28 May 2022 NZFTS War Cry by The Salvation Army SALT Magazine (NZ, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa)

FAITH IN ACTION 28 MAY 2022 | Issue 6792 | $1.50

Newborn in the family? Always take food Southern Sevens Prayer in the thin places

Sponsorship in Paraguay

SUSTAINING OUR FUTURE

WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS Catherine

& William 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, Nicole Gesmundo, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS

Hope Burmeister, Holly Morton, David Youngmeyer | PROOF READING Major Colleen Marshall | COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Lucas Allmann on pexels.com OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone (04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset is an environmentally responsible paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System. Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association. 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 138 years | Issue 6792 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online)

A Pressing Concern There is no doubt that environmental issues are front and centre and an urgent issue for all nations, but there are ‘unintended consequences’—or to put it another way, ‘under-researched ideas’—that are being hurriedly implemented which could impact vulnerable people and communities around the world. The Church has a responsibility to these communities to hold authorities to account when it comes to these consequences. For example, the push to electric cars comes at a cost to the children and people in developing countries who provide the lithium and cobalt to power the batteries for these cars. They work in dangerous and toxic conditions in places that have not even heard of a health and safety plan for their people. There is also the consideration of the push to eradicate diesel and petroleum cars, a worthy ambition, but this must be within the reach of people who struggle to put food on the table, let alone upgrading their vehicles. In our feature article (p.6), we highlight the Sustainability Working Group who are currently considering the impact The Salvation Army has on the environment. It is also charged with forming a network or community of people who will champion environmental issues in their corps and centres. I am encouraged by their commitment to carefully engage and plan for meaningful change within the Army. They have a heart for God, for people and for the environment, and it is only when these three aspects are working together that we can come up with life-giving changes that will benefit people, but also contribute to our responsibility to the environment and the stewardship entrusted to us by our Creator. Vivienne Hill Editor

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We do not inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

@SalvationArmyNZ

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Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Ngā Waiata 24:1 Nō Ihowā te whenua, me ōna tini mea, te ao, me ngā tāngata e noho ana i runga.

Caring for God’s Earth

’ll be honest. For a long time, I never even thought about taking care of the environment. For some reason, I always thought that should be left to the experts. However, it was when I moved to Wellington that I actually started to think about it. It probably helped that my flatmates at the time were super conscious of it. They taught me about recycling: what you can and can’t recycle, cleaning everything beforehand and unfolding it. They would buy environmentally friendly dishwashing liquid and rubbish bags (the latter unfortunately weren’t the most practical as they’d break when you picked them up). They also didn’t eat much meat, having previously lived with a vegan. I was in a completely new environment I’d never experienced before, confronted with issues I had never bothered to consider. Right at the beginning of the Bible, God creates humans, and commands us to look after our world: ‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it’ (Genesis 2:15). It’s clear that God wants us to actually care about the earth. That doesn’t mean we all need to become environmental activists overnight. I think the key is, God wants us to take an interest in the world he has created for us. Psalm 24:1 states, ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world and all who live in it’. This world

belongs to God, and we have been given the responsibility to take care of it. I never expected to care that much about the environment because I guess I’d always thought it was someone else’s problem. Someone else can deal with that and I’ll just live my life. But today, I’m vegetarian and find myself teaching people about recycling or considering the environmentally friendly options. I am also way more passionate about it than I was those years ago. Learning the why of the importance of taking care of the environment helped me. I think I was used to being told to care about it but didn’t have my own personal conviction. We should always have a reason for why we care about anything, as it drives us to further understanding and responsibility. As you think about why you care about the environment, identify a specific aspect that interests you. It’s been said many times before, but small actions make a difference. What I learned is that you don’t have to know everything or be environmentally perfect. Start thinking about the small actions you can take for the things you care about. It’s God’s world, but we are stewards of it. Where is there a need and what is God calling you to change in your life? BY HOPE BURMEISTER

28 MAY 2022 WarCry

TOPFIVE

Weird of the Week: There is an American prison which runs a rehabilitation programme for inmates to train and raise future seeing-eye dogs.

Cauliflower and Parsnip Soup 40g butter 2 large brown onions, chopped

250g parsnips, peeled, cored and roughly chopped 2 cups water

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1¼ cup cream

4 cups vegetable stock

2 tsp parsley, finely chopped

1.2kg cauliflower, cut in florets In a large frying pan, add butter and onion. Stir until softened. Add garlic and keep stirring, until fragrant. Add stock and bring to the boil. Transfer onion mixture to 4.5-litre slow cooker with cauliflower, parsnip and the water. Cook covered on low for 6½ hours. Allow to cool, then blend or process soup in batches, until smooth, and return to the cooker. Stir in cream. Cook, covered, on high, about 30 minutes or until soup is hot. Season to taste. Sprinkle with parsley. Source: countdown.co.nz

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If you’re concerned about how old those limp-looking vegetables sitting at the back of your fridge are, here is a list of five of the oldest foods found by archaeologists.

Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better. Sydney J. Harris

1. Bread—In 2018, the oldest piece of bread found to-date was unearthed in Jordan’s Black Desert: a 14,000-yearold flatbread made from wild cereals similar to barley and oats. Archaeologists reproduced the recipe and have described it as gritty and salty, with a little bit of sweetness. 2. Bog butter—Hundreds of lumps of ‘bog butter’ have been found in Ireland and Scotland, with the oldest one dating back 5000 years. In medieval times, butter was a luxury product used to pay taxes and was often buried in bogs and marshes for safekeeping. 3. Noodles—A bowl of 4000-year-old millet noodles was discovered along the Yellow River in China. It is believed an earthquake and flood caused the diner to abandon his meal, leaving the overturned bowl to later be found below three metres of sediment. 4. Egyptian tomb cheese—Found in the tomb of Ptahmes in 2014, this first known example of cheese in ancient Egypt is around 3200 years old. It is thought to contain sheep and goat milk, but nowadays is most likely to taste highly acidic. 5. Salad dressing—Discovered in 2004 off the coast of the Greek island Chios. A shipwreck dating back to 350 BC was found to be carrying an amphora full of olive oil mixed with oregano, a classic recipe still used in Greece today.

Adventure, Fantasy Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (M, violence and horror) Directed by Sam Raimi Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is back again on the big screen and this time focusses on his present life, post-Thanos period, with familiar characters like Christine Palmer, Wong and Wanda Maximoff. We are introduced to America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez), who is on the run. Later she joins Dr Strange and they both go into a mad chase across the multiverse. The movie is a mix of superhero charm, adventure, action, humour and cameos that are expected of a Marvel film. But although well-executed, a surprising element of horror and alarming scenes were integrated throughout the story. I personally do not recommend this movie for children or young teens as these scenes may be too disturbing for a young Marvel fan. (Reviewed by Nicole Gesmundo)

WARCRYIN HISTORY

Hurricanes and Highlanders Back Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal

It’s difficult sometimes to keep children entertained, particularly as the weather gets too cold to play outside. The 13 August 1921 edition of War Cry has this problem solved: A Paper Doll for the Tinies, featuring a diagram and instructions that even help you construct a frock and bonnet for the doll! Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Plowman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission.

QUIKQUIZ 1 Eremology is the study of what?

2 What food is traditionally planted on the shortest day and harvested on the longest? 3 The British cyclist Chris Froome was actually born in which country? 4 ‘Who Let the Dogs Out?’ was a one-hitwonder for which band? 5 In the Bible, what unusual food was said to have resembled coriander seed? Answers on page 22

Two of the country’s top Super Rugby teams gave their support and encouraged people to dig deep for The Salvation Army’s annual appeal.

OURPEOPLE

Mariana Esquivel-Pena (office manager, Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit)

Mariana Esquivel-Pena—who joined The Salvation Army in December 2021—was born in Mexico City, Mexico and came to New Zealand initially on a one-year working holiday. Three years later, however, Mariana is settled in Wellington with her partner, a Spanish-speaking Kiwi. Mariana holds a BA in communication and is studying part-time towards a diploma in web development. She works four hours a week with refugee high school-age children, helping with their homework. In her spare time, Mariana is a presenter and social media manager with Wellington Access Radio’s Spanish station, Radio Que Onda (What’s Up?), and is an active member of the Wellington Film Society.

The Red Shield Appeal helps to fund The Salvation Army’s community-based social services, including foodbanks, financial mentoring and counselling, addiction services, supported accommodation and Positive Lifestyle Programmes which aim to help the most vulnerable in our society. The Salvation Army was the Match Day Charity for the games on Saturday 21 May in Wellington, and then on Sunday 22 May in Dunedin. The two teams undertook a range of activities to support the appeal, which included: adding a dollar donation option for fans when they bought tickets to the above games; collecting donations at the matches; and online Trade Me auctions of ‘Money can’t buy experiences’ with senior players, including Ardie Savea, Jordie Barrett, Aaron Smith and Marty Banks. The players also supported the appeal with videos and other content on social media. Players also rolled up their sleeves to support a Salvation Army Family Store and a foodbank. Hurricanes players donated items to a Family Store in Wellington and did volunteer work in-store, such as preparing donated items for sale. Highlanders players donated food items to a Salvation Army foodbank in Dunedin and helped to prepare food parcels. 28 MAY 2022 WarCry

A CALL TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

‘The Salvation Army recognises environmental degradation as one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, affecting us all. Its effects fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable, particularly in terms of health, livelihood, shelter and the opportunity to make choices. The very survival of humanity depends on the health of the whole ecosystem.’ This is the statement made in the July 2021 International Positional Statement, ‘Caring for the Environment’, which was approved by General Brian Peddle and commits The Salvation Army to sustainable environmental practices. BY HOLLY MORTON

The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa has been working to maintain a sustainable orientation across the territory, prior to and in light of this International Positional Statement, with the Moral and Social Issues Council (MASIC) initiating the Sustainability Working Group to encourage environmental action from their people.

Photography: Lucas Allmann on pexels.com

Sustainability Working Group The Sustainability Working Group began the conversations in September of last year, although the plans to start something for the territory had been in the works for a couple of years. The emphasis is on grassroots work which the group can do to encourage individuals within the Army to make changes in their lives, with the hope that this will influence the wider spaces people find themselves in. The team currently has four core members, but would like to expand and connect with more people from across the territory who are passionate about sustainability and creation care. A central project that the group is working on involves creating resources and making sustainable ideas available for the general public through their social media accounts. Captain Missy Ditchburn is the member of the team who is heading up the Facebook and Instagram pages, Salves, which have been running since the end of March. The aim is to share research and encourage those who want to consider their personal impact on the planet.

Resourcing and restoring people Lieutenant Mike Bryan, director of Epsom Lodge for The Salvation Army and part of the working group, explains that they’re ‘creating content on a wide variety of themes, which we as a group dish out between us as short, snappy posts that are a little bit quirky, showcasing some of the work that’s going on in The Salvation Army and other organisations. The aim of the group is to resource and encourage Salvationists in corps and centres to live more environmentally sustainable lives.’ 28 MAY 2022 WarCry

Mike has a long history of environmental advocacy, and is thankful for the opportunity for this experience to bleed over into his work with the Sustainability Working Group. ‘I became a [Salvation Army] soldier in 2012 from an atheist schoolteacher background, but practical conservation has been on my heart all my life. I did a lot of voluntary conservation work in the UK where I used to live, building stone walls and just doing that sort of creation repair. I was a science teacher, and then had the opportunity in New Zealand to work with disaffected schoolchildren on sustainability. The school had this subject called “education for sustainability” and that was fantastic to be able to get outside with kids who didn’t like being in the classroom to do conservation projects and research, up in the Far North.’ Mike explains that because of his passion for creation care, when he became a Christian and started at The Salvation Army, he wanted a space to continue to outwork this interest through a faith-based lens. ‘As an officer in Papakura, I just explored taking people outside. I was a volunteer for Auckland Regional Council, clearing predator trap lines, so I’d just take people out to the trap lines. I saw first-hand how restorative it was for people who were in active addiction or who were very depressed by being in the middle of the city, and the effect it had on them to go into the bush and do something practical. It made me realise that we didn’t need to shy away from it, that it wasn’t just for middle-class hippies, but that sustainability could help restore people.’

Consulting and teaching Another member of the working group is Caleb Bridle, who previously attended both Auckland City and Glen Eden Corps and was heavily involved in the Army growing up, and is the science consultant of the group. Caleb is a biology and environmental societies high school teacher, but hadn’t really considered environmentalism until he was given an

‘WE WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THE SENSE THAT THEY’RE PART OF A MOVEMENT WITHIN THE ARMY, AN ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY MOVEMENT.’ 8 WarCry 28 MAY 2022

‘environmental systems and societies’ course to teach. ‘That was kind of the kick-starter for me. I had all this biological knowledge but now with more of the humanities perspective as well. That’s certainly challenged me around what we choose to do as a family and has made me more environmentally conscious, while also recognising the difficulties that can come with it. ‘It’s really hard if you are just fighting to put food on the table, you’ve got to just take what you can get. I was challenged by something we watched in class, a climate change documentary called Before the Flood, where Leonardo DiCaprio talks to a minister from India who says, “You guys have had your industrial revolution, we need ours for our population to be sustained. And so you can’t tell us not to burn coal, because we can’t grow our food if we don’t burn coal.” In New Zealand, a vast majority of our energy comes from renewable or sustainable resources, but that’s not the case worldwide. We are very much in an ivory tower.’ Caleb also noted the importance of recognising not everyone in our territory is in this position of having agency over their environmental impact, and that even in adjusting individual actions, the onus should remain on corporations who are the largest contributors to climate change.

Sustainability in a church setting The Sustainability Working Group coincidentally has an impressive showing of educators on the team, including Chantelle Lindsey, a primary school teacher. Chantelle attends Hamilton City Corps and became connected to the group through her interest in sustainability in a church setting. ‘I took the Sustainability minor at Amplify, maybe three years ago, and I think that sparked my interest in sustainability within church. There are so many small things we can do, like improving recycling—instead of using takeaway coffee cups, just putting them in mugs—so I remember realising: wow, our church can actually do quite a lot. I think I’m also a part of the group because I am a young person, so I can bring a different perspective.’ Even though the sustainability group is still working to gain momentum, Chantelle is hopeful about the impact the group can make on corps. ‘I know my church will hear about this group, so it would be awesome to see that when we’re planning events [as a corps] and having meetings, that we consider the environment and consider where we’re putting our money and

whether we’re doing things sustainably. It’s looking at the little things; if we can start by saying that in our church we’re going to make a stand to recycle this or we’re going to make a stand to not purchase things from unethical companies, then other churches will realise they can make a little change as well. And then we can all begin to make a change.’

‘AS HUMANS HAVE CAUSED SO MUCH DAMAGE AS A SPECIES, WE AS CHRISTIANS SHOULD SEE CREATION CARE AS A FORM OF EVANGELISM, BECAUSE WE’RE LOOKING AFTER THAT FIRST BIBLE.’ The theology of sustainability Aside from their own personal interests in sustainability advocacy, Mike, Caleb and Chantelle have all highlighted the importance of environmental commitment for Salvationists from a theological standpoint. Caleb explained that we need to recognise that as God’s stewards of the earth, we have skin in the game. ‘It always worries me when there’s the opinion of “it doesn’t matter because God’s gonna fix it. It’s all right, Jesus is coming back so we don’t need to change what we’re doing”. But we are called to be stewards of the planet, and that means utilising the resources responsibly. ‘As Salvationists we are called to be God’s hands and feet. That means addressing not only the needs of individuals, but also the needs of society. Within The Salvation Army and within the Church in general, we are sometimes so salvationfocussed. And I don’t deny that, but I think we are called in a twofold way both to people and to society. And one of the ways that we can help rebuild society is by making our livelihoods more sustainable. We’re called to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. That means using these resources, using this time and energy wisely, to show that God’s good creation is continuing on. We’re not asking for God to come and destroy it all, we’re trying to rebuild it.’

Our individual responsibility Mike has suggested that a way to consider our environment when it comes to our responsibility is seeing creation as another aspect of God’s Word, as posited by some theologians. ‘Some people talk about creation as being God’s first Bible, and the written Bible is the second Bible. People are often drawn to God and ideas of God through their experience of the beauty of creation, and so having a degraded environment means that it’s not able to speak to people in the same way.’ If we learn to treat God’s creation as vital to our understanding and connection to him, that may change how we interact with it. Mike even suggested: ‘As humans have caused so much damage as a species, we as Christians should see creation care as a form of evangelism, because we’re looking after that first Bible’.

The environmental sustainability movement Chantelle reiterated this by expressing that at the heart of it, environmental advocacy as Christians is about making active changes that demonstrate and speak to what we claim to value. ‘It’s our job to be role models, to set an example and to show God that we value the gifts he’s given us. To stand at the front of society and say, “actually, this is something that we value, and you should value it too”.’ Mike is aware that work on sustainability can sometimes feel isolating for people when they don’t see others around them doing the same, so the group is interested in creating connections through their social media pages with the aim of organising events in which people can get involved. ‘We want people to have the sense that they’re part of a movement within the Army, an environmental sustainability movement. The idea is that we’ll have a network of people embedded within corps and centres who are champions for environmental sustainability, who are encouraged by being part of a network to influence the people around them.’ MORE INFO | For those interested in getting involved in the work the Sustainability Working Group is doing, you can stay up to date with their social media pages, Salves, on Instagram: instagram.com/tsa.salves and Facebook: facebook.com/tsa.salves. You can also email Lieutenant Mike Bryan to discuss what your corps can do to get involved at mike.bryan@salvationarmy.org.nz.

28 MAY 2022 WarCry

Newborn, New Worries? It can be an incredibly exciting time when a friend or family member has a newborn. After many months of preparation and care, the baby is finally here! While it can be seen as the end of a wonderful journey for those around the family, for the parent or parents it is the beginning of a whole other experience, with moments of incredible love alongside sleepless nights and new challenges. It can be hard to know how to help, so here are some ideas of ways you can support your friends with a newborn: • Bring them a meal or organise a meal roster with other friends. This doesn’t have to just include dinner; breakfasts, lunches and snacks are also a good idea. The golden rule of visiting friends or family members with newborns is always come with food. • Offer to help around the house. Whether it’s doing a load of dishes after you’ve visited or offering to do a quick tidy up on your way out, keeping the house in order can easily fall to the bottom of the priority list for new parent(s), so it’s a nice way to help out. • Bring something nice for the parent(s). It is very common for the baby to end up with a plethora of new toys, blankets and onesies from visitors in the first few weeks. A nice touch might be to bring something as a gift for the parent(s), something that will make them feel special at this time as well. •

eep visits short. New parent(s) will only have so much social K energy, and it can be uncomfortable for them to need to ask guests to leave, so plan to only visit for half an hour at a time.

• Offer to look after the baby while the parent(s) have a break. This will depend on your relationship to the parent(s), but a great way to help is to offer to hold or watch the baby while they take a breather—have a shower, a quick nap or even just a moment without needing to care for their baby. •

L ook out for the baby’s sibling (or canine friends). Often in all the excitement, an older sibling or a pet can feel a bit left out. Take the baby’s sibling out for ice cream or offer to walk the dog. You can help make sure everyone feels looked after in this time of change for the family.

There are some situations where babies need more care and have to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). This is obviously a difficult time for the parent or parents, and alongside these previous tips, here are some other things you can do to look after them during this period. • Celebrate their baby! Having a baby is a big and exciting time, but sometimes the celebration of a new baby can be

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BE A GOOD FRIEND BY LISTENING TO WHAT IS GOING ON FOR THEM AND OFFERING EMOTIONAL SUPPORT WHERE YOU CAN. missed out when the baby needs extra time at the hospital. Make sure you congratulate your friends and be open about your excitement for them in this new stage. • Offer rides to the hospital. This is a really practical thing you can do to help, particularly if one parent is still at the hospital. • Be a listening ear. There will have been so many changes happening in their lives recently, and it is scary to have a baby needing extra hospital care. Be a good friend by listening to what is going on for them and offering emotional support where you can. • Keep up the momentum. Newborn babies can end up needing to stay in NICU for weeks or even months, and so some of that attention and concern from friends can drop off. Keep checking in and seeing what help they need. • Check in when they come home. While the intensity of needing extra hospital support may be over, your friends and their baby still need care and attention, so this is another great time to bring around a hot meal. Sources: seleni.org, parents.com, raisingchildren.net.au

TESTIFY! Major Glenys Fairhurst shared her lyrically-inspired testimony at the 2021 Long Service Recognition Dinner, as she marked more than 40 years of service as a Salvation Army officer. In 1969, the Australian 50 cent coin was changed from a round coin to one with 12 sides. A woman at my corps offered to pay me one of those new 50 cent coins to sing her favourite song at the Young People’s Anniversary: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ (Hammerstein, 1945). My sister, brother and I also sang as a trio, ‘You’re not alone, you’re in the Master’s hand. He knows his own, your steps his heart has planned’. The truths in these songs are my reality, as someone who has claimed the presence of Christ’s Spirit. God has promised to always be with me. Also in 1969, when I was aged 12, I knew I was called to be an officer in The Salvation Army. When I was 20, Dean Fairhurst put this proposal to me: ‘You’re going to be an officer, and I’m going to be an officer. What about we do it together?’ I didn’t have any objection to that, but later that evening, I was praying and got the impression that I had to be prepared to be a single officer. I agreed with God that I would have to contact Dean the next day and tell him that no, we weren’t getting engaged at my 21st. Once I became willing to give Dean up, if that was the sacrifice God was asking of me, then I had an assurance that it was okay to proceed with our relationship. We married in 1978, moved to New Zealand in 1979 and entered Aro Street Training College in 1980, with a one-month-old baby girl, as cadets of the God’s Soldiers session. In 2012, after Dean died, I was reminded of my Abraham/Isaac moment from 1978. During the months after his death, I wondered how

I RE-LEARNT THAT I WAS A WHOLE PERSON; YES, BEREFT OF A LOVED COMPANION AND TEAM PARTNER, BUT I WAS NOT HALF A PERSON, AND I WAS NOT ALONE. to adjust: how to be enough on my own as a capable corps officer; enough on my own as a parent to our five children; enough as an available grandparent. For 30 years, we had shared the leadership at corps appointments—including five years’ regular force secondment to the New Zealand Defence Force as military chaplains at Linton Camp. I re-learnt that I was a whole person; yes, bereft of a loved companion and team partner, but I was not half a person, and I was not alone. In 2013, when I was appointed to Gore Corps, my first appointment without Dean, there was a combined churches’ women’s event held at the corps. The speaker and I met for the first time that evening. During the final prayer time, she shared a vision she had of me. I had been soldiering on, marching on, in military boots that no longer fit me. She saw Jesus cause me to pause, then he bent down and unlaced the army boots and placed shoes that fit my feet for me to walk on in my own style. I was

still God’s soldier, but there was a new way to walk with Jesus. Remember the 12-sided 50 cent coin from when I was 12? In 2013, I became involved in another 12-faceted ministry through facilitating the 12 Steps programme, which had been a part of my recovery, a fulfilling part of my ministry, and saw me involved in some intercessory warfare on behalf of some of the participants. Over these 40 years of officership, including these last 10 years without Dean, I have studied, learnt and been developed, trained and equipped to do what the Army required of me. God has been faithful to supply me with resources and energy to do whatever he has asked, and I have drawn on God’s wisdom to show me the difference between what he asks of me compared to what people expect from me. In all this, music has been and still is a part of my devotional life, my expression of worship and of my weaponry for ministry battles. 28 MAY 2022 WarCry

Southern Sevens

BY HOPE BURMEISTER, PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICHARD BRAY

The 2022 Southern Sevens sports day went ahead on a nice sunny day at Tīmaru Girls’ High School. The atmosphere was amicable, with everyone cheering each other on regardless of which team they were involved with or supporting. Southern Division’s Southern Sevens is a sports day where various corps from around the division compete against each other in a number of different sports. This year’s event took place on 30 April from 11am to 4pm, to allow time for people to travel home, especially those who travelled long distances.

Lobb was thankful that St Johns was already there for the day. The accident was a fracture and dislocation of the ankle while playing soccer. Captain Rob van Abs, corps officer at Mosgiel Corps, was transported to Tīmaru Hospital for surgery and was later transferred to Dunedin Hospital where he had further surgery; he’s now recovering at home. Pete noted that Rob maintained his humour throughout the ordeal. (Please continue to pray for Rob’s recovery.) But even the paramedic who helped with the accident was impressed with the day, as he said, ‘It was just so cool to see players having a good time together and cheering for opposing teams … it was really good sportsmanship demonstrated by everybody’.

MEDLEY OF SPORT

FREAK ACCIDENT

Almost everything went to plan, apart from a serious accident resulting in a player being taken to hospital; so Divisional Youth and Children’s Mission Coordinator Pete 12 firezone.co.nz 28 MAY 2022

The teams all played at least one game each of soccer, touch, netball and volleyball. At the end, the points were all tallied up to determine the Champion, Runner Up and the Fair Play award. There were 8 teams with around 12 members. Each team supplied a creative name, such as Junior Buritons (as in burritos) and Ashburitons. Also, for the first time, they had a mixed team, aptly named ‘Not Friends Yet’, which was made up of various members of the different corps: Linwood Corps, Christchurch City Corps and

get to the next. ‘It was up a massive hill,’ Pete said, ‘so by the time everybody got to the sports or the next game, they were knackered just from the journey to get there.’ Pete said he wanted to give a big shout out to corps officer Major Nigel De Maine from Rangiora Corps who spent a lot of time creating the draw and arranging the logistics of the day. He was also very appreciative of the help he received from other Army people from around the motu (land).

Mosgiel Corps. This team took out the Fair Play award because they pulled together and had to quickly adapt with one less player after the accident.

WINNERS ON THE DAY

The final placings were: the Champion award going to Sydenham 2; the Runner Up award went to Junior Buritons; third place was Infused Mixed; fourth place was Sydenham 3; fifth place was Ashburitons; sixth place was Not Friends Yet; seventh place was Sydenham 1 and eighth place was Infused Youth. Sydenham teams wore red, but in keeping with the light-hearted nature of the event, Invercargill wore orange tutus as their team colour. The Avodah group from Sydenham did a haka to round off the day.

UPHILL CHALLENGE

INTERGENERATIONAL EVENT

There were a range of different ages at the games, from babies to those retired, which was exactly what Pete had envisaged. ‘I very much promoted it as an intergenerational thing. My role is divisional youth and children’s mission coordinator, but I really wanted to frame it as an intergenerational time of connection, where mixed ages could come, and we had all sorts.’ He also said about half the people there hadn’t attended before, so it was great to see new faces coming out to give it a go. Pete said it was special to be able to meet together with the various southern corps as they hadn’t been able to meet much lately, due to the pandemic.

The games were well spread out across the school, which proved to be a mission, with people having five minutes to rush from one game to

28 MAY 2022 WarCry

Cabin Community for the Homeless BY HOPE BURMEISTER

The Salvation Army’s Housing First has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and Victory Community Anglican Church to create a cabin community in Nelson for those without a home. The first fence post was put into the Victory Community Anglican Church land in a ceremony to indicate the start of the building process. ‘Housing First is aiming to get people’s lives back on track, more specifically homeless people, and we do that by providing accommodation first,’ said Jaap Noteboom, Housing First team leader. He said Housing First originally worked with people on the streets with the goal of finding them accommodation; however, when the pandemic hit, the call was made to get people into motels. They have placed 45 people into social housing since the beginning of the pandemic but there are still 60 people staying in motels, who want their own place.

Housing crisis Jaap said because of the housing crisis, houses aren’t being built fast enough for the number of people in need of homes, so there’s a long waitlist. There is a need for people to be ‘housing ready’ in order to go into social housing. Most providers require people to first deal with substance abuse or mental health issues, but Housing First does not require this. They will provide accommodation for people no matter what their circumstances. The aim now is to get these people into permanent accommodation. 14 WarCry 28 MAY 2022

Cabin community The idea for the cabin community came from an existing community in Carterton. Japp said they decided to build cabins because they’re easier, cheaper and faster to build. The cabins are transitional housing while people wait for social housing to be available. ‘For us, that’s an ultimate opportunity to use these vacant sections as an intermediate step for people to grow more towards independence.’ The sense of community around the cabins has also been important for those living there. It gives them a support network. Japp said ‘placing homeless people on their own in the community is not always a good idea—not for all of them. In the cabin community, they have supportive groups around each other.’ They can come together several times a week to cook a meal, hang out and support one another with issues they may have all experienced.

Partnering for housing The cabins, provided by Habitat for Humanity Nelson, will be built on land owned by Victory Community Anglican Church, and the lease will last for about three years. The eight cabins will each be one bedroom with a bed, desk, a chair and a lazy chair, with access to a common area containing

THE CABINS ARE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING WHILE PEOPLE WAIT FOR SOCIAL HOUSING TO BE AVAILABLE. a kitchen and communal toilets and showers. He said having from 8 to 12 cabins in one community is a good number to keep the group small and close-knit. Housing First’s role is as a ‘wraparound service’, which provides ‘whatever is needed to get somebody’s life back on track’, such as assistance with mental health, addictions, relationships, budget services or assist them into employment. They also offer practical assistance such as bikes, food parcels and doctor costs. They have four outreach partners who will work with the cabin community several times a week to help them with whatever they need. Jaap says they would like to have some chaplaincy services in the community as an outreach, to teach people about Jesus. In continued partnership with Habitat, they plan to build more cabins in Nelson, but larger three-bedroom houses.

THEIR PASSION IS TO SEE ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR OWN HOME WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THEM TO BE HEALTHY IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE— PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. In community

The response from the Nelson City Council was one of gratitude, because since Housing First started operating in Nelson, there have been almost no problems with homelessness. He said homeless people themselves are grateful to have a room, a cooked meal and medical checks. One thing Jaap emphasised is that the issue of homelessness is too big for one organisation, which was why it’s been important for Housing First to collaborate. ‘What we try to do here in Nelson is bring the community together where appropriate, to come up with innovative solutions, because government funding is not necessarily enough to sort it out’. He hoped the cabins would be a positive step towards people finding a forever home, but also long-term wellbeing. ‘People who have given up hope and their dreams all of a sudden have a place and are able to dream again … with support from us’, Jaap said. He also said that it’s not just the homeless they want to help, but also the wellbeing of the community and how they can come together and make that happen. ‘“If you want to go fast, you go alone. But if you want to go far, go together”. And I think this is one of the initiatives where we want to go far,’ Jaap said.

In partnership with God Jaap says he’s seen God moving in this project through the organic connections between the organisations. They were connected to Victory Church who ‘happened’ to have a vacant space. Even though the aim of the cabins is for people to be there temporarily as they wait for social housing, Jaap said that if people are moving into social housing it does not end their engagement with Housing First. ‘We can support people as long as they need and as long as they want.’ Their passion is to see all people living in their own home while also continuing to support them to be healthy in all aspects of life—physically, emotionally and spiritually. The cabins will be onsite and available at the beginning of July.

The wider community response to the cabins has been mixed, given the negative perceptions of homeless people: ‘but once you get to know this group, then you actually discover that these are people who, because of trauma, have ended up in situations like this’, Jaap said.

The stone-laying ceremony of blessing upon the land.

Housing First, Habitat for Humanity and Victory Community Anglican Church sign the Memorandum of Understanding. 28 MAY 2022 WarCry

Recapturing the Heart of Women’s Ministries Women’s Ministries has moved to a new home and is now part of The Salvation Army Mission team. But why is this so important? You may not have noticed anything different about Women’s Ministries this year, but it is getting new foundations, moving out of the executive structure and into the Mission team. This reflects the vital role of Women’s Ministries in the wider Salvation Army mission, explains Territorial President for Women’s Ministries Commissioner Julie Campbell. ‘It’s a practical way we are embracing He Waka Eke Noa, all of us together, with a one waka culture. It’s about inter-connectedness and working alongside other ministries, rather than working in silos. We want to be part of what God is doing throughout the mission of the Army,’ she says. Major Alison Moody has been appointed as Women’s Ministries coordinator, working within the Mission leadership team—alongside other ministries, such as Children, Youth and Community Ministries. Women’s Ministries also continues to build a vibrant online community that advocates for and lifts up women’s voices. ‘It’s a place where we have women-centred conversations, where we advocate and encourage, and build a sense of pride in the special place we have as women,’ says Ingrid Barratt, social media and resource specialist for Women’s Ministries. ‘Women are a vital part of our mission. In many cases, women have been the backbone of The Salvation Army—the hard workers, the fundraisers and the witnesses in sharing the good news of Jesus in very practical ways. We want to celebrate our heritage as women,’ adds Julie. ‘A high percentage of people that come to the Army for help are also women. We want them to find a place to belong, hear that Jesus values women and that the Army values women.’

Recapturing Women’s Ministries The move into Mission in many ways recaptures the original intent of Women’s Ministries. One of the great distinctives of The Salvation Army is that it has always championed the voice of women. In 1870, when the Army was still the Christian Mission, its constitution stated that: ‘Godly women possessing the necessary gifts and qualifications shall be employed as preachers … and they shall be eligible for any office, and to speak and vote at all official meetings’. The first Home League was founded in 1907, by the Founders’ daughter-in-law Florence Booth. She worked tirelessly for the rights of women—exposing human trafficking and advocating to raise the age of consent in the United Kingdom. ‘Home League was a response to the great need of women who lived in the crowded city tenement houses, which were large, often dilapidated buildings divided into rental apartments,’ wrote Lt16 WarCry 28 MAY 2022

Showing the postcards produced by Women's Ministries to celebrate the mother heart of God.

Colonel Janice Buchanan in ‘Connect to Mission’. ‘Families were large, with children playing and even living on the streets. Many children were orphaned. Many died young, diseased and living in squalor.’ Home League programmes were simple and open to all women. They gave advice on raising children and nutrition, as well as worship and devotions. This has stayed largely the same throughout the last century, but the roles of women in society have since radically changed. Women’s Ministries was originally placed within the executive structure to ensure women’s voices were heard at the highest levels of leadership. In many territories around the world, this is still an effective way of creating leadership opportunities for women. However, Julie says that moving into Mission ensures women’s voices are seen and heard throughout the breadth of the Army in our territory. A paper entitled ‘New Wineskins for Women’s Leadership & Women’s Ministries’ states that ‘our aim is not to create a new default, but a new normal for this time in our history. ‘We want to develop and utilise new wineskins that would see the best person placed in the right role according to their gifts and capabilities, with development paths that equip women for a wider range of senior leadership opportunities. ‘Women are key assets in our organisation, and we have a stewardship responsibility for God’s Kingdom to maximise this mission asset.’ This is echoed by World President of Women’s Ministries Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, who wrote: ‘Our intent is not to downplay Women’s Ministries, but to strengthen it. I am fully aware that if we lose any ground on Women’s Ministries around the world we will become a small Army.’ At its heart, Women’s Ministries has always been about the Army’s greater mission—beyond the corps and into the community. Just as Home League equipped and empowered women living in difficult circumstances, the question we continue to ask is: how do we engage, equip and empower women in our complex, modern world? As part of the Mission team, Women’s Ministries gives women a voice, leadership opportunities and outreach into our communities, at the heart of the modern Army.

New Community Space to Make ‘Real Difference’ A new community space in downtown Wellington will make a real difference in people’s lives, says The Salvation Army’s Major Joe Serevi. Opened earlier this month, Te Pokapū Hapori aims to be a welcoming and inclusive hub for inner-city residents to gather, connect and enjoy activities in a space designed to enhance a sense of belonging in the central city. The community centre is located on Manners Street opposite Te Aro Park, where a liquor store once operated. The park has been associated with anti-social behaviour, including a shooting incident in the vicinity in April that left three people injured. Te Pokapū Hapori is part of the Pōneke Promise, a coordinated, communitydriven partnership between local government, police, retail, hospitality and the social sector to make Wellington safer. Under the initiative, a community base, Te Wāhi Āwhina, opened in May last year. The base helps to make social services and local assistance more accessible for people who live in the central city. The Salvation Army has a regular presence at the community base, along with other organisations, such as the police, the Ministry of Social Development, Māori Wardens, DCM and Wellington Community Law. In a further move, a youth hub is planned to open later this year. Joe—who does street outreach and is also a court officer— has been spending several hours each week at the community base where he meets with clients by appointment, helping to identify their needs and referring them to the appropriate organisation for support. He will also be a regular at the new community centre, which is managed by the YMCA and includes a kitchen and seating and will offer a range of programmes and services. ‘It’s a place for homeless people and other vulnerable people in the city to be and to feel that they are part of the community,’ says Joe. ‘It’s about helping to create a sense of belonging for individuals, as well as contributing to a better and safer local environment in the city centre.’

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Major Joe Serevi at Te Pokapū Hapori community centre. Photo supplied by Wellington City Council.

Tribute: Sister Jessie Hamilton We remember Jessie and thank God for her influence in our lives. She had a genuine heart for people and did not spare herself. Jessie was a dedicated soldier of Jesus Christ at the Ōamaru Corps and was faithful in the days of her strength. Jessie served in the junior corps as a teacher and was a songster and a member of the band. She held leadership responsibilities in the Home League and accompanied on the piano when necessary. She helped organise the annual Spring Day, using her floral art skills to beautifully decorate the hall for these occasions. Many women’s groups in the area enjoyed this day of fellowship and worship. For years she organised the annual Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal, and was a willing and able worker in the corps kitchen, which for many decades was a most impractical facility! Jessie’s skills of genuine hospitality, baking and sewing were shared in many ways in her local community. She was a loving daughter, sister, wife of the late Norman and dedicated mother to her children and their families. A woman of understanding and love, many will thank God for every remembrance of her and will call her blessed. BY DOREEN HAMILTON

28 MAY 2022 WarCry

Cooking Fundraiser for Moldova Victoria Allott, from Johnsonville Corps, recently organised an online fundraiser for Salvation Army officer friends in Moldova who are supporting Ukrainian refugees. Victoria works as a health and wellness coach, and since the first lockdown in 2020 has been filming cooking videos to teach and connect with people over social media. This inspired her to find a creative way of raising money for those struggling in Ukraine and the surrounding nations. ‘When I thought about what I should do for Ukraine, I had this idea of Oh, I'm cooking borscht, because originally borscht is a Ukrainian dish even though all the East European countries do cook it, so I thought, What a great idea.’ Victoria set up a Facebook Live video on 1 April, where people could watch her cook borscht, and she could share the recipe and guide viewers through the steps. She encouraged those watching to donate, and as well as making about $1500 to send to those working with the refugees, she also received many encouraging comments on her video, including photos of viewers’ own attempts at the dish. She explained that she had a lot of interest and support from many friends and colleagues, particularly from Johnsonville Corps. ‘They know me, these are my friends. This is my church. There were so many people who just stood behind me and gave GAZETTE Appointments: Date to be confirmed, Lieutenant Cassandra Henderson has been appointed as Corps Officer for Far North (Kaitaia) Corps, Northern Division. Effective 9 February 2022, Major Christina Tyson’s additional appointment as Response Officer, Royal Commission has concluded. She will continue her appointment as Corps Officer, Wellington South Corps. Effective 16 May 2022, Major Lily Politini has received an appointment in retirement as Reception/ Manaakitanga Kaimahi, New Lynn Corps. Effective 1 August 2022, Captains David and Denise Daly have been appointed as Area Officers for the Auckland Area Pilot (pro tem). Major Julie Cope has received an additional appointment as Women’s Ministries Officer with responsibility for Silver Star, Auckland Area and Northland Area Pilot (pro tem). Captain Nathan Holt has been appointed as Area Officer for the Northland Area Pilot (pro tem). Long Service Award: Effective 22 May 2022, we congratulate Major Helen Knowles on attaining her Long Service Award for 35 years’ service. We thank Major Helen for her faithful service and pray God's richest blessing upon her.

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me huge support. I asked Captain Susan Adams if it would be okay for us to ask the church for support, and she said “absolutely”. So on Sunday I stood onstage shaking in my tears, because Moldova is a tiny little country and, if you look at the map, we’re covered by Ukraine and separated from Russia by Ukraine.’ Victoria grew up in Moldova and met her husband at The Salvation Army corps there, where she worked as an administrator and interpreter. She mentioned visiting Kyiv to pick up officers for her corps and being blown away by the beauty of the city. ‘That’s when I went to Ukraine for the first time and that’s when I saw that beautiful city. So, when the war started, for me that was just devastating, knowing we’d made friends there and I’d been there with my boys. It was just heartbreaking.’ Recognising the desperate situation that many people are finding themselves in throughout Eastern Europe in the recent months, Victoria is appreciative of the opportunity to do her part to not only raise awareness but to also share some Ukrainian culture through her cooking. ‘[The fundraiser] was a good conversation starter for a couple of weeks with different people; it just brings it closer to home … and gives everybody the chance to participate in something that affects all of us. It’s so far away, but that war is affecting the whole world and we can feel the effect of it.’ MORE INFO | For those who want to watch the borscht cooking video, or donate to help the officers caring for refugees in Moldova, visit the fundraiser event page on facebook.com/events/491985215887676/?ref=newsfeed. For the borscht recipe, visit: twicetwo.co.nz/recipes/ borscht-traditional-ukrainian-beetroot-soup

Modern Slavery and Worker Exploitation The New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking feedback on a legislative response to modern slavery and worker exploitation, forced labour, people trafficking and slavery. People have until 5pm on 7 June to make a submission. MBIE wants feedback on new legislation that aims to achieve freedom, fairness and dignity in the operations and supply chains of entities and to address modern slavery and worker exploitation, both in New Zealand and internationally. MBIE defines modern slavery as severe exploitation that a person cannot leave due to threats, violence or deception. It includes forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, slavery and human trafficking. Worker exploitation, in the context of the consultation, includes nonminor breaches of employment standards in New Zealand. MORE INFO | For information about the consultation, including how to make a submission, go to www.mbie.govt.nz/have-your-say/modern-slavery

Sponsorship in Paraguay The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory’s sponsorship programme focusses on children aged under 18, and works to ensure holistic development of physical, spiritual, intellectual, cultural and social wellbeing. The programme now extends past individual sponsorship of children, to the support of schools and community- or corps-based programmes that care for and develop children. One of the countries receiving support from our territory is the Paraguay District of South America East Territory. It has four centres involved in school support and sponsorship in Capiatá, Rayito de Luz, Viñas Cue and San Lorenzo. They have recently been involved in a project to educate their children around biosecurity personal safety when it comes to Covid-19, which involved the students giving presentations about the virus and making masks together. They have also had a time of celebrating traditional Paraguayan dress and culture. Paraguay has a very rich folkloric tradition, and in each community centre the children and their families were able to share in their history. They wore typical Paraguayan dress and presented dances and traditional remedies to the group. One of the children who has been a part of the sponsorship programme is Enzo Ayala; he heard about the school support programme through his cousins, who had already participated in it. His time in the school support programme was very useful for him, as before the programme he had trouble interacting with other children and found mathematical division difficult. Enzo’s mother is grateful for the support because her son has made great improvements, he can now interact with the other children without difficulties and has a greater capacity to learn. MORE INFO | If you are interested in supporting projects like this one, please email: childsponsorship@ salvationarmy.org.nz

‘...THAT HE WHO BEGAN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL CARRY IT ON TO COMPLETION UNTIL THE DAY OF CHRIST JESUS.’ I recently had the opportunity to spend three days with a group of incredible leaders from The Salvation Army who had gathered in person from around Aotearoa. After not meeting in person for so long, it was wonderful to finally be in the same room with people, where we could engage in the fullness of communication. What struck me profoundly was how different we all were—different strengths, personalities, cultures and ages—yet there was also a strong sense of unity and common purpose that helped us wrestle through some hard questions and issues over our time together. It reminded me again of He Waka Eke Noa, one waka, all of us together. We are better and stronger together. As the territorial secretary for personnel, it is part of my responsibility to ensure that our Strategic Priority of ‘Being a great place for people to belong, work, worship and serve’ is actively progressing. It is certainly a challenge but one that I am committed to. People are our great strength and, while it is not always easy, creating spaces for people to belong and thrive is a noble ambition for which we continue to strive. As we brace ourselves for a season of change, I am very aware of the uncertainty this brings to our people. Feelings of doubt and anxiety along with many questions are normal and expected. We are in this waka together and look confidently to Jesus Christ as our guide and commander. It is him in whom we trust. Our call to unity is echoed many times in the writings of Paul. In Ephesians 4:2–3 he implores us to ‘Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.’ This encourages us to continue in the pursuit of He Waka Eke Noa through the way we treat each other and allow our differences to strengthen us and not defeat us. Through patience and love, allowing the work of the Spirit to bring peace, I believe we can rise to the challenges of change and be inspired about our future. We only need to look to our recent history to see how we pulled together to care and support each other through Covid-19 lockdowns. This extremely challenging time saw us unify for the greater good. My prayer for each of us is that we will be humble, gentle and patient, allowing the Spirit to unify us in peace as we face whatever the future holds for us. ‘Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 1:6). Captain Pauleen Richards Territorial Secretary for Personnel

28 MAY 2022 WarCry

PRAYER IN THE THIN PLACE

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The Celtic people had a way of describing those places where the presence of God comes especially close and the veil or the distance between heaven and earth seems very slight, like a fine membrane. They called them ‘thin places’. BY MAJOR BARBARA SAMPSON

The prophet Isaiah met God one day in the thin place of the temple. He saw the Lord ‘high and exalted, seated on a throne’ (Isaiah 6:1). He heard the seraphs’ song of ‘Holy, holy’. He felt the building shake, smelt the smoke that filled the temple, tasted the burning coal on his lips. In that thin place of encounter, his every sense was engaged and Isaiah emerged from the temple a different person, a man with a commission. Moses also met God in some thin places. A common bush, way out in the desert near Horeb, was a thin place where God revealed his glory to Moses. After the

IN THAT THIN PLACE OF ENCOUNTER, HIS EVERY SENSE WAS ENGAGED AND ISAIAH EMERGED FROM THE TEMPLE A DIFFERENT PERSON, A MAN WITH A COMMISSION. children of Israel left Egypt, Moses’ tent became another thin place, a venue where God would meet regularly with Moses and speak to him ‘face to face’ (Exodus 33:11). There were no barriers between them, just the openness and intimacy of friends conversing. ‘A thin place is anywhere our hearts are opened,’ writes Marcus Borg, ‘where the veil momentarily lifts and we behold the “ahah” of the Divine all around us.’

Places of healing For me, the beach at Island Bay, a suburb in Wellington, was a thin place. In the late 1970s my husband and I had to return from missionary service in the heart of Africa, because I was unwell and needed medical attention. It was like coming home with a bag full of shattered dreams. We set up home at Island Bay. In order to coax my sick body back to health, I drank litres of carrot juice, ate apricot kernels, cut and minced and pressed wheatgrass that my husband diligently grew, then drank down the green oily juice that tasted like paint. Each day I tried to walk to within sight of the sea and some days I went right down onto the beach. Above the cries of the gulls, the pounding of the tide onto rocks, the gentle wash of the waves in and out, I heard a song of healing. ‘“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”’ (Jeremiah 29:11). In that thin place God healed me and I came to life again. My friend Ruth’s thin place is a cathedral of trees near her home where she often goes to pray. In that special place she senses God’s presence very close to her, assuring her that she is not alone.

The distance between us As well as thin places there are also thin moments, such as when a loved one dies, or in that part of a funeral service when the body is committed to the elements. In that moment it is as if we stand with one foot on earth and one in heaven, the

distance between the two realms … very thin, very fine. Scripture, either hearing or reading it, can be a thin place if we let the words capture our attention and imagination— such as when we read about Jesus asking the blind man, ‘What do you want me to do for you…?’ (Mark 10:51) and we hear God asking us that very same question, ‘David, Anne, … what do you want me to do for you?’ Or we stand with Moses (Exodus 4:2) and hear God ask us, ‘Susie, Daniel, what is that in your hand?’ Thin Scriptures can be favourite passages that we go back to time and time again. For me one such piece of Scripture is Isaiah 50:4: ‘The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.’ For six years in the early 2000s my appointment within The Salvation Army was to write devotional material that went around the Army world. Every morning I knelt before God and claimed the promise of that verse, asking God to give me a word that would sustain someone’s weary soul as they read that day’s devotional.

IN THAT SPECIAL PLACE SHE SENSES GOD’S PRESENCE VERY CLOSE TO HER, ASSURING HER THAT SHE IS NOT ALONE. Maybe I’m pushing the image, but I also wonder if there is also such a thing as a thin person; not a Weight-Watchers kind of thin, but someone in whose presence you instinctively feel closer to God. In Upper Hutt there is a busy supermarket

just over the road from a Catholic Resthome. There was a distinctive kind of holy serenity about the sisters I would see now and again in the supermarket. Humility among the hummus, serenity in the sweets section, compassion at the check-out! ‘Thin’ people, by their very presence, somehow give us a sense of the presence of God. There may even be a fragrance about them, something that is hard to define but we sense at a deep level that there is a touch of God’s holiness about this person. Thin places, thin moments, thin Scriptures, thin people… You come in a moment of stillness a gentle presence suddenly there stilling calming a sense that all is well You come in the face of a friend a word spoken a silent touch reassuring encouraging telling me I am not alone You come in the beauty of evening in the eyes of a child a smile from a stranger surprising awakening God is present You come in so many ways in stories and songs people and places overwhelming overflowing telling me I am your Beloved Thank you What is prayer like in this thin place? It looks like receiving, being forgiven, giving thanks, lifting our heart in worship. Often wordless, it is being held in God’s peace that will not let us go and then opening our hands and heart and offering that same peace to others.

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OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 2–5 June: Central Division visit Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) 28 May: Building opening, Whangārei Major Liz Gainsford (Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development) 28 May: Building opening, Whangārei

PRAY We continue to pray for the people

affected by war in Ukraine, for the Kingdom of Tonga rebuilding after the eruption, National Youth Band, Navua Corps Plant, Nelson/Tasman Bays Corps, New Lynn Corps, New Plymouth Corps and The Salvation Army in Brazil.

TE OPE WHAKAORA 400–600 words with one or two captioned photos. Promotion to Glory tributes are approx 300 words. Email reports and large, high-quality jpeg images to: warcry@ salvationarmy.org.nz

THE ARMY THAT BRINGS LIFE

A COLLECTION OF DOCUMENTS ON THE SALVATION ARMY & MAORI 1884–2007

EDITED BY HAROLD HILL

$30.00

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From reference books for study and sermon prep to biographies and Christian living, enjoy unlimited access to the EBSCO eBook Religion Collection as part of a Booth College of Mission Library membership. Email library@salvationarmy.org.nz for more info.

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‘The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.’ GENESIS 2:9

Have you ever been on a walk and stopped to admire something? Perhaps a really tall tree, beautiful flowers or a pink-orange sunset? How did you feel when you saw it? Did you feel amazed at how big and beautiful the world is? Did you feel small when you looked at it? Have you ever stopped to think that God created all the nature you see around you? It’s big and it’s amazing. Everything he made was good because he created it. But not only did he create nature—he also created you! Remember, you are part of creation so look after yourself by eating healthy. Imagine if you were Adam or Eve, the first humans in the world, and you have the Garden of Eden all to yourself. You could talk to God because he’s your friend, hang out with the animals and eat the fruit he said you can eat. It’s a paradise! The earth is like a paradise and God gave it to us to not only enjoy, but he also gave it to us to look after. God wants us to look after his creation: nature, animals and even yourself. It is important to God and so it should be important to us.

Simple bird bath! YOU WILL NEED… 1 terracotta pot 1 terracotta pot base (slightly larger than your pot) Coloured fairy stones Waterproof adhesive

To care for this beautiful world, you might like to help a loved one with some gardening. See how God’s creation works together to support life—even the worms in the dirt! You could also follow the steps to the left and make a bird bath in your backyard.

METHOD… Decide on your design (or take a chance and go completely free form) and glue your stones into place on the inside of the pot base. Upend your pot and glue your planter base onto it. Leave to dry according to the directions for your adhesive. Add a little water and place into your garden. Remember to give your bird bath a hose out and refill regularly. Source: Childhood101.com

WHY DIDN'T THE TREE ANSWER THE QUESTION? BECAUSE IT WAS STUMPED.

Thank God for what he has created and ask him how you can look after it. I WONDER...

What are some of the ways you can look after creation? 28 MAY 2022 WarCry

The Salvation Army recognises environmental degradation as one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, affecting us all. Its effects fall disproportionately on the most vulnerable, particularly in terms of health, livelihood, shelter and the opportunity to make choices. The very survival of humanity depends on the health of the whole ecosystem. Fom The Salvation Army International Positional Statement—Caring for the Environment Read the full statement here

tinyurl.com/TSAEnvironment2022

Scan the QR code to download the Positional Statement document