SALT Magazine
The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory
Territorial Commander
Commissioner Janine Donaldson
General
Lyndon Buckingham
Founders Catherine and William Booth
4 8 12 20 33
Editor Vivienne Hill
Graphic design
Sam Coates, Nicole Gesmundo, Lauren Millington
Staff writers
Jules Badger, Kelly Cooper, Captain Rachel Montgomery
Proof reading
Colleen Marshall, Major Glenys Fairhurst
The Easter story naturally evokes creative imagination and reflection, bringing out flourishes of poetry, art and music in those interacting with it.
In this edition, we have a special art feature from Scott Erickson (Scott the Painter), showcasing some of his Easter art that draws on the Stations of the Cross. You can learn more about his work on page 8, and also visit his website at ScottEricksonArt.com. As you read through this Easter edition, feel free to slow down and consider the images provided as a compact Stations of the Cross, noticing how looking at this familiar story from a different angle can reveal something new to us.
We can also respond and reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice through movement, which we can read about in an interesting piece on page 16 about participating in pilgrimages across Aotearoa, headed up by a Palmerston North couple who have written a book on the topic.
For a more traditional (but newer to the Army) way to interact with the journey Jesus takes to the cross, Lt-Colonel Liz Gainsford encourages us on page 14 to make use of IHQ’s downloadable Lent cards about the power of gratitude. There are so many ways to interact with the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and we hope you can find one that fits for you this season.
Holly Morton-Chong Acting Editor
Connect with us saltmagazine.org.nz SaltMagazineNZ @SaltMagazineNZ salvationarmynzfts
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All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.
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When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished’. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. JOHN 19:30
Drama | Written and directed by Miki Magasiva | M (violence, offensive language and suicide)
Tinā tells the story of Samoan music teacher Mareta Percival (brilliantly played by Anapela Polataivao) whose daughter is killed in the Christchurch earthquake, and her hard road back to teaching, this time relieving at an elite Christchurch school. In an effort to connect with the students, Mareta starts a school choir, eventually taking her students to the secondary schools’ national competition The Big Sing. Themes of racism, suicide, grief and domestic violence could have made this movie a depressing watch, but Miki’s ability to showcase Samoan humour in the darkest of circumstances overlays a hopeful and light-filled touch to this wonderful script. Best seen with a friend or partner, but don’t forget the tissues. (Reviewed by Vivienne Hill)
Brio
Magazine | Teen girls aged 13–18 | Focus on the Family NZ
Brio brings a refreshing perspective to teen magazines, taking the classic formula and viewing it through a Godhonouring lens. Each bi-monthly edition is packed full of content, including music and film reviews, Bible study trackers, career profiles, DIY and craft projects and the ‘Ask Brio’ column, plus more. Brio offers wisdom, encouragement and biblical guidance in tackling big issues such as navigating friendships, unrequited crushes, body image issues, parental divorce, sibling relationships, belonging and loneliness. If you have a teenage girl in your life, this magazine is worth considering. Even as a woman in my twenties, I found plenty of wisdom and insight within the pages of Brio. (Reviewed by Jenna Martin)
Historical fiction | Ferdia Lennon | Henry Holt and Co.
Set during the Peloponnesian War, two unemployed men from Syracuse decide to use the Athenian prisoners in the town’s quarry to put on a production of Euripides’ Medea. This may sound like a dubious plot, but I promise this story is more heartwarming, more bittersweet and more fun than you would expect. The characterisation is rich and complex, and there are so many laugh-out-loud moments, particularly from the main character, Lampo. Ferdia Lennon also writes in a distinctly and intentional Irish voice, which is very entertaining from the mouths of ancient Greeks. I highly recommend listening to the audiobook, which is read by Ferdia who is clearly having a great time! (Reviewed by Holly Morton-Chong)
Lent ends 17 April
WORD OF THE MONTH
Whakawhetai
(Māori, noun) Gratitude, thanks, appreciation.
Source: māoridictionary.co.nz
Southern Easter Camp | Spencer Park, Christchurch 17–21 April
Northern Easter Camp | Mystery Creek, Hamilton 17–21 April
Good Friday 18 April
Easter Sunday 20 April
International Day of Children and Young People (TSA) 27 April
Red Shield Appeal 5 May
Check out our full event calendar at salvationarmy.org.nz/events
Central Taranaki Corps; Children’s Mission; Christchurch City Corps; Communities Metro Mission Support, Christchurch Metro; Christchurch North Corps; Commercial Department; Territorial Communications team; The Salvation Army in Norway, Iceland and the Færoes, and The Salvation Army in Russia.
Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t .
RIKKI ROGERS
If you recognise the people in this photo, we’d love to hear from you. Email: archives@ salvationarmy.org.nz
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Despite having a majority Christian population, believers in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo face severe persecution from extremists. Seventy Christians were kidnapped from the village of Mayba and beheaded in a Protestant church across the border in Kasanga, Tanzania. Thousands of Christians have been displaced, homes destroyed, churches, schools and health facilities have been forced to close, and villages abandoned due to the violence. Pray for those who have lost loved ones and for protection of Christians who face increased violence and persecution.
• Algeria Nearly all Protestant churches across Algeria have been closed, forcing Christians to worship in hidden underground house churches. The Algerian Government follows Islam as the state religion and heavily regulates non-Muslim practices, prohibiting proselytisation and making
it illegal to share the gospel with Muslims, punishable by fines or imprisonment. Christians face social persecution, often losing jobs and being rejected by family members and community—especially in rural areas. Pray for safe ways to worship and meet for those whose churches were closed. Pray for those who distribute Bibles despite the risks of imprisonment. Pray for strength for Algerian Christians as they continue to worship under increasing pressure.
1 How many people visit the Mona Lisa in a year?
2 How much did the conceptual art of a banana ducttaped to a wall sell for in 2024?
3 Where in the world is the street art mural named Lennon Wall?
4 Who was the first metal craftsman in the Bible?
5 When was the first pencil invented?
Answers page 32
To read The General’s Easter message, go to salvationarmy.org.nz/ GenEaster25
The Salvation Army is all about giving people a real hand up. We’re here providing lifechanging services, from welfare and housing support to financial mentoring and parenting programmes and so much more. From May 5 to 11, we’re running our annual Red Shield Street Appeal, rallying donations to keep these essential services running. Now, we need you. Join our awesome team of volunteer collectors and help us make a difference. Your support will have a real and lasting impact on people in your community. Reach out to your local Salvation Army today, or email supporter@ salvationarmy.org.nz to be part of something amazing!
Ben’s take on the classic cheese roll is a simplified version of ‘southern sushi’, developed in Antarctica. Easy to make, you can substitute the cheese, milk and butter for dairy-free options. | 15 minutes prep, plus 5–10 minutes heating in oven and 2–5 minutes to cool | Makes 1 loaf (approx. 21 slices + 2 crusts)
Ingredients
• 250g cheddar cheese (grated)
• ¾ cup full-cream milk
• 3 Tbsp butter
• ½ Tbsp finely chopped red onion
• 1 loaf sliced white or brown sandwich bread
Method
To make the filling, mix cheese, milk, melted butter and chopped red onion in a bowl. Stir until it has a thick, paste-like consistency.
Spread the filling on the slices of bread. Roll each slice tightly. Place on a baking tray and then into an oven preheated to 180°C.
Heat the rolls for 5–10 minutes, until bread browns and is crispy to touch. Some of the filling also may begin to leak.
Allow a couple of minutes to cool.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Cheese rolls may be reheated in the oven or in a sandwich press.
Source: Benjamin Mack
‘The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor’ (Proverbs 22:9)
The USA Government has proposed to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID), one of the world’s largest humanitarian aid agencies, threatening devastation across nations in crisis. In 2023, USAID provided 42 percent of all humanitarian aid, according to the UN. Reportedly, over 10,000 grants and contracts could be terminated, which represents more than 90 percent of the USAID contracts at a value of $60 billion.
International foreign aid programmes that were once seen as ‘lifesaving’ are at risk of completely shutting down, and countries around the world are already feeling the impact. Around 40 nutrition centres that treat malnourished children may be expected to close in places such as Ethiopia, Congo, Nigeria and Kenya. Access to critical maternal healthcare could be cut, affecting more than 100,000 pregnant women in places like Haiti, Bangladesh and Yemen, which lack healthcare infrastructure. Clinics treating malaria, HIV/AIDS and dengue fever could also lose funding.
The closures of these essential aid programmes leave communities at risk of famine, disease and political instability. The possible withdrawal of USAID in aid-dependent countries threatens to leave power vacuums behind, which have the potential to be filled by oppressive forces.
• Pray for the protection of millions of vulnerable people who face the loss of this essential aid.
• Pray for world leaders as they navigate critical foreign aid decisions and funding. Ask God to show them wisdom and compassion for those who are in crisis.
• Pray for stability and strength in countries at risk of oppressive overthrow.
• Pray for guidance and perseverance for those working within USAID who have lost their jobs and purpose in helping others in need.
• Ask God to provide lifesaving resources to crisis-stricken countries such as food, medicine and international support.
1 Striking spikes
The Statue of Liberty crown is adorned with seven spikes representing the world’s seven oceans and continents. The design underscored her message of universal welcome, inclusivity and liberty. Lady Liberty’s presence in New York is striking—being hit by lightning up to 600 times per year!
2 Mega museum
The Louvre Museum is famous for containing some of history’s most notable pieces, but it also holds the title of the largest art museum in the world, spanning over 72,735 square metres. If you spent 30 seconds admiring each piece, it would take over 100 years to see everything.
3 Long lost literature
The Future Library Project is a 100-year initiative started by Scottish artist Katie Paterson. Every year, a writer contributes an original, unpublished manuscript that will remain sealed in the library until 2114. One thousand trees were planted at the beginning of the project, which will be used to make the paper these books will be printed on. Some notable contributing authors include Margaret Atwood, Elif Shafak and Han Kang.
4 Trade secret
Thirteenth century Venice was coveted for its glassmaking, which was highly advanced at the time. To keep trade secrets and reduce the risk of fires in the city, the Venetian Government relocated all glassmakers to the island of Murano. Laws banned glassmakers from leaving the city without approval, and anyone who left and did not return risked the imprisonment of their family, and assassins were sent out to find the rogue glassmaker.
When Scott Erickson designed a street art version of the traditional Stations of the Cross for his local church, he never imagined the global reach it would have. Translated into six languages, Scott’s art appears all over the world in churches, homes and on the streets. Scott’s desire to make the invisible God visible comes from a deep place of love and adoration for Jesus. As Scott paints his faith as an offering, the art of Easter evokes wonder and stirs curiosity about who this Jesus really is.
WORDS Jules Badger
hen a dear friend of Scott Erickson died far too young from cancer, he was devastated. Soon after the funeral, the opportunity arose to travel to Jerusalem. Grieving and fragile, the timing could not have been more appropriate for a pilgrimage to the Holy City. Scott and a small group of companions walked the Via Dolorosa (Sorrowful Way)— the Stations of the Cross—several times. The impact was profoundly life-altering for Scott, who found the experience of traversing the route Jesus took to the cross profoundly confronting but also strangely comforting.
‘You don’t have to be a Christian or especially religious to walk the Stations of the Cross, because it’s about being human, first and foremost. Jesus participated in some of the worst things about being human. He was convicted by an unjust system and oppressive powers. He experienced physical pain and terrible abuse. His family dismantled around him and watched in disbelief as he died a slow and painful death,’ says Scott.
‘We can resonate with his suffering on a human level and that’s why we’re still telling his story. There’s a baseline resonance that connects us. Questions like, what does it mean to be tempted? What does it mean to be betrayed? What does it mean to know that death is coming for you very soon? What does it mean to not know how things are going to turn out? Those are
the very baseline human experiences and emotions that Jesus shared with us. They help us excavate life’s deeper conversations.’
Scott studied the history behind what we know today as the Stations of the Cross. He discovered that pilgrims were so moved by their experience of walking in the footsteps of Jesus that they wanted to share it with those at home. Stations of the Cross images began to emerge in the sanctuaries of churches all around the world.
A few years later, Scott was part of a church in downtown Portland, Oregon, in the US, when divine inspiration struck. Situated on a main road, but with a pedestrian bike lane abutting the church, Scott wondered if a ‘Banksy’-style outdoor Easter art approach might work in his community.
‘You don’t have to be a Christian or especially religious to walk the Stations of the Cross, because it’s about being human, first and foremost.’
‘I thought, why don’t I create something that we can put on the outside walls of our church? We don’t have to be coaxing people to come into our churches all the time. Let’s just give Easter directly to the people and say, “hey, here you go”, and see what God does.’
Scott’s depiction of the Stations of the Cross is making quite the impression—and not only on a whole new generation of believers but also, and importantly, on secular people.
Scott ended up making an art series with one of the symbols he liked least about the Christian tradition— the cross.
‘While the cross is such an important symbol for us as Christians, it’s become so muddled, iconically ... that while we think people know what it means, many are actually not as sure as we think they are.’
Scott took these concerns into his design for the street series, as well as his awareness that illustrating Easter for a largely spiritually illiterate generation demanded both clarity and depth.
‘The goal of good design is to take a complex idea and bring it into the smallest representation possible,’ he explains. ‘I thought, well, two lines crossing each other is very simple and poignant. So what if the crosses were purposeful cross-sections of what’s happening in that part of the Easter story? This took some prayer and contemplation, but using objects like the cat o’ nine tails and a lamb, or the scythe and crown of thorns, and then intersecting them as a cross, became images that worked.’
Scott ran the completed series by some trusted friends, and then his faith community helped him develop them into an outdoor art show. The public response was overwhelmingly positive, with the show ending up in four different countries that first year, as well as on television.
Within a few years, Covid-19 rampaged across the globe and lockdowns meant the humble QR code also made a comeback. This gave Scott the means to add some meditative content to the series. People could scan the QR code for themselves—meaning no printing required, and no need for any verbal explanation or guide. People could move through the show quietly and read and reflect at their own pace.
Above (from top): Artwork from the Seven Last Sayings of Jesus series—artwork 1 and artwork 7.
The show has now been translated into Spanish, Portuguese, French, Russian and German. Over the past seven years, Scott has also created Stations of the Resurrection and the Seven Last Sayings of Jesus, as well as many other stand-alone downloadable art pieces. Collaborating with writer Justin McRoberts, Scott has also created imagery for three books on prayer and, most recently, Scott has released two books of his own—Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of Godwith-Us Then, Here, and Now; and Say Yes: Discover the Surprising Life Beyond the Death of a Dream, illustrated and written by Scott.
Scott’s passion to create a visual vocabulary for the spiritual journey was influenced by his early experiences in church.
‘Like a lot of kids, I got bored during the service, so I drew all over the bulletin! I grew up Protestant, so I didn’t ‘see’ anything artistic in church, and the images of Jesus I was given were cartoons and flannelgraphs. As I got older, no one gave me any new images to grow with. I think this is what happens for a lot of adults. The images we hold inside and associate with faith are cartoons. And the fruit of cartoons is a cartoonish faith. A lot of the problem people have in their faith is not belief, but images of God that no longer work. So when someone says they don’t believe in God anymore, I ask them to describe that God they don’t believe in. I usually don’t believe in that image of God either.’
Scott did well in art at school, and following high school he worked in Paris for nine months. Visiting cathedrals and the Louvre, Scott’s eyes were opened to how art had been used by the Church throughout history.
‘I sensed an invitation into this larger narrative— clearly something artistic had been going on in the Church, I just hadn’t seen it.’
Scott visited a cathedral every day to wonder and be alone with God.
‘That experience left such an impression on me as I contemplated my own creative disposition. There have been times when I have felt quite odd in my giftings. I would visit churches as a live painter and
‘But the thing about art and visual design is that you don’t need someone with a microphone telling you what it means for you to have an experience with God.’
be introduced as a “special” guest. I knew what they meant, but so often they would say, “This is Scott, and he worships in a different way—through paint”, which is to imply that this isn’t “normal”. But in Paris, I saw that art has always been part of the Christian tradition. I’d just been in the wrong denomination or the wrong part of the world to understand this. And so that began a prayer in me: What does it look like for the artist to be in the Church? How can artists work with the Church?’
Scott has become an advocate not only for artists but also for creative expression, curiosity and beauty. As a practicing spiritual director ‘to brave women and men’, Scott knows how necessary a space for reflection and listening for the voice of God is—not only in today’s noisy over-stimulated world, but also within the modern Church where so often what is said and sung supersedes what is gazed upon.
‘We used to make our sacred spaces the teacher, but now we make our sacred spaces for a teacher,’ says Scott. ‘But the thing about art and visual design is that you don’t need someone with a microphone telling you what it means for you to have an experience with God. Art becomes an excavation tool for listening to the voice of God. There’s a reason people go and sit alone in an empty church—they want to hear God. Some go out into nature, while others find that beauty and architecture allow what is in the way to get out of the way, and that space enables conversations with God.’
So, should there be more art in Protestant churches? In The Salvation Army? And, if so, what?
‘Very few people have blank white walls in their homes,’ laughs Scott. ‘We put up things we love, people we love, things we want to remember, things that inspire us or that we want to shape us, things that are beautiful and that bring us joy. We tell the stories of our lives on the walls of our homes.’
Scott suggests that churches simply do the same by asking questions. What’s shaped your faith community and how could you image that? What do you value?
Above: Station 9 artwork (Identity—John 21:12) from the Stations of the Resurrection series.
Is there a story about answered prayer you want to celebrate? And Scott advises a seasonal approach.
‘You can change it up for Advent or Lent. This is also an invitation to approach our faith in shared community in a seasonal way. Is this a fruitful season or a fallow season? Art can help us accept the beauty in a tough season. It can be really simple—use shapes and colours,’ suggests Scott. ‘It doesn’t have to be complicated to be meaningful or beautiful.’
Find out more about Scott and his work at ScottEricksonArt.com
On Sunday 16 February in Suva, Fiji, five new cadets entered training to become Salvation Army officers of the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory.
‘The Welcome to Cadets in Fiji was a great celebration of praise and thanksgiving’, says Territorial Commander Commissioner Janine Donaldson. ‘The cadets were so well supported by family and local corps members who had travelled quite a distance to be present. The music was outstanding, and this included the band, timbrel group and Meke (dance group). Incredible!’
Territorial Candidates Secretary Captain Shane Healey reports that the meeting was attended by over 300 people, with the cadets entering the arena to a tremendous sound of clapping and cheering.
‘Spreading the gospel is seen as a sacred task in Pacific culture, and the call of God to be an officer is considered a treasure,’ explains Shane.
‘While there may be tough stuff happening, the witness of their faith is strong, and their joy is infectious. People want to be part of that.’
The divisional leaders, Majors Marika and Phillippa Serevi, shared their excitement at what God is doing in Fiji with Shane.
‘We place our hope in Jesus, we do as he instructs, and he blesses us in so many ways. We now have strong Fijian divisional leadership at all levels. We are so proud of how God has made us, so we encourage all those with gifts to offer to step up.’
Commissioner Janine presented each cadet with a white towel embroidered with the word ‘servant’ in red, and shared a powerful message connected to the gift.
‘We are servant leaders, and we call other people to serve. We lead with transparency and authenticity, and with high integrity. We do not lord it over our people. Our calling is one of service, humility and sacrifice.’
Following the message, there was a powerful response time. ‘This was particularly sacred and blessed by God,’ says Janine. ‘Many came forward for prayer, and it was especially precious for me to pray with the cadets.’
Shane adds that, ‘Janine had just spoken about servant leadership when four boys came forward from The Salvation Army’s Kauwai Restoration Home, making first-time decisions to follow Jesus! It was a real Holy Spirit moment!’
The five cadets join the three New Zealand cadets recently welcomed to Booth College of Mission. This brings the total number of cadets entering training in the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory to eight. The cadets are all part of the Proclaimers of Transformation session.
Patrick Manuapai (Lautoka Corps, Fiji) has worked in the tourism industry and was a diving instructor when he attended Brengle Holiness Conference in Fiji. Patrick testifies that during this time he received a prophecy from Major Malcolm Herring that began the journey of exploring and confirming his calling to officership.
Makereta Manuapai (Lautoka Corps, Fiji) is a thirdgeneration Salvationist, and her call is influenced by the example of her parents, Captains Salesi and Taina Temo. Makereta testifies to God’s constant love and care shown to her by others while going through personal grief. She’s passionate about journeying with young people and has been a Tiny Tots assistant teacher at Nadi Corps.
Adi Druku (Suva Central Corps, Fiji) is the child of officers, Majors Ruci and Seru Napolini. She’s been working in retail as a customer relations officer. Adi felt the call to officership during a message about the
vine and the branches (John 15), preached by Major Vilikesa Bogi. Her calling was confirmed at an Amplify Creative Arts Camp in New Zealand.
Lofi Pasi (Fua’amotu Corps, Tonga) has been working as an assistant at The Salvation Army Regional Headquarters in Tonga. Lofi dreamed of being a missionary but left the timing in God’s hands because she had a husband and children to consider. When her husband, Lopeti, felt called to officership in 2021, she knew it was God’s timing to proceed with their application.
Lopeti Pasi (Fua’amotu Corps, Tonga) has been a seasonal worker in Australia, and has experience in education, health and wellbeing, and also acting.
Lopeti has felt God’s call over the years but held it at bay while ‘chasing the money in Australia’ and raising his family. Being invited to The Salvation Army by his wife’s father was an important step in renewing his covenant with God and responding to the call.
Recently at my home corps, we focused on Lent and what it means for us and our community in 2025. This included a fun quiz, which enlightened us about Lent and gave us time to pause to reflect on what participation in Lent means as followers of Christ.
So, what is Lent? Christianity.com says that Lent involves fasting, prayer, and almsgiving (giving to those in need) as a way to connect deeper with God. Many use the 40 days of Lent as a time of personal reflection to prepare their hearts and minds for Good Friday and Easter.
Lent has caused some tension around The Salvation Army world at times, as it has not always been seen as part of our faith tradition. However, a colleague from the Caribbean Territory explained that it has, for as long as she can remember, always been part of their practice in the lead up to Easter and has in fact been combined with their Self-Denial Appeal. The Lenten practice of fasting (giving up/denying oneself) and almsgiving connect so beautifully with our Salvation Army practice of Self-Denial.
This year, International Headquarters has again provided Lent resources to help focus our thoughts as we take the sacred journey to the cross. The resource is focused on ‘An Attitude of Gratitude’.
Scripture tells us to be thankful, a 2021 Harvard University health study says that giving thanks can make you happier, and we know that being grateful makes a difference to us and to our world.
So, as you take the sacred journey to the cross this Easter, why not join with thousands of Salvationists and millions of Christians around the world this Lent to stop each day to give thanks for the big and the small things in your life. Let us each live with an attitude of gratitude this Easter season—and by doing so let us point others to Jesus, our sacrificial Saviour.
Lt-Colonel Liz Gainsford Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development
Psalm 107:1–2
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe. (NIV)
Whakawhetai ki a Ihowā, he pai hoki ia; he pūmau tonu hoki tāna mahi tohu. Kia pēnā anō te kōrero a te hunga i hokona e Ihowā, i hokona nei e ia i roto i te ringa o te hoariri. (PT)
Ni vakavinavinaka vei Jiova, ni sa rui vinaka o koya; Ni sa sega ni mudu na nona loloma tudei. Me ra qai kaya vakakina o ira sa vakabulai ira o Jiova, O ira sa vakabulai ira o koya mai vei ira na meca. (FOV)
Fakafeta’i kia Sihova; he ‘oku lelei ia; He ‘oku tolonga ‘o ta’engata ‘ene ‘alo’ofa. Ke pehe ‘a e lau ‘a e kakai kuo huhu’i ‘e he ‘Eiki, ‘A kinautolu kuo ne huhu’i mei he nima ‘o e fili. (TWB)
Vivii atu ia outou i le Alii, auā e lelei lava o ia, auā e faavavau lava lona alofa. Ia faapea lava o e ua faaolaina e le Alii, o i latou na ia faaolaina nai le lima o lē faasaua. (SOV)
Husband and wife team Jenny Boyack and John Hornblow spent 12 years researching the content for their new book, Pilgrimage Aotearoa. In just two months, the guidebook sold over 1000 copies—impressive in the domestic publishing market. So, what’s it all about and why are people describing it as ‘a book for our time’? Jules Badger spoke with the Palmerston North couple to find out.
Many readers will recall life before GPS. An almost forgotten, now iconic era, when stopping to ask for directions was a last resort, and wits and instinct ruled. Until, of course, they didn’t, and you conceded you
were lost and resorted to the trusty map-book! A hardy piece of gear, the map-book belonged in the glovebox of the car but was often found under a seat smeared with food stains or mud. Thankfully the pages were thick, laminated, and held together by a sturdy wire binder.
This was the look and feel Jenny and John wanted the physical copy of their guidebook to have. ‘We wanted it to be robust; covered in coffee stains with folded back pages! It’s not designed to just sit on the shelf’, says Jenny. ‘We wanted it to feel good and solid in the hand and last a long time’, adds John.
‘We wanted it to be robust; covered in coffee stains with folded back pages! It’s not designed to just sit on the shelf.’
Around 12 years ago, the dynamic duo set out on several pilgrimages to Israel and Palestine, as well as Greece, Turkey, Italy and other sites sacred to Christianity in England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Before long, people were asking to tag along! As they led various groups, the couple discovered excellent guidebooks, highlighting the lack of a similar resource back home.
‘That was the beginning of 12 years of very hard work, as we travelled from the Far North to the Chatham Islands, and everywhere in between’, explains John.
‘The whole pilgrimage journey, which seeded the book, was not something we ever set out to do. Which is interesting,’ reflects Jenny. ‘You look back on something that has unexpectedly eventuated, and you think, God was so deeply in this, and yet we had no idea!’
Pilgrimage explained
‘A pilgrimage can be defined as a journey with a purpose, often to a sacred site, with the hope of transformation,’ explains John.
Like Abraham and Sarah, Moses and others in the Christian tradition, Jesus made many pilgrimages during his lifetime and ministry.
‘Pilgrimages have a deeply biblical agenda,’ continues John. ‘Easter week itself is an amazing pilgrimage—from Gethsemane to the cross, to the tomb and the resurrection. One extremely moving experience for Jenny and I was to walk the Via Dolorosa—the Stations of the Cross—in Jerusalem, twice.’
John shares a personal experience of transformation while on pilgrimage in Ireland, tracing the footsteps of St Patrick.
‘I had been going through a rough time, and when I got to the top of Croagh Patrick mountain there was a huge cairn where everyone had dropped stones. I had carried a stone up, so I put mine down and with it the burden I’d been carrying. I felt a great relief as I went back down. Pilgrimage helps us get past denial, repression, suppression and become open to encountering God.’
Pilgrimage is as much an internal, spiritual journey as it is an external, physical one.
Jenny says, ‘Walking stretches out time in a way that the world has
‘Pilgrimage helps us get past denial, repression, suppression and become open to encountering God.’’
forgotten in our lifestyle of rushing about. But we also wanted people who can’t walk, and there are many, to be able to take a [driving] pilgrimage around Aotearoa’s sacred sites.’
Pilgrim partnerships
John explains that the guidebook is based around three questions.
‘Firstly, what happened here? In other words, what did God do at this site? Secondly, what’s happening here today? What is God doing here now? And finally, what can I do as a result of being here? That’s the transformative question.’
A reflection accompanies each of the 100 sites in the guidebook.
‘Wherever possible, we prayerfully selected somebody who was in the story by ancestry or event to write the reflection,’ explains Jenny.
While doing research on Dame Whina Cooper, they bumped into an Anglican priest. ‘She just happened to be Dame Whina’s granddaughter and was very happy to write the reflection! These God moments happened frequently,’ says John. The project has been a special collaboration with tangata whenua
and local iwi, as both site and story guardians. Various denominations are also key partners, and two special Salvation Army sites feature—Rotoroa Island and Cargill’s Monument in Dunedin, where the movement ‘opened fire’ in 1883—with reflections written by Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson.
Jenny and John are astounded by how much New Zealand has changed in the past decade.
‘We could never have imagined where New Zealand would be politically when we started this journey 12 years ago. With so much discussion and debate, people have repeatedly told us that this is a book for our time. It helps explain the “why” behind traumatic events in our history and celebrates stories of peace and reconciliation. We want people to understand and explore the roots of all this as they take a sacred pilgrimage to each site.’
Retailing at $49.50, Pilgrimage Aotearoa is a quality product—a guidebook to be passed down the generations. Purchase the book at the website: www.pilgrimagenz.nz or Manna Bookstores (www.manna.nz).
JESUS IS TEMPTED
‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’
Matthew 26:38b
JESUS IS BETRAYED
‘Friend, do what you came here to do.’
Matthew 26:50b
JESUS IS GIVEN HIS CROSS
‘Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.’
John 3:14–15
JESUS FALLS
‘Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.’
John 12:24b
JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
‘My God My God, why have you forsaken me?’
Matthew 27:46b
JESUS DIES
‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’
John 15:13
JESUS IS CONDEMNED
‘But this is your hour— when darkness reigns.’
Luke 22:53b
IV
JESUS IS MOCKED
‘But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?’
John 18:23b
VII
SIMON CARRIES
JESUS’ CROSS
‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’
Matthew 16:24b
VIII
JESUS IS STRIPPED
‘For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
Luke 23:31
XI
JESUS IS BURIED
‘When she poured perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.’
Matthew 26:12
XII
JESUS RISES
‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays his life down for his sheep.’
John 10:11
David Raj grew up in a squatter settlement in Fiji, with his mother and two sisters. He shares how The Salvation Army shaped him as a young child and how love in action changed the course of his life.
I was born into poverty, and life was pretty tough in a squatter settlement. We didn’t have much, just a basic dwelling with no electricity, no tap water, no furniture and very little food, but we had love and we had each other.
I first encountered The Salvation Army when I was ten years old. One of our neighbours in the settlement hosted a church service in their house which was led by the Sigatoka Corps.
Not long after this my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer. She was admitted to hospital for surgery and remained there for two months. During this time, my sisters and I were basically on our own with just our neighbours to look after us. Then one evening the corps officer from Sigatoka Corps, Captain David Thomas, came to our door with a box of groceries. We had nothing, so this gesture made an enormous impact on my life from a very young age. I saw the Army making a difference.
Members from the Sigatoka Corps continued to come and check on us, especially Captains David and Mariama Thomas who we came to know as Uncle Thomas and Aunty Mary. When my mother had recovered and was well enough to come home from the hospital, we devoted ourselves to The Salvation Army.
A few years later the landowner reclaimed the settlement land, and we found ourselves homeless. Once again Uncle Thomas and The Salvation Army helped us. He invited us to live with them at their quarters in Kulu Kulu. Miraculously, he secured funding through the Army to help us to build our own house.
Uncle Thomas was not a carpenter, but he built us a house. Every morning for a month, we walked five kilometres to and from the building site carrying tools
and materials. It was then that I fully understood what The Salvation Army was about. It was not just about the Bible or teaching. What I saw was love in action. Now when I talk about it, I get goosebumps.
Uncle Thomas was not a carpenter, but he built us a house.
The reality was that our life was very hard. I spent whole school years huddled on the floor by a hurricane lamp to study, and I remember as a young child crying when I would get home from church outings because everyone discussed their lunch plans on the return journey. Lamb curry, restaurant chow, pilau—we would not be having those things. At Christmas we couldn’t afford to buy a piece of Christmas cake. We didn’t have gifts or even candies. Now I realise that through The Salvation Army, God prepared a path for me out of that hardship.
I was able to attend secondary school, along with my sisters, through a sponsorship programme run by The Salvation Army. They paid for school fees, uniforms, books and transport from Year 9 through to Year 13. Now school fees and textbooks are paid for, but back then secondary schooling was expensive and without these scholarships we would not have had access to further education.
He raised me up to be a leader. I have always felt God’s protection.
Following secondary school, I received a scholarship to study at the University of the South Pacific and
The Salvation Army supported me again with my accommodation expenses. I went on to complete my master’s degree in professional accounting and I now work for an international aid organisation that supports the development of health and education in many countries.
When you come from a squatter settlement, people look down on you. Some people used to say that there is little good that comes from a squatter settlement. If something went wrong, the finger was always pointed at the squatter kid. In Year 13, I became head boy of my secondary school, this was not because I came from a squatter settlement, it was the anointing of God from the very beginning. He raised me up to be a leader. I have always felt God’s protection, the way he has built me up and brought me here. I am proud to say I was the first student in the whole settlement to complete Year 13 at secondary school and gain a tertiary education. I never dreamed that this could happen.
I feel like this pathway has been carved out for me by God. From an early age, I felt like I understood our situation. The journey has been challenging. There have been times when I have been so sad and felt really low emotionally. I learned to persevere and endure, but the struggle was real. God always hears the cries of our hearts.
The Salvation Army is built on sharing God’s love and caring about everyone.
I share my stories with my wife and two children now. Thankfully, they live a very different life. There are fewer squatter settlements these days and the living conditions have improved from when I was younger, but I always see the need and I want to help in some way. I was once where they are now, and I want to help them make changes to their lives.
I became a soldier in The Salvation Army when I was 14 years old, and I considered becoming a corps officer, but God told me, ‘Hey, you have completed your studies, I have guided you through that. Now into the workforce, the real change comes now.’ I love my work and my volunteer role as the treasurer for Sigatoka Corps.
For me, The Salvation Army is not about religion, race or colour, it is about touching people’s lives. The Salvation Army is built on sharing God’s love and caring about everyone. When I was a child, they fought for us and looked after us. I am the man I am today because God raised me up with the help of The Salvation Army.
It’s a long way from the nightclubs of New Plymouth to the Wairarapa, but it’s a journey that’s been the making of newly commissioned Salvation Army officers Nikola and Ashton Vaitaki.
WORDS Tracey Cooper
ikola and Ashton Vaitaki graduated from Booth College of Mission in December and moved to Masterton before starting their new roles on January 9. They’ve been married for 12 years, have five children and are looking forward to whatever God has planned for them.
The couple met when Ashton—who grew up in the South Taranaki town of Hawera—was out with friends in New Plymouth, and Nikola was visiting the city.
‘One weekend we were in New Plymouth and we went out and I saw Ashton there,’ he says.
And she saw him. ‘When you’re from Taranaki, you know everyone, and then we see this group of out of towners,’ she says. The couple hit it off and started a relationship, despite living in different cities.
At the time, Ashton, who has Tongan whakapapa, had little involvement in the Church, despite her Baptist upbringing. ‘I grew up just going every Sunday,’ she says. ‘But when I was about 12, and had just given my heart to the Lord, my mum got diagnosed with MS and in my little 12-year-old mind I couldn’t work out how that could happen, how God could let that happen.’
She also turned her back on a difficult childhood. ‘I was raised by a solo mum, and she was raised by a solo mum.
They were strong, but it was just full of abuse and addictions and real dysfunction, and I didn’t know how to understand it all or deal with it. So I left home, left school, started living, flatting, working, drinking, doing drugs, all of that, and then I met this guy.’
They married fairly quickly, and a pregnant Ashton moved to Auckland, where they initially attended the Tongan Methodist Church. That Nikola was attending a Methodist church was a change in itself, having been brought up Catholic in Tonga. ‘I was very strongly Catholic. In Tonga my dad is a choirmaster, so they are very strict Catholics,’ he says. He came to Aotearoa in 2002 and decided to make a future here.
But it wasn’t smooth sailing for the young couple, and Ashton says moving to Auckland was tough, with her struggles as a new mum bringing back painful memories. ‘We’d got married and had two babies in one year and that just brought up everything,’ she says. ‘I didn’t really know how to be a healthy mum or how to care for these two beautiful babies. And I didn’t know how to be a wife; I was really messed up,’ she says.
Things didn’t start to change until she came home one morning feeling worse for wear after a night of
partying and found Nikola calmly cooking breakfast.
‘I felt that disappointment,’ she says.
He told her that something had to change, and she assumed the worst—that he was about to leave—but he said they were going to go to The Salvation Army.
‘At the time I didn’t know what was worse, him leaving me or having to go to church,’ she says. ‘I’d only been to The Salvation Army one other time and that was when I had to do my community service hours there in New Plymouth.’
It was the first church where it felt like someone actually cared about them as people, she says. ‘I could feel it, and we both agreed that we had found a home in The Salvation Army.’
After initially attending Westgate Corps, they moved to Manukau Central Corps and became stalwarts in the church. ‘We loved it there,’ Ashton says. ‘It still took me two years before I gave my heart to the Lord. He took
‘I could feel it, and we both agreed that we had found a home in The Salvation Army.’
me on a massive healing journey and showed me what real love is, and what real community is,’ she says.
That community played an important role in her healing, while Nikola faced his own challenges, leaving the Methodist Church and then leaving a well-paid job to work for The Salvation Army. ‘It was a challenge to knock at the door of my pastor and tell him I’m moving churches, but in my mind, this is my church now and I feel I have a calling in this church,’ he says.
At the time he was earning a good income, but when he was offered the job of running The Salvation Army food warehouse in Auckland—less money and longer hours—he took the plunge. ‘It was tough, but even though I logged more hours for The Salvation Army, our family was so happy.’
Things were also on the improve for Ashton, who began doing part-time admin work at their corps as a
And two years later, they’re embarking on their first appointment as officers in an area they always felt good about, with Nikola sensing the presence of God in the Wairarapa. ‘The last time I went there, I talked to people and felt that in my heart I can build relationships here. I don’t have to go there with a mission, we’ll just start by having conversations with people to build relationships and then see whatever comes of that.’
‘I don’t have to go there with a mission, we’ll just start by having conversations with people to build relationships...’
way of slowly re-entering the workforce. ‘I had really bad anxiety, but being around this group of Godfearing people every day, that just gave me the space for God to do his work on me.’
It didn’t take long for Nikola to become a soldier, and Ashton joined him a few months later after seeing God’s plan for her. ‘I felt that people only became soldiers if they were going to be an officer, and I never thought officership would be for me. But God revealed to me that soldiership is a step for me into officership,’ she says. They were encouraged to take that step by their corps officers and after discussing it with the then-Territorial Candidates Secretary Major Kylie Tong. ‘She just straight out asked us, “has God been talking to you guys about officership?” Two months later we were here (at Booth College of Mission) for our assessment weekend, and then two months after that we were at college,’ Ashton says.
For Ashton, it’s as much about learning what has gone before, before introducing anything new. ‘A part of our being appointed there is that we are replanting what mission looks like through The Salvation Army. But we can’t replant unless we know what has gone on before. We feel in our spirit there’s a bit of healing that needs to happen, so it’s taking a step back and learning about what has happened. If God chooses to use us as a part of some healing and reconciliation, we will see what it is that God will use us to do.’
In the two months since the couple moved to Masterton, that’s exactly what they’ve done, and they couldn’t be happier. ‘Even though we’re just settling in, we love it here. We came in with the intention of just getting to know people and that’s been cool,’ Ashton says.
They were welcomed with a pōwhiri by one of the local iwi, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, and Ashton says it was a wonderful experience. ‘It was just a beautiful morning. A lot of the corps whānau came too, which was cool because that’s just a little baby step for us in the journey.’
‘It’s becoming a real beautiful relationship. We’re really happy that it began that way,’ Ashton says. Nikola says
that relationship with Rangitāne o Wairarapa helps him feel comfortable in their new home. ‘I shared with them that coming here, I felt like I was standing on one foot. I needed to walk with two feet and if I didn’t connect with the iwi, I didn’t feel like I belonged. I now feel like I’m part of the Wairarapa community; it’s been better than we could ever have imagined,’ he says.
Ashton says everything they have achieved so far has just come naturally, rather than from any preconceived plan.
‘We just wait on the Lord and see what the Lord wants for this community, and where he is already at work in the community,’ Ashton says. ‘That’s really important.’
They began attending weekly community karakia sessions, which helped them learn and share with the community. ‘It’s held at a different organisation every Wednesday, and that’s been a really nice connection point, just to have fellowship with people from different organisations in the community. You share where you’re from and if you have any notices or announcements.’
One group was seeking office space to use, and they are now inviting community groups to book empty office space in the new corps complex. Nikola has also taken a more hands-on approach, setting up a Boots on the Ground men’s ministry, which helps people struggling with jobs around the home.
‘Someone put a call out that they needed help with their garden, so I went and cut their hedge and did their rubbish, and the idea came to me that we should use our men, because they wanted to do practical things in the community. I suggested we go out and help people who have physical or health problems. Take their rubbish to the dump, do their garden, that sort of stuff.’ Ashton says it’s been a great way to share their love of the Lord.
‘The men in our corps, they’re mostly retired but they’re all real hands-on, practical men. They’re keen to get out there and do some water blasting, some gardening. It’s been an amazing way to shine the light of Jesus in the community, and to have opportunities to pray for people and to serve them in this way.’
Above: A whakawātea (blessing) and a pōwhiri conducted by the local iwi, Rangitāne o Wairarapa, welcoming new officers Lieutenants Nikola and Ashton Vaitaki and their family to the Wairarapa region.
‘We just wait on the Lord and see what the Lord wants for this community, and where he is already at work...’
Every job finishes with a prayer, Nikola says. ‘When they open their heart for us to pray at the end of the job, this is what we’re looking for. We just love doing it and we can see the appreciation from the community.’
From an initial congregation of about a dozen, there’s now close to 40 people attending each week, but they take no credit for that. ‘That’s got nothing to do with us, the Lord’s bringing these people in. This is also the fruit and the vision of the corps here, how they’ve journeyed and how they’ve prayed and how they’ve stayed committed to the Wairarapa Corps through these years of this building project. The “OGs” (originals) of the corps have been so excited for this next season of growth and fruitfulness for Wairarapa through The Salvation Army. We’re really looking forward to the next few months.’
Which just goes to show that sometimes it takes a long journey to find your way home.
The sparrow’s morning call
The murmur of quiet streams
The rhythmic slap of the tide
The violent howl of wind
The weary groans of the earth
The crackle of a blazing flame
The unexpected roar of thunder
The symphony of longed-for rain
The newborn’s startled cry
The belly laugh of old friends
The clink of dishes in the sink
WORDS Kelly Cooper
ART Scott Erickson
The hum of steady morning traffic
The melody that lingers
The ping of awaited news
The click of a closing door
The calm of a placid night
The silence of unspoken truth
The holy hush of expectancy
The muted ache of longing
The released wail of lament
The echo of wordless sighs
The pouring out of praise
The voice of the forgotten
The exhale of a long-held breath
The whisper of an invitation, ‘Come, listen to me’.
The Bible has four images of Jesus—the Gospels. Each of these Gospels tell the same story, but from different angles to create a unique portrait of Jesus. Captain Rachel Montgomery uses The Insect and the Buffalo by Roshan Allpress and Andrew Shamy to reflect on who the people of Israel considered Jesus to be.
In the same way that four painters might create four unique portraits of the same figure, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John provide their own distinctive contributions to our understanding of Jesus. But each Gospel insists on the same thing: Jesus can only be fully understood in light of the story of Israel. In ways that the people of Israel never expected, Jesus brings their story to fruition when he claims to be the long-awaited king of Israel. This story came together during Jesus’ last week of life in Jerusalem.
Jesus’ entire mission was to proclaim that the kingdom of God had come. But then he goes further, not only has God’s kingdom come at last to Israel, but it has come in the person of Jesus. Jesus was a descendant of David, Israel’s true royal line, and throughout his ministry he makes strange claims to royalty and takes an Old Testament title ‘Son of Man.’ Jesus spoke and acted as though he was Israel’s true king.
Jesus didn’t seem to have much interest in the type of kingdom everyone around him was expecting.
But if Jesus was a king, it was of an unusual kingdom, and not the kingdom that Israel expected.
Jesus surrounded himself with Israel’s poorest citizens, instead of the important and powerful. He was found in the countryside, not in a palace. And he had compassion for people in need, rather than using people to feed his own ego and lust for power.
Jesus didn’t seem to have much interest in the type of kingdom everyone around him was expecting. He made this abundantly clear when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. A real king of Israel would have spent his time gathering an army and preparing to expel the Romans, riding into Jerusalem on a warhorse and besieging the Roman fortress.
Jesus instead spent his time gathering a disorderly group of followers, including fishermen, tax collectors, sinners and women—hardly the beginnings of a fearsome army.
Jesus spoke of his kingdom with simple images. His kingdom is like a mustard seed, like buried treasure, like a fishing net. It is the type of kingdom in which the poor, the meek, the sorrowful and the peaceful are blessed. It is the type of kingdom in which enemies are forgiven and loved, where the strong serve the
weak and where people don’t live for themselves but for others.
This is the type of kingdom that could be led by a king on a donkey— an unusual kingdom.
An unwelcome God
Israel had longed for and expected God’s presence to return to the temple as promised by the prophets. God’s return would bring judgement on their enemies and restore Israel to their place as first among the nations.
What Israel had anticipated for generations happened. After riding a donkey into Jerusalem, Jesus visited the temple—God came back to the temple. However, instead of bringing judgement on Israel’s enemies, God judged the people of Israel.
Israel had wanted God to come and re-establish them as a powerful kingdom, independent of all the surrounding nations. Roshan Allpress says ‘Instead, Jesus came and called them back to God’s original vision,
to be a nation living for the sake of the other nations, to be an unusual kingdom’.
In Jesus, God came to Israel, but didn’t do what Israel wanted God to do. He was to Israel an unwelcome God. Sadly, Israel didn’t even recognise their true king, and the irony is that though they’d waited so long for this moment, they rejected him when he came and even plotted to kill him.
An unexpected end
Israel had been waiting for a new exodus, an escape from the oppressive rule of the Roman empire. Jesus had said and done things that suggested this was finally happening, but in a way Israel had never expected. At his final meal with his disciples, Jesus tried to explain to them that this exodus they had been hoping for would not end in the way they thought it would.
Jesus expressed the hope of a new exodus, the forgiveness of sins and
the new covenant that this implied, through the breaking of his body and his blood. Instead of defeating Rome, Jesus would allow himself to be executed by them. By dying, Israel’s true king would lead the long-awaited new exodus and fight the final battle against God’s enemies. Roshan says, ‘Jesus exposed what Israel failed to see in their own story, that the real enemy is not Rome, but death, evil and human collusion with them... Evil and human rebellion stood, ultimately, behind Israel’s failure to be the people of redemption, the holy nation of priests that God called them to be.’ Jesus would bring about the long-awaited new exodus in an unexpected way when he faced these forces, evil and human sin on the cross and ultimately defeated them.
The death of Jesus on the cross is the climatic event of each of the four Gospels, central to their portraits of who Jesus is. Later followers of Jesus describe the achievement of the cross with many images, two of which are
fundamental: Jesus, paving the way for forgiveness, bore the full force of God’s judgement against human sin (Colossians 2:13–15); and Jesus won the victory over evil, defeating death and rescuing humanity from its slavery (Hebrews 2:14–18). With his final words, Jesus cried out, ‘It is finished’. The curtain in the temple that separated the place where God’s presence lived from the other places of worship was torn in two from top to bottom; no longer is God’s presence kept from those who seek it.
…Jesus’ death offers a new exodus out of death, evil and alienation from God.
The new exodus happened as Jesus promised, but not as Israel expected. Rather than escape from exile under Roman oppression, Jesus’ death offers a new exodus out of death, evil and alienation from God. Something experienced not just by Israel but by all of humanity.
Jesus’ resurrection is the final piece in this part of the Easter story. The resurrection of Jesus is good news, an event with cosmic consequences, the beginning of God’s renewal of creation. Jesus’ return from the grave is the dawn of the new day. He is the first to rise again from death, but all of God’s people and all creation will share in his resurrection life.
The long-awaited king has come and rescued us.
An innovative new peer support service for healing from alcohol and other drugs has been launched in Christchurch. But there’s even more to Te Awhina, as Ben Mack reports.
The mood in Christchurch was jubilant on February 12, as Major Sue Hay stepped up to the podium. It wasn’t just because it was a sunny, warm summer’s day: it was the launch of Te Awhina Peer Support Service.
Located at The Salvation Army Bridge at 35 Collins Street in the Christchurch suburb of Addington, Te Awhina is a peer-led service available to anyone who wants help overcoming harmful substance use. People seeking help can stay engaged with Te Awhina for as long as needed.
A peer-led service is designed and delivered by people with lived experience of addiction and meaningful recovery from alcohol and/or other drug use. Peer-led services are non-clinical in nature, and focus on fostering hope, empowerment and community connection.
Te Awhina villa opened more than 20 years ago as a daily drop-in recovery centre. About 15 years ago, Te Awhina had its first paid peer support role, assisting clinicians in helping people seeking support with the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs.
But 2025 marks Te Awhina becoming completely peer-led—a development Major Sue Hay says is one of the most exciting in the over 20 years she’s worked helping people in their journeys of recovery and wellness.
‘Peers are a tangible expression of hope for those seeking recovery from destructive substance use,’ she says.
Te Awhina’s programmes include drop-in group sessions, one-to-one
counselling, aftercare support and more. Day programmes are free.
Other Salvation Army Bridge services, such as brief intervention programmes, continue to be offered in the villa next to Te Awhina, and are available to anyone who wants them. These other services are also staffed by clinicians.
Te Awhina operates in alignment with a te aō Māori worldview through the recently developed peer model Rata Kouru Ora, reflecting The Salvation Army’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
‘This increased focus on peer support using a bicultural model of wellbeing will strengthen the resilience of those seeking recovery’
Rata Kouru Ora was developed in conjunction with Dr Andre McLachlan. It draws on The Salvation Army values of courage, compassion, innovation and connection.
‘This increased focus on peer support using a bicultural model of wellbeing will strengthen the resilience of those seeking recovery,’ says Sue.
Salvation Army National Director for Addictions and Health Michael Douglas expands on how peer support can help people overcome addictions.
‘Peer support creates a space of shared experience, empathy, understanding and hope,’ he says. ‘It makes the journey
of recovery from substance-use harm less isolating.’
Salvation Army Lived Experience Lead Emma Hunter also spoke at the launch of Te Awhina, an event attended by community members, social service providers, the Minister for Mental Health, Hon. Matt Doocey, and others.
‘Our peer support mahi focuses on building mutual and reciprocal relationships through whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and aroha,’ she says.
‘We believe in the possibility of emotional, social, spiritual and physical wellbeing for all. Rata Kouru Ora views people’s past decisions, experiences and consequences not as problems, but as resources in one’s toolkit,’ explains Emma.
‘It is an opportunity to move beyond labels, diagnoses and trauma, while focusing on bringing about positive changes that our peers have decided they would like for their own life.’
Peer support can be especially helpful for people addressing the challenges that come with substance use, because it can show them that they aren’t alone in their
‘It is an opportunity to move beyond labels, diagnoses and trauma, while focusing on bringing about positive changes that our peers have decided they would like for their own life.’
challenges—that there are other people who have had the same challenges and been able to work to become healthier.
‘Peer support isn’t about having all the answers,’ says Emma. ‘It’s about having the heart to ask, “How can I walk with you today?” and the courage to keep showing up, time and again.’
The launch of Te Awhina comes as alcohol and drug harm continues to be a big problem across Aotearoa New Zealand. The State of the Nation 2025 report—an annual report put together by The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) using publicly-available data—reveals one in six people are now drinking in a way that is dangerous to themselves and others. Methamphetamine use now causes $34 million in social harm weekly—and more than $1 billion in social harm annually.
Amid this, Emma has high hopes for what Te Awhina can do in transforming people’s lives for the better: ‘Te Awhina is not just a service. It provides a space of hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a powerful reminder
‘Te Awhina is not just a service. It provides a space of hope, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a powerful reminder that recovery is not only possible but probable.’
that recovery is not only possible but probable. We see the embodiment of courage, wisdom and the unwavering belief that our journeys, with all of their challenges and triumphs, can light the way for others.’
More information about Te Awhina and the Christchurch Bridge programme is available by calling 03 338 4436, emailing christchurch. bridge@salvationarmy.org.nz or visiting bridge.salvationarmy.org.nz
Commissioner Janine Donaldson (Territorial Commander)
18 April: Aranui Corps visit
19 April: Southern Easter Camp, Spencer Park
20 April: Aranui Corps; Officers Fellowship at Christchurch City Corps
21 April: Recovery Church, Christchurch
25 April: Anzac Day wreath laying at Wellington Cenotaph
30 April: Lunch with Chaplaincy course delegates, BCM
Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary)
5–6 April: Porirua Corps Camp, El Rancho, Waikanae
7 April: Territorial Online Praying Together meeting—winter edition
10 April: Recovery Church, Wellington
30 April: Lunch with Chaplaincy course delegates, BCM
Lt-Colonel Liz Gainsford (Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development)
7 April: Territorial Online Praying Together meeting—winter edition
13 April: Petone Corps Plant visit
To read the full version of Gazette notices, visit saltmagazine.org.nz/gazette
Promotion to Glory: Major Jack Harris was promoted to Glory from North Shore Hospital, Auckland, aged 97 years, on Wednesday 5 March 2025, the eighth anniversary of the promotion to Glory of his wife Nancy. Jack entered Training College in February 1950 from Westport Corps as a cadet in the Standard Bearers session. Please uphold in prayer Major Jack Harris’ children John, Jennifer, Jeanette and Stephen and other family members at this time of grief and loss, particularly following the recent promotion to Glory of his daughter, Sheryl. Well done, good and faithful ‘Standard Bearer’ of Jesus!
Bereavement: Sheryl Harris, the daughter of Major Jack Harris, was promoted to Glory from West Harbour Gardens Care Centre, Auckland, on 23 February 2025. Please be in prayer for all Sheryl’s family at this time of grief and loss.
Engagement: Congratulations to Captain Cameron Millar on his engagement to Catherine Liddle on 11 February 2025.
Appointments: Effective immediately, Lieutenant Christopher Moody has been appointed as Spiritual Life Development and Prayer Coordinator, based in Waihi, as an additional appointment.
Effective 1 March 2025, Captain Susan Adams has been appointed as Personnel Officer and Candidates Secretary, Auckland area, as an additional appointment.
Lieutenant Lashana Dale has been appointed as Candidates Officer, based in Auckland, as an additional appointment.
Effective 10 March 2025, Major Graham Medland has been appointed as Business Advisory Officer, based in Christchurch.
Major Lynne Medland has been appointed as Supporter Engagement Officer, based in Wellington.
International Appointments: Effective 1 June 2025, Lt-Colonels Alberth and Elsi Sarimin, officers of the Indonesia Territory, currently serving respectively as Assistant Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries in the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory, are appointed as Chief Secretary and Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries, Indonesia Territory.
Resignation: Effective 24 February 2025, The Territorial Commander announces with regret the resignation from officership of Captain Fleur Carpenter. Captain Fleur, with her husband Bradley Carpenter, was re-accepted into officership on 12 January 2023 with the rank of Captain, and they were appointed as Corps Officers, Sydenham Corps and Directors, Sydenham Community Ministries. Captain Brad Carpenter will continue in his current appointments in Sydenham as a single spouse officer.
Find out more and download The Salvation Army International Headquarters’ 2025 Lent Resources at salvationarmy.org/ihq/lent-2025
English Salvationists Captain George Pollard and Lieutenant Edward Wright began the work of The Salvation Army in New Zealand on 27 March, 1883. Just nine months after ‘opening fire’, the very first congress took place at Christmas, in Dunedin.
Salvationists flocked from around the country to march the streets of Dunedin and celebrate and give glory to God for 5000 first-time decisions to follow Christ, over 500 soldiers, 30 officers and the establishment of 25 Salvation Army centres from Auckland to Invercargill!
In 1983, one hundred years later, a ‘Centenary Congress’ was held in Wellington at the newly opened Michael Fowler Centre. General Jarl Wahlstrom was the guest speaker and urged Salvationists to move into the next century ‘making a fresh commitment to the Lord and the cause of his Kingdom’.
So what is the purpose of a Salvation Army congress? In her 1989 congress address, General Eva Burrows explained:
‘A congress is much more than just an annual gettogether … It’s an occasion to re-affirm our faith so that we are strengthened to go out to witness ... It is an occasion to quicken the spiritual pulse of The Salvation Army and make us aware of the vital role we can play in this present age … to check up on our personal growth and re-dedicate ourselves to God for future service.’
Over the years, the style and shape of congress gatherings have changed and adapted to reflect the needs of the day, including the active embrace and participation of tangata whenua and Pacific peoples Salvationists from Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. The purpose of congress, however, stands firm.
The most recent congress held in the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory took place in 2019
in Wellington. Special guests General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, who had served as northern division leaders from 2007–2009, were welcomed back into the territory with open arms. Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdowns and travel restrictions prevented Salvationists from gathering for congress for the next six years.
However, ‘Together’ Congress is scheduled for September 2025, in Kirikiriroa Hamilton, with Territorial Commander Commissioner Janine Donaldson affirming again the purpose behind calling Salvationists to gather in unity and celebrate.
‘The heart of congress remains unchanged. It’s a time to live out our faith, share deep hope and love, and focus again with renewed passion on sharing that hope and love in our communities … All those who are part of The Salvation Army are so welcome to come together, worship together, share together, encourage each other and inspire each other. There is a stronger anointing and clearer sense of God’s presence when we gather to worship corporately. It’s an opportunity to hear from God. To refocus on his purpose for us, both as individuals and as a movement so that when we return to our communities, we are more encouraged and equipped to serve … Let’s come with open hearts, expectant for what God will do in our time together!’
Source: Major Judith Bennett, Many Voices in Mission (2008).
As adults, we can be well-acquainted with feelings of disappointment or having been let down by those around us. In her book Atlas of the Heart, Brené Brown describes disappointment as being the result of unmet expectations. Sometimes we express these expectations and they don’t work out, and other times we have expectations that we don’t share, but still feel disappointment when they don’t eventuate. This can be the same with our kids, and the difficulty for them is that they are less equipped to deal with disappointment, as they haven’t had much experience with it. It is important for us to model coping with disappointment well, but sometimes we are the ones that our children feel let down by.
That sounds serious, but also if we think of disappointment as unmet expectations, there can be things that our children have expectations around that aren’t always realistic. For example, your children may be disappointed that you have to go to work every day, as they want to spend time with you. Here’s some things to think about when helping your child deal with disappointment:
• Don’t undermine or minimise how they feel: even if it doesn’t make a lot of sense to you, their feelings are very real to them, and they are still learning what to do about those emotions.
• Don’t be afraid to apologise to your children: just as it is good to model experiencing and working through disappointment, it is equally important to model apologising when you hurt others.
• Where possible, do what you can to offer alternatives to your children around their disappointment: if they were disappointed that you couldn’t spend time with them because of work, plan a day out with them where they have your undivided attention.
These resurrection eggs are like an Easter Advent calendar, walking us through the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection!
Using an empty egg carton (or basket or bag), collect the 12 items below and place each one in a numbered plastic egg (you could also use little boxes or envelopes instead of eggs). You can either open one of these each day leading up to Easter, or all at once in order, and read the connected Bible verses to reflect on Jesus’ Easter journey.
2
1 Leaf— Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Matthew 21:1–11
5
Small crown—Jesus is crowned and mocked. Matthew 27:27-30
6
Nail—Jesus is nailed to the cross.
John 19:16–18
A silver coin—Judas betrays Jesus. Luke 22:1–6
7
Dice—The soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothes.
Luke 23:34
10
Stone— Jesus is sealed in a tomb.
Matthew 27:57-60
3
Cracker— Jesus shares the Last Supper with his disciples.
Matthew 26:17–30
8 Toothpick —A soldier pierces Jesus’ side.
John 19:31–37
4 Feather Peter denies knowing Jesus. Mark 14:66–72
9
Twig—Jesus is crucified. Mark 15:33–41 11
Spices—The women arrive to prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
Luke 24:1–3 12
Empty—The tomb is empty; Jesus is risen! .
Matthew 28:6
The third time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him
Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep’. John 21:17 the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He said, ‘Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.’
Read: In this verse, Jesus and Peter meet again after Peter has pretended not to know Jesus before he died. Peter is ashamed of how he acted, and is sad that Jesus doesn’t think he loves him. But Jesus is actually giving Peter the time to own up to his mistakes and forgive himself, because Jesus has already forgiven him. Not only that, but Jesus trusts Peter with a job to do for his kingdom!
Think: Have there been times when you let someone you love down? Or has there been a time when you’ve felt let down by someone? When this happens, we normally don’t respond like Jesus and trust them with even more of the things we care about! But Jesus knows that once he returns to heaven, Peter will pass on the love and forgiveness that he has been shown by Jesus to the whole world!
Pray: Jesus, thank you for your example of forgiveness and trust. Help us to forgive others and ourselves, and to listen well for what you want to say to us. Show us how we can ‘feed your sheep’ like you asked Peter to do, and help us keep our eyes open to what you might be asking of us!
Do: Look at this image from Scott the Painter. What do you see in the picture? How might it connect to what we’ve read and talked about? Peter was tasked with caring for Jesus’ sheep (his people). Do you think that Jesus gives us jobs to do too? What might Jesus be asking you to do this week?
The risen one breathes peace and gives the power to forgive.
