have not been swept under the carpet, so we have actually made—potentially—a little bit of progress, getting a heightened awareness into the Government on this matter.’ In their Covid-19 Social Impact Dashboard on 22 May 2020, SPPU made suggestions for the Government to provide increased funding to community organisations to account for the anticipated loss of income from gambling dollars. They wrote: ‘… The Government should directly fund community organisations in deprived areas, rather than rely on funding derived from gambling. This would avoid causing community groups who provide support that addresses the poverty in their communities from continuing to be dependent on money derived from the gambling losses of the poor.’ Lynette firmly believes that The Salvation Army must continue to deliver problem gambling harm services and advocate for better systems and processes. ‘We want people to know that the money that is gambled is lost to the community. Even though a little bit comes back, it is overall a big loss to the community,’ she says. ‘Marketing plays a significant role in driving harm, and it disproportionately harms poorer communities. ‘It is a big, messy, murky picture.’ SOURCE | salvationarmy.org.nz/article/racing-bill-2020 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 9
Communication with the Coach ‘You haven’t got a clue!’ … ‘Stop ruining the game!’ … ‘Idiot!’ We are used to hearing these taunts—and much worse— directed at coaches, umpires and officials in the spectator stands of professional sporting arenas, but they are becoming increasingly common by the local soccer pitch. Every parent wants their child to succeed on the sporting field—however, everybody has different interpretations of what success entails (eg, making friends, exercise, winning). When parents feel like the coach or officials are getting in the way of their child’s experience, they will use their voice—and not always nicely.
COACHES INVEST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME—OFTEN FOR LITTLE OR NO MONEY … 99 PERCENT OF THE TIME THEY KNOW THEIR TEAM, RULES AND PRACTICES BEST.
Coaches invest a significant amount of time—often for little or no money—and it is important to recognise that 99 percent of the time they know their team, rules and practices best. Coaching decisions are ultimately at their discretion, so it is a good idea to raise any issues you may have through an open, honest conversation with them. Neither the coach nor the parent is always right. What is important is that coaches don’t feel bullied, parents are confident their children are in capable hands and the children enjoy their sport—and all the highs and lows which come with it. Parents have the right to ask questions when they believe the coach is: • either too focused on winning or not taking things as seriously as they would like • asking too much from the athletes (or parents) in terms of time/commitment • using technically incorrect or possibly dangerous coaching methods • not giving their child enough game time or not playing them in the right position • mistreating players or officials (verbally or physically). Schedule a time to speak with the coach that is not during training or game time. When you raise your concern, acknowledge that you appreciate the time commitment they make and the difficulty of their job, then hear out their explanation. If you cannot resolve the issue together, you can contact a higher authority within the competition or organisation (particularly if you believe the coach is being
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verbally or physically abusive) and follow their protocols. When the problem only involves your child, it may be possible to transfer teams. The least desirable result is removing your child from the sport entirely. Coaches have an enormous job. Give them the benefit of the doubt that they do have your child’s best interests at heart. Raise any issues you may have calmly, face to face, rather than berating them from the sidelines.
SIDELINE SUPPORT: HOW TO BE A GOOD PARENT SPECTATOR When asked, help coaches and officials to set up or pack down. Stay in the designated spectator area and don’t interfere with the coach during the game. Encourage your child, and don’t shout instructions or criticisms; take the focus off winning and losing. Don’t make abusive comments to athletes, parents, officials or coaches on either team. Most importantly, don’t do anything that would embarrass you or your child. In other words, behave like your boss is sitting beside you in the stands. Source: psychologytoday.com
TESTIFY! Pip Drabble found freedom from addiction and anorexia in Christ; now she wants to share with others the freedom that saved her. I was raised in a Christian household and knew from a young age that I was loved by God. That’s been my saving grace, having that relationship with God. When I was four, I was sexually abused by someone outside the family. I never really dealt with it and I started self-harming. Years later, it unfolded into drug and alcohol addiction. After my first pregnancy, I got postnatal depression and developed anorexia. Over the years, the drug and alcohol use got worse, until eventually I came onto the Bridge programme. I remember coming along to the first service at New Plymouth Corps while I was still on the Bridge programme. It felt like, all of a sudden, I had this massive family. I had always felt like I was just attending church, I didn’t actually feel like I belonged. As soon as I went to the New Plymouth Corps, I knew I belonged here. I had to do the Bridge programme twice in one year. One night, in my third day back in rehab, I remember crying, praying and saying I would rather not wake up tomorrow than live one more day as an addict. I begged God to take it from me. It was like God said to me, ‘If you put me first, then I’ll give you the desires of your heart’. So I did, and a couple of days later at church they spoke about how they were running soldiership classes. I knew God was saying, ‘This is where you belong, and this is what I want you to do’. I became a soldier in December. Our officers—Captains Karl and Christine Foreman—they’ve had my back, opened up doors and trusted me with opportunities. After addiction, it takes a while to rebuild trust, and one of the coolest things is that I’m
I THINK IT’S OUR DUTY TO GO AND TELL PEOPLE THERE IS HOPE, THERE IS FREEDOM FROM ADDICTION. slowly being trusted again. I gradually get more time with my three sons. I’ve rediscovered my passion for my work as a personal trainer—Karl and I take turns leading a Box Fit class at the corps. I’m on the worship team here and at Recovery Church as well.
first addiction. In the thick of anorexia, I remember thinking, this is going to kill me, because for the life of me, I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t see a way out, but God kept his promise. His plans for me, I couldn’t have invented. Once you have that, you can’t keep quiet about it.
At the end of last year, Christine told me she had this vision of me with a little baby. I just laughed at her. One night, I ended up having a small relapse; I refocused the next day but, as a result I found out I was pregnant. I said to Christine, ‘You told me this was gonna happen!’ It’s cool that out of something bad, God still provides something good.
I think it’s our duty to go and tell people there is hope, there is freedom from addiction. At Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings we’ll sit and declare ourselves an addict every day, but we don’t do that about our own salvation. We don’t declare every day that we are saved and loved. That, to me, doesn’t make sense. We can’t always control what happens to us, but God’s got it. If we surrender to him, his plans for us are so much more amazing than the things we struggle for.
I recently realised it has been eight months since I last self-harmed. Those little victories are a miracle. I could imagine giving up drugs and alcohol, but never self-harm. Self-harm was my
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August 12 is the United Nations International Youth Day, an annual celebration of the role of youth as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world’s youth. War Cry invited each division/region to nominate a young person to speak up about what matters to them. Here’s what we asked. Name, Age, Corps | What issue is most pressing for you globally, nationally or locally and why? | As a young person what forums are open to you for responding to that issue? | In what ways does The Salvation Army help you to contribute to change? | How does your faith influence the issues you care about? Miriam Plummer, 13 years old, Midland Division—Tauranga Corps: The issue most pressing for me is family abuse. I hate that Aotearoa has so much family abuse, and lots of people don’t have a safe place to go home to. There are lots of forums out there for young people to access, including school counsellors and phone lines that you can call or text if you need to talk to someone. I believe that even though we go through hard times, God is still there and is watching over us. Growing up in The Salvation Army and being surrounded by believers has helped me to realise and know that he is there. 12 firezone.co.nz 25 JULY 2020
Tia Tofilau, 14 years old, Central Division—Hutt City Corps: There’s real pressure for teenage girls to fit in with society’s expectation of being ‘pretty’. This means having the perfect ‘hourglass’ figure, big butt and boobs, slim waist, long legs and the perfect face. There’s pressure for girls to achieve this with surgery or body fillers, makeup, false lashes, hair extensions—social media definitely increases the pressure! Everyone wants to get the ‘likes’ and if you don’t get those ‘likes’ you question yourself and wonder if people are making negative judgements about you. In terms of forums, we don’t really talk about this with anyone. It’s left unsaid. It’s good to see posts on social media around being happy with who you are, messages about positive self-image. It’s good to be reminded that there’s no such thing as ‘perfect’. There’s comfort in belonging to a youth group and I have a lot of Christian friends, so I know I’m not alone and that there are people around who understand the pressures we face as young people. Aitu Pusonna Coraniva Fesuiai, 18 years old—Samoa Corps: I’d say the most pressing issue is teen depression. It’s much more than feeling temporarily sad or down in the dumps, and it’s more than just a feeling or an emotion. Depression is a serious and debilitating mood disorder that can change the way we think, feel and function in our daily routines. I personally struggle with depression, but it varies from person to person depending on their own situation and viewpoint. In Romans 5:8 it says: ‘But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly’. I never knew how important it was to be surrounded by love until I reached the lowest points of my life. Growing up in a faith-based community with very strong connections to my family and friends, and having a personal relationship with God especially, has encouraged me to reach out so I can deal with depression. The Salvation Army has helped me spiritually and mentally. Opening up to those who seek God’s word has helped me overcome my insecurities and fear of communicating with people. The Army has also encouraged me to listen and support others in need of help with depression.
Tana Konakava, 18 years old, Northern Division—Westgate Corps: The issue that presses against my heart is other people being treated unfairly. An example of this is happening right now over in America with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ topic. African Americans, and even other ethnicities, are being mistreated, bullied and shamed by negative comments, toxic behaviours, images and negative stereotypes. If our God is willing to accept everyone for who he knows we all could become, I’m certain we can do the same. Being part of The Salvation Army is to be part of the fight for change. I’m willing to fight to make a positive impact in people’s lives using God’s love, strength and kindness. I reach out through forums like social media and word of mouth. Having these conversations and getting to share my insights and beliefs with people who agree and disagree with what’s happening has an impact. As disciples we can have our say, but also leave the conversation on a good note. My faith and involvement in The Salvation Army means I can say things and know I won’t offend people. I have learnt to accept everyone for who they are, flaws and all. Even when I may be mistreated myself, having people who support me, inside and outside of church, reminds me of God’s love, and the support he has for everyone. Praise God for the love and kindness he offers me. Abby Macfarlane, 20 years old, Southern Division—Sydenham Corps: For me the most pressing issue globally is the discrimination against and intolerance of minority groups, such as people of colour and the LGBTQIA+ community. The violence towards these people groups, the effect that it is having on their mental health and the lack of action on the matter from the Church is an issue for me. There’s an abundance of forums available to respond to and inspire change on these issues. Social media is a huge one. You’ll be hard pressed to find a young person who isn’t active on at least one social media platform. Speak up, make your voice heard. You don’t have to have thousands of followers to make a change. Share petitions for people to sign. Start small and have intentional conversations on these issues with your friends and family. Educate yourself and take whatever action you can. My faith and involvement in The Salvation Army has hugely influenced the issues I care about, but some of the responses from Christians around the world just haven’t been sitting
right with me. We are called to love everyone. Jesus never said, ‘love your neighbour as long as you agree with them’, or, ‘love your neighbour as long as they look like you’. Jesus simply told us to love our neighbour. We are called to love without discrimination. I’m grateful to have grown up in The Salvation Army in New Zealand because I’ve witnessed so much love and inclusivity and my hope is to see more of that in the church globally. Mele Vaea, 22 years old, Tonga Region—Kolovai Corps Plant: An issue that I find pressing locally is unemployment among young people in Tonga. There are different programmes and forums responding to this issue here in Tonga, and not only government organisations, but also non-government organisations like the Tongan Youth Employment Entrepreneurship. They help young people find jobs, but still there are some young people who haven’t found a job, especially at this time. But my faith builds my confidence because The Salvation Army also helps energise youth pursuing education, which leads to getting jobs to live life. Fiona Ram, 20 years old, Fiji Division—Lomaivuna Corps: The loss of jobs is the most pressing issue for Fiji as a nation. The lack or reduction of a source of income greatly impacts the lives of individuals and families financially, mentally and spiritually. This leads to other problems, such as people going to bed hungry and homelessness due to inability of individuals and families to pay rent. The mental health of Fijians is also affected as stress and depression rise. There’s also an increase in domestic violence and child abuse, as well as prostitution, just to make ends meet. Online forums such as a Facebook page called ‘Barter for Better Fiji’ is where people can trade goods and services (in the form of talents and skills) without the use of money. The Government has organised a child helpline and counselling for adults to assist Fijians to cope with mental distress. A group chat organised by young people also exists to inspire youth with words of encouragement, scriptures and prayers daily. My faith and involvement in The Salvation Army allows me to be more passionate, understanding and helpful towards people in need by providing assistance through the foodbank, roofs above the head and clothes. Volunteering for the street appeal and contributing to the Self Denial Appeal has also made me more conscious of the vulnerability of others. 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 13
Farewell Family Tracing Service BY VIVIENNE HILL
Since 1925, the Family Tracing Service in New Zealand has found and reunited thousands of families and family members across New Zealand and the world. On 30 June 2020 the service closed its doors, but the Bethany Hospital adoption records will still be available to be accessed by families affected by adoption. The need for a tracing service goes back to the inception of The Salvation Army, when the co-founder, General William Booth, became aware of the growing divide between towns and the country in Victorian England: the poverty-stricken countryside and the ever-growing affluence of the cities.
History of The Family Tracing Service In the mid- to late-1800s many subsistence farmers would send their daughters to the big cities, such as London, Manchester and Birmingham, in the hope that they would secure positions within families as servants. Life on the farm was hard and provisions were few, so young women left the confines of the farms and villages to find work ‘in service’. They arrived at the railway stations of England where they were preyed upon by pimps and predators, and many ended up in the brothels of the cities or shipped off to Europe, South America and the Near East. The girls who did manage to secure work were often illiterate and unable to communicate with their families back home. This caused many families to lose contact with their daughters and, almost every day, The Salvation Army would receive letters 14 WarCry 25 JULY 2020
from anxious parents asking if Salvationists could track down their missing children. This coincided with Booth’s growing awareness of the plight of a vast number of women and girls who were exploited and coerced into prostitution.
Mrs Booth’s Enquiry Bureau An enquiry office was set up and placed under the guardianship of Florence Booth, William Booth’s daughter-in-law, and became known as Mrs Booth’s Enquiry Bureau. It grew to become the
THEY ARRIVED AT THE RAILWAY STATIONS OF ENGLAND WHERE THEY WERE PREYED UPON BY PIMPS AND PREDATORS…
largest ‘detective’ agency in Victorian London after Booth appointed Salvationist Clifford Harland who was an ex-detective to run the agency. Soon after, offices were opened in New York, Toronto, Melbourne and Sydney and so started the vast network of tracing services that still operate in many countries today. When The Salvation Army commenced in New Zealand in 1883, it was originally a division of the Australian Territory, and families sent enquiries for lost family members in New Zealand to Australia. It used the War Cry to communicate the names of the missing, and received enquiries from all over the world. The first evidence of the service in New Zealand was in the 17 October 1885 War Cry. Missing Friends John Martin, carpenter, at Wellington, from Kirkmaiden. Write home; mother is anxious. Other early examples include: Missing 24 November 1888 To William Adams who left Cleobury, Mortimer, England, for Australia, eight years ago. Your widowed mother is in great grief about you. Why don’t you write? Now believed to be in New Zealand. Missing Friends 21 April 1894 Pidwell, Louisa; aged 28, 5ft high and very slight. Come home. Letter here from father, willing to forgive you all. Write at once.
SOME OF THE CASES WERE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND FAMILY MEMBERS HAD JUST LOST TOUCH, OTHER CASES WERE COMPLEX AND INVOLVED INVESTIGATIVE WORK OVER MANY WEEKS AND MONTHS. Through the Years Around 1925 the Enquiry and Missing Friends Department was established in New Zealand and handled 202 cases in its first year. It had a name change to the Investigation Department, and then in 1990 was renamed the Family Tracing Service. The Service in New Zealand successfully found thousands of missing people and reunited many families. It maintained a good reputation throughout its tenure, and cases were referred to the Service by many government departments, DHBs, embassies, etc. It belonged to an international service, which still operates in many countries today, and received enquiries from all over the world. There was a belief that with the advent of the internet the requirement for a Family Tracing Service would not be needed, but the caseload remained high, with a success rate of between 80 to 90 percent of all cases, particularly over the last few years. No two days at Family Tracing were the same. The case
FAMILY TRACING HAS WORKED WITH MANY FAMILIES OVER THE YEARS TO REUNITE AND ALSO TO SUPPLY BIRTH RECORDS WHERE THEY EXIST. workers were constantly surprised at the variety of cases they were asked to investigate. A few of the searches were unusual— like the trace on behalf of a District Health Board who had a dead body in a mortuary fridge with no next-of-kin, or helping to locate the person who had left a time capsule in the walls of an old house—but most cases were from people who were adopted out from their family and wanted to know their family and ancestry; mums and dads who were estranged from their sons and daughters; and sons and daughters who travelled overseas and never returned. Some of the cases were straightforward and family members had just lost touch, other cases were complex and involved investigative work over many weeks and months. Cases that appeared impossible, proved at times to be the easiest. One case involved a man who had lost contact with his sister. The only information he could supply was that she was an English teacher in China (the FTS does not have an office in China) and a photograph that was 20 years old. The enquirer was told the search was not likely to be successful, but the service tracked her down within two hours. She was living in Canada and was happy to be reunited with her brother.
Adoptions One of the key areas of focus for the service was providing guidance, search and reconciliation to those affected by adoption, and this included wider family members. The Salvation Army was a major maternity provider during the closed adoption era—mainly for ‘married’ mothers, but also included ‘unmarried’ mothers. Records for the six Bethany Hospitals still remain; these are not fully intact and some hospitals have few remaining records. Family Tracing worked with many families over the years to reunite and also to supply birth records where they existed.
Family Tracing Closure On 30 June 2020 the Family Tracing Service closed and The Salvation Army in New Zealand is no longer searching for lost loved ones. But Lynnaire Millar, former case worker with the Family Tracing Service, will continue to provide a service to families and individuals who have been separated through adoption and were born at one of the Bethany Hospitals. The records will be maintained and made available to families, subject to the Privacy and Adoption Acts. You can contact Lynnaire at Territorial Headquarters in Wellington.
25 JULY 2020 WarCry 15
Salvation Army Covid-19 support in Bangladesh.
Pandemic Highlights Inequality If you rely on New Zealand’s television networks for news, you could be forgiven for thinking that Covid-19 is only affecting Australia, America and the UK. There’s little reporting about the desperate plight of those living in the world’s poorest countries. The Salvation Army, however, is still working in many of these countries forgotten by the world. Captain Karen Castro Ojeda is the commanding officer for Bastion Popular Corps and Centre in Ecuador, where 11,183 people are infected. There’s a curfew of 2pm to 5am, food prices have doubled and masks, sanitiser, alcohol gel and chlorine are scarce. ‘Families are going to the hospital to remove their dead relatives, but the hospitals cannot give them any help because they are so overrun. Funeral homes and cemeteries can’t help. Some people are taking their dead home and leaving them in the streets for fear of spreading the disease into their homes. The smell is dreadful. People call the Government’s phone numbers but there is no response. Our health system has collapsed,’ Karen explains. General Secretary Captain Richard Bradbury is an English officer serving with The Salvation Army in Bangladesh. Like many officers around the world Richard (together with his family) chose to stay when the pandemic hit. Dhaka is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and has been on high alert and in lockdown since March. ‘The picture of Covid-19 here has never been very clear— testing is low, hospital statistics patchy and the health service infrastructure extremely limited,’ reports Richard. ‘It’s often said that in countries like Bangladesh, The Salvation Army is not just serving the poor, it is the poor. Salvationists live right on the edge of subsistence like most people here, never more than a day away from crisis and hunger. Most people around the world are wondering what the future looks like, but here these questions are redundant and ridiculous. The present is concerning enough. ‘We have learnt so much from working alongside our beautiful Bangladeshi colleagues and friends. Despite being understandably fearful and anxious, they have shown such courage in serving others, putting aside any regard for their own safety and worries. They’ve delivered hygiene packs, food parcels, all while dealing with one of the worst cyclones ever to hit Bangladesh. ‘Personally, we have constantly needed to ensure we are present here in Bangladesh, checking that our words and actions are filled with hope, love and joy—not fear and despair. We continue to pray that our faith remains stronger than our fears, 16 WarCry 25 JULY 2020
remembering, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).’ In Bolivia, Divisional Secretary for Programme Captain Ana Paredes reports that ‘the number of cases here is accelerating. The deaths are exposing the weakness and precariousness of our country’s health system.’ Like several other Latin American countries, Bolivia is fighting the virus without a specific contingency plan. Quarantine is mandatory, with the population confined to their homes 24 hours a day. Only one person can leave to access food specified by their National Identity Card. On the weekends no one is allowed outside. Salvation Army centres in Bolivia were forced to close under government rules. Prior to quarantine, staff distributed all remaining food supplies to families of children who came to the centre weekly for a meal and health checks. They also taught parents to make alcohol gel and disinfectant to prevent the spread of the virus. ‘We can only wait on God, praying that this situation will end, and continue to support the children from our Salvation Army schools.’ Captain Abigail Miranda and Lieutenant Jamie Gòmez lead the Ancud Corps and Centre in South Chile, where there are 12,306 cases. ‘The situation is critical, with a flood of panic as positive results signal the seriousness of the outbreak paralysing the city,’ they report. People are out of work, food costs are rising, with masks and basic sanitising products very difficult to obtain. With schools closing Abigail and Jamie say, ‘our dining room table has been busy’ as students without internet access at home gather there. But the hardest part is the reality that for many children, home is not a safe place. ‘Children with inter-family problems cannot leave their homes. Their shelter was school and our centre but, with quarantine, they have to endure abuse, and are at risk of contracting the virus due to parents not taking proper measures. Other children are forced into working in the fields with their parents and grandparents. It causes us great sadness and helplessness not to be able to solve all these problems for our children. We pray God has mercy on them.’ Major Jun Doliguez Aynaga Apayart, corps officer of Alcala Corps in the Philippines is full of faith despite a 30 percent increase in the cost of basic commodities, and taking a 50 percent cut in his officer’s allowance during the height of the pandemic.
Mid-Winter Christmas in Miramar Covid-19 testing in the Philippines.
‘Living in the midst of this pandemic, never lose your focus on him—trust God. He is still in control. He holds us in his loving hands. No matter what the future holds, there is no fear in him. We’re safe from the deadly plague because Christ’s DNA runs in our tiny veins. Indeed, there is power in the blood of Jesus! The pandemic is redirecting us as spiritual beings, calling our attention back to God as we depend on him for provision just like the prophet Elijah for whom God provided bread for his daily needs.’ Jun’s colleague, Territorial Projects Officer Captain Verlan Rosales, reports: ‘Our country has weak health and social service provisions and infrastructure. We are focused on community development approaches, providing education and promoting community responsibility. My role as a social worker/officer is to assist communities to find long-term solutions to this crisis, and to lead them to Jesus.’ Territorial Overseas Development Officer Major Debbie Clark explains that, ‘Covid-19 is affecting the world’s poor exponentially. We’re so fortunate in New Zealand to be essentially Covid-19 free, but what can we do for those who simply don’t have the same resources we do? Have we done enough within our own territory—Fiji, Tonga and Samoa— where tourism is shutting down and unemployment is rising rapidly?’ Debbie urges Salvationists to give serious and prayerful consideration to doing some extra fundraising for our overseas partners like Bangladesh, the Philippines and South America. Our sponsorship programme provides a great opportunity to extend our support with a one-off donation, or for just $30 a month you can make a difference to the lives of children and their families.
Miramar Corps joined neighbouring churches around the Miramar Peninsula to host Mid-Winter Christmas from 21 June to 2 July. The event followed the twelve traditional feast days of Christmas. ‘It’s not the partridge in the pear tree or the maids milking, but it’s the traditional saints and feasts of Christmas,’ explains Miramar Corps Leader David Medland. For example, day nine focused on thanking and sending letters to healthcare workers in remembrance of St Basil and St Gregory, while day eleven encouraged people to contemplate ways they could live more simply—like donating to an op shop—for the feast of St Simeon Stylites. Community members were encouraged to put up Christmas trees in their street-facing windows, and a blackboard tree was set up outside Miramar Uniting Church to write prayers in chalk. While holding a Christmas event in wintertime seemed odd to some, David believes it had huge benefits. ‘It’s about the good news that God loves the whole world,’ he says. ‘There was no competition from Santa Claus and there was no competition from commercialism. ‘It’s a great opportunity for the churches to work together and to serve the community.’ Four events were held across the twelve days. The Salvation Army led and coordinated the ‘Christmas Eve’ Carols Service, with an ensemble of nine from the Wellington City Corps Band providing live music. Other events included a candlelight remembrance and lament service for those who had lost children, a ‘date night’ for couples (with crèche facilities available) and Devonshire teas on Devonshire Road for the elderly and vulnerable—a modern-day reimagining of the feast day where masters would serve their servants. David hopes the event can be run again as it fits perfectly with their corps strategy: For Miramar. ‘ For Miramar is about doing things for people in our community, and that’s what Mid-Winter Christmas is all about.’
To find out how you can donate, email debbie.clark@salvationarmy.org.nz 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 17
Queenstown Corps Farewells Camp Street Queenstown Corps said goodbye to their Camp Street building in the heart of Queenstown with a celebration service on 28 June. Following the service, the corps marched together through the rain to their temporary location at 71 Gorge Road. As they prepare to break ground on a permanent premises in Frankton later this year, Queenstown Corps Officers Lieutenants Ruth and Andrew Wilson say the central location at Camp Street has been a blessing. ‘So many tourists know where Camp Street is,’ Ruth says. ‘During the summer season, there’s so many visitors that come in.’ The building was opened by Commissioner Earle Maxwell in 1991, before being sold last year. The transition to Gorge Road has coincided with a busy and troubling period for Queenstown’s Community Ministries team. Covid-19 restrictions have decimated the town’s prominent industries—namely hospitality and tourism—and left many people redundant or out of a job. ‘We’ve been supporting the local Civil Defence through lockdown, providing food parcels as well as clothing and bedding,’ Andrew explains. ‘We’re quite fortunate that our Family Store is on the same site as our Community Ministries, so we had access to Family Store stock for people to access winter clothing and bedding, because we had a lot of people who were only planning to be here until March.’ Their foodbank—which is ‘the size of some people’s walk-in wardrobes’—has required upscaling by as much as five times. Many migrant workers have been left stranded, unable to take on new employment (due to their visa conditions) or leave the country. ‘A number of them are on sponsored visas; this means that they have to work with that company and if they don’t, their visa is void,’ Andrew says. ‘The ability to process—even to change— 18 WarCry 25 JULY 2020
someone’s visa is taking upwards of three months to do, which is exacerbating the problem.’ While the number of repatriation flights is gradually increasing, these barely make a dent in the population of migrants who need to return home, and many of them cannot afford the cost of the flight. ‘We are still looking at a scenario where these people are needing help at least up until Christmas, if not further,’ Andrew says. ‘There’s a huge unknown in how that works and how we, the local social agencies, can meet that high demand.’ Ruth and Andrew are proud of how community spirit has kept up morale during the tough times. ‘We’ve been having lots more volunteers in our Community Ministries and also within the Family Stores, because people either don’t have jobs now or they’re wanting to help out their community,’ Ruth says. They have also been encouraged by how their corps has looked after each other in response to the lockdown, particularly while their attention was diverted to the wider community’s urgent needs. Over lockdown, the corps established a Facebook Messenger group to communicate with one another and share prayer requests, supporting each other by ringing and checking on people and dropping off food for those who could not leave their houses. ‘Having that compassion, that love, that hospitality was really key, especially as we were getting out of the different levels of lockdown,’ Ruth says. ‘God’s Spirit within the community that is coming to the forefront is certainly the thing to celebrate,’ Andrew agrees.
GAZETTE Bereavement: Lieutenant Grace Duxfield of her grandfather Desmond (Des) Becker, from Wellington on Tuesday 30 June 2020. Please uphold Lieutenants Grace and Stuart Duxfield, Des’s wife of 66 years, Mary Becker and other family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss. Captain Susan Adams of her father Christopher Morgan, from Auckland on Friday 26 June 2020. We ask you to uphold in prayer Captains Susan and Robert Adams and other family members, at this time of grief and loss. Appointment Conclusion: Effective 1 July 2020, Captain Hana Seddon of her appointment as Hēkeretari Manatū Māori ASARS (Secretary for ASARS Māori Ministry). This will allow Captain Hana Seddon to focus full-time on her appointment as Hēkeretari-āWehenga Raki Manatū Māori (Divisional Secretary for Northern Division Māori Ministry). We honour Captain Hana Seddon for her faithful service in ASARS since commencing the role on 3 July 2017. Please pray for Captain Hana Seddon as she continues in her appointment. Appointment in Retirement: Effective 6 July 2020, Major Garry Mellsop, Booth College of Mission, Plowman Resource Centre, Interim Director, Heritage Centre and Archives. Please pray for Major Garry Mellsop as he prepares for this service in retirement. Department Closure: Family Tracing Service, Territorial Headquarters. The Territorial Commander announces with regret that the Family Tracing Service closed on Tuesday 30 June 2020. The service will still offer assistance to previous clients of our Bethany Hospitals. Family Tracing has been a successful part of the mission of The Salvation Army since its commencement in New Zealand in 1925, and has had the privilege of reuniting many disconnected family members.
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SO, LET US RE-IMAGINE HOW THE ARMY IN OUR AREA COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE… After six years of teaching my children to drive, my youngest child upon passing his full licence blurted out, ‘Now I don’t need a dad anymore’. He meant he can now carry passengers and travel at night without me sitting next to him as his fully licensed driver. These six years have been valuable times in many ways, but I had to focus by setting aside other things so I might prioritise the next generation of drivers. This experience reminds me of the Apostle Paul—he was a mission-driven man. Having been transformed into a dedicated follower of Jesus, he embarked on a mission of sharing how Jesus transformed himself and others, and how he could transform the person/people he was talking with. He then went about coaching some to be effective disciples of Jesus. His life contains so many great illustrations to go alongside our ‘We Commits’. Paul’s success, in part, was about sacrificial narrowed focus, that of being intentional about fewer things. Currently, The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa is stretched beyond what is sustainable. If we want to be around and successful over the long term, we need to follow Paul’s example of being intentional and narrower in our focus. Our name conveys our mission, that of salvation. Our mission statement speaks of how we do this, by: ‘Caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society through God in Christ by the Holy Spirit’s power’. Last year we made five commitments, one was, ‘We commit to sharpening our focus and doing mission together’; another, ‘We commit to re-imagining mission centres to be effective and sustainable’. Work is progressing at Territorial Headquarters on the outworkings of these statements, including a group to look at sustainability. What progress could your corps or centre make? What steps will you take over the next month to: • ensure your time, energy and resource is focused on areas that will result in the greatest long-term missional impacts in your town or city? This could feed into your next strategic plan review, 2021/22 budget and costed missional plans for the following five years. • blend what we refer to as corps/church, Community Ministries, Bridge, Family Stores and other programmes in your area to simply be ‘The Salvation Army’. A stronger Army is one that works together cross-pollinating across specialties and sharing of resources. Just as I narrowed my focus to ensure my children achieved their dream, and just as Paul the apostle kept a narrow focus to achieve the mission God gave him, so, too, must we. So, let us re-imagine how the Army in our area could be more effective and sustainable long term and make plans to achieve this. Major Allan Clark Territorial Secretary for Business Administration 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 19
Not so New Art OF Social Distancing
THE
The idea of ‘social distancing’ seemed to enter our experience as a new concept when the world started to respond to Covid-19. Yet social distancing is not a new thing! BY MAJOR SUE HAY
Social distancing features in many ancient narratives which have shaped our human story over the centuries. In the biblical account of creation, Adam and Eve resorted to social distancing from God the minute they experienced shame; in Māori creation stories, the loving embrace of Ranginui and Papatūānuku was broken by the longing of their children for more light, causing tears which continue to fall; centuries ago, Jesus told a classic story about the social distance created when a younger son turned his back on his father. 20 WarCry 25 JULY 2020
Rather than being a new thing, it seems we have resorted to social distancing since, well, forever!
Distancing from God the Father Jesus began his social distancing story with the younger of two sons. This lad was a typical young man in many ways: he couldn’t bear to stay home and live the life expected of him. Instead he set out on a journey to fill his heart with substitutes for meaningful connection. To fund this quest, he demanded his dad give him his inheritance early. This incredibly disrespectful request underlined his attitude that his dad was as good as dead to him. Then, to make matters worse, rather than retain the property in the whānau (family) as was culturally expected, he sold it. By cashing in on the whānau land, the son made it very clear he was never coming home; that he had no intention of ever returning to fulfil his whānau obligations. The way the young man
walked out of home demonstrated his determination to put distance between himself, his whānau, and his whānau land. This ultimately separated him from his creator, too. As soon as his pockets bulged with cash, the son raced off on a big OE (overseas experience) and spent up large on ‘wild living’. However, once his money ran out, his friends also ran out. Then, when a famine hit the land, the young man found himself alone and hungry. His situation forced him to confront the consequences of his previous choices. As he reflected on those choices, it was the social distance he had created between himself and his father which weighed most heavily on his heart. He knew his behaviour meant he was no longer worthy of a place in the whānau. The son came to understand that destroying his relationship with his dad had broken God’s heart too. In contrast to his earlier arrogance, this
rift with his father—was his way of making direct amends with God, too. As soon as the dad in this story saw his long-lost son on the horizon, he rushed to meet him. He wrapped this son up in the longest and most loving of embraces. Even as the son uttered words of apology, the father was holding him tight. Even as he stumbled over words of remorse, the father was busy organising gifts to signify his full reinstatement as son and heir. Even as he asked for forgiveness, the father was calling for a party to celebrate his return.
Reconciliation Within Community Lisa Sharon Harper’s book, The Very Good Gospel, unpacks how right from the Garden of Eden, humanity’s greatest sin has been separation—from God, each other and the whenua (land). Harper reflects, ‘In Hebrew culture, sin had more to do with the break in relationships than with individual imperfection’.
IF SIN IS ABOUT SEPARATION, THEN THIS STORY CHALLENGES OUR NOTION OF WHAT SIN IS, AND WHO THE SINNER IS IN THIS STORY. son demonstrated deep humility by resolving to attempt to put things right. With a heavy heart, he embarked on the long walk of shame home to face his whānau. At best he hoped his dad might take him in as a servant. This repentance—this turning away from his poor choices, this replacing of arrogance with humility, this attempt to heal the
I am deeply impacted by Harper’s understanding that sin is very much about relational distancing. In Western culture when we fall or fail we tend to focus on ourselves—on our regrets and shame, our brokenness and pain. Harper’s perspective helps centre us in community, with a focus on the relationships we have damaged. I know for myself that when I mess up and then place the emphasis on my pain, it is much easier to remain defensive and protective of my own ego and agenda. In many ways this keeps any attempt at repentance quite self-centred and even self-serving. However, if I consider the relationship damage I cause, I am much more deeply impacted. Remorse comes far more readily. As the son demonstrated, a focus on relationships motivates us to undertake the long and difficult walk towards home. And though we rarely reflect on how this son turned his back on the whenua, could Jesus be challenging us to consider this aspect of separation, too? The older brother in this story is painted as the good child who remained faithful to the pathway of duty expected of him. He worked incredibly hard for his father and, in so many ways, acted as a model son. But when his dad threw a party to celebrate the return of his younger brother, he refused to attend.
...A FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIPS MOTIVATES US TO UNDERTAKE THE LONG AND DIFFICULT WALK TOWARDS HOME. Though his dad pleaded with him to join the feast this ‘proper’ son chose instead to grumble about how hard he had been working and about how much he felt he deserved from his dad. Sadly, his work for his father had become so all-consuming he had distanced himself from the heart of his father. He also appeared to have lost his personal connection to the whenua he was called to work, for he described his role with the land as ‘slaving for you’ (Luke 15:29). This supposedly ‘good son’ had become disconnected from his relationship with his father, his brother and his calling. He even seemed disconnected from the hardness within his own heart.
Perceptions of Sin If sin is about separation, then this story challenges our notion of what sin is, and who the sinner is in this story. The son who did everything wrong became the son who put things right, whereas the son who was so thoroughly committed to the work of the father remained disconnected from his father, his brother and the whenua. Jesus does not reveal if this separation was ever resolved. During the Covid-19 lockdown many of us struggled with the imposition of social distancing on our relationships. As the noise of the world slowed during lockdown we found a new sense of connection with birdsong and nature as we took time to walk around our communities. May these experiences help us to reflect on whether any distancing has crept into our relationships with God, others and the whenua. Let’s ensure any such distancing does not last forever. The story of the Prodigal Son can be found in Luke 15:11–32. 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 21
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9 6 8 7 3 2 5 1 4
5 6 1 5 3 7 1 1 4 6 8 1 7 9 2 7 9 8 3 4 9
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.
Quiz Answers: 1 Pat Carroll, 2 Japan (Sakura Color Products Corp.), 3 Norville Rogers, 4 Tatau, 5 Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1–2).
22 WarCry 25 JULY 2020
Stay away from lightning at all costs—one flash can make the surrounding air five times hotter than the sun’s surface.
Colour me in!
During that night the Lord said to Gideon, ‘Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands’. JUDGES 7:9
Night Sky Mobile
Rustle up an old coat hanger from around the house and create this decoration to hang up in your room! You’ll Need …
Gideon was leading out the Israelite Army to defeat the Midianites, just like God had empowered him to do. With 30,000 men, the army felt confident in their own ability to succeed. But God wanted to prove that they would deliver Israel from their enemies by his will alone.
coloured card or paper hole punch string coat hanger scissors coloured pencils or crayons (optional) decorations such as glitter, glue or sequins.
He instructed Gideon to send many of the soldiers home, until only 300 men remained. The night before they were planning to fight, the Lord woke up Gideon and instructed him that it was time to attack the Midianites. Gideon was nervous, so the Lord showed him a vision to give him confidence and reveal what to do.
Method 1. Cut out four large stars and one moon from coloured cardboard or paper. 2. Punch a hole at the top of each shape, using the hole punch (if you don’t have one, get a parent/adult to help you puncture a hole in the paper).
Gideon told his Army to take trumpets and empty jars with torches inside. They reached the edge of the camp just after the Midianites had changed their guard. When Gideon gave the command, the Israelite army blew their trumpets and broke their clay jars. Grasping their torches and trumpets, they shouted, ‘A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!’ Every Midianite fled for their lives, and they were all captured and defeated.
3. Colour in and decorate these shapes with pencils, crayons or (optional) decorations. 4. Tie a piece of string to each star and moon. 5. Arrange the shapes along the base of the coat hanger, and when you are happy with the order, tie each one into place. Voila! You have a beautiful mobile to decorate your room! Source: kidspot.co.nz
Through God’s power, Gideon was able to lead the Israelites to victory against the odds. I WONDER...
Can you help Gideon find his trumpet?
Next time you are afraid, can you pray about it, trusting that God will give you the confidence to take on anything? 25 JULY 2020 WarCry 23
General William Booth launched the first Self Denial Appeal in 1886. This year, we are asking you to give as much as you are able in support of this worldwide appeal. Catch up on videos and give your Altar Service gift at: SE LFD E N I A L .I N F O / N Z F T S
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