30 May 2015 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 30 May 2015 | Issue 6618 | $1.50

Celebrating 150 YEARS Internationally

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HOW TO LIVE LIKE A QUEEN BREAK THE BAD RELATIONSHIPS CYCLE NEW ALPHA PRAYER COURSE SALT AND LIGHT IN THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT THE SALVATION ARMY’S NEPAL EARTHQUAKE APPEAL

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Kia ora Where are your threads of hope?

WAR CRY

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

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

EDITOR

Major Christina Tyson GRAPHIC DESIGN

Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson STAFF WRITERS

Ingrid Barratt, Robin Raymond, Vanessa Singh CONTRIBUTORS

Kris Singh (music reviewer)

PROOF READING

Major Jill Gainsford OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Phone (04) 384 5649 Fax (04) 382 0716 Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department Phone (04) 382 0768 Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT MakeReady | www.makeready.co.nz

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

I was so inspired to read this edition’s story of Tanya, who emerged from a difficult background, compounded by debt, and turned things around with help from The Salvation Army.

Tanya worked with determination to get both addiction and debt under control and is now giving back to others as a budget advisor. She’s a credit to herself and those who believed in her and cheered her on. Talking to staff writer Robin Raymond, Tanya says, ‘I was lost and it was like a little thread [of hope] was just poking through, and I grabbed hold of it and held on.’

We all have times when it seems there is just the tiniest thread of hope left. Yet these are the times—when perhaps we feel at our most hopeless—when it’s so important to look for these threads, which can still be traced in the tapestry of our lives.

Recently, I had to face up to having become burned out at work. I’d probably been in denial a long time, but it’s hard to remain that way when every time someone asks, ‘How are you going?’, you find yourself bursting into tears. Working among genuinely caring people means there have been lots of times over the past few weeks when I’ve had to reach for the tissues.

I’ll be honest: some things are still a bit of a struggle, but I’ve been doing what Tanya says and looking for those threads of hope. For instance, each evening before I go to sleep, I practice having an ‘attitude of gratitude’, examining the worries that crowd my mind and mining them for blessings. This is helping me regain perspective and appreciate afresh how good God is. Another thread of hope is the church home group I belong to. This is a place where I feel safe enough to be honest and vulnerable. The love and acceptance of my friends is also renewing a sense of hope in my life.

No matter how hard things get for any of us in life, I believe we can still identify some threads of hope. In Tanya’s situation, those threads became apparent when she took the courageous step of trusting others to listen to her. If life is hard for you at the moment, don’t despair—find someone to talk to. And know that God is ready to hear your prayers at any time.

Christina Tyson Editor

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BIBLE VERSE 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 131 years

ISSN 0043-0242, Issue 6618 Please pass on or recycle this magazine

Psalm 145:14 The Message

‘God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.’

Ngā Waiata 145:14

‘E tautokona ana e Ihowā te hunga katoa e hinga ana: e whakaarahia ake ana hoki e ia te hunga katoa kua whakapikoa iho.’

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WISE WORDS salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

salvationarmy.org.nz

Success is on the same road as failure; success is just a little further down the road.

Jack Hyles

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Let’s Talk | 03

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

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love people-watching when I’m out and about. Watching the people around me, seeing how they interact and how different or similar they are to me, subconsciously guessing at what they’re like. I was watching a mum and young child one day when I saw a not uncommon exchange. The child wanted something, and the mum said, ‘Say the magic word.’

It’s a strange thing to say to someone. We know there’s no magic power in the word ‘please’—it’s a simple exchange to reinforce the value of being polite. But this isn’t the only place where we turn such things into rituals or magical exchanges.

As Christians, we risk applying a similar attitude to our beliefs. We might tell people to say certain words (‘magical words’) as if implying that when they do, they’ll be right with God. But becoming a Christian and following God is not about a formula of magic words that come out of our mouths; it’s about our heart for God. You don’t become a Christian by saying the right incantation, just as you can’t spot a Christian by seeing who puts their hands up during the songs in church or by noticing who’s posting lots of Bible verses on Facebook (not that these are necessarily bad things).

How do we know people are followers of Jesus? Well, Jesus said we’d be able to see it. He said, ‘This is how everyone will recognise that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other’ (John 13:35, The Message).

Now, many of you will already be spotting the flaw here.

There are certainly Christians who don’t seem to act in a very loving way. And this is the bit where a lot of Christians—me included—start looking over our shoulders, asking if we’re good enough and perhaps feeling inadequate.

But why should we be scared? Are we worried people

are going to see we’re not perfect and judge Jesus on that? That they’ll see we sometimes fall short of our ‘love God and love others’ ambition? Or that they’ll see through the façade we may have put up of having it all together? Just between you and me (whisper it) … they already know!

I had a teacher at school who, when he heard someone saying that ‘all Christians are hypocrites’, told me there was no such thing as a hypocritical Christian. Christians, he told me, aren’t people who are pretending to be perfect and showing up others. They’re just flawed people who know they’re every bit as bad as everyone else, but have accepted an amazing, unearned gift of grace from God. They’re people trying to live out that love, but accepting they’ll stuff up sometimes.

Yes, sometimes we’ll fail, but the Bible says we’re all prone to failure. The great thing about being a Christian is that when we do fail, God helps us learn from that and get back on track.

Being that honest with people and even with ourselves— admitting we fail—can be hard. It can be much easier to float along doing all the ‘right’ rituals we like to think make people Christians. But we know people don’t have time for fake. And God doesn’t either.

Throughout the Bible there’s a regular drip of verses asking why people are turning everything into rules and not acting in a loving way. At the beginning of the famous passage on love in 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul reiterates what Jesus says: anything we do as a Christian is pointless if we’re not doing it out of love.

That’s the ultimate test for Christians in everything we do: not whether we look and sound ‘religious’ enough, but are we doing whatever we’re doing out of love?

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Bookshelf Leadership Building Blocks of Spiritual Leadership William W. Francis In a Christian market saturated with books on leadership, this one is refreshing for a significant reason: rather than borrowing leadership concepts from secular business models, it is rooted in the servanthearted leadership modelled by Jesus Christ. While many leadership books are concerned with building bigger and better congregations, this one is very much about maintaining the soul of the leader.

Francis is fully aware of the privilege many seek in leadership, but makes a careful study of a truly biblical, servant leadership. Excellent for new leaders and refreshing for longserving ones. (Crest Books)

Playlist

Relationships The Five Love Languages Gary Chapman A reprint of what has become a modern Christian classic. Having become part of ‘relationships 101’ within Christian culture, many are now familiar with the five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. So it’s easy to forget how revolutionary it can be to explore and express these languages. While we may know our own love language, what we don’t always do so well is remembering how our partner receives love. This is a great refresher if you’ve already come across the concepts. Like all theories, it is not the full picture, but it definitely a useful relationship tool. (Northfield Publishing)

Parenting Screens and Teens Kathy Koch This book addresses an anxiety common to many parents: how can we control the influence of technology on our kids? Koch argues that technology is just a new way in which our kids are looking to fulfil their core needs for security, identity, belonging, purpose and competence. This is not about technology bashing— Koch acknowledges technology is a useful part of modern life. But she does give insights into how to counteract some of the lies technology teaches. Most of all, she helps us understand how to meet our children’s core needs, so they have a strong sense of self, online or offline. (Moody Publishers)

Reel News

Acapella/Pop Pitch Perfect 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Various Artists The original Pitch Perfect sparked a resurgence of the acapella/ beatboxing genre, and it’s great to see the unique form of expression at work in the follow-up record tie in. Covering a whole host of songs and scenes from the movie, this is a great listen if you’re after something different. Opening with a neat acapella version of the ‘20th Century Fox Fanfare’, the album is literally pitch perfect and the vocal acrobatics on display are astounding. Of particular note are the mash-up medleys and ‘riff offs’ that cleverly utilise these vocal acrobatics to create real, expressive music. An incredibly unique movie soundtrack—definitely one to check out.

Rock Innova Fireflight Fireflight are a four-piece rock outfit from Florida, hallmarked by an Evanescence type nu-metal sound. Innova adds pop influenced genres to the mix, and as a result the band’s metallic edge is slightly dulled down. Opening with ‘Keep Fighting’, the track introduces the side-chained synths and boomy kick drums dotted liberally around the record’s other 11 tracks. There’s a fair amount of filler to this record, though tracks like ‘Resuscitate’ have some great moments, including great use of electronic vocal manipulation. A great record for fans; however, the net result is a bit of a wash out for those looking for something on the heavier side.

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of Love Languages, tell us what your ‘love language’ is.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 15 June.

In Jesus’ Name winner is: R Woodbine.

Biography/Drama Noble Stephen Bradley / M (violence, offensive language and sex scenes) In 1989, a middle-aged Irish woman steps off a plane into Vietnam chasing a dream she had one night 20 years before. Noble is the story of charity worker and child-rights campaigner Christina Noble. The story traces Noble’s own traumatic childhood through flashbacks. Her world is shattered at the age of 10 when her mother dies, leaving Christina facing her father’s alcoholism, poverty, the separation of her family, homelessness and abuse. In between we see her struggles to help the street children of Hanoi and save them from similar fates.

This is not a film for the faint-hearted or for younger viewers. It’s not graphic, but deals head on with some of the darkest sides of life: homelessness, violence and abuse of all kinds, including of religion. It is heavy stuff. Things seem to get worse at every turn and at times it’s only Christina’s astonishing determination that keeps her going.

While faith is not over played, the film does grapple with deep elements of faith and doubt. Moments of questioning and the apparent absence of God are balanced by a moment where a desperate Christina throws up her hands and declares to God, ‘Tell you what, I’ll walk you lead.’

Although there was the potential for this to be another ‘white person saving the third-world’ film, Christina’s amazing charity work stands on its own and it would have been good to see more about it. Despite this, the film is beautifully shot and a cast of lesser known actors all do an excellent job turning the story of the real Christina Noble’s life into a very powerful film.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/saresources

Feature | 05

by Robin Raymond In her lowest moments, struggling with depression, addiction and debt, Tanya reached out for a tiny thread of hope from The Salvation Army. She held on and it became the start of a life transformation, leading her to giving back as a budget advisor, providing the same thread of hope for others.

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hen clients step into her office, debt counsellor Tanya understands. She’s seen it all and felt it all. The first thing she does is congratulate them on making a brave step in coming in—and then tells them, ‘I’ve been where you are.

All those emotions you’re feeling—I’ve felt them, but it can only get better from here.’

Tanya is living proof that things can get better. Alcohol addiction led her down a dark path, finally landing her in court, but that led to the first of three life-changing meetings—although she didn’t realise it at the time.

Inspired by care ‘I had to do community service and the probation officer suggested I go to The Salvation Army, and see if I could do my hours there. I got in touch and that’s where I met [Captain] Joe [Serevi] in Hawera.

What an amazing man! It brings tears to my eyes thinking about what he did. He was so willing to share with me and was so selfless.’

Still struggling with addiction and severe depression, Tanya eventually ended up in prison. It was a turning point. She stopped drinking two days before she went to prison, and inside she went through the prison addictions rehabilitation programme. It was there she also had her second life-changing meeting; this time, with Lieut-Colonel Jennifer Groves, who would visit her in prison and encourage her.

Inspired by the care she had received from Joe and Jennifer, the day she got out Tanya headed straight for the nearest Salvation

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Army Community Ministries centre to where she was living. There she got a place in supportive accommodation and began going to an addiction rehabilitation day programme for support.

‘It was what I so desperately needed. I honestly don’t think I would have made it otherwise. I think I probably would have ended up back in jail if I didn’t have that strong guidance from The Salvation Army. It was scary. I can only imagine how lost some people must be, not knowing which way to go or who to go to.’

Facing up to debt However, prison had left Tanya with another problem. Before, she had a job and had been able to comfortably pay off her credit cards and loans. But once she went to prison, her bills—including her court fines—weren’t being paid and she ended up in severe debt.

When she got out, she was supporting her teenage son, but at first she didn’t have a job and wasn’t able to receive a benefit.

Overwhelmed with all the changes going on and focused on just staying afloat, Tanya did not think of budget advice until it was suggested to her. It was a frightening moment—telling a complete stranger all her problems. But it was something she knew she had to do.

‘I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. I didn’t know how to communicate with the finance companies. It became so overwhelming and frustrating. I had never had to do that before, and I was coming out of addiction and learning all new ways to cope.’

With a budget advisor on board, the finance companies were more interested in discussing a plan, and with the help of her advisor Tanya was able to organise a payment schedule. She got her income set up to go into split accounts, with the amount she needed to pay going into a bills account she couldn’t touch and the remainder going into an everyday account for living expenses.

Slowly, Tanya began to pay back her debts, starting with the smallest. Finally, the last credit company agreed, after her good work repaying, that if she made one last lump sum payment they would wipe the rest of her debt. All this took two and a half years.

‘I was living on a really, really tight budget, but I knew at the end of the day it would give me and my son a better life. The sacrifice wasn’t that big, because I knew I would be debt free and I was taking responsibility.’

… it was like a little thread of hope was just poking through, and I grabbed hold of it and held on.

Impossible becomes possible Excited and grateful, Tanya began volunteering where she could with The Salvation Army, trying to give back. It was while there she had her third life-changing meeting, with then head of Hamilton Community Ministries, Major Pam Waugh, who asked her if she would do the training course to become a budget advisor. Tanya wasn’t confident as she has dyslexia and never did well at school, but she agreed to try, and was soon top of the class.

‘I guess Pam saw things in me—things I didn’t think were possible,’ Tanya says.

Despite being offered jobs by numerous people, including the course tutor, there was only one agency Tanya wanted to work with.

She began volunteering as a Salvation Army budgeting advisor at the end of 2010 and was officially accredited as a budgeter in early 2011.

Since then, Tanya has gone on to become a senior budget advisor overseeing the training of new staff and a regional representative for budget advice services in the area, along with other leadership roles. She still sounds amazed trying to explain the change and what she’s doing now.

‘I was a lost soul. I was lost and it was like a little thread of hope was just poking through, and I grabbed hold of it and held on. Then I met Jennifer—she was another amazing support woman—and that little tiny thread was still there for me to hold, and I knew it was going to be okay at some point. When I came out [of prison], I was still holding on to that thread, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger. Now, I’m just giving back what’s been so freely given to me.’

I was living on a really, really tight budget, but I knew at the end of the day it would give me and my son a better life.

Empathy breaks down barriers Debt can be a crippling thing for people. Being able to share her experiences with clients, to take off her budgeting hat and simply talk to them about her past, is a great way to break down barriers and connect, Tanya says.

People fall into debt through many different situations.

Sometimes bills or loans get too much and people get into a cycle of borrowing to pay; others lose their job, or a partner dies. ‘There can be an accident that means they can’t work,’ says Tanya. ‘And there are those that live way beyond their means and think, “Okay, I’ll go get a Visa card and then a MasterCard.” Or they go from finance company to finance company—Cash Converters and Chequers are big ones.’

Another problem is the clothing trucks that drive around lower socio-economic areas targeting people there. About eight different companies run the trucks, which carry everything from designer label clothing and the latest cell phones and laptops, to food and other groceries. They offer people the chance to take up to $500 worth of items and pay for them later, Tanya says. The catch is in the 26–28 per cent interest rates and the prices charged for items.

One of Tanya’s clients was charged $11 for two cans of spaghetti.

Another, $80 for a t-shirt. In four years, Tanya has only seen two clients who did not have debt with the trucks.

People driving the trucks could be very aggressive in their approach, to get people to buy, she says. ‘They will drive into the street and park up, and as soon as they see someone they come racing up their driveway. They don’t do credit checks, they don’t care. The clients think they’re a blessing. That very moment, that client’s want has been satisfied or their emergency has been released. When that truck turns up and they have got no milk or Weet Bix to send the kids to school, that emergency has been resolved.’

Often, people leave it late before they come looking for help, but Tanya says she understands that—she felt the same. ‘There was so much guilt and shame of what I had done, and my addiction. I thought, “This is all I deserve”, and that this was my life and I just needed to suck it up and get on with it. It’s hard trying to think anything different when you have collection agencies, creditors and the justice system all telling you this is how it is.’

What follows can be a slow process trying to help the clients pay

Feature | 07

back their debts over years and help them understand how to stay debt free. It can be frustrating, as each success is quickly replaced by more people in need. But seeing people getting the education and spreading it is great, Tanya says, and seeing people come out the other side is a hugely rewarding and humbling feeling.

‘It’s beautiful, I tell you! They come in, they’re slumped, heads down and they don’t have a life spark in them. You see the shift; you see them starting to straighten up. You see them starting to smile and to realise, ‘Hey, there’s a better life out there. I just have to put in the hard work—but I deserve it.’

And, looking back on where she’s come from, Tanya says the biggest buzz of life today is staying sober and giving back.

‘I never thought that I would be able to say, “I’m six years sober”—I celebrated my six years last month. Also, being able to give back is the second biggest buzz for me. To see a client come in saying, “You threw me that lifeline, thank you so much,” tells me I’m here for a reason. I believe God has placed me here for a reason and this is my reason: these people that come in to see me every day. It tells me I’m doing good.’

New Zealand’s Disturbing Debt Picture Alan Johnson, senior policy analyst with The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit, reflects on New Zealand’s household debt.

At the end of 2014, New Zealand households had, on average, $130,000 of debt, of which almost $13,000 was consumer or credit card debt and the rest was housing related debt (mortgages).

The amount of debt most Kiwis have is rising, and having debt seems to be an accepted norm for New Zealanders. For four years after the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/08, New Zealanders stopped taking on more debt, with the average level of debt remaining the same each year until 2012. Since then, though, the average amount of debt for households has increased by over seven per cent and average credit card and consumer debt has grown by six per cent.

But these figures reflect debt trends for middle and upper class households who can get a mortgage and have a good enough credit rating to get consumer credit and a credit card. Most of the people The Salvation Army sees for budgeting advice do not fall into this category. They are most often overwhelmed by debt from loan sharks, clothing trucks and payday lenders, as well as fringe finance companies offering appliance and car loans. At the extreme end of lending, people are paying interest rates well in excess of 50 per cent and often end up paying excessive and unjustified administration charges and default penalties The Salvation Army remains concerned about the onerous and oppressive nature of much of this debt, and the offensive and threatening conduct of fringe lenders and their debt enforcers.

Although the Government has made several positive moves to address these practices—such as the introduction of the Responsible Lending Code—it has not gone far enough to curb greedy and unjust behaviour on the part of many fringe lenders and second and third tier finance companies.

The Salvation Army believes there needs to be cap on interest rates, including add-on charges and penalties. And that there also needs to be stiffer penalties—including the real threat of jail—for companies and people who break such laws.

budgeting tips: getting

started

Doing a budget can feel overwhelming and can become one of those jobs you put off till tomorrow. Knowing how to start can be a big help, so here are some tips for getting started from Kiwi budget advice website Sorted.

Start by setting your goals: • Think deep about what you want in life. Work out what you want to achieve, when and how much money you need to do that.

• Set goals for the short, medium and long term, with a dollar value on how much you want to save and a timeframe to save it in.

• Make your goals realistic. If you set a goal you can’t reach, you’ll end up feeling down and thinking that the whole budgeting thing doesn’t work!

• Make your list with a partner or family. Shared goals are easier to achieve.

• Write them down. Put your list on the fridge or somewhere else you’ll see it, to encourage you to get to your goals.

Keep a track of what you spend: • Write it down in a diary, use an app on your phone or an online spending tracker like financial.me or pocketsmith.com.

• Work out what you want to get before you go to the supermarket. Take a list and have a budget for what you’ll spend. If you spend less than you budgeted, you can save it for later or enjoy a treat.

• Pay attention to the little things. Spending $8 on lunch may not seem a big deal, but it can really eat into your budget.

If you buy lunch two days a week, that still adds up to more than $800 a year.

• Get ready for the expected. If there’s a special event coming up like a birthday or Christmas, plan for it now to avoid paying more later.

• Get ready for the unexpected. Illnesses, funerals, car breakdowns or the fridge packing up—life happens and it’s important to be prepared.

• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Set a budget that still gives you a life.

The Sorted website provides some great budgeting tools and other practical support to make budgeting easier. Go to www.sorted.org.nz.

If you need one-on-one help to overcome debt, contact The Salvation Army. Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/ centres for your nearest welfare support centre.

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ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

Food Frenzy

The Best Winter Supplements

World Environment Day highlights a tragic irony: every year we waste 1.3 billion tonnes of food, while two billion people go hungry or undernourished. But we can be part of the change …

The slogan of this year’s UN World Environment Day, on 5 June, is ‘Seven Billion dreams. One planet. Consume with Care’. The over-production of food is one of the biggest threats to our planet, leading to land degradation, declining soil quality, unsustainable water use and over-fishing. This impacts food security, which means rising prices for food and even more damaging production methods. But we are all part of the seven billion. And we can all be part of the change. Reducing your food wastage is easier than you thought, and often means using just a bit of common sense.

With claims of a new miracle cure every year, it can be hard to navigate the world of supplements. Here’s our guide to the best winter remedies.

Think before you shop: More than a third of us go shopping without a list.

Check what you have at home before you shop, make a list and shop with meals in mind.

A healthy diet provides a myriad of vitamins and minerals that work together in ways that supplements can’t replicate. Supplements are exactly what they say—a supplement, in addition to a healthy diet.

Befriend your fridge: Seventy per cent of our fridges are set at too high a temperature. Keep your fridge between 1–5°C as this helps you get the best from your food.

If you are generally healthy, a good multi-vitamin should be enough to supplement your diet, but here’s a list of supplements and vitamins most recommended for winter woes:

Use or lose your food: Sixty per cent of us end up throwing away food because it’s passed its ‘use by’ date. When you go shopping, plan to use the foods with a ‘use by’ date first so they don’t go to waste.

Know your ‘best before’ dates: Food labelled with ‘best before’ dates keeps for a long time. The label only indicates that the food may not be at its best after this date, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be eaten and enjoyed.

Love your leftovers: More than half of households say they throw away food because they’ve cooked too much. There are loads of recipes for using up leftovers, so get creative.

Feed your garden: On average, over 70 per cent of household waste is landfilled each year. Compost your kitchen and garden waste—everything from uncooked vegetable scraps to fruit peelings, teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells and small amounts of paper can be home composted.

Source: www.thinkeatsave.org

We don’t walk. We overeat because we’ve made it easy to overeat. We have fast-food joints on every corner. By the way, the ‘we’ is all of us. It’s not the government. It’s all of us doing this together. Dr Mehmet Oz

Vitamin C: This helps keep the immune system healthy, reducing the duration and severity of colds. If you do want to take a supplement, choose a high dose powder with bioflavonoids—which makes it easier on the tummy. Two kiwifruit contains twice the vitamin C of an orange. Other great sources are capsicum and broccoli.

Co-enzyme Q10: This is the energy booster you need during winter months, by increasing oxygen use in cells. The best natural sources are fresh sardines and mackerel, beef, lamb, pork, spinach and broccoli.

Echinacea or Olive Leaf Extract: These supplements have anti-viral and antibiotic properties. Echinacea is thought to increase the number of white blood cells, helping to fight infection.

Garlic: in a recent trial, the active ingredient in garlic, allicin, was shown to help ward off colds and improve symptoms.

Magnesium: Deficiency leads to lethargy, fatigue and cramps. Pumpkin seeds are the best source, along with some other seeds and nuts.

High potency probiotic formula: Most viruses start in the gut, so maintaining good gut health is one of the key ways to boost your immunity.

Vitamin D: The sun helps our bodies to make vitamin D, so in winter months you may not get enough. Salmon, tuna and sardines—either canned or fresh—are great natural sources.

Tuscan-style Chicken

Even in colder months, there is something about this dish that gives it a real taste of summer | Serves 4 1 Tbsp olive oil 6–8 chicken thighs or assorted portions 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced 1 large clove garlic, chopped 1 medium red pepper, deseeded and sliced 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes in juice 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp dried basil ½ tsp salt Pepper to taste ½ cup Kalamata olives Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat oil in large non-stick frying pan. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown on all sides.

Arrange browned chicken skin-side up in a single layer in a large non-stick sprayed casserole dish.

Return frying pan to heat, then stir in onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened. Add red pepper to pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 2–3 mins further. Then add next six ingredients and bring to boil, stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce over chicken, sprinkle with grated Parmesan if desired, then transfer to oven and bake, uncovered, for 25–30 mins.

Serve over pasta, accompanied with a salad or vegetables and some crusty bread.

From Easy Inexpensive Family Meals by Simon Holst. Go to www.holst.co.nz

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A Can I live like the Queen?

In honour of the Queen’s birthday, we delved into some fascinating lesser-known facts about Her Majesty Elizabeth II, so we can all learn how to live like a queen.

Learn French: The Queen speaks fluent French, often using it in front of audiences and during state visits.

She doesn’t need an interpreter in French-speaking countries.

Tell people when they’ve done a good job: Since 1952, Liz has conferred over 404,500 honours and awards.

Make like a mechanic: She is supposedly the only British monarch in history trained to change a spark plug, undertaking a car-maintenance course during World War II. Buy some swans: The Queen is entitled to ownership of all ‘mute, unmarked’ swans in the UK. In 2005, she asserted this right, taking ownership of 88 baby swans on the River Thames.

Buy a dolphin too: The Queen also owns all the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in waters within three miles of the UK, due to a law passed in 1324. To this day, when a sturgeon is brought into port and sold, the purchaser requests the honour of its being accepted by Elizabeth.

Become an IT geek: Queen Elizabeth sent her first email in 1976, from a British Army base.

Hold on to your hubby: Elizabeth has bucked an earlier royal tradition of beheading your spouse by being the first British monarch to celebrate her diamond wedding anniversary.

Invent a dog breed: We all know the Queen loves her corgis. But what’s not so well known is that she introduced a new breed of dog when she mated one of her corgis with a dachshund that belonged to Princess Margaret. The breed is called a ‘dorgi’. As well as five corgies, the Queen owns four dorgis.

Get to know more people: The Queen and Prince Philip introduced the ‘royal walkabout’ during their visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1970, so they could meet more people, not just dignitaries. At heart, she’s one of us.

Testify A desire to help families stay together and fulfil their God given potential inspires Hutt City Corps transitional housing manager Toga Tofilau.

I have a social work background and my passion is to work with people. Before I joined The Salvation Army I had a brief stint as a probation officer, and worked for Youth For Christ and ran preemployment programmes.

I was brought up in the Presbyterian Church and my wife Liz and I started attending Hutt City Salvation Army back in 1999.

Youth work stuck with me and I first joined the Army to work at The Inn, accommodation helping teens become independent.

I have been head of Hutt City Community Ministries and have been doing transitional housing here at Hutt City with Liz for four years. We work with seven families at a time, providing them with accommodation and a support programme over six months.

This transitional housing started out of concern for the amount of families who had to have children uplifted by Child Youth and Family (CFY). We had a conversation about wanting to do something to help these families, and CYF said, ‘If you can find somewhere to house them, we can help.’ So we approached Housing New Zealand and said, ‘This is what we’re looking at: keeping families together, with somewhere to house them and a structured programme.’

They agreed to provide the house and we provide the programme, working on parenting, budgeting and self-development.

With the parenting programme, part of it is group parenting. Every Monday we sit down together, all seven families, and go through the Toolbox programme, and we have speakers that come in from Plunket and places. We also have a Friday playgroup, modelling stuff. Then, it’s just talking about experiences that we grew up with and how can we change the reasons we got here.

For the budgeting, a lot of parents come through with bills.

Some families don’t have anything to their name and it’s about putting money aside to work on that. After six months, when they graduate, we make sure they go into houses with stuff in them, a washing machine, fridge, beds.

We work on grief, anger, selfawareness and self-esteem, and have counsellors on site.

Before, it was CYF that referred families to us, but that’s changing.

We still get a lot of families come through from CYF, from Wellington mostly and Palmerston North, but other agencies also refer to us and we’re open to community referrals.

It’s non-stop work, there’s always something happening, but I love working with people. For me, it’s that we’re all created in the image of God. We’re working with people that have lost the sense that there are things they can offer and that God’s got something for them. They don’t believe that. So,

it’s about sharing the message and journeying with people.

The greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbour. It’s not about being their friend; it’s about speaking straight, loving people, and journeying with them. I believe God has a plan for each person and I want to help them fulfil their God-given potential.

I love working with people. For me, it’s that we’re all created in the image of God.

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

NAME: ADDRESS:

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

10 | WarCry 30 May 2015

Advice

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Dr Henry Cloud gives insight into how we can stop repeating bad relationships or situations.

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Reflected brightly A flat container Waits on Chose Airline Craving Scandanavian language Circle the Imaginary person Mastermind Search for valuables European monarchy Ravine Pillars Ten Sharp-pointed tip

QUICK QUIZ 1 2 3 4 5

What is the name of Prince William’s new daughter?

Which car manufacturer’s name means ‘I Roll’ in Latin?

What sport is played at Augusta National?

What was Ho Chi Minh City previously called?

What was the name of Moses’ brother?

Breaking the Cycle

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How many of us have been in difficult relationships, only to break up, get back together, and break up again? Relationships can be messy. Dr Henry Cloud, psychologist and author of the best-selling Boundaries books, says that to stop repeating previous mistakes, we need to understand the difference between redemption and repetition.

‘Sorry is not good enough. Real repentance can be seen in the real “fruit” or results it produces,’ says Dr Cloud. ‘Remember: there is a reason it did not work. If you are going back, make very, very sure that reason is no longer there.’

If you are considering going back to a relationship or situation, make sure that you can see tangible changes at the root of the problem. For example, if someone has an addiction, saying, ‘Sorry, I won’t do it again’ is not true repentance. But sobriety that is maintained, along with a commitment to understanding their triggers and the reasons behind the addiction, may be an indicator of genuine change. Or, if character flaws have been an issue, what evidence do you have of genuine spiritual and character growth?

When making decisions about going back to a circumstance that didn’t work the first time, ask yourself these questions: 1. Am I different in some way that would make this work?

2. Is the other person or persons different in some way that would make this work?

3. Is the situation fundamentally different in some way that would make this work?

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

In a job situation, it’s common to decide—after much anxiety—to leave because of an unhealthy work environment, only to be lured back by promises of better conditions. But be very careful that you are not stepping back into the same situation that made you so unhappy in the first place.

Have there been changes in the structure or personnel that would make the work environment fundamentally different? If not, even a larger pay packet won’t make you happier there.

When we miss a situation or relationship, we often develop selective memory—idealising those parts of that we enjoyed —which makes us vulnerable to wanting to go back. But we aren’t acknowledging the whole picture.

You may miss laughing with your partner, or you may miss a secure income, but do you miss all the misery it caused you? We need to look at reality squarely in the face: if you do not want what you left, make sure you are going back to something different.

Remember: Going backwards is going backwards.

God created us to move forward in life—to learn and grow as we go. Past mistakes can be a great teacher. And if we have made the same mistake more than once, it can be a useful reminder that doing the same thing again would still be a mistake.

Dr Cloud says, ‘God has designed life in a way that is forward moving. As time moves forward, we grow, develop and transform into newer, more complete and mature lives. Tomorrow should be new and improved—always!’

Source: Never Go Back by Dr Henry Cloud (Howard Books)

Close Up | 11

BY COLONEL LAURENCE HAY

Telling the Truth about the Past A review of Norman H. Murdoch’s latest Salvation Army history title—which tells an uncomfortable story.

Norman Murdoch’s book Christian Warfare in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe (Pickwick Publications) is of much wider interest and importance than the title might suggest. Its author, an Emeritus Professor of History in the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, has, over a long career, made the development of The Salvation Army a special research interest.

Due to illness, Professor Murdoch was unable to give a final revision to this, his last work, and the demanding task of editing the text, finding a publisher and preparing the book for publication was undertaken by Major Dr Harold Hill of our own territory.

The book’s main focus is on the degree of priority The Salvation Army gave to the needs and aspirations of the indigenous peoples of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, in the period 1891–1991.

It was a surprise to read that ‘Commissioner Thomas Estill, the Army’s Southern Africa commander, made it clear that he had not sent the Salvationists to convert Africans to Christianity. Instead, his charge to the pioneer party was to teach South African white men, who had gone to Mashonaland in northern Zimbabwe as gold miners, to seek the “Pearl of Greatest Price”.’

On arrival in Mashonaland in November 1891, Major John Pascoe, the leader of the Salvation Army pioneers, was granted by the British South Africa Company (BSAC) 3000 acres in the Mazowe Valley.

This was land that for centuries had been lived on and provided the livelihood for numerous Mashona families. The legality and moral status of BSAC’s disposal of the land was in doubt from the beginning, and was later violently contested during the first chimurenga (rising) of 1896–97, during which a white Salvation Army officer was killed.

A further complication was that General William Booth had, in 1890, published his book In Darkest England, and the Way Out, presenting a scheme to eliminate poverty in Britain. An essential element of the General’s plan was the establishment of ‘The Colony Over-Sea’ to which thousands of the ‘submerged tenth’ of the British population would be helped to emigrate.

But where could this overseas colony be situated? ‘It is proposed’, Booth wrote, ‘to secure a large tract of land in some country suitable to our purpose. We have thought of South Africa, to begin with … Africa presents to us great advantages for the moment. There is any amount of land suitable for our purpose which can be obtained, we think, without difficulty.’

Booth soon requested land for his ‘colony’ from Cecil Rhodes, whose BSAC had established Fort Salisbury in 1890 and claimed possession of large swathes of land in the area. However, by 1908 it

was clear that neither Rhodes nor his company would provide land for the Colony Over-Sea. So, initially the needs and aspirations, let alone the rights, of the Mashona were not seen as a concern by The Salvation Army’s founder or by the pioneers of his Army in Rhodesia. Furthermore, the development of the Army in that land required a dependence on the white government of the day that continued through a number of regimes of varying degrees of oppression and exploitation until majority rule was established in 1980.

Murdoch presents a case study investigating how Salvation Army internationalism worked in one Army territory.

Murdoch does make it clear, however, that the development of educational and medical work by the Army in Rhodesia led to there being, through the decades, always a number of Army missionary officers with knowledge of and sympathy for the Africans in their distress caused by the loss of lands and independence.

But the August 1981 decision by General Arnold Brown to withdraw The Salvation Army from the World Council of Churches because of its financial support of African liberation struggles was made with no reference to the wishes of Salvationists in Rhodesia, some of whom were deeply disturbed by the General’s action, which revealed that their needs and aspirations were still being ignored and over-ridden by Western interests.

What is the wider interest and importance that this book has for Salvationists worldwide? The importance relates to the nature and quality of the internationalism that we often so glibly claim as one of the great assets of Salvation Army organisation. Murdoch’s book presents us with a case study—probably the first—investigating in detail and at depth how that internationalism worked in one Army territory. And it is not a comfortable story.

In Rhodesia-Zimbabwe, Salvation Army ‘internationalism’ seems to have differed little from Western imperialism. Is this a unique instance? Or would the same story emerge as histories of the Army in other territories are thoroughly researched and critically investigated?

Could it still be the case?

12 | WarCry 30 May 2015

SALT

LIGHT

What difference is the Christian Church making in its communities and the wider world? asks Pam Waugh.

No matter how many spices you have in your kitchen, salt is probably the condiment you use most often. Similarly, in Jesus’ day, salt was also an extremely common and important commodity. At that time, salt was used primarily as a preservative. Nobody had fridges and freezers, nor did they have supplies of ice, so salt was used on meat and fish to keep it safe to eat.

Of course, another important use of salt is that it adds flavour —without it food can be bland and unexciting.

Salt also has healing properties. Some people gargle with salt and water when they feel a sore throat coming on, for instance. But there are other health benefits, too. Salt helps eliminate fatigue, stabilises blood pressure, reduces appetite, helps with muscle cramps, improves bone health, reduces varicose veins, improves skin, hair and nail condition, helps with good sleep, and improves digestion.

What a great mineral! Salt gives us preservative, flavour and healing!

But perhaps light is even more important to our day-to-day existence. Light helps us see the pathway ahead of us. Just think of what happens in a power cut! Unless we are blind and have learnt the skills to move around without sight, we are dependent on light for virtually all our everyday activities.

Bringing healing and life But just what was Jesus talking about when he said, in Matthew 5:13–16, that Christians are to be ‘the salt of the earth’ and the ‘light of the world’? Jesus was talking about our calling as God’s people—we are to impact the communities in which we live in such a way that we help to bring healing and life, because we bring Jesus with us.

Years ago, the officer of a Salvation Army corps (church) I attended challenged the congregation to think about the goals and mission plans of our corps, and then think about our own personal contribution to these. As I prayed about my part in that corps’ mission—aside from my daily work at the Salvation Army Community Ministry centre where I was appointed—I knew that God was speaking to me about having a greater impact on the other professional groups our centre worked with. These were the people at Work and Income, and Child, Youth and Family.

Getting alongside staff from these government departments, letting them know why we did what we did, but also talking with them about their own day-to-day cares and worries, gave me a great opportunity to share aspects of my faith with them. I was privileged to lead one social worker into a healing relationship that saw her re-join her church and family, as she realised she could not live and flourish without a faith aspect to her life.

When this sort of thing happens on a larger scale—as Christians impact their community—those communities are changed. Hope and joy replace sadness and despair. Goodness and forgiveness replace conflict and chaos.

To truly be salt and light in our community, we need meaningful contact with friends, classmates, work mates and neighbours. It is

no use cutting ourselves off from people—we are called to be in their world, not separate (see John 17:14–16). Salt is not much use when sitting in its container in the pantry. Lights are no use turned off when we’re stumbling around in a dark room.

Here’s something to think about: are we sitting in the cupboard like exotic spices, waiting to be used in the occasional recipe, or are we like the salt shaker, always on the table for use at any time? Are we ready to let Jesus shake us out of the container and turn on our lights so we make a difference in the community around us?

Our nation needs Christians who are committed to being salt and light in their communities. Our communities need the good news of the gospel and the healing and transforming power of Jesus.

You can be salt and light Notice that Jesus didn’t say, ‘You will become salt and light.’ He didn’t say, ‘You might like to be salt and light.’ He said, ‘You are the salt of the earth … you are light of the world.’ Being salt and light is not an optional extra; it is a declaration. So, let me suggest four ways that you and I can be salt and light in our communities …

Firstly, we can all individually make a difference. Think of the crowd to which Jesus was speaking. It wasn’t a gathering of the United Nations, a conference of super powers or Parliament. It was a crowd on a hillside in a tiny spot of Palestine, a group of everyday people with no high ambitions or positions. In fact, Jesus’ listeners were under Roman occupation—they couldn’t even make their own laws or plan their own futures or destinies. Yet Jesus called them the salt of the earth and the light of the world.

In one of his books, Tony Campolo writes about a friend who was walking through the county fair when he met a small girl. She was carrying some candy floss on a stick, and the candy floss seemed as big as her. Tony’s friend asked, ‘How can a little girl like you eat all the candy floss?’ She replied, ‘I’m really much bigger on the inside than I am on the outside.’ That’s essentially what Jesus is saying to us. When he says have the impact of salt and light, Jesus is not saying we have super powers, or positions in government, or that we’re extraordinarily strong, smart and gifted. He’s telling us that simply because we belong to him, on the inside we are as big as the kingdom and the power and glory of God. We can make a difference because God’s power is at work in our lives!

Secondly, we can make a difference together. A single grain of salt may make a slight difference, but it takes the concentration of a cluster to make a real impact. Similarly, one Christian with a sense of purpose may make a statement in their community, but it’s a community of Christians that turn that place upside down.

It’s sometimes hard to appreciate just how important community is. We like to think of ourselves as independent and strong, yet the first thing we hear from someone experiencing problems is often ‘nobody cares—I’m all alone.’ Jesus reminds us that to make a difference, it’s best to work together as a community, supporting and caring for one another as we do so.

We see the impact of this in the social services work of The Salvation Army in New Zealand. Last year, our Community Ministries

Soul Food | 13

Salt Mine in Romania

As Christians impact their community, hope and joy replace sadness and despair. Goodness and forgiveness replace conflict and chaos. centres provided almost 55,000 food parcels to over 27,000 families —including 68,000 children under 17. We carried out 18,000 hours of social work, 16,000 hours of budgeting, almost 4000 hours of counselling, and over 2000 hours of life skills training.

Add to this the work of the many other parts of The Salvation Army: addiction rehabilitation, help for those with gambling problems, supportive and transitional accommodation, specialised youth services, in-home care, friendship programmes for the elderly, support for people appearing in court or returning to the community after serving prison sentences, early childhood education, family tracing, and training and work placement through our Education and Employment service.

Together, we are making a difference in New Zealand. We are living out our mission of caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society.

Thirdly, we can make a difference together in the wider world. It was never Jesus’ intention that his Church be a community by itself, separated from the rest of society. Jesus had a very different idea.

When he said, ‘You are the salt of the earth … you are the light of the world,’ Jesus was saying, ‘You are the essence of God’s relationship with the world around you.’

There is a clear biblical mandate in the Old and New Testament that God’s people are to take care of those who are suffering, hurting or in need of healing. This is something we understand in The Salvation Army. We serve in our own backyard, and we come together to serve in other places. The Salvation Army has been at work in Nepal for just a few years, but following that country’s recent terrible earthquakes, the wider Salvation Army sent people and resources to serve those who are suffering and afraid.

We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. We don’t hide off in a corner, keeping to ourselves and hoping no one will notice us. We are not here just to protect our interests. We have to speak out and care about the welfare of the poor, needy and oppressed. We are here as Jesus’ representatives, which means we have a response to make to the injustices and inequalities of our world.

Turn people to God Finally, we can make a difference for God. It’s not enough to be concerned and socially active. Jesus says, ‘Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.’ Our mission as Christians is also to turn people toward God. True healing and freedom is found in Jesus, and that’s the element that has to be there for us to be truly missional in all that we do.

One of the great Christian proclamations is that ‘Jesus is Lord!’

In Jesus’ time, people said, ‘Caesar is Lord’, but Jesus’ resurrection marked the end of Caesar’s way of doing things. It established a

new kingdom in which people are loved and cared for, where the marginalised are welcomed and the poor are blessed. And that kingdom is also in the here and now.

So, as salt and light for Jesus in New Zealand, how do you think Jesus would respond to the 200,000 children in our communities that live in poverty—68,000 of them seen by Salvation Army services and dependent on us to meet their basic needs such as food and clothing?

How would Jesus respond to welfare reforms that are, in some places and for some people, harsh and unfair?

I think of a lady who walked from Putaruru to Tokoroa to see a government agency because she didn’t have enough money for the bus, but couldn’t risk her benefit being cut off. I think of the mother struggling to keep her three-year-old in a day care the daughter hated, but scared her benefit would be stopped because the government says all sole parents must send their children to day care/pre-school.

I think of the mental health client who stood in a queue at WINZ for 15 minutes, making him five minutes late for his appointment, which meant he lost his benefit for a week. How would Jesus respond to these people?

What would Jesus say about the loan sharks and crippling financial deals that keep people trapped in debt? What would Jesus say about the liquor outlets and gaming opportunities that are more prevalent in poorer areas where people can least afford them?

God has placed us here as a symbol of his continuing loving relationship with the world. We are the extension of his personality in our communities. What would your community be like with the Church? What would your city be like without the Church? What would your nation and our world be like without the conscience and the caring service of the people of God? What difference does it make that we are here?

Major Pam Waugh is Community Ministries Secretary for The Salvation Army.

Jesus said, ‘Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colours in the world.

‘God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.

If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.’

Matthew 5:13–16 The Message

14 | WarCry 30 May 2015

Passion for Music, Singing and Dance in Tonga

Staff from the Territorial Headquarters Creative Ministries Department (CMD) had the privilege of attending a regional music camp in the Tonga Region from 9 to 11 April. The purpose of this camp was simple: to encourage, equip and train local Tongan leaders in creative arts, and to help people explore what it means to serve as members of their worship teams and brass bands.

The camp was held at the Nuku’alofa Corps from Thursday to Saturday and attended by almost 30 campers. It targeted individuals with the potential to become more advanced musicians along with those likely to benefit the most from specialised teaching.

A passion for music, singing and dance is evident in Tongan culture, and we did not have to look far outside The Salvation Army to see that. Our first full day in Tonga was spent visiting local schools, with Jim Downey (Territorial Director of Creative Ministries) leading several school band practices. A local inter-school contest meant that each school band was vying for an edge over their competition, so enthusiasm for music was evident in each rehearsal.

On Thursday night, the music camp officially began. Campers piled in with blankets and mats and pillows. The buzz of excitement was infectious and so was the laughter. Kicking off the night session with introductions and icebreakers, it was immediately evident this would be an incredibly fun weekend.

Kris Singh (CMD’s Creative Resource Developer) and Jim led a discussion on what it means to be part of a team that uses music to lead others in worship. Delegates were taught that the best leaders are humble, putting the needs of their group before their own. They were also taught that you cannot lead others where you haven’t been yourself—emphasising the importance of having a growing relationship with Jesus and of regular personal worship, prayer and devotion.

Friday, the first full day at camp, began with a visit to the Tongan Police Band, the nation’s premier band, where Jim and Kris took part in rehearsals as campers watched. Inspired from their visit, the campers took to the day’s programme with enthusiasm, enjoying the three Friday sessions of practical hands-on teaching.

Campers continued developing their practical skills into Saturday, before beginning rehearsals for the Saturday night concert. This concert was a real highlight for campers and leaders alike, with family and friends coming to see the campers perform what they had learnt.

The concert included brass band performances and worship band pieces, as well as several dances, singing items and even a combined progressive rock drum solo and hip hop dance number. Captain Sila Siufanga (Regional Commander) concluded the evening with a short devotional and prayer.

Jim and Kris’s last full day in Tonga was spent taking part in Sunday worship services at local corps. This began with a youth-led service at Nuku’alofa Corps and ended with an early evening meeting at Talasiu Corps. Again, the visitors were treated to a rich show of talent and worship. The authenticity of the stories Kris and Jim heard and the people they met were inspiring.

There is a desperate need in Tonga for music resources, including working brass instruments, music and microphone stands, quality drum sets, drum sticks and cymbals, and a whole range of other practical needs. A little can go a long way in Tonga, so the Creative Ministries Department would like to encourage anyone who feels they could contribute practically to the creative ministries in Tonga to contact them. Even the smallest of contributions, financially or practically through donated goods, would be accepted with enthusiasm in Tonga!

The music camp was a great success, and the enthusiasm and skill of the young people that attended was very encouraging. There is great potential for Tonga’s young people to develop their gifts and become the next generation of leaders and innovators in their island nation, and this camp was a solid step forward in realising that potential. God is working and his Spirit is moving through The Salvation Army in Tonga!

If you would like to donate music resources for Tongan Salvationists, email Jim_Downey@nzf.salvationarmy.org Kris Singh (Creative Resource Developer, Creative Ministries Department)

Our Community | 15

Salvation Army is #UpForSchool Salvationists in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga are signing on to a worldwide movement supporting education for all children.

During the past month, The Salvation Army has been joining others around the world in signing the UpForSchool petition organised by the UN Special Envoy for Education, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. The petition calls on world leaders to honour their pledge in the 2000 Millennium Development Goals to ensure all out-of-school children gain their right to education before the end of 2015. It also urges them to tackle the problems preventing children attending school. Almost five million people have already signed the petition, which organisers are hoping will be the world’s largest.

The petition states: ‘We, the world’s youth, teachers, parents and global citizens appeal to our governments to keep their promise, made at the United Nations in 2000, to ensure all out-of-school children gain their right to education before the end of 2015. We are standing up to bring an end to the barriers preventing girls and boys from going to school, including forced work and early marriage, conflict and attacks on schools, exploitation and discrimination. All children deserve the opportunity to learn and achieve their potential. We are #UpForSchool.’

Salvation Army churches around New Zealand have been collecting signatures in the past few weeks. The collection is part of an international effort by The Salvation Army, aiming to add more than a million names from the 126 countries in which the Army is at work.

The signatures will be presented by General André Cox to Mr Brown during The Salvation Army’s International Congress in London on 3 July, during a day focused on social justice issues.

New Zealand Fiji and Tonga Territorial Children’s Secretary Major Bronwyn Malcolm said people in the territory were privileged to have the opportunity to go to school in safety, which others did not always have. ‘We need to do our part for them and every little action we do does make a difference. Even though we don’t always see the significance, every little bit helps.’

Territorial Commander Comm Robert Donaldson is #UpForSchool.

Anyone over the age of seven can sign the petition, which Territorial Youth Secretary Major Jo Wardle said was a simple way for young people to be able to take part in changing the world for people their age. ‘This is a really simple act, you don’t have to donate money or run a marathon—it’s a way for everyone to make a difference, young and old.’

Mr Brown will deliver all the collected signatures to world leaders meeting at the UN in September to agree goals for the next 15 years.

For those unable to sign at a Salvation Army church, sign online at www salvationarmy.org/upforschool

Salvationists Will Miss Pakistani Friends Lieut-Colonels Yousaf Ghulam and Rebecca Yousaf will have mixed emotions when they leave New Zealand on 3 June, after two years of service to the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga territory.

Yousaf and Rebecca were appointed from The Salvation Army Pakistan Territory and have served as Assistant Chief Secretary and Assistant Territorial Secretary of Women’s Ministries. They would be both happy and sad to be leaving, Rebecca said. ‘We will be happy to see our children and grandchildren, but sad leaving our special family here—the very supportive, loving people. It’s been a very beautiful time.’

Christians in Pakistan face much persecution and their family had been facing death threats from Yousaf’s earlier work as Chief Secretary in that country. So coming to New Zealand had been a mental, physical and spiritual rest, Yousaf said, although it had also been a huge cultural shift.

Arriving from the 48 degrees celsius of a Pakistan summer to seven degrees in New Zealand, the couple was grateful to be met by Colonels Graeme and Wynne Reddish who were carrying coats for them. It was a sign of things to come, with people showing them generous hospitality and also introducing them to delicious Kiwi cooking, including their new favourite, roast chicken, Rebecca said.

Travelling round New Zealand was also a treat, especially visiting a glacier at Mt Ruapehu, Yousaf said. ‘That was more than an awesome experience, at the age of 60 to see that for the first time. When we loaded photos on Facebook our grandchildren were so surprised, they asked, “Why are they celebrating Christmas?” ’ Rebecca faced two big challenges in the move to New Zealand.

When she arrived she spoke little English, so she took classes and read her Bible in English. People had been very encouraging, she said. The other challenge was wearing the New Zealand uniform, particularly the skirts, which were shorter than would be acceptable in Pakistan.

Rebecca’s first day wearing the New Zealand uniform was extra nervous as it was the day the couple also met Salvation Army General André Cox in 2013.

Yousaf and Rebecca were grateful to former territorial leaders, Commissioners Garth and Mel McKenzie, who met with them monthly to help them integrate, and for the support of previous territorial leaders Commissioners Don and Debi Bell, along with current leaders Commissioners Robert and Janine Donaldson and Colonels Barbara and Willis Howell.

Along with praying with them daily and always taking time to ask about their family or how they were, the Donaldsons had been extremely supportive when Yousaf and Rebecca’s son-in-law was promoted to Glory last year, Rebecca said. ‘The Commissioners were very quick to organise tickets to go home for the funeral and prayer cards and emails and flowers, and once a week Commissioner Janine would come to my office and pray with me for my family.’

Yousaf said they had learnt a lot from the way Salvationists in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory worked and they would try to carry on the way people in the territory celebrated people’s achievements and the personal care and encouragement shown.

Commissioners Robert and Janine Donaldson said, ‘It has been an absolute privilege to get to know Yousaf and Rebecca. International service in The Salvation Army enhances all of those who meet and work together. Yousaf and Rebecca are fine examples of disciples who have complete and genuine faith in God, no matter what. They have set an example of consistency, courage, faithfulness, loyalty, teachability, gentleness, wisdom and adaptability. We will miss them and pray God’s continued blessing on their lives.’

Yousaf has been appointed Secretary for Programme in the Sri Lanka Territory, and Rebecca Sponsorship Secretary.

16 | WarCry 30 May 2015

More Action Required from New Zealand Government in Regions Living in some regional areas often means you get a ‘bad deal’, The Salvation Army says in its latest Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit report, Mixed Fortunes, which was launched on 12 May. Where people live heavily determines their Mixed Fortunes quality of life and the social and economic benefits flowing into their communities and families. The intensification of inequality in Auckland is often documented. What is not so well known is the widespread inequality between people living in various regions.

Mixed Fortunes measures progress in regional New Zealand around four indicators: people and populations, work and incomes, the wellbeing of children, and the presence of social and other hazards.

The results are mixed but do point to parts of New Zealand where a significant group of people are struggling to achieve social and economic wellbeing.

The report calls for a threefold national response: TAGE IN NEW ZEALAND

E AND DISADVAN

Y OF ADVANTAG

THE GEOGRAPH

Social Policy Analyst Alan Johnson | The Salvation Army

Social Policy and

Parlimentary Unit

| May 2015

•

the development of national sustainability goals that ensure the progress of all regions • a national plan to meet the challenges of an aging population, resource scarcity and rising inequality in the regions • accelerating the adoption of new technologies and social arrangements to benefit the regions that are presently struggling.

Report author Alan Johnson identifies areas of growing disparity between regions. In general, South Island regions are doing well, but in the North Island, apart from Auckland and Wellington, regions are facing economic and social disadvantage.

While outcomes for children and young people are consistently good in Otago, Canterbury and Wellington, by comparison children and young people in Northland, Waikato and Gisborne do not experience the same beneficial outcomes. Northland, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Bay of Plenty are regions where it is difficult to achieve work and adequate income, whereas in Otago, Canterbury, Auckland and Southland prospects are a great deal brighter.

Read the report at www salvationarmy.org.nz/MixedFortunes

Salvation Army Nepal Earthquake Appeal A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal early on the morning of Saturday 25 April, devastating the region around Kathmandu. This was the worst earthquake to hit the area since 1934, when 10,000 people lost their lives after an 8.2 magnitude quake. Nepal has struggled with high unemployment, poverty and hunger for many years.

Experienced Salvation Army disaster workers—including Damaris Frick, from International Emergency Services at International Headquarters, and Colonel Carol Telfer and Major MacDonald Chandi from Pakistan—are now based in Kathmandu.

In Mid-May, the team carried out its first large-scale distribution, taking essential food items to members of remote mountain communities in the Sindupalchok District, which is not far from Kathmandu but remains one of the least developed areas of Nepal. The distribution followed a three-day visit by a Salvation Army assessment team to villages where over 90 per cent of houses were damaged.

The Salvation Army emergency response team, working with local volunteers, loaded a truck with rice, dhal, oil and salt. They set up a distribution centre at a resort that usually hosts tourists engaging in activities such as bungee jumping and rafting. Heavy bags of food had to be carried up stairs and across a 160-metre-long footbridge. A total of 6750kg rice, 1125kg dhal, 450 litres of oil and 225kg of salt were distributed to 445 households in nine villages.

The Salvation Army’s emergency response team has also been working in camps set up for people who lost their homes around the capital, Kathmandu. The team received permission from the Chief District Officer to work in Durbar Square Camp, which was hosting approximately 1200 people (100 families) after the quake. The team provided food and water packets to 70 families who were returning home if their houses were not too badly damaged or who had managed to find accommodation with friends and relatives. These packets were intentionally kept fairly small (2 kilos of rice, 0.5kg dhal, 250ml oil, 50g salt, 10 packets of noodles and 5 litres of water) to be portable.

One piece of particularly good news is that The Salvation Army’s Sisters Café has been able to reopen. This business began out of an awareness of the struggle for Nepalese women to gain meaningful employment, which makes them vulnerable to poor working conditions. It provides a place for them to train as waitresses, beauticians or chefs. The reopening is seen as a great answer to prayer, after Salvationists and friends from around the world prayed for the project during last the Army’s Worldwide Prayer Meeting.

The Salvation Army has about 200 members in Nepal. As well as its Sisters Café, The Salvation Army also operates a community development centre that offers tailoring and craft opportunities for indigenous women, as well as an after-school care programme.

The Salvation Army officers in charge of the ministry in Nepal are Majors Lalsangliana Vuite and Lalnunsangi Ralte. They pioneered the Army’s work in Nepal in 2009 and serve with their two daughters Amelia (21), and Rebecca (18).

On the Saturday, when the earthquake struck, Salvationists were

worshipping. Saturday is a holiday in Nepal and so Salvationists meet then, with Sunday being the first day of the working week. ‘There was a great rumbling sound and the whole ground was shaking,’ Major Ralte said. ‘Outside, people were shouting and calling out to their respective gods. The pipelines and the water tank broke off the roof. The house was shaking so much that it was difficult to get to the door, but after some time, we managed to get out.’

The family spent three nights outside, and on the fourth night returned to their house. All the shelves and various items had fallen down and were blocking the door. ‘There were many aftershocks—I couldn’t count them all,’ said Major Ralte. ‘We went in and out many times, despite the danger, but we were too hungry not to try to get some food. In between the aftershocks, we went out and prayed with our people because they were so afraid.’

Support for The Salvation Army’s response continues to pour in from around the world. FedEx, the international delivery and distribution company, has donated US$50,000 to The Salvation Army’s disaster response in Nepal. Also helping The Salvation Army’s fundraising efforts is the provision of free advertising for signs in New York’s Times Square, where the Army’s Nepal Earthquake Appeal has featured for a minute every hour.

Salvation Army international leader General André Cox is calling on Salvation Army territories, commands and regions, as well as individual Salvationists and friends of The Salvation Army, to support its Nepal Earthquake Appeal. ‘The Salvation Army is present, we are known, and we have a responsibility to step up and support the relief and rebuilding efforts,’ he said.

The Salvation Army in Nepal is grateful for the assistance that is being given and also value the prayers being offered by people across The Salvation Army and beyond.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/Nepal to donate to The Salvation Army’s Nepal Earthquake Appeal.

GAZETTE International Appointments Effective 7 June: Lt-Col Yousaf Ghulam, Secretary for Programme, Sri Lanka Territory; Lt-Col Rebecca Yousaf, Sponsorship Secretary, Sri Lanka Territory.

Bereaved Lt Sekaia Rabuli of his father, Mr Peni Varawa in Fiji. The funeral was held on 9 May at the Methodist Church in Natua Village. Please uphold Lts

Sekaia and Karalaini Rabuli and family in prayer in this time of grief and loss.

Appointment in Retirement Effective 22 April: Mjr Graham Rattray, Interim Director, Addiction Services, Auckland.

First-time Grandparents Congratulations to Mjrs Kesoni and Merewalesi Qoriniasi on the birth of their first grandchild, a baby girl born to daughter Carolyne and son-in-law Peni Raiwalui, on 7 May in Stoke-onTrent, United Kingdom.

Noticeboard | 17

CALENDAR MAY 30: Moral and Social Issues Council / Wellington 30–1 June: Brengle Holiness Institute for Soldiers / Booth College of Mission JUNE 1: Tonga Emancipation Day 1: Queen’s Birthday 1: Divisional Māori Hui / Northern Division 5: Youth Rally / Tonga Region 5–7: Candidates Assessment Weekend / Booth College of Mission 6: Safe to Serve / Northern Division 8–11: Officers Fellowship / Southern Division 13: Safe to Serve / Central Division 16: Leadership Module (TSMP) / Northern Division 19: Women in Leadership / Central Division 20: Junior Soldiers Day / Tonga Region 21: Soldiership Renewal Sunday / Tonga Region 21: Regional Meeting (Fua’amotu) / Tonga Region 21–28: Week of 24/7 Prayer and the Word / Tonga Region 23: Officers Development Day / Northern Division 26: National Sports Day Holiday / Fiji Division 28: Corps Cadet Sunday / Fiji Division

JULY 1–5: Boundless International Congress / London 5: Founders’ Day and Candidates Sunday

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries)

International Bible Reading Challenge WEEK 22 Acts 17–21 | WEEK 23 Acts 22–26 Go to www.salvationarmy.org/biblechallenge for daily reading guides and more.

Chief Financial Officer Appointed Mr Peter Bain has been appointed to a new position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory. Peter has been with The Salvation Army for 12 years and has been the Army’s Financial Controller since May 2006. Territorial Financial Secretary Major Bateman said, ‘Peter has made a significant contribution behind the scenes to this territory through his knowledge of business practice, accounting standards and processes. He has represented The Salvation Army well in a number of public forums as well as providing sound advice on Salvation Army management. Peter’s promotion into the CFO role formally recognises the quality of his work.’

Blue Mountain Adventure Centre New Building Dedication 20 June, Blue Mountain Adventure Centre You’re invited to join with us as we celebrate 25 years and the dedication of our new building. Refreshments to follow, along with the chance to explore the facilities, meet the team and catch up with our family of supporters.

11 am–4 pm, 17 Pito Street, Raurimu. RSVP by 12 June to bmac@nzf.salvationarmy.org or (07) 892 2630.

15–19 June: Officers Fellowship / Newcastle and Central NSW Divisions, Australia 23–25 June: Appointments Conference / Booth College of Mission 28 June: Upper Hutt Corps 1–5 July: Boundless International Congress / London Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 28 May–1 June: Tonga Region 23–25 June: Appointments Conference / Booth College of Mission 1–5 July: Boundless International Congress / London

Organisers are excited to announce the return of multi-day Christian music event, Festival One for 2016. Returning to Mystery Creek in Hamilton, the celebration of music, faith, art and community will once again be held over Auckland Anniversary Weekend.

Go to www.festivalone.co.nz for tickets and more information. Early bird sales on now.

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Talasiu, Taupō, Tauranga, Taveuni and Tavua Corps, The Salvation Army Education and Employment, The Salvation Army in Australia.

Crossword Answers: Across: 1 Sweets, 4 Departed, 10 Advantage, 11 Reign, 12 Kills, 13 Octopuses, 14 Expects, 16 Dead, 19 Lamb, 21 Clearer, 24 Operation, 25 Traps, 26 Exact, 27 Apologise, 28 Steering, 29 Invent. Down: 1 Sparkled, 2 Envelope, 3 Tends, 5 Elected, 6 Aeroplane, 7 Thirst, 8 Danish, 9 Wagons, 15 Character, 17 Organise, 18 Prospect, 20 Britain, 21 Canyon, 22 Towers, 23 Decade, 25 Thorn. Quiz Answers: 1 Princess Charlotte, 2 Volvo, 3 Golf, 4 Saigon, 5 Aaron (Exodus 4:14).

Push your creative boundaries, sharpen your creative skills. Learn to lead, learn to follow.

Find your creative place and purpose.

18 | WarCry 30 May 2015

LEADERSHIP LINKS

A little mouse was sitting cheekily in the kitchen, looking right at home.

The table was beautifully set, the food smelled delicious and our guests were already seated at the table. But as we prepared to enjoy our meal, one guest looked into the kitchen and said, ‘I think you have a mouse.’ Shock, horror and embarrassment!

Indeed, a little mouse was sitting cheekily in the kitchen, looking right at home.

Any illusion of a gracious, dignified dining environment, of polite dinner conversation was shattered. Our discussion immediately turned to how we were going to deal with this situation. A trap must be set. But where should we place this to be most tempting to the mouse? The merits of putting cheese or peanut butter on the trap, or even possibly a liquorice allsort, were discussed.

The situation deteriorated further when a second mouse was spotted. A rodent infestation! How could something so tiny become such a big issue as to absorb the full attention of four adults in a spacious house? Surely there was plenty of room for us to share with these mice?

We all have little ‘mice’ that can creep into our lives. They can slip in through the tiniest spaces, and once in residence can be hard to evict. Their impact far outweighs their size in the disruption and discomfort they cause. These mice can be all manner of things that cause us to lose our peace: envy of another’s circumstances, self-doubt, unresolved anger, bitterness and pride—to name just a few. The size of these mice is disproportionate to the size of the problems they cause in our lives.

Our ability to take hold of all God’s promises of peace, contentment and joy is directly proportional to the number of mice we allow to run round in our lives. This is why we need to guard all the vulnerable spots where such mice can enter. It’s often not the big and obvious entry points, but the smaller, more subtle mouse doorways that allow these intruders to come upon us with stealth.

Mice rob us of the full benefits of a close, intimate relationship with Jesus. Our potential to be all that God intends is compromised when we are distracted by mice and find ourselves living a constricted and uncomfortable daily journey of faith. This does not need to be the case and in fact we are settling for less than God wants for us.

One more thing: mice are comfortable living with humans and are not inclined to leave voluntarily. Certainly, the mice in our house are very stubborn and clearly want to remain in our home, but I think we are winning the battle. Perhaps here, too, is a reminder that it takes effort and determination to keep ourselves fully in God’s presence and rid ourselves of any mice that have taken up residence. Let’s not let tiny mice rob us of the best God wants to give.

Lieut-Colonel Lynette Hutson Territorial Secretary for Business

BY INGRID BARRATT

New Prayer Course for Non-prayers The new, free Prayer Course from Alpha has taken New Zealand by storm, with several Salvation Army corps taking up the challenge.

New Zealand is third in the world for downloads of The Prayer Course—bettered only by the UK and USA. Jonathan Hesp, director of Alpha NZ, has been taken by surprise at the response.

‘It’s simply been word of mouth, and it’s taken off and resonated, because people want a deeper relationship with God, and this happens through prayer.’

So why is Alpha—arguably the world’s most popular gospel course—turning its focus onto prayer? ‘Prayer undergirds everything we do,’ says Jonathan. ‘At Holy Trinity Brompton [where Alpha began] they were praying for revival across the UK. Alpha I believe expanded as a result of those prayers.’ Yet, he acknowledges that as individuals and as a Church we may struggle with prayer, with many people tiring of the traditional formulas.

With the ease of downloading videos, Alpha is generously giving the course away free. ‘Our heart with Alpha has always been that we don’t want people to pay for the gospel,’ says Jonathan. People simply have to register for the course at www. prayercourse.org.

One of the trailblazers of the course in New Zealand is Sydenham corps officer Sammy Millar, who began courses in both Upper Hutt and Christchurch.

‘One of our corps goals [at Sydenham] is to intensify our prayer lives as individuals and as a church family,’ explains Sammy.

‘Some people had never thought to pray for themselves; they thought they should only pray for others. Other people found that they can connect with God in more creative ways.’

One person who attended had been involved in some occult activity as a young person, and was able to have prayer that lifted off burdens they had felt captive to.

Sammy’s own highlight was a session where they explored different ways of praying. They decided to all lift their voices in prayer at once, which is the practice is many Asian countries where Christianity is growing strongly. ‘It was really powerful

Mission Matters | 19

and exciting,’ recalls Sammy. At Sydenham Corps, the Prayer Course kicked off a week of 24/7 Prayer, and it was exciting to see prayer slots fill up.

In Queenstown, corps officer Captain Karen Baker has also run the Prayer Course, and was so impressed that the corps is now incorporating it into the Sunday Morning preaching schedule. ‘It demystified prayer for people and reaffirmed that prayer is real,’ says Karen.

One of the sessions focused on listening to God, and this was put into practice by one person who, on the way to the course, felt they should stop for a man parked on the side of the road. Once they had safely taken the man home, they carried on to the course!

In Upper Hutt, the youth have taken up the prayer challenge. ‘It was really powerful to see our young people praying for each other,’ says youth pastor Scott Keane.

The Prayer Course is led by Pete Greig, founder of the 24/7 Prayer movement and author of God on Mute, which deals with unanswered prayer. ‘Our vision is to grow in relationship with Jesus, and the way to grow in relationship is prayer—it’s talking to God, just like we talk to our spouse to stay close to them,’ he says.

The course borrows its structure from the famous Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), which Jesus gave as an example of how to pray to our heavenly father. Jesus used a famous rabbinical prayer, which went: Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done.

Where Jesus’ prayer differs is that he makes it personal: he gives us permission to ask for our ‘daily bread’, to ask for and offer forgiveness, and to receive God’s spiritual protection.

‘The disciples who asked, “Lord, teach us how to pray”, when Jesus gave them the Lord’s Prayer, went on to have incredible prayer lives,’ says Pete—adding that if these disciples could learn how to pray, so can we.

The prayer course is broken into six parts: 1. Adoration: Pete tells the story of spending the day creating a swing set for his two boys. At the end of the day he went into the house exhausted and said, ‘Go forth and enjoy the swings!’ Both boys ran out immediately, but one turned back and crawled onto his lap and said, ‘I missed you, Daddy.’ ‘I didn’t love him more for that, and it would have been fine if he had just run out and started playing. But that moment just ministered to my heart,’ says Pete.

By showing adoration, we have the opportunity to minister to the heart of God. 2. Petitioning: This simply means asking God for things. It’s the most

3.

4.

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instinctive, basic form of prayer—and God actually invites us to articulate our needs to him. God calls himself our father, and tells us he wants to give us good gifts. ‘There are endless problems in our world, but from time to time I still give my children chocolate when they ask for it. Our father in heaven sometimes gives us our wants, as well as our needs,’ Pete says.

Intercession: Intercession is not just for spiritual heavyweights.

It just means you care about other people and situations, and you ask God for things they need. The night that the Berlin wall fell in Germany, 300,000 people were in prayer vigils around the city.

Perseverance: Incredibly, Jesus himself lives with unanswered prayer—he prayed that the Church would be united, and that has not yet happened. Disappointment and suffering are part of the Christian journey. There may be three potential reasons for unanswered prayer: God’s world (the laws of nature and logic), God’s will (he knows best), and God’s war (spiritual resistance to the will of God). ‘The Bible teaches us there are things in this world that God does not want to happen. Sometimes we’ll lose the battle, but we do not grieve as those who have no hope, because there is a Heaven and ultimately, God wins,’ says Pete.

Listening: The Bible says we’re designed to walk and talk with God. It’s normal to hear God’s voice; it’s abnormal to be deaf to it. When we demand a word or sign from God, he rarely obliges. We need to slow down. When a lake becomes perfectly still, it can reflect the moon. We need only be still.

Warfare: The Bible is 100 per cent clear that we are in a spiritual battle and our fight is not ‘against flesh and blood’. Our focus should always be on Jesus—it is perfect love that casts out fear.

‘ABC’ can be a helpful tool for spiritual warfare: A is authority: Jesus said, ‘It is finished’ on the cross, he has already won the battle. B is blessing: pray good things into people and situations, rather than praying the bad out of them. C is for common sense: there may be a practical or medical explanation. ‘The greatest gift God can give us is common sense,’ says Pete.

Register for The Prayer Course at www prayercourse.org

HOT TOPICS

At some point in our lives, we will probably deal with some negative stuff about our body image. So let’s figure out what that’s about and how it affects us.

As a young lad, if someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up my answer would always be ‘an All Black’. Like a lot of Kiwi boys, I thought that being an All Black was the ultimate Kiwi aspiration. I grew up running around the backyard pretending to be Christian Cullen, hoping that one day I would wear that same black jersey with pride.

As I aged, this dream slowly became less of a likely reality. Guys my age began to tower over me, with legs like flipping tree trunks and torsos twice as bulky as mine.

I remember skulling three litres of water before rugby weigh-ins just to make the higher weight grade!

My skills were alright and the dream was still as strong as ever, but by the end of high school I realised my body was simply not going to compete at the higher levels with these other massive tanks I went to school with. I finally had to accept that my body size and shape would never allow me into an All Black’s jersey … unless I bought it myself from Rebel Sport.

It ain’t just the girls Body image is simply how you perceive and feel about your own body and appearance.

Everyone has some sort of body image, whether it’s positive or negative or fluctuating between the two.

It’s pretty fair to say most people acknowledge that a lot of females struggle with body image. But generally, we aren’t very good at acknowledging that body image is a massive struggle for a lot of guys too.

Research suggests male body image issues have been steadily increasing and been more widely recognised throughout the last few decades. Like females, male body image issues often stem from an obsession with weight.

However, unlike a lot of girls, the majority of guys dealing with body image stuff is more around wanting to be bigger or bulkier, with a minority wanting to be thinner or smaller. An even smaller minority are perfectly happy just the way they are.

Because of this difference, it’s harder for male body image issues to be recognised or diagnosed, but body image is just as big a deal for guys as it is for girls.

If a child is always presented with messages about how a boy should look or act, they will take on that as the ideal body type or image.

As we get older, the media begins playing a much bigger role in how we consider ourselves. The media is constantly presenting as many ‘ideals’ for guys as it is for females.

Underwear ads have the legendary Dan Carter showing off his abs, shaver ads have chiselledjawed men with perfect facial hair, and every summer festival promo has ripped, tanned, guys strutting around.

IT’S JUST AS HARD TO BE KEN AS IT IS TO BE BARBIE.

There’s a great saying that sums it up: ‘It’s just as hard to be Ken as it is to be Barbie.’

By the time we hit puberty, we have a pretty fair idea of what the media thinks is the ideal body and we just hope that puberty will be kind to us!

How is body image formed?

What’s the issue with looking good?

Body image is determined by both internal and external factors. Internal factors include things like lack of confidence, and external factors include things like messages from society.

A guy’s body image generally starts developing as a kid. How a child starts understanding their body and how they feel about it is influenced by a whole lot of external factors. From parental cues, to other kids and what is taught at school, to what toys we play with and what TV shows we watch.

There is no issue at all with having a healthy body image or with trying to maintain a healthy body! The thing we need to realise is that the ideal body we are told to ‘want’ is not always realistic, achievable or healthy.

Exercise, eating healthy and taking care of yourself are all really good things. We should feel good about ourselves, and if that means we want to have bigger guns, use a bit of moisturiser or work out regularly—that’s okay!

30 MAY 2015 | 21

FIREZONE.CO.NZ

But issues start coming up when we get too concerned or obsessed over what we look like—or more significantly, how we think others think we look.

Society, advertising and even childhood toys are constantly trying to tell us who we should be and what we should look like. Society has been obsessed with ideal body types since way back. Greek mythology even had a demigod for beauty and desire called Adonis. That same mythology brought about the idea of ‘the golden ratio’—that there is a perfect body shape to achieve.

Fast forward thousands of years and our society has continued to nurture this body image culture. We’ve been obsessed with bulking and gaining since bodybuilding became popular in the late 19th century, all the way through to the Crossfit, protein shakes and summer festival body culture of today.

Now, instead of that Adonis fulla, we’ve got Action Man, Aziz ‘Zyzz’ Shavershian and Floyd Mayweather telling us how to look.

When we begin comparing ourselves to these ideals—or even just our mates—we’re letting our body image be affected by standards we might never be able to naturally achieve or standards only achievable by dangerous, unhealthy methods. We are all different body types, with different genetics, and different natural skillsets, and sometimes there is only so much we can do to change our bodies!

For example, GI Joe or Action Man-type toys, just like Barbies for girls, have an extremely unrealistic body shape—only 1–2% of the population would have the same body type of an action hero toy. If we wanted to have the same proportions as Action Man or a champion bodybuilder, we would really have to dedicate our entire life focus to that one goal as well as picking up some pretty unhealthy exercise and supplement habits.

In the end, it’s all about accepting that God has made us all differently. I was and am a fairly skinny, average height, white male. Just because my body type put a barrier up to becoming an All Black doesn’t mean I failed or my body is wrong. I still chose to pursue my passion of sport through teaching. And instead, I might have the opportunity of

teaching and developing future All Blacks. It’s also cool just being able to speak positively into young people’s lives.

Some of us are more naturally inclined toward athletics and some toward mathletics. That doesn’t mean we don’t work on improving in either area though. We need to accept the things we don’t have control over but definitely work on the things we do have control over—in a healthy way.

Most of all, we need to ensure we are working on all areas of our identity: mental, social, spiritual and physical.

I FINALLY HAD TO ACCEPT THAT MY BODY SIZE AND SHAPE WOULD NEVER ALLOW ME INTO AN ALL BLACK’S JERSEY ...

UNLESS I BOUGHT IT MYSELF FROM REBEL SPORT. Jordan Carey is a soldier at Miramar Corps. He is a physical education and health high school teacher, and has a degree in Sport and Exercise and a post-graduate diploma in Teaching.

EVENTS | 22

7s SOUTHERN 7S

By Major David Moody (Divisional Youth Secretary, Southern)

The weather forecast was ominous to say the least! Nails were kept to a minimum with regular checks to make sure that the weather would be suitable for Southern 7s. With only some light rain towards the end, the weather, it seemed, was also willing to play ball!

TAUPŌ … NOT 7S Although Taupō 7s was cancelled this year due to terrible weather, that didn’t stop a bunch of corps from the three North Island divisions getting up to some fun!

MIDLAND DIVISION

By Lieutenant Shane Healey (Divisional Youth Secretary, Midland Division) When I was a child, I was taught the nursery rhyme ‘Rain rain go away, come again another day’, and on the week leading up to ANZAC Day I had it stuck in my mind and in my prayers.

But sadly for hundreds of young people and myself, Taupō 7s 2015 had to be cancelled due to severe weather.

Twelve teams representing seven corps from Invercargill to Nelson met at Timaru Girls High School on ANZAC holiday Monday.

The first hooter sounded and the teams set about thrashing it out in volleyball and netball, with touch and football in the afternoon.

Many teams were good sports when facing each other, especially as the age range in some games was from only the young through to the ‘mature’! The Fairplay Award went to team Horsing Around from Sydenham Corps for their great attitude and helpfulness.

It came down to the semi-finals—Christchurch City Corps’ Old School Dream Team played last year’s champs Team Timaz from Timaru at netball, and Sydenham’s Horsing Around played Queenstown’s Green Beret Unit at volleyball. The Old School Dream Team squared off against the Green Beret Unit on the netball court for the final. With their first Southern 7s title in three years, Christchurch City Corps’ Old School Dream Team emerged the victors to much noise and celebration.

Many thanks to Timaru Girls High School, Nick and Kimberley Allwright for outstanding organising, and Nelson Ching for the great hot food on a cold wet day!

Lieutenant Karl Foreman reffing the volleyball.

BCM Team 1 took out first place and were awarded the ‘Taupō-not-7s Taniwha’, while Upper Hutt Team 2 unfortunately retained the infamous wooden spoon for another year.

Injuries were few, support for each other was plenty, heaps of fun was had, and overall it was a great day with everyone showing true sportsmanship. Thanks to Brad and the rest of the team who made it all happen on such short notice and to everyone who came and played!

NORTHERN DIVISION

By Captain Ralph Hargest (Divisional Youth Secretary, Northern Division) Still, much fun was had around the Midland Division, as youth leaders didn’t let the rain beat them. Napier organised a tenpin bowling tournament for their youth. Tough old Tauranga still played soccer and touch on the field outside, and Hamilton City hosted its own mini indoor 7s competition, featuring Volleyball, cage soccer, Xbox Kinect Sports and table tennis. This was a lot of fun, with great stories, competitive sweat and laughter shared between Tokoroa, Cambridge and Hamilton City Corps.

Most corps took a well-deserved day off, but a couple decided not to let the rain stop them and organised something else instead.

Albany Bays Corps youth went to ‘Jump’, an indoor trampoline park on the north shore.

Westgate Corps youth had the day off and used their Taupō 7s registration money to buy pizza the following Sunday. East City Corps were keen to crush Mt Albert Corps in a game of touch, but had to call it off due to the rain as well.

Stay tuned for Taupō 7s 2016—bigger, better and hopefully brighter, as we celebrate 25 years of the Taupō 7s Sports Competition!

CENTRAL DIVISION

By Scott Keane (Upper Hutt Corps) Four teams from good ol’ Upper Hutt—two from Booth College of Mission (BCM) and two from Upper Hutt Corps—decided they wouldn’t let the weather hold them back. We piled into our white vans on Sunday afternoon and made our way up to Taupō, where we spent the night at the local corps.

The next morning, after a loud wake-up call, morning aerobics, devotions and a few rounds of ‘heads up’, we made our way to the indoor rec centre. Four sports was downsized to two, and the four teams battled it out for a solid couple of hours, with Lieutenant Brad Carpenter reffing the basketball and

But Northern corps also had the chance to battle it out in November last year at the annual volleyball tournament held at the ASB stadium in East Auckland.

All the teams played really well, with relatively few injuries and a whole lot of good sporting behaviour (the refs did well too). First and second place went to two Waitakere Central Corps teams, and third place went to Otahuhu Corps. The ‘Plate’ went to another Waitakere team and the Best and Fairest Play Award went to Mt Albert Corps. Thanks to all those who were involved to make the day a success.

Fun4Kids | 23

What are the strongest days of the week?

Saturday and Sunday. Every other day is a weekday.

codebreaker

The number in each square corresponds to a letter. The same number represents the same letter.

Crack the code and fill the grid by determining which letter relates to which number. To help you get started four word entries have picture clues, and six letters are already in place.

wheely words Can you work out what the five muddelled ways of travel are? Each of the names contains the letter T from the centre of the wheel.

O ER U C sO K r C R r A T K C T r O H E C E I O O L C R EP What kind of bear has no teeth?

A gummy bear!

When does it rain money?

When there is change in the weather.

Codebreaker: 1-T, 2-R, 3-A, 4-F, 5-I, 6-C, 7-S, 8-V, 9-D, 10-M, 11-K, 12-N, 13-G, 14-E, 15-O, 16-Y, 17-L, 18-B, 19-P, 20-Z, 21-X, 22-H, 23-W, 24-U. Wheely Words: scooter, truck, tractor, helicopter, rocket.

read it Remind God’s people to obey rulers and authorities. Remind them to be ready to do what is good. Titus 3:1 (NIRV)

Let’s Talk Laws and rules are really helpful. They’re a bit like fences, because they stop us from doing things that are dangerous or that might make us or other people unhappy. When we obey laws and rules, they help keep us safe and happy.

Why did the chicken cross the playground?

To get to the other slide.

We have rules on the road, like wearing seatbelts and stopping for red lights, STOP signs and pedestrian crossings.

Rules like not speeding and not texting on cell phones while we’re driving a car so that we don’t cause accidents.

The rules God gives us in the Bible are also to help us stay safe and happy. These are rules about not lying or cheating, not stealing or hurting other people, respecting our parents and putting God first.

And we have rules at home that make our house a safe and happy place to be. Rules like tidying away toys when we’re finished playing so that no one trips over them and so our toys don’t get broken. Rules like washing our hands before we eat so that we don’t get sick from germs. Rules like helping one another with chores so that things are fair and one or two people aren’t doing all the work.

Let’s Pray God, I pray that you will help people to follow the road rules so that there aren’t so many accidents. Help me to follow the rules of my house so that we can live happily together as a family. And help me always to obey your wise rules in the Bible. Amen.

Te Ope Whakaora

Celebrating

Recovery Church 20 Years

1995-2015

SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER 2-4 pm Registration

including meet and greet, displays and open stage

SUNDAY 4 OCTOBER 10 am Recovery Church Celebration with guest speaker Commissioner Robert Donaldson

5 pm Pōwhiri 6 pm Hāngi 7 pm Celebration Evening

Followed by a finger food lunch

Venue Auckland City Corps

FOR REGISTRATION PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL RECOVERY CHURCH

including items and guest speakers Allright Place, Mt Wellington

Venue Mt Eden Recovery Church Ewington Ave, Mt Eden