31 Oct 2015 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION | 31 October 2015 | Issue 6629 | $1.50

raising awareness with

CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER RUSSELL WILLS WHY DO WE LOVE REALITY TV? FITNESS FOR OVER 40s HAUORA PROGRAMME: FIGHTING ‘P’ SINCE 2009 FIREZONE: ENCOUNTERING GOD AT YOUTH COUNCILS

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Kia ora A long obedience 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), Martin Barratt (movie 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

Some of our War Cry editions have a unifying theme; others don’t. And sometimes, even though there was no theme intended, a common thread seems to emerge. In this editon, that’s certainly been the case as I’d suggest the theme of ‘persistence’ can be traced through many of our pages.

The article on the facing page talks about the new United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and includes this challenge: ‘… the world is getting better, and it’s not good enough’. We’ve done some great things to fight poverty in the world, but we need to persist and work toward some new goals.

Our interview with Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills notes progress made to fight child poverty, neglect and abuse, but Dr Wills points out that plenty of ‘next steps’ still need to be taken. Will we persist as a nation to prioritise the needs of our most vulnerable, our children?

Lieut-Colonel Ian Hutson looks back on 10 courses of the Hauora Programme, which helps gang members fight methamphetamine (‘P’) addiction. If funding can be secured, this programme will continue to transform lives. We want to persist in this partnership!

And Captain Dr Judith Christensen reflects on the University of Otago’s recently released study of our work in the addictions field. While many positives emerged, we will persistent in honing our service in the light of feedback from this study.

It may seem odd to quote atheist philosopher Frederick Nietzsche in a Christian magazine, but I’m reminded of his words: ‘The essential thing “in heaven and earth” is that there should be a long obedience in the same direction; there thereby results, and has always resulted in the long run, something which has made life worth living.’

I hope we may each continue to persist obediently in the areas God has led us to, paying attention to what needs to be done so that life is made more worthwhile for everyone.

Christina Tyson Editor

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.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

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

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

Publishing for 132 years

ISSN 0043-0242, Issue 6629

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BIBLE VERSE Psalm 18:19 Contemporary English Version

‘When I was fenced in, you freed and rescued me because you love me.’

Ngā Waiata 18:19

‘I whakaputaina ahau e ia ki te wāhi nui, i whakaorangia ahau e ia; he āhuareka nōna ki ahau.’

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salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

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WISE WORDS

Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.

Brennan Manning Abba’s Child

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Let’s Talk | 03

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

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ife has never been better. Or to rephrase that: it has never been a safer, healthier time to be alive, and it’s getting better.

Fewer children are dying, fewer mothers die in child birth, life expectancy is up, hunger is falling, there’s less child labour, and more children complete education than at any other time in history. Deaths from war are dropping rapidly and, according to Harvard professor Steven Pinker, we have less violence and crime per head of population than we’ve had in about 12,000 years. And every single measure mentioned is steadily improving.

Perhaps most astonishingly, if we continue at the rate we’re going, there will be no extreme poverty by 2030. That’s right: in 20 years we may be able to talk about extreme poverty as a horror from history, like World War I or the centuries when high heels were only worn by men.

Don’t believe me? In 1981 more than half of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty (on less than $USD 1.25 a day). Between 1990 and 2010 the number halved. And by the end of the year, the World Bank says the total will be fewer than 10 per cent.

That’s great—we should be excited and inspired by this.

Now you can probably sense the ‘but’ coming, so here it is: But … there’s still a lot of work to be done. We still face gut-wrenching facts, such as that 16,000 children die every day, most from preventable or treatable causes. Or that almost one billion people don’t have access to a toilet and 748 million don’t have access to clean drinking water.

Swedish professor Dr Hans Rosling, a world renowned global health expert, described it like this, ‘You have to be able

to hold two ideas in your head at once: the world is getting better, and it’s not good enough.’

So, what has this got to do with us? The United Nations just launched its new Sustainable Development Goals, replacing the eight Millennium Development Goals. The new goals are 17 big, bold dreams that we’re going to fail to meet, just like the last lot, right? Well, maybe, but one of those goals is ending extreme poverty by 2030, and if we do that, why can’t we do the rest?

And, unlike the Millennium Development Goals that were mostly aimed at developing countries, the new goals include targets all nations are expected to show progress toward, including us in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

The new goals include things like ending hunger, reducing inequality, improving peace and justice, promoting good health and wellbeing, and seven goals that mention protecting the environment—all of God’s creation.

This is not something just for governments to tackle.

As an international church, The Salvation Army is working for progress in many of these areas, but these goals also require buy in from each of us as individuals.

For Christians, that expectation comes from Jesus himself, who didn’t just tell us to pray, ‘your kingdom come and your will be done on earth’, but to get out and take part in that.

But even if you’re not a Christian, we know that each of us makes a difference to the world. The Sustainable Development Goals might seem hugely ambitious, but they’re important. At the very least, they remind us to ask what difference we want to make and to set some tangible goals for making it.

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Bookshelf Photography Worship Bill McKay and Jane Ussher Subtitled ‘A history of New Zealand Church Design’, this is a substantial book in size, content and design. It is, first and foremost, an art book, featuring stunning photography.

Choosing as its opening subjects the ‘Cardboard Cathedral’ and an enormous Assemblies of God church, it challenges conventions of church buildings as antiquated, time-worn architecture. Although there is that, too. There are large buildings with grand, sweeping architraves and small wooden treasure boxes, hidden in corners of NZ. The text gives a fascinating insight into church and faith as a reflection of the development of our nation. (Penguin Random House)

Playlist

Autobiography In Order to Live Yeonmi Park At only 21, Yeonmi Park’s life story is breath-taking. Born in North Korea, she describes the absolute indoctrination of the regime—to the point where she believed the ‘Dear Leader’ could read her mind.

But when her father was sent to prison and famine led to chronic starvation, her mother made the remarkable decision that it was either escape or die. They fled to China, but fell into the hands of human traffickers. Ghost-written

by Hilary Clinton’s ghost-writer Maryanne Vollers, Park’s story is astonishing, heart-breaking and all the more powerful for knowing millions still live in these conditions.

(Penguin Random House)

Bible Study Holiness Alive Anita Caldwell Salvation Army officer Anita Caldwell has written for the devotional Words of Life. This book is written in a similar style, as a collection of short, daily reflections. Caldwell argues holiness doesn’t mean adhering to a strict set of rules, but that true holiness brings abundant life and joy. Her first chapter focuses on ‘dancing with God’ and the rest of this short book explores dimensions of holiness.

Some chapters have question-and answer-style devotions for group Bible studies. A helpful tool to explore one of The Salvation Army’s founding principles: true holiness.

(Salvation Books)

Reel News

Worship Open Heaven/River Wild Hillsong Worship Hillsong’s latest annual release is a solid, consistent worship album.

From the song arrangements to the lyrical and theological content, the album holds up from beginning to end as an excellent record. Its 12 tracks are massive in terms of production—the proverbial thorn in the side of every Hillsong record.

However, the songs are constructed simply enough that a smaller church or setting could easily adapt them for local use. There’s a tightness and unity, and the theme of God’s passionate, uncontrollable love is evident and interwoven throughout every song. Highly recommended for church music leaders and anyone looking for an inspiring worship album.

A Capella Pentatonix Pentatonix Pentatonix is a five-piece a capella group from Texas. Known for their tight harmonies, vocal basses and beatboxing, their latest self-titled release is the first to feature all original songs, deviating from their typical cover based material.

Pentatonix’s vocal production is crystal clear and serves to highlight the amazing vocal gymnastics the group is so well known for. Each song is arranged surgically, with each harmony, hook and melody serving a purpose to the whole.

The group spans multiple genres, with everything from rapping to choral interludes. This is a testament to the amazing potential of the human voice, and is well worth checking out.

GIVEAWAY To win our review copy of In Order to Live, a goal you’re proud to have achieved.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 16 Nov. The Villa at the Edge of the Empire winner: I Hutson

Documentary Ever the Land Sarah Grohnert / E (exempt) Ever The Land explores the bond between people and their land through a landmark architectural undertaking by one of New Zealand’s most passionately independent Māori tribes, Ngai Tūhoe.

For over 150 years, the relationship between Tūhoe and the New Zealand government has been fraught, based on longstanding grievances. After agreeing on a hefty settlement and offering an official apology on behalf of the Crown, the government returned guardianship of their ancestral homeland, Te Urewera, to Tūhoe. Grohnert documents the tribe as a collective as they construct Te Wharehou o Tūhoe, New Zealand’s first living building.

Ostensibly, this is a film about the planning and construction of the amazing building at Taneatua for which the phrase ‘community centre’ is woefully inadequate—the wharehou, opened in March last year, is an architectural and environmental wonder.

This documentary shows us a culture tightly woven into its land and an architecture defined by its integrity to it. Grohnert captures much about Ngāi Tūhoe that escapes local non-Māori observers. These observations unwind at a gentle pace, much like the pace of life in Te Urewera. From gentle flowing rivers to mystic mountains, the film’s stunning cinematography exposes us to a world of myth.

Ever the Land is enjoyable and revealing and instigates an important discussion on culture and politics, where tradition and progressive ideals clash and forgiveness is often needed. The star of the show is the building —perfectly in sync with the land on which it sits and the people who use it.

It stands as testimony to a troubled past and as a marker for future hope.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/saresources

Photography: Mark Mitchell/NZ Herald

Feature | 05

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

Children’s Commissioner Dr Russell Wills didn’t want the job. He wasn’t interested. Until a meeting with then Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and a passion to change the lives of children eventually drove him to apply.

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our years on, Dr Wills says New Zealand is in a ‘remarkable’, world-leading place when it comes to discussing the issues around care of children. Yet, as a single-minded advocate for the worst-off children, he says there’s a long way to go.

When the job of Children’s Commissioner was advertised back in 2011, with Commissioner Dr John Angus’ term due to expire,

Dr Wills says didn’t even see the advert and certainly wasn’t looking for a job.

After spending 11 years away, studying and working in Australia, the United Kingdom and Wellington, he was finally back home and settled in his beloved Hawke’s Bay, the place where his family and friends were.

Hawke’s Bay, and Napier in particular, is at the heart of Dr Wills’ story. It’s where he grew up and where he lives today, near his parents and the house where he grew up. His father owned a pharmacy and Dr Wills tells stories of going out delivering prescriptions on his bike when he was 10 years old, or going to school barefoot in summer.

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Just as important as coming home, though, he had a job he loved, as Head of Paediatrics at Hawke’s Bay District Health Board.

It was a job that was getting results, allowing him to make a real difference to the lives of children in one of the poorest district health board areas in the country.

A person of influence So, when he was asked by local MP Chris Tremain, a man he grew up with, to apply for the job as Children’s Commissioner in Wellington, he wasn’t keen. ‘There was an incoming National government and I wasn’t convinced that would be good for children, or that I’d be keen to work with them.’

What changed his mind was when he was persuaded to fly down to Wellington to talk with Ms Bennett, who had just organised a Green Paper on child welfare with the intention it would become a new law targeting child welfare and poverty. ‘She told me about her determination to turn that into a children’s plan.

I have always been taught to put up or shut. It was clear there was going to be a Children’s Action Plan and if I wanted to influence that, I had to be a part of it.

‘I thought, “This is actually quite exciting—a centre-right government with little track record of showing interest in children committing significant resources for the most vulnerable.” And I thought, “That’s something I have to be involved in!” ’ With support from family and work colleagues, Dr Wills decided to apply. His one condition for taking the job was that he kept working part time as a paediatrician. It was about staying credible for politicians and the public as someone working in the area he was talking about, and also to help him stay grounded, he says.

His decision has become a helpful bridge between policy and practise, allowing Dr Wills to see how government policies work and suggest changes. But it has also led to a heavy workload.

He works two days in Wellington each week at the office of the Children’s Commissioner, two days with children with severe behavioural issues, and one day of mixing the two jobs, as well as nights on call at Hawke’s Bay Hospital. When we speak he’s getting ready for an unexpected night on call, filling in for a sick colleague.

Inhabiting two worlds can be tiring, but for Dr Wills it’s all for the same reasons it’s always been, the same reasons he got into paediatrics in the first place. ‘There’s nothing complicated about that. I love children! This is my passion.’

Improving the lives of children Dr Wills describes the support of family and friends and the feeling of making a difference as what keeps him going, but it’s also that laser focus on making the lives of children better that drives him.

Talking about himself he jokes, the conversation flows, relaxed, through familiar stories. But, when it comes to issues of caring for children there’s a subtle shift. The volume goes up, the words come faster and the voice becomes harder, the message more blunt.

Dr Wills sounds frustrated at times, but most of all there’s an intensity to it that comes from a clear love of his jobs.

‘I’m the luckiest man in the world. I get to work in an area I’m passionate about, with some of the smartest people, who share my passion. And I still love paediatrics. I look forward to being on call tonight. Tonight I’m on a ward in the Emergency Department making sick children better. Why would I want to do anything else?’

Some of those children, he admits, will be struggling with serious poverty-related illnesses or facing violence at home,

but those are the children he’s the most passionate about and they’re the ones he’s made the focus of his advocacy as Children’s Commissioner.

‘We’re still admitting 44,000 children a year with povertyrelated illnesses. We still have far too many children abused and neglected and in parts of the country we have rheumatic fever rates similar to Africa and Asia. In a first-world country that’s not acceptable.’

According to the Child Poverty Monitor, which Dr Wills helped establish, almost one in four children in New Zealand today grow up in poverty. Child poverty, neglect and abuse are important issues for the country because they have a major impact on children’s development and their productivity and health in later life. However, he also says that focus fits who we are as a nation.

‘We’re a country that’s always cared about our children and about [people getting] a fair go. Not all children and young people today have a fair chance at success in life—and I don’t think there’s many New Zealanders that think that’s okay.’

Children paying the price for NZ’s wealth gap It wasn’t always like this. In Hawke’s Bay and across the country, things are much worse for those in poverty than when he was a child, Dr Wills says. On those bike rides delivering prescriptions for his dad he would ride through Maraenui, the poorest area of Napier. He never considered it might be dangerous for a 10-yearold to be riding around with a stash of medicines. And it wasn’t.

But you’d never do that today, Dr Wills says.

Today, the gap in wealth between children attending decile one and decile 10 schools is much greater, along with the gap in children’s achievement.

‘My school, Napier Central, is now a decile 10 school and almost exclusively New Zealand European. When I was at school there were heaps of Māori kids there and very few children did without. I can’t remember children coming to school with no lunch or no shoes. Well,’ he laughs, ‘no lunch anyway. Most of us had no shoes in summer.’

In the late 1980s, inequality was much lower and outcomes were better for children. But the statistics show a clear change in the early 1990s, when the government of the day cut benefits in the widespread belief it would encourage people into work, he says.

‘Child poverty tripled in 18 months and we never got back. We’re 20 years on and child poverty rates are still two to two-and-a-half times what they were in the mid to late ’80s.

‘We have a generation and a half who have been raised in real poverty; genuine material deprivation. That has exactly the impact you would expect: terrible health, particularly mental health, terrible education outcomes and very high stress, which reflects in their parenting.’

Without fair or favour His determination to fight for the needs of the children that are his charge has seen him speaking up publically and loudly even when it has been against his bosses in government.

During his time as commissioner he has set up an expert advisory panel, bringing together leading business people, academics and social service agency experts. The panel produced the 2013 Solutions to Child Poverty plan.

When the government refused one of the panel’s core recommendations, to take figures measuring child poverty, Dr Wills announced his office would collect and release the

Feature | 07

information itself, establishing the Child Poverty Monitor.

He rates the work of the expert advisory panel as one of the two major successes in his time as Children’s Commissioner. The other one being the State of Care report into Child Youth and Family (CYF) released in August, which he said had ‘an enormous impact’ on CYF procedures, the government’s approach and the modernisation panel that is working to update CYF practices.

‘What we have done is make the invisible visible, for both child poverty and children that are abused or neglected or at risk.’

Dr Wills argues that the focus his office and others—including The Salvation Army—have put on changing the lives of the most vulnerable has led to major changes that put New Zealand in a unique, even world-leading position.

Not all children and young people today have a fair chance at success in life—and I don’t think there’s many New Zealanders that think that’s okay.

‘Before the office took this on, poverty and equality weren’t on the agenda for any party apart from the Greens—now it’s on the agenda of every party. It was the main driver of investment for the last budget, and the government’s already planning for the next budget.’

Those investments included raising the baseline of benefits for families with children, free doctor’s visits and new funding for prescriptions for children up to the age of 13, investments in social housing, early childhood education, and making sure children get on-time vaccination and protection for Rheumatic Fever, he says.

‘These are new investments and they’re hundreds of millions of dollars at a time when finances are tight and we have a centreright government. I think that’s remarkable! New Zealand is very unusual in that the needs of children who are at risk or poor is a policy priority for all political parties. I can’t think of any other country where that’s the case.’

Next steps for New Zealand The key next step is to monitor child poverty and set targets on its reduction in the same way the government monitors and sets targets for all other areas from the economy, to health or biodiversity, he says.

The area that research suggests would make the biggest difference would be fixing New Zealand houses that are in ‘a shocking state of repair’, leading to sick kids and long-term problems. ‘When my colleagues and I go into the houses of our patients we find cold, damp, mouldy houses that are not fit for human habitation—and it’s absolutely no surprise that children in these houses get sick.’

Other solutions are less easy and will require intelligent investment in Kiwi solutions, because New Zealand doesn’t have the wealth of other countries and can’t afford to just throw money at the problem.

Another positive, Dr Wills says, is that attitudes are changing in the wider community, with a poll before the last election showing poverty and inequality going from nowhere, to be the most important issue for intending voters. Surveys of parents’ attitudes to hitting children are also showing a shift away from violence, but Dr Wills says Kiwis still need to step up when it comes to New Zealand’s unacceptable rates of domestic violence and child abuse.

Poverty and inequality help encourage this violence, along with colonisation, loss of language, resources and mana, unemployment, ‘very easy access to ridiculously cheap alcohol’, the targeting of gambling machines in the poorest areas, and ruinous interest rates from finance companies. But people’s acceptance of violence is a major contributor, Dr Wills says. The White Ribbon ambassador, who wears his White Ribbon badge every day, says men in particular need to take responsibility.

‘Men have to be the solution for men’s violence. White Ribbon is a movement of men who take responsibility and encourage other men to do the same. It’s about taking responsibility for their behaviour and seeking help.’

But he also has a message for people who want to judge.

‘My experience of many, many violent families it that the vast majority of violent people—men and women—want to change, but don’t know how. It’s what was modelled for them. Violence is often common in their neighbourhoods and family and they need someone to walk alongside them and help.

‘What doesn’t work is telling people they’re terrible people and they just need to sharpen up. That’s not only ineffective, but brainless! Nobody should expect that would work. You need to engage people and support them to make the changes they want to make.’

As for his own role, he feels his office has laid a foundation for changes that could significantly impact the lives of the most vulnerable children in society, but it will take action from everyone in the future to make sure those foundations are built on.

‘It requires public support. It requires faith communities, NGOs, large organisations, employers and local government to all be saying that we believe in a fair go for all New Zealanders— particularly children. And it means we need to invest carefully, but purposefully, in our youngest and most vulnerable.’

As for Dr Wills, having laid those foundations, his term as the Children’s Commissioner is due to end in June. He hasn’t decided what’s next. His only firm plans involve making sure everything’s in good shape for the next commissioner, and enjoying time with his own children and friends on an annual summer camping trip to Mahia Beach.

08 | WarCry 31 October 2015

ENVIRONMENT

HEALTH

Ban the Water Bottle

Fitness After 40

A growing movement is calling for the ban of bottled water—claiming that it is not only devastating for the environment, but might just be the world’s biggest scam.

In the 1950s, medical experts used to say you shouldn’t exercise after the age of 40 because it put too much strain on your heart. But nowadays 70-year-olds complete marathons and senior citizens do hip-hop dancing.

This year, bottled water overtook fizzy drinks as the world’s best-selling beverage. Over 233 billion litres were consumed worldwide. In New Zealand alone, it is estimated we spend a staggering $60 million on bottled water.

All this, while tap water is virtually free.

Of course, you’re not ready for old age at 40—you still have half your life ahead of you! But it may be time to re-think how you exercise.

It started with Evian, who marketed their bottled water as a sign of sophistication and good taste. They were also the first to link water with physical fitness in their marketing campaign ‘Revivial of the fittest’. But study after study has shown bottled water is no better for you than tap water, and blind tastings have found no significant difference in the taste.

Of course, one of the main reasons for the explosion of bottled water is that compared to sugar-laden fizzy drinks, it is the lesser of two evils. And it’s convenient. But Ban the Bottle campaigners argue that water is a human right, and should not be exploited for profit. Multi-nationals came under fire recently in California, for manufacturing thousands of litres of bottled water during a water shortage.

New Zealand’s biggest seller, Pump bottled water, is manufactured by CocaCola—who are making billions by selling us Coke without the expense of added flavour. They may be pulling off the biggest marketing scam in history!

There are also huge concerns about the manufacture of the plastic bottles.

In America alone, producing the plastic uses seven million barrels of oil annually. Last year, the average American used 167 disposable water bottles, but only recycled 38.

Concern over the chemical known as ‘BPA’, which is used in most plastic bottles, is well publicised. Studies have shown that it interferes with our estrogen levels—at best causing us to gain weight, and at worst stopping the production of male sex hormones. While the jury is still out on this one, there is a simple alternative … drink pure, refreshing, mineral-rich water straight from the tap, and refill with a re-usable BPA-free water bottle.

Hard-core cardio—like an energetic fitness class or running—gives you an explosion of the stress chemical, cortisol. This can give you a buzz, sometimes known as ‘runners’ high’. But as you get older, you may find that it pushes your stress levels too high. Rather than giving you an energy boost, hard-core exercise can leave you exhausted.

Too much cortisol can actually cause your body to hold on to weight, so pushing yourself may even have the opposite effect to what you are wanting.

Don’t focus on how many calories you’ll burn; choose exercise you find enjoyable and energising. The main thing is to keep moving—walking, biking, gardening and swimming are gentle enough for all ages and have excellent health benefits. Many experts believe swimming is the ultimate form of exercise, as it uses all your muscles but is gentle on the body.

Turn your focus to strength-building, rather than cardio. As you age, muscle starts to waste away, but you can counteract this by maintaining strength.

That doesn’t mean pumping iron until your veins pop (your cortisol will go through the roof). But Pilates, yoga and light weights are excellent for maintaining strength—and you may be surprised at how much of a sweat you work up.

Studies have shown that people who over-exercise actually don’t live as long. So think of it as a tortoise and hare situation—it’s not how fast you go, slow and steady will win the race.

My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She’s 97 now, and we don’t know where the heck she is. Ellen DeGeneres

Easy Fish Curry I was aiming for a Malaysian-type curry. I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the result, but it’s delicious and easy. | Serves 2–3 2 Tbsp canola oil 2 medium onions, chopped 2–3 cloves garlic, chopped 1–2 Tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger 2 tsp curry powder 1 Tbsp tomato paste ½–¾ cup water ¾ coconut cream ½–1 tsp coconut cream ½–1 tsp salt 500g firm fillets (snapper, warehou, etc) 3–4 Tbsp chopped coriander

Heat oil in large, lidded and preferably non-stick pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook over a mediumhigh heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown. Stir in the chopped or grated ginger and cook for 1–2 mins longer.

Add the curry powder and cook, stirring continuously for another minute, then add tomato paste, ½ cup of water, coconut cream and salt to taste. Allow sauce to come to boil while you cut fish into 2–3 cm cubes.

Gently stir fish into sauce, then cover pan and cook for 2–3 mins or until fish is just cooked, adding the extra water if mixture is too dry.

Sprinkle in coriander, reserving a little for garnishing, then serve over steamed rice.

Cook’s tip: This recipe also works well with chicken. Simmer for 10–15 mins or until chicken is cooked through.

From Quick Meals by Simon Holst. Go to www.holst.co.nz

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A Should I ask him out?

I have a guy friend and although I really like him, I honestly can’t tell how he feels about me. I don’t want to lose him as a friend, but I don’t know where I stand and it’s making me miserable. Should I tell him I like him, or is that the guy’s role?

You’re describing such a common situation. You say that you don’t want to lose him as a friend. But may I gently challenge you on this?

My guess is that you probably already have good friends who meet your needs for friendship. You don’t really want another friend, what you want is something more. Ask yourself: what is causing me more pain, having him as a friend and not knowing where I stand, or maybe losing his friendship but being able to move on?

Another reason we say we don’t want to ‘lose the friendship’ is that we’re scared of rejection. It may be helpful to re-frame your thinking and challenge yourself: if I get a ‘no’, is it really that bad? Sure, it doesn’t feel good at the time. But to be honest, rejection is a part of life—not everyone will like us all of the time.

It’s very positive to be able to face this and move on, knowing your value is still intact.

Nowadays, we have the power to easily form friendships with the opposite sex, but we may not feel we have the power to change that relationship.

Culturally, it’s true that there is still some expectation on men to do the asking out—and it’s also true that if a guy likes a girl enough, the norm is that he will ask her out. But it’s a mistake to always assume that if a man doesn’t make the first move, he’s not interested.

You do have the power to change the relationship, if you want to. Of course, that means accepting that it may be a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ from him—but either way, know that you are not powerless. (PS I do hope it’s a ‘yes’!)

Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.

Charlie Brown Peanuts

Testify Gloria McLean of Whangarei loves her new life with a partner transformed by the power of God. Trevor, my partner and now my husband, had a drug addiction for nearly 30 years. Our life together was like being on a merry-go-round.

My emotions were up and down. Never knowing when he was going to snap, when things were going to go flying or when the kids were going to be yelled at. It was like living round a time bomb that was ready to go off at any time.

I dreaded going out driving, because if someone cut in front of us the red light would go off in him and road rage would set in. There was nothing I could say or do to calm him down; only a smoke of marijuana would do that.

Life became very unhappy for me. I started feeling anxious inside and fearing what was coming next.

I had no confidence to leave, but I was too scared to stay, so I found myself wishing a lot that he would always have a smoke on hand. When he smoked that was when life was calm and my family were happy, but at the same time I knew he could snap—just like that.

There were many times I would go to my room and desperately pray that things would change— that Trevor would find the help and support he needed. Deep down, I knew if that happened I would see the true love of this man.

To my amazement, Trevor came home one day and said he was going to get help, because he was sick of the life we were living.

I felt so relieved, but at the same time I was scared at the thought of Trevor going cold turkey. We had gone through this a few times over the years and the coming down off drugs would always lead to anger and rage.

But this time was different. It seemed like a total miracle! Trevor enrolled with The Salvation Army Bridge Programme, working with [Lieutenant] Hana [Seddon]. He started going to Recovery Church each week and he started talking about God, which led to him dealing with emotions deep inside.

My kids were asking me, ‘What’s going on with Dad? He’s different. He’s not smoking or angry anymore.’ I replied, ‘Dad has handed his life over to God.’

Studying in Dunedin in 2016?

Get the spiritual support you need by hooking up with a great

Never again did I see the angry, unlovable man I used to live with.

Instead, I saw a transformed, happy man, as God became Trevor’s life.

And as Trevor was transformed, I was transformed too—through the power of God and the impact of watching my man walking his talk.

It didn’t happen overnight —this transformation took nearly three years. However, after seeing those changes in Trevor I decided to hand my life over to God as well.

Three years ago, just before my father passed away from cancer, Trevor and I were married.

It is such a privilege to be living out my love for Jesus as a soldier in The Salvation Army, and I am proud to be a Māori Christian who is strong in the Lord.

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:

student church

community.

We can also help find you a flat!

NAME: ADDRESS:

Nite Church is run by Dunedin City Salvation Army Contact Leanne or Nolan Hill 027 439 0922

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

10 | WarCry 31 October 2015

Advice

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Before you became a parent, you probably read a lot of advice to ensure your baby sleeps, feeds, smiles and is generally the perfect child. And then … your real-life baby arrived. Here’s what the books won’t tell you:

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What Parenting Books Don’t Tell You

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QUICK QUIZ 1 2 3 4 5

Which London Park houses London Zoo? CU is the chemical symbol for which element?

What is the only American state that begins with the letter P? Which cartoon character was always trying to catch Road Runner?

What two women ran from Jesus’ empty tomb to tell the disciples Jesus was alive?

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

There are no formulas: Parenting

advice depends on scenarios where ‘if you do X, you will get Y’.

But in real life, ‘if you do X, you will get Z!’ Your children haven’t read the latest parenting book so being a parent is a huge lesson in learning that not all things (perhaps nothing) are in your control. But that’s not the same thing as being out of control.

So, roll with the punches and improvise—sometimes it will work and sometimes it won’t.

It’s not your fault: Similarly, when things don’t go according to the plan, it’s not your fault.

Sometimes children won’t sleep.

Sometimes they won’t eat.

They’ll get sick, they go through teething, they become teenagers.

Think of parenting like a map—if your route doesn’t work, try another route.

You will be in pain sometimes:

We’re not talking about metaphorical, emotional pain (although there’s plenty of that).

We’re talking about being headbutted, kicked, punched, sat on, bitten—especially from toddlers.

But the rough and tumble is so worth it, just to hear their infectious laughter.

Kids cry: A lot of parenting advice

is based around trying to stop kids crying. But babies cry—it’s a great instinct that meant back when families had 10 kids, one of them wouldn’t be forgotten.

The biggest challenge is to not become anxious or angry, but to respond with sympathy. A cuddle is usually the best medicine, but here are no formulas.

Saying ‘no’ will be harder than you think: You’ll refuse to let

them have chicken nuggets for breakfast, drive the car and play ‘crashes with mummy’s treasure’.

Then they look at you with big eyes and plead, ‘Please say yes, please say yes!’ What kind of parent says no? You do! It’s a difficult but necessary part of parenthood. At the same time, it’s easy to catch yourself saying ‘no’ just for the sake of it—so maybe they can have chicken nuggets for breakfast. Just this once.

You won’t treasure every moment:

You can’t treasure every moment when many of them are made up of feeding, cleaning up after feeding, pooing, weeing, cleaning up after pooing and weeing. A lot of parenting is mundane and routine. But there will also be plenty of moments that become treasures, without you forcing it.

Help is available! When things

get tough (and ideally before they do!) take advantage of some of the parenting support that’s out there. War Cry recommends the Alpha Parenting Course (www.alpha.org.nz) and Toolbox parenting courses (www. theparentingplace.com). These courses teach you great skills, allow you to bounce ideas off other parents, and reassure you that you’re not unusual in finding parenting hard sometimes.

Close Up | 11

BY INGRID BARRATT

Why We Love Reality TV ‘I loathe reality TV!’ I hear you protest. But the enduring popularity of the ‘celebrity-builders-can’t-cook-while-dancing’ genre puts you firmly in the minority. And love it or loathe it, the reality TV phenomenon gives us some interesting clues about what it means to be human.

In TV ratings for the week 5–13 October,* four out of the five top programmes were some version of reality TV—Shortland Street was number one (a brilliant/bizarre phenomenon in itself). But after that came Highway Cops, The Block, Piha Rescue and One News … which some would argue is the original reality TV show.

Take ironic postmodern pride, Kiwis, because New Zealand is the home of reality TV. We were the first country in the world to produce Popstars—the TV programme that created the original girl band Truebliss. This early example gives us a clue as to why we love reality TV: while riotously popular at the time, Truebliss didn’t last beyond their first couple of singles. With a few transcendent exceptions (we love you, Stan Walker!), reality TV contestants have had the staying power of a sticking plaster. It’s not really the people or even the talent we love, it’s the drama of competition.

I recently followed the latest DIY show Reno Rumble and was passionately backing one couple, Ayden and Jess. On finale night, I watched, glued to the screen. They won, I rejoiced … and then I promptly forgot about them (I even had to Google their names for this article). So I can’t say I genuinely cared about them as people; it was the competition that sucked me in.

Competition finds its home in comparison. Author Donald Miller, in his book Searching for God Knows What, writes as if he is an alien, visiting planet Earth: ‘There would be one thing I would notice that would kind of explain everything. And by that I mean everything. I mean everything that makes a person want to live his life a certain way or the stuff that drives a person’s thoughts, subconscious and conscious … The thing that drives human personalities is that they are constantly comparing themselves to one another … and the greater tragedy is that very few are aware they have this disease.’

From the moment we are born, we are in competition to make development milestones, get good grades, win at sports, find something we’re good at. As adults, that competition is played out with the realms of career, family and the accumulation of wealth. As a culture, we’re actually obsessed with competition—we are currently enveloped in the Rugby World Cup. And what is armchair sports if not reality TV? It all started with Adam and Eve, argues Miller. Before the Fall, when sin entered the world, the first two human beings lived in perfect

acceptance and harmony with their Creator, intrinsically accepting their value in Paradise. Competition made no sense. Or as Miller puts it, ‘I began to wonder if Adam and Ever were to visit me and my roommate to watch Survivor, for example, how confused they would be, how they might sit around naked and look over at the alien and roll their eyes all the time, making us feel very uncomfortable. And we might say, Well, look at your stupid system. You sit around naked all the time, and they might look over at us as if we were the crazy ones, needing to have all kinds of fabric in our closets to put on and make ourselves look fancy and less naked.’

Human personalities are constantly comparing themselves to one another.

With the Fall came self-consciousness, a disease so intertwined with our humanity that it’s impossible to imagine life without it. Imagine a world where the unfashionable are as lovable as the fashionable. The ugly as popular as the beautiful. Where fashion and beauty are irrelevant, because we see beauty in everyone.

But there is one who already sees the beauty in everyone. God is the antidote to our self-consciousness, and he sees us without the disease of comparison. This truth is written into every page of the Bible—proclaiming how God formed us and knew us before we were born, how all our days are part of his grand plan. In the Bible, God shows us that he loves the poor and defends the outcasts.

The apostle Paul gives us some great advice about how to live free of comparison: ‘Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind … think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you … We each have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us’ (Romans 12:2–5). We are called to live in complete acceptance of who God made us—with our own particular gifts and abilities—knowing that our humble contribution is a vital part of God’s plan for humanity.

‘If reality TV has taught us anything, it’s that you can’t keep people with no shame down!’ quips Tina Fey. May we all be as shameless, as bold and unafraid in living our lives as followers of Christ. * For ages 25-54. Most recent statistics at time of writing.

WE ARE CALLED TO KNOW GOD DEEPLY, ALLOWING HIM INTO EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES. JANDAL LESSONS FROM SOUTHERN YOUTH COUNCILS

BY MEGAN PATTINSON

Are you chasing after God? Are you chasing so closely that the sand from his jandals is flicking up into your face? (Picture that—God wearing jandals!)

We are called to know God deeply, allowing him into every part of our lives. We can try and do life without him, but he has every part of our lives under control, so why not allow him into the driver’s seat?

Over the weekend of 2–4 October, we were challenged by many aspects of this concept, and many of us came away challenged and willing to chase after God a lot more closely

than we have done before. The theme was ‘Sandy Jandals: Living Life in Someone Else’s Shoes’. Some experienced God for the first time, others recommitted their lives and some had a shake-up to have God as their focus.

About 140 campers and leaders from Blenheim to Invercargill came together at Living Springs Camp in Christchurch, with teaching from a group of great local speakers and worship led by a super-energetic team from around the Southern Division. God was super present!

Throughout the weekend we also enjoyed a variety of activities. We competed in a quiz night, smashed each other in Zorb Soccer, threw ourselves at the human fly trap, wrestled in the sumo suits, and performed our hearts out in the ultimate lip-sync battle.

It was a great weekend spent together in the presence of God, soaking in his teaching, getting to know him more deeply.

There is no denying that God is at work in the Southern Division!

31 October 2015 WarCry | 13

LIVING LIKE JESUS AT CENTRAL YOUTH CONFERENCE

sync battle. It was so cool to see so many young people stepping up and performing in front of a large crowd—some of them for the first time.

On Saturday, we got into some meaty teaching about faith in action, with Scott Curtis (Miramar Corps) kicking things off. Scott shared with us about the importance of giving God room to move and explained how our mission field is our entire life.

Central Youth Conference was an awesome time of teaching, hanging out, worship and fun. This year’s theme was ‘Faith in Action’ and we spent the weekend unpacking what that means and what that looks like for each of us.

Straight after this, we got into ‘The Hunger Games’, where Major Sue Hay of the Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit divided us into groups based on how wealth is distributed across the world. We spent time learning and experiencing what lunch would be like for each of these groups. Sue then led us in our second main session, challenging us to consider what justice truly is and how we need to actively pursue fair and compassionate distribution of wealth, privilege and opportunities for all people.

Friday night kicked off with some ice-breakers, and then we went straight into an intense lip-

Saturday’s free time included chilling in the café, playing sport, lining up for a shower in

BY VANESSA SINGH

Over the weekend of 25–27 September, a bunch of young people and their leaders from across the lower North Island moved to Palmerston North Corps for the weekend.

the one available shower, or participating in a mission outreach afternoon. There were some incredible stories of helping others and listening to and praying for people in the community.

Saturday night, Lieutenant Brad Carpenter (Divisional Youth Secretary) brought the Word and shared about the importance of loving others in all we do, and not just talking like the ‘clanging of a cymbal’.

After another night marae-style on the floor at Palmy Salvation Army, we joined with Palmerston North and Kelvin Grove Corps for Sunday morning church. It was great to join together in worship and hear from Brad about what it truly means to be like Jesus.

We all left the weekend craving healthy food, more sleep or an extra eyebrow (sorry Brad!)

—but most importantly, we left with a desire to put our faith into action in our communities!

WE LEFT WITH A DESIRE TO PUT OUR FAITH INTO ACTION IN OUR COMMUNITIES!

WORLDS COLLIDE AT MIDLAND YOUTH COUNCILS

BY LIEUTENANTS SHANE AND SARAH HEALEY

On Friday 25 September, worlds collided with the beginning of Youth Councils 2015 at Keswick Park, Rotorua. Corps from all around our mighty Midland Division showed up, with youth excited to catch up with each other, have some fun and encounter God. This year’s theme ‘Worlds Collide’ focused on Jesus’ teaching to his disciples that they are to be people in this world, but not of it. So we let the battle begin … In one corner, the world’s ideals and values; and in the other, a biblical understanding and way of living. Too often these are not the same, and as Christians we must choose which way to fight.

The weekend included seminars on the battle for our hearts, soul, mind and time, led

by guest speakers Lieutenants Bryant and Pauleen Richards (Booth College of Mission), Lieutenants Steve and Faye Molen (Tokoroa Corps), divisional leaders Majors Garth and Suzanne Stevenson, as well as divisional children and youth leaders Lieutenants Sarah and Shane Healey.

For Saturday afternoon the youth took the fight to the Rotorua streets, attempting to encourage and bless the community through free chocolate, gifts for maternity hospitals, offering to buy people’s groceries, singing, visiting rest homes and more.

Each group shared the joys and challenges of trying to bless people on Saturday night, at which 23 youth responded to God’s call for more of him in their lives. The night concluded with a lip-sync battle with kilts, ’80s rap, a bit of Grease and Tom Medland—you can ask him about that! The weekend ended with a call to understand the grace we each receive from God and the challenge to practice it in all we do.

Thank you to all who attended Youth Councils this year. You are all amazing!

So, let’s get ready to rumble! Bring it on, world!

Our Community | 15

Strong Support for 14 Hours Homeless More than 500 people voluntarily went homeless for a night for the second annual Salvation Army 14 Hours Homeless fundraiser this month.

Teams at seven locations in Auckland, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington and Invercargill slept rough on cardboard and couches or in cars overnight on 9 October and raised over $80,000 for projects helping homeless people in each city.

The event also aims to raise awareness of homelessness and was timed so participants woke up on World Homeless Day on 10 October having had a small taste of the homelessness that affects about one in 120 New Zealanders.

Salvation Army Territorial Public Relations Director Shane Chisholm said he was thrilled that the number of people taking part more than doubled from last year. ‘It was a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and we’re delighted with the high level of engagement and the tremendous amount of funds raised.’

Among the new participants holding their first events were groups in Napier and New Plymouth, and a youth event at Waitakere College. While other events were for people aged 18 up, Waitakere Community Ministries manager Rhondda Middleton said about half the participants at the Waitakere event were teenagers and half were adults. The community had been really welcoming and embraced the fundraiser, she said.

At each location participants shared a meal, listened to presentations about homelessness and ways to help in their area, and took part in group activities before heading to bed. Food was also supplied in the morning, with Countdown donating food nationwide and Crown Relocation supplying the cardboard for people to sleep on.

There was also strong support from local businesses and politicians with city councillors and community board members taking part in many events.

The largest event was held in Wellington, where 230 people participated and late registrations had to go on a standby list when more people asked to join than could fit in the venue! Participants included Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and City Councillor Paul Eagle, taking part for their second year and a number of homeless and formerly homeless people. Among the people who donated to the event was a woman who gave the money she had collected from begging that day.

For the Wellington event, The Salvation Army partnered with four other homeless charities, raising funds for Downtown Community Ministry, the Wellington Homeless Women’s Trust, the Wellington Night Shelter and The Soup Kitchen, along with the Army’s Wellington Youth Services. The event was strongly supported by the Wellington City Mission, city council and businesses.

Partnering with other agencies had been a positive experience and a good representation of the way the agencies worked together supporting homeless Wellingtonians, Shane said. ‘It was a fantastic collaborative effort. It’s been great to work together and bring our individual strengths to a very worthwhile cause.’

Napier Corps Officer Major Alister Irwin said a hardy group of 16, including corps members and Ministry of Social Development staff, took part in their inaugural event and looked to have raised up to $3000.

The sleep-out had been a good learning experience, both about homelessness and providing ideas for improving their event next year, he said. ‘The people on couches discovered that with the early morning dew the couches got a bit wet—but at least it was a warm night! It’s an opportunity for people to have a taste of what it could be like, while recognising that we were still very sheltered.’

The Napier teams’ fundraising efforts will help finish one of five transitional housing units being built to help clients leaving prison or addiction treatment, as they are supported to reintegrate with society.

People can still donate to 14 Hours Homeless by visiting www 14hourshomeless.org.nz For photos of the night, visit The Salvation Army’s Facebook page at www facebook.com/SalvationArmyNZFijiTonga

16 | WarCry 31 October 2015

Celebrating 20 Years of Recovery Church Anticipation, excitement and renewed connections were a big part of celebrating 20 years of Recovery Church. Recovery Church members, friends and Salvation Army leaders from all over New Zealand gathered in Auckland, from 3–4 October, for the celebration.

The celebration started at Auckland City Corps with hugs and delighted conversations as people shared memories, and viewed artwork and exhibitions displaying elements of the Recovery journey in various forms. Everyone feasted on a continuous supply of nibbles and drinks, a welcome provision for those who had travelled long distances to be there.

We then moved into a haka pōwhiri. This was a powerful time, right from the calling of the karanga to the entrance of the visitors to Auckland. Many people carried in their hearts memories of friends who had died and, in particular, Major Kevin Goldsack, one of the pioneers of this work who had been promoted to Glory only days earlier. The words of the speeches, the music and the spirit of the pōwhiri set a solid foundation for us to move into the rest of the day’s events.

This was followed by a truly sumptuous hāngī prepared by a local rugby league team, followed by desserts prepared by Marie, the Mt Eden Bridge Programme cook, ably assisted by the youth of Mt Albert Corps.

As the food settled, we were treated to musical accompaniment from the Whangarei Recovery Church team, who lead us in several familiar Recovery Church songs, an energetic Recovery rap by a Wellington Recovery Church member, and an uplifting message from Lieutenant Karl Foreman on being freed by God from different inner-life traps that we sometimes face. The explosive noise of various possum, small animal and mouse traps going off, emphasised the devastation such traps can cause.

The evening drew to a close in the singing of ‘Whakāria-mai’, as we stood together in celebration of the greatness of God. Sunday dawned all too soon for some, after a very late night in their various places of rest, including living marae style at the Mt Wellington, Mt Albert and Manakau corps.

But any tiredness was overshadowed by the excitement and

anticipation as we met for a celebration meeting at the Mt Eden Recovery Church in Ewington Ave. Sunday included many special moments. We rejoiced in the singing of ‘Amazing Grace’, journeyed gingerly with Commissioner Janine Donaldson as she spoke of her desperate need of light at the bottom of an underground cave, and marvelled at the courage of a Palmerston North Recovery Church member as she testified to the redeeming power of God to help her overcome her gambling addiction.

An especially poignant moment came when Territorial Commander Commissioner Robert Donaldson presented a certificate of appreciation to Major Merilyn Goldsack, acknowledging the pioneering work of her and the late Major Kevin Goldsack. Merilyn was supported by her family for this emotional time.

We also took on board the truth from the Territorial Commander that—like the old and young oxen in Africa being yoked together for training in the fields—when we allow ourselves to be joined to Christ, we are daily shown the true pace and direction for our lives (Mathew 11:29). The words of the song ‘The Power of Your Love’ became very significant as we sang together in prayer.

The celebration, the presence of God and impact of this weekend was strongly felt as we shared lunch together before departing to our various cities and homes.

We are immensely grateful to God for being able to celebrate the past 20 years—the number of Recovery Churches has grown from one to 15, with six attached to Addiction Services programme centres and the remaining nine operated by corps. But also we are full of awe and expectation at what will come from this ministry in the coming years.

One corps is preparing to open a Recovery Church in 2016 and enquiries are also coming from overseas Christians as to what God is doing and whether recovering people in their country could benefit from this type of gathering. We pray that God will continue to lead his people to reach out to different groups in their community and offer a place where they can belong and seek his redeeming grace.

Commissioner Astrid Herring and Captain Rob Van Abs

Gardening for the Hungry Earns Gardener of the Year Nomination A flourishing gardening effort to help hundreds in need has seen some green-fingered Alexandra residents nominated for an award as the country’s gardeners of the year.

The Salvation Army Community Garden in Alexandra has been nominated for the NZ Gardener magazine’s annual Gardener of the Year award, which aims to recognise what it calls ‘horticultural heroes’.

The garden was started 10 years ago and today sees volunteers growing food and chopping firewood, to help more than 100 families a year.

Garden manager Brian Seymour said the garden is run from a plot of land leased from the Central Otago District Council. Although it’s a community effort to keep the garden growing, the scale of the work is commercial. The garden is 5000 square metres and they use a further section of unused land to store the firewood they gather and cut to give to people in need.

‘We have about 20 different types of vegetables. Anything you can think of, basically we grow it. We’ve got a huge glass house, about the size of a normal house. Our patch of corn this year will be about 20 metres by eight metres,’ Brian said.

The produce goes to a veggie coupon programme run by Alexandra Corps and excess goes to the combined churches food bank. The first vegetables are ready for harvesting near the end of November, going straight into food parcels and then Christmas hampers, Brian said.

Food that is left over is stored, frozen or bottled by another team for later use.

Corps Community Ministries coordinator Bess Carbines said from January they coordinate with other social agencies who give families in need a coupon that they bring to the corps on a Tuesday morning

Our Community | 17

UN Urges Faith Groups to Fight Poverty At the 2015 United Nations (UN) General Assembly, membercountries agreed an ambitious 15-year plan for the sustainable development of the planet, with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets that apply to every country in the world.

Priority has been given to addressing the needs of the poorest people—a Salvation Army priority for the past 150 years.

Commissioner William Cochrane, International Secretary to the Chief of the Staff at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters, attended a high-level meeting of faith leaders, UN and World Bank executives to develop an action framework to end extreme poverty.

This focuses on three key areas: evidence of what works, advocacy to keep this a global priority, and partnerships to encourage people to work together toward this important goal.

Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant, Director of the International Social Justice Commission (ISJC), addressed the meeting. He said, ‘While the initial focus is on ending extreme poverty, this will be impossible without also addressing inequality, environmental damage, gender inequality and other key issues affecting the world’s poorest people.

Increasingly, we recognise the importance of all 17 SDGs and the need to view them as indivisible. We cannot pick and choose—they must all be achieved to ensure that no one is left behind.’

Dr Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN, stressed the importance of faith groups, saying, ‘I urge you, as faith leaders, to use your enormous influence as bridge-builders, as proponents of the universal values that connect all faiths and traditions, and as role models who speak out against hatred. At a time of rising extremism and discrimination against migrants and refugees, that role is more important than ever. Without exception, our faiths call on us to reduce inequality and reach out to those who are furthest behind. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development pledges to do just that. Your engagement and support will be crucial.’

During the UN General Assembly, UN Global Education Envoy Dr Gordon Brown, presented Dr Ban Ki-moon with 10 million #UpForSchool signatures, calling for education to be made available to every child. Almost every Salvation Army territory and command helped collect signatures, contributing more than 70,000 signatures.

GAZETTE

to swap for vegetables. They can easily see 60 families on a Tuesday morning and families access the programme 10 times on average during the 16 weeks it runs. It all requires a big effort from the garden team, who do a top job, she said.

‘They’re amazing. It’s pivotal to the drop-in coupon morning and with the planning it just falls into place. The garden’s absolutely well kept, because of the passion the guys have. It’s a delight to see in the harvest time.’

Brian works at the garden or collecting firewood for it every weekday morning with a team of up to eight or nine volunteers and people sentenced to community work. The town has embraced the garden and volunteers vary from corps members to local Mormon missionaries, Brian said. Schools and garden clubs also help out from time to time and the work has a big impact on the workers who find value and develop healthier self-esteem, Bess said. ‘I think it’s an eyeopener for everybody. They’re learning about seeds, how to plant and grow things. It’s education, socialisation, motivation—all those good things to empower people.’

The nomination has attracted some high profile attention with the Governor General planning a visit to the garden next month. Being nominated for the Gardener of the Year Award was a privilege and winning the prize, which includes a gardening pack, would make a big difference in covering the costs required to keep the garden going and feeding people, Brian said.

Vote for the Gardener of the Year by visiting www gardena.com/ nz/garden-life/campaigns/2015-gardener-of-the-year-nz

Promotion to Glory Mjr Winsome Howie on 13 Oct 2015, aged 86, from Auckland. Winsome Alma Howie was born in Auckland on 27 Nov 1928. She entered Training College from Auckland Congress Hall Corps in 1952 as a member of the Intercessors Session. Following her commissioning, Winsome was appointed to Cambridge Corps as Assistant Officer. Over the next 19 years she served as Corps Officer at the following corps: Brooklyn, Lyttleton, New Brighton, Carterton, Tamaki, Foxton, Upper Hutt, Rotorua and Avondale.

In 1973, Winsome was appointed Matron of Salem House, Auckland. In 1976, she was appointed to Territorial Headquarters as Assistant Social Services Secretary. This was followed by an appointment as Wellington Regional Social Services Coordinator and an additional appointment as Matron, Florence Booth Emergency Lodge, Wellington. In 1980, Winsome was appointed South Island Regional Social Services Coordinator.

Between 1982 and 1986 Winsome served as Social Services Secretary in the Southern Africa Territory.

On her return to NZ in April 1986, Winsome was appointed to the PR Dept Northern as Legacy Promotion

Officer with an additional appointment as Prison Officer, Auckland.

In 1987, Winsome moved to Tauranga as Manager of Aspen Eventide Home and Regional Social Services Coordinator for the southern part of the Northern Division. It was from here that she retired on 1 Dec 1988.

Following retirement, Winsome had short-term appointments as Corps Officer at Levin and at Edendale, Auckland in 1989. In in her retirement, she was very active in the Auckland City Corps. For 17 years she was Pastoral Care Coordinator. Winsome also gave outstanding service to National Council of Women as an active member for over 45 years.

A celebration of Winsome’s life was held on 19 Oct at Auckland City Corps, led by Mjr Terry Heese. Please uphold her family members, friends and colleagues in prayer. Well done, good and faithful servant of Jesus!

Bereaved Capt Vilikesa Bogi, Corps Officer of Suva Central Corps, of his stepbrother, Josaia Salabogi (58). The funeral service was held at Saweni Village on 13 Oct. Please support Capts Vilikesa and Sesenieli Bogi and their family with your prayers at this time of grief and loss.

18 | WarCry 31 October 2015

LEADERSHIP LINKS

Are we really asking God for enough?

If God had a complaint against us, would it be that we ask him for too many things or that we don’t ask him for enough? If you’re anything like me, you probably feel that every time you come to God in prayer you’re always asking for more!

Lord, give me more power to serve you better … Lord, please heal my sore back … Lord, give me more faith to believe our corps can grow … Lord, help me cope with my grumpy boss … Lord, may my kids grow up to love you … Lord, forgive me yet again for my lousy attitude … Lord, guide me into making the right decision …

We can sometimes feel that we have ‘out-asked’ God and that surely by now he must be tired of our repetitive and sometimes even trivial requests. However, I have recently been reminded that we probably don’t ask for enough, often enough.

We struggle to solve a difficult problem, only to finally ask God to help us—and he turns our problem into a possibility!

We ask for five new people to join the corps and we’re delighted when they come. But God was willing to send us 15! We pray for our children to become followers of Jesus, when we should have also asked God for our children to become leaders for Jesus. We ask God to help us make ends meet with our finances, when we should have been praying for God to open the windows of Heaven and pour out such a blessing that we won’t have enough room to contain it! I’m sure you get the point.

C.S. Lewis says, ‘If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the gospels it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures fooling around with things of the world when infinite joy is offered us.

Like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because we can’t imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.’

So, let me remind you of some of these unblushing promises: • ‘Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us.’ (Ephesians 3:20) • ‘How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those that ask him?’ (Matthew 7:11) • ‘My God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.’ (Philippians 4:19) • ‘This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask for anything in his name according to his will, he hears us!’ (1 John 5:14) So, are we really asking God for enough? Keep asking and believing today! You can never out-ask God! Lieutenant-Colonel Rod Carey Territorial Secretary for Programme

Accepted for Training MESSENGERS OF THE GOSPEL SESSION —NGĀ KARERE O TE RONGOPAI (2016–2017) Grant & Lynda Pitcher (Hastings Corps) Grant and Lynda have lived in Hastings since 2013 after moving from Hamilton. Grant and Lynda have four children: Timaeus, Kathleen (17) who is hoping to begin medical imaging studies in Christchurch next year, Eli (15) who is in year 11, and Samuel (13) who is in year 8.

Lynda has always known God’s presence in her life, especially when their son Timaeus passed away at two-and-a-half years of age. Lynda has struggled with having confidence in herself at times, but believes that God will be with her and will equip her and strengthen her in following his purpose and plan for her life. Lynda was the centre supervisor of the Nest Educare before moving to Hastings, where she now leads a home group.

When the Holy Spirit spoke to Grant about Salvation Army officership he knew the calling was real, as the conviction was as strong as it was when the Holy Spirit led him to forgive the doctor who accidentally caused Timaeus’s death many years earlier. It was at a good friend’s funeral that Grant and Lynda both heard God’s call on their lives. When driving home, Grant told Lynda of the Spirit’s moving and she stated that the Lord had placed the same calling into her heart during the service.

Lynda’s answer to God during the funeral service was: ‘Lord, it is not me you need to convince; it’s Grant.’

Officership is not something Grant and Lynda had ever contemplated, but it is their calling. They will give their all, and with the Holy Spirit’s guidance they believe nothing is impossible.

Following the Call An officer is a senior soldier who has responded to a calling from God to devote all their time and energies to the service of God. The road can be hard, but it brings incredible joy and immense fulfilment.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST Speak to your local Divisional Candidates Secretary or talk to your corps officer. The application process that follows gives time and space for God’s will to be tested and confirmed.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/officership for more info

Mission Matters | 19

July 2014 Graduation/Photography: Ian Hutson

BY IAN HUTSON

The Hauora Programme Celebrating a six-year partnership of healing from addictions between The Salvation Army and the Mongrel Mob. On 18 September, a crowd of over 120 people took part in a pōwhiri at the Papa o Te Aroha Marae in Tokoroa to celebrate with the 10th group of tāngata whaiora (clients) to graduate from the Hauora Programme.

This programme aims to combat drug addiction among gang members and is funded by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

The Hauora Programme commenced in 2009 after senior members of the Notorious Chapter of the Mongrel Mob approached The Salvation Army requesting help to combat methamphetamine (‘P’) addiction.

Gang members had asked a number of agencies for help to combat drug addiction in their midst, motivated by a desire to secure a healthier future for themselves and their children. But only The Salvation Army was prepared to work with them to achieve this change.

The Hauora Programme is based around the Māori philosophy of holistic health, which encompasses the physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects of a person’s wellbeing. A significant emphasis is placed on tikanga Māori (customs and traditions) to encourage positive life change.

Scattered among the crowd at the celebration were previous graduates and whānau, along with Salvation Army staff and officers who had participated in earlier programmes. Peter Kennerly from the MOH, who was instrumental in securing funding for the programme, attended with other MOH representatives.

The air was alive with atmosphere created by the magnificent carvings and warm ambience of the marae, the colourful mix of gang patches, regalia and Salvation Army uniforms, and the presence of many lively children.

This celebration was especially moving because not only was this the tenth graduation, but it was also the last programme for which there was funding. Everyone was aware that with no guarantee of future funding, this could be the final Hauora Programme graduation—despite optimism that further funding may be forthcoming.

The strength and warmth of the partnership between the Notorious Chapter of the Mongrel Mob and Te Ope Whakaora (The Salvation Army) was acknowledged by various speakers. It was clear that this was not a relationship based on any written agreement, but on personal relationships forged in a common and critical endeavour.

Frequent allusions were made to the common battle both partners were engaged in that had brought unity to the relationship. The clear motivation for this ‘fight’ was the large number of photos of bros who had died prematurely, pictured alongside tamariki from the wider whānau displayed on the back wall in the wharenui. This served as a poignant backdrop to proceedings.

Prominently displayed at the front of all these photos—and frequently acknowledged in the kōrero of many speakers—was a photo of Salvation Army founder William Booth, whose battle cry was noted: ‘… while women weep as they do now, I’ll fight! …’

The mood was buoyant as the latest graduates introduced themselves with a pepeha and thanked everyone whose support had helped them successfully reach this point. Graduates spoke of having a sense of hope for the future and were clearly pleased to receive their certificates of completion.

Graduates spoke of having a sense of hope for the future.

With these latest graduates, over 100 people have graduated from the Hauora Programme. As well, the wider whānau—and especially their tamariki—and gang members and leaders have been positively impacted by this journey of healing.

A significant level of funding has been committed by MOH for a comprehensive review of what has been accomplished within the gang and among their whānau. This review will include the work of the Hauora Programme, along with other initiatives the Notorious Chapter has carried out amongst themselves or in collaboration with other organisations. It is optimistically anticipated, if anecdotal reports are anything to go by, that many signs of transformation will be clear and that this will lead to further funding for the continuation of this or similar programmes in the future.

As Roy Dunn, one of the visionaries from the Notorious Chapter said several years ago: ‘I ask myself, has this journey been worth it?

I guess my answer is that every time I bury another one of my bros, my gut turns, and so I keep going on this journey. I remind myself of where we have come from and our vision to see our children free. [This vision is] to know and understand values that see us embrace that which we are good at: being whānau, looking out for each other and having a good future for our kids.’

Some Mongrel Mob members have successfully made contact with The Salvation Army around the country seeking additional support.

It would be wonderful to see the partnership birthed in the Hauora Programme continue to bear fruit through fresh relationship-based mission opportunities in Salvation Army corps and centres across New Zealand. We want to celebrate the journey of healing these gang members are on and do our utmost to continue to support the transformation that they desire to see in their lives.

20 | WarCry 31 October 2015

an open door The Salvation Army responds to the University of Otago’s ‘Testing the Bridge’ Study.

An independent Otago University report says The Salvation Army Bridge Programme (also known as Addiction Services) is ‘world class’. Captain Dr Judith Christensen, who developed the Bridge Programme Model of Treatment, responds by looking back to the beginnings of The Salvation Army, and looking forward with new goals for the future—ensuring that the Bridge continues to be an ‘open door’ to all.

The whosoever The report from a University of Otago research team, Testing the Bridge: An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of The Salvation Army’s Bridge Programme Model of Treatment, has been long awaited by all involved with the Bridge. There is a genuine desire to learn from every aspect of the research study, including its recommendations, and to move forward into a new process of programme development.

From its earliest days in 19th century England, The Salvation Army combined an unapologetic evangelical ministry with a deep social concern. One of William Booth’s biographers described him as being ‘warmly prejudiced in favour of the unfortunate’. Booth insisted there was—had to be—an open door for everyone at The Salvation Army.

A person did not need to be ‘deserving’ to be invited in and receive a warm welcome. And, being or becoming a Christian or joining The Salvation Army could never be a condition for receiving a helping hand.

Thus began the Army’s long tradition of practical concern for what Booth called ‘our people’—the ‘whosoever’—namely every child, woman, or man whose circumstances may seem hopeless. Yet a thoughtful, timely and loving ‘hand up’ could restore their wellbeing and bring transforming hope, dignity and self-respect.

Over the years, many of the Army’s hands-on social initiatives around the world have preceded or coincided with governmental awareness of its obligation to offer assistance to its own suffering people. Throughout its history, The Salvation Army has often partnered with local and national governments in social service and social action projects desperately needed by the community, but usually incapable of being self-supporting in the short or long term.

In the beginning, pragmatic social programmes were led by committed Salvationists with a compassionate concern to ‘do something’, often untrained but willing to dedicate their lives and open their own homes and purses to those in need. They were always willing to accept financial assistance, and increasing scrutiny, from their community. Over the years, experience in social service and social action activities has brought increasing expertise and a growing awareness that ‘best practice’—a quality service—is essential. It is the right of every person and the responsibility of every provider.

The Good Samaritan for today Today, The Salvation Army remains committed to the ideology of the Good Samaritan, where ‘ordinary’ people are encouraged to help each other, often volunteering their time and giving their money to serve

their community as good neighbours, as well as through Salvation Army outreach programmes—including the Bridge Programme.

But there is also an acceptance that there has been a knowledge explosion in our understanding of people and their life experiences.

New knowledge, theories, disciplines and professions provide new opportunities to offer the kind of specialised service that actually gives people in difficult circumstances the kind of helping hand that is meaningful for them. Quality understanding, quality people, quality teams, quality service, quality relationships, quality outcomes—all are fundamental requirements in today’s addiction treatment programmes.

The Bridge Model of Treatment The 2002 Bridge Model of Treatment represented a major step in the ongoing development of one of the Army’s traditional social services. It identified The Salvation Army’s role as host for its treatment programme, and built on the Army’s accumulated expertise in working with people affected by their abuse of alcohol and/or drugs. It challenged providers to see the treatment experience as a true partnership, optimising the contribution of all staff but always centring on the client’s experience and their need to be fully involved in the negotiation and achievement of meaningful outcomes.

This Model of Treatment acknowledged the reality that the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 Step programme was already a significant component at the Bridge, and has been the treatment of choice for many clients over the years, offering an understanding of their addiction, a path to personal transformation, and ongoing social support within a peer group. It also introduced the Community Reinforcement Approach—informed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy—which already had a long history of proven use in a variety of settings and treatment regimes, particularly with people who abuse alcohol.

At the heart of the model was a commitment to offering a warm and compassionate, respectful, responsive, person-centred, transformative, inclusive and informed service. When the model was completed, much attention was given to developing a computerised documentation system within The Salvation Army’s Service and Mission Information System (SAMIS) that reflected the model in use. It was anticipated this would encourage much needed cohesion, consistency and integration within the treatment experience for both clients and staff. Significant ongoing education was undertaken to inform staff about every aspect of the programme, including the appointment of champions to encourage its informed application.

Yes, but …

After a decade of use, there has been informed and ill-informed discussion on the theoretical model and its use in practice, and many changes in both staff and programme delivery. Has the theoretical model of treatment been successfully translated into an everyday best practice treatment programme? Is it working?

It was timely to request an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of our treatment programme. Ongoing consultation led to the questions that eventually shaped the subsequent research process.

Soul Food | 21

From a provider perspective, the research outcome contained in this report that was delivered by the University of Otago this month reveals that yes, there is strong support for the overall effectiveness of the Bridge Model of Treatment, but …

The report both affirms and challenges the current model of treatment. ‘Yes, but…’ is perhaps the very best outcome the research could have given to the Bridge Programme and to those charged with taking it into the future. It gives independent confirmation of the need for an in-depth re-examination of some major aspects of programme delivery throughout the country. And it clearly re-states the current best practice approach that each person’s addiction experience is embedded within their whole life story, and therefore, focusing only on their addiction is not likely to achieve the desired outcome. Finally, the report provides advice on how to capture information that will facilitate informed internal and independent reviews at the individual and programme level. We are warmed by the Yes research outcomes: • Yes—the Bridge Programme Model of Treatment does incorporate current, and evidence-based, and best practice treatment approaches • Yes—a significant proportion of people entering the Bridge do complete a ‘therapeutic dose’ of treatment, as defined by the research team, and are able to demonstrate a multidimensional improvement in their circumstances when they leave the programme, and at a three month follow-up • Yes—our Model of Treatment stands up well when systematically compared with available data on similar programmes from a variety of perspectives • Yes—the inclusion of ‘spirituality’ as a key component is highly valued and deemed helpful by those who have completed the programme. This is consistent with current wisdom in the addictions field that suggests attention to a person’s spirituality may offer significant mental and physical health benefits, and should be a fundamental tenet in the multidimensional, holistic treatment approach now recommended.

There is a genuine desire to learn from every aspect of the research study.

Looking to the future But … the report also raises issues that give us a helpful starting place as we move into a new process of programme development that will inform and resource our Addiction Services team to deliver the very best possible service. As we develop a new Model of Treatment that will be in place by the end of 2016, we will: • ensure that there is clear and unbreakable continuity between the theoretical model of treatment and the actual programme in every Bridge Programme centre • identify quality and accountability implications—particularly in relation to consistency, cohesion and fidelity—of the multicentre Salvation Army addictions programme

•

deliver a programme that gives clients the opportunity to build a strong sense of personal identity, self-efficiency and resilience, and to move toward a greater internal locus of control, while also learning to value and experience fellowship and social support, especially within their own family/ community • accept as a fundamental tenet that treatment effectiveness is enhanced when co-existing mental, physical, emotional and social factors are attended to appropriately as part of the person’s comprehensive treatment plan • establish individualised programmes as the ‘norm’, because they represent best practice, rather than a set and standardised centre programme • determine what ‘completion’ of a person’s programme looks like and how each person can best be supported to maintain their abstinence or reduction in use in the long term • find a way to hear the voice of those who leave the programme without completing a ‘therapeutic dose’ • accept that not all people entering the Bridge will actually achieve good treatment outcomes, but clearly identify this as the goal for every person entering a programme • identify and apply ‘disciplinary’ strategies that are consistent with, and an integral part of, the treatment programme, openly acknowledging that best practice considers relapses a probability within each client’s recovery journey, and not an indicator of failure • develop an inclusive and distinctive definition of ‘spirituality’ that emphasises its contribution to giving life meaning and purpose and embed it as a key component in a holistic, multidimensional treatment programme • affirm that the Salvation Army Bridge retains its twin traditions of an evangelical commitment and a truly wide open door for everyone—the ‘whosoever—and that the actual daily programme clearly and intentionally encourages each client’s unique journey of discovery for their own life-affirming spiritual self • develop and implement an information strategy that captures the essence of the treatment approach, maximises the chances of consistent and comprehensive data entry that enables quality client management throughout the recovery journey, generates quality monitoring reports, and facilitates ongoing programme review processes.

This study represents so much work by many people—and from a provider perspective it must trigger action to be worthwhile. We know that no programme, indeed no human activity, is always 'perfect' when examined systematically or expereinced, and yet getting it right for every person every time should be the goal, because each person is precious and no one is expendeable.

Go to www salvationarmy.org.nz/TestingtheBridge to read the study.

22 | WarCry 31 October 2015

CALENDAR

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

OCTOBER 31–1 Nov: East Coast Regional Gathering / Midland Division

NOVEMBER 2: Marlborough Anniversary 3: Officer Development Day (Porirua) / Central Division 3: Constitution Day / Tonga Region 4–5: Street Day Appeal / Fiji Division 5: Officer Development Day (Feilding) / Central Division 6: Standing Together Earthquake Recognition Event / Christchurch 6: Mini Youth Camp (North) / Fiji Division 6: Women’s Rally / Tonga Region 6: Kneedrill Youth Event / Northern Division 6–8: Father and Kids Weekend / Blue Mountain Adventure Centre 9–12: One-Year Review / Booth College of Mission 11: Diwali Day / Fiji 11–12: Addictions Directors Conference / Wellington 13: Canterbury Anniversary

2015

Messengers of

Commıssioning New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga

& Ordination

Light Fiji

“You are the light of the world … … let your light shine before others.”

Matthew 5:14-16

Saturday 5 December, 4 pm Commissioning & Ordination Service Suva Central Corps, 52 MacGregor Rd

1 November: Auckland Korean Corps 6–7 November: Standing Together Earthquake Recognition Event, Christchurch 8 November: Johnsonville Corps 11-15 November: Overseas Development Trip to the Philippines (TPWM) Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 31 October–1 November: Porirua Corps 50th Anniversary 3 November: Home League, Blenheim (TSWM) 6-8 November: Standing Together Earthquake Recognition Event, Christchurch

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Grandview, Greymouth, Hamilton City, Hastings and Hawera Corps, retired Salvation Army officers, The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Command.

International Bible Reading Challenge WEEK 42 Hebrews 12–James 3 WEEK 43 James 4–1 Peter 3 Go to www.salvationarmy.org/biblechallenge for daily reading guides and more.

Crossword Answers: Across: 1 Resist, 4 Hardship, 9 Apron, 10 Intervals, 11 Hung, 12 Plum, 13 Cheer, 15 Nations, 16 Trim, 19 Ever, 20 Confuse, 23 Ocean, 24 Tilt, 25 Boot, 27 Territory, 28 Areas, 29 Darkness, 30 Beings; Down: 1 Reaching, 2 Strength, 3 Song, 5 Automatically, 6 Directions, 7 Healed, 8 Pastry, 10 Illustrations, 14 Convention, 17 European, 18 Dentists, 21 Sorted, 22 Nearer, 26 Lace. Quiz Answers: 1 Regents Park, 2 Copper, 3 Pennsylvania, 4 Wile E. Coyote, 5 Mary and Mary Magdalene (Matthew 28:8).

Sunday 6 December, 11 am Celebration Worship Suva Central Corps, 52 MacGregor Rd

New Zealand Friday 11 December, 7 pm Booth College of Mission Graduation Hutt City Corps, Cnr Cornwall St & Kings Cres, Lower Hutt

Saturday 12 December, 2:30 pm Commissioning & Ordination Service Wellington City Corps, 92 Vivian St

Sunday 13 December, 10 am Celebration Worship Wellington City Corps, 92 Vivian St

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

1–4 July 2016, Queen Salote Hall, Taufa’ahau Rd, Nuku’alofa with guest leaders General André Cox and Commissioner Silvia Cox

Study to advance Christ’s mission in today’s world Study full-time or part-time at Booth College of Mission The Salvation Army’s Booth College of Mission in Upper Hutt offers a wide range of study options. We provide supportive and stimulating teaching in a friendly and relaxed environment.

Study with us to achieve a Diploma of Christian Studies (DipCS)—a one-year programme (or equivalent part-time) of 120 NZQA-approved credits.

Select papers from: biblical studies; Christian thought and history; pastoral studies, preaching and worship; personal growth and skills for ministry; and mission eduction.

Talk to us about studying in 2016 Contact Academic Registrar Alison Hobbs e: alison_hobbs@nzf.salvationarmy.org.nz p: (04) 528 8628 God not only built my self-confidence, He showed me I had gifts that I’d never known.

If you’re thinking about studying here, go for it! You’ll grow. You’ll be fed. God is here.

www.salvationarmy.org.nz/boothcollege

Fun4Kids | 23

which tube did the toothpaste on the brush come from?

DID YOU KNOW ...

The most common letters used in English are R, S, T, L, N and E.

DID YOU KNOW ...

You speak about 4800 words a day.

N

B

R

H

L

C

T W U

E

S

H

I

R

A

Y

X

A

C

X

F

M P

K

P

D

K

E

F

O

L

T

N

U

B

Y

DID YOU KNOW ...

No words rhyme with ‘orange’ or ‘purple’.

Cross out all the pairs of letters.

Use the leftover letters to spell something we can get from God.

DID YOU KNOW ...

Pinocchio is Italian for ‘pine head’.

Answers: Toothpaste tube 3; Wisdom; Shadow I.

which shadow matches the coloured picture?

read it But if any of you lack wisdom, you should pray to God, who will give it to you; because God gives generously and graciously to all. (James 1:5, GNB)

Let’s Talk We don’t always know what to do or say, but we do know that Jesus wants us to live wisely.

King Solomon in the Bible was given the chance to ask God for anything he wanted. Imagine that! What would you ask for? Instead of asking for riches or popularity or good health, King Solomon asked for wisdom.

Daniel is another person in the Bible who was very wise—because he stayed close to God, talking to him often.

Both of these people—and many others in the Bible and throughout history— have known that the best way to get

wisdom is to ask God for it. Another really great way to become wise is to read the Bible. It’s full of lots of great advice and also helps us stay close to God.

Let’s Pray Dead God, I know that I need your wisdom to live well in the world. Help me to pray and read my Bible so I can stay close to you and know what you would like me to do. Amen.

unlock the potential in your community

Do you know someone aged 16 to 19 who could benefit from practical, zero-fees education? The Salvation Army Education and Employment can help.

0800 437 587 EducationandEmployment.org.nz facebook.com/SalvationArmyEE

Foundation learning Training for specific industries NCEA credits 1, 2 & 3 Start anytime The following courses are available: Auto Trades, Business Admin, Careers & Computing, Construction, Early Childhood Education, Engineering, and Service Sector.

Not all courses are available in all areas