Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking affect over 50 million people worldwide, including those in our four nations. You can read what we are doing about it in our territory.
12 God’s Economy
How are Christians called to live lives of justice and generosity in a world that is not just and often not generous?
16 Creativity with Purpose
Award-winning artist and corps officer shares her vision for art, creativity and living a life with purpose.
20 Second Chances
Prisoner reintegration is changing the lives of those who choose to be supported through a service the Army has been offering since 1883.
28 Spotlight on Senior Care
Wellington Community Ministries Newtown provides care and support for the elderly in their community.
SALT Magazine
The Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory
Territorial Leaders
Commissioners Julie and Mark Campbell
General Lyndon Buckingham
Founders Catherine and William Booth
Editor Vivienne Hill
Graphic design
Sam Coates, Nicole Gesmundo, Lauren Millington
Staff writers
Jules Badger, Kelly Cooper, Captain Rachel Montgomery
Proof reading
Colleen Marshall, Glenys Fairhurst
Connect with us saltmagazine.org.nz SaltMagazine @SaltMagazineNZ salvationarmynzfts Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 p: (04) 384 5649
e: salt@salvationarmy.org.nz
Subscriptions mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz Print Management MakeReady Publishing for 140 years Volume 3, Issue 18
All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.
Views and opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of The Salvation Army.
Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.
True Freedom
ost of the work we do in The Salvation Army is in response to people who have lost their freedom. This may be because of addiction; loss of financial freedom through debt, job loss or other circumstances; or the inability to be heard or to make good decisions.
In this edition of SALT you can read about the work the Army is doing to bring liberty to those who have no freedom. On page 8, Captain Sammy Millar is championing the cause of eradicating modern slavery and human trafficking. We like to think that slavery and trafficking happen in other countries, not in our four nations! Sadly, this is not true; the exploitation of people in our nations is a cold hard reality and a growing problem, particularly for immigrant populations who are vulnerable to coercion and deception.
Another form of slavery is slavery to a lifestyle of crime and addiction, which often leads to incarceration. Page 20 features the work of our Reintegration Services that offers a safety net for newly released prisoners. This vital service intervenes to break the cycle of repeated offending and offers hope to those who want to live life without resorting to crime, which is seldom victimless.
The loss of freedom comes at a cost to not only the victims but also the victimisers.
Frederick Douglass, who was born into slavery in America and became a leading reformer and abolitionist, said: ‘No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened around his own neck’. This quote exemplifies the biblical imperative of Romans 6:23: ‘For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord’. Sin comes at a cost to those who choose to participate in it. The catch is we all have a sin problem. True freedom from sin only comes one way and that is through the cross and faith in Jesus Christ. He alone offers true freedom and liberation from the enslavement of sin and the invitation to align our lives to God’s will.
Freedom is not insisting on our own rights, but freely giving them up to be a servant to Jesus Christ and his people.
Vivienne Hill Editor
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. GALATIANS 5:1
Siam Chicken and Rice (one pan)
45 mins | Serves 4–6
Ingredients
• 2–3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• Fresh chopped tomatoes, cashews and coriander to garnish if desired
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ cups basmati rice
• 2½ cups chicken stock
For the Marinade
• 3 makrut lime leaves, (previously
Method
called kaffir lime leaves) very finely sliced
• 3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2–3 Tbsp chopped coriander
• juice of 1–2 limes
• 2 tsp sesame oil
Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the sliced chicken and marinate for 10–20 minutes.
Heat a drop of the oil in a heavy based frying pan and cook the chicken a little at a time until it is all sealed. Add the stock to the pan and any marinade residue.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir in the rice and salt. Stir once to prevent the rice sticking, then cover with a baking sheet or lid, turn the temperature to its lowest setting and cook without stirring for 25 minutes.
Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving platter. Top with fresh chopped tomatoes, coriander and cashews if using.
Tip: You can also use this marinade for cooking chicken on the barbeque or slow roasting in the oven.
Source: Sophie Grey | destitutegourmet.com
INTERNATIONAL PRAYER
• Ethiopia Pray for peace and stability in the Tigray region and between different ethnic groups. Pray for Christian leaders from Muslim backgrounds who risk their lives to share the gospel.
• Mozambique Pray for efforts to rebuild churches that were destroyed in Islamist attacks. Pray that displaced Christians who receive audio Bibles will be encouraged by God’s Word.
• Yemen Christian converts face harassment, the possibility of losing jobs and family relationships, and potentially death. Christians worship secretly in homes or in small groups outdoors. Pray for the boldness, wisdom and protection of underground churches. Pray that imprisoned believers will continue to find strength and encouragement in Christ.
• Cuba Pray that churches closed by civil authorities will be allowed to reopen. Pray that those opposed to the gospel will be powerless to stop its advance. Pray for successful Bible distributions, which are difficult and often illegal.
SALVATION ARMY PRAYER
Tava Corps; Tawa Corps; Te Aroha Family Store; Te Awamutu Family Store; Territorial Headquarters; Thames Corps; The Salvation Army Cuba Street; Timaru Corps; The Salvation Army in Congo (Brazzaville); and The Salvation Army in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What’s on?
BMAC Spring Peak Adventure
Monday 30 September–
Friday 4 October
South Island Youth Camp
4–6 October
BMAC Father and Kids Camp 26–28 October bluemountainadventure. org.nz
Year 9 to 20-year-olds, Christian Youth Camp, Living Springs, Christchurch.
Kingdom Conference 4–6 October
INTRIGUING INDEX
The sun
1 Size and Distance
Our sun is an ancient star at the centre of our solar system. Its diameter is about 1.4 million kilometres, and it’s about 150 million kilometres from Earth.
2 Light Source
Save the Date
Thought Matters Conference
1–3 November, Sydney, Australia.
Check out our full event calendar at salvationarmy.org.nz/ events
From our viewpoint on Earth, the sun may appear like an unchanging source of light and heat in the sky, but the sun is a dynamic star, constantly changing and sending energy out into space. Without the sun’s energy, life as we know it could not exist on Earth.
3 Holding it All Together
The sun’s gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything from the biggest planets to the smallest bits of debris in orbit around it.
4 Namesake
The sun has been called by many names. The Latin word for sun is ‘sol’, which is the main adjective for all things sun-related: solar. Helios, the sun god in ancient Greek mythology, lends his name to many sun-related terms as well, such as heliosphere and helioseismology.
5 Solar Study
The science of studying the sun and its influence throughout the solar system is called heliophysics.
Ngāruawāhia
More Salad: Two Raw Sisters
Recipe book | Rosa and Margo Flanagan | Allen & Unwin publishers
Two Raw Sisters have done it again, with their latest book: More Salad: Two Raw Sisters. This collection offers creative, wholesome recipes that elevate the humble salad into a show-stopping dish. Each recipe includes thoughtful ‘Swap’ options, allowing you to make the most of in-season ingredients, helping you stay fresh and sustainable all year round. Additionally, the ‘Tip’ section offers handy advice to enhance flavours or improve techniques, while the ‘Delicious With’ suggestions inspire complementary pairings for a complete meal. This book is a must-have for anyone looking to bring new life to their everyday meals.
(Reviewed by Janlyn Robertson)
Book Giveaway
We have a free copy of the book
More Salad: Two Raw Sisters to give away. To enter the draw, email us at salt@salvationarmy.org.nz before 1 December.
Wonderland
Science fiction/Drama | Directed by Kim Tae-Young | Watch on Netflix
This Korean-language film (also featuring English- and Mandarin-speaking characters) has an interesting premise: families can receive AI video calls from loved ones who have passed away, where the AI knows everything about them except for the fact that they’ve died. The film follows a few different groups using this service, including a young girl who doesn’t know her mother has passed away. Wonderland has a lot of potential and raises some interesting thoughts about loss, technology and identity (and even produced a few tears), but I think a couple of the stories could have benefitted from being more fleshed out through a different medium instead, like a short TV series. It’s still a gentle sci-fi film that’s worth a watch. (Reviewed by Holly Morton-Chong)
WORD OF THE MONTH
Galala (Fijian) Free (adjective) Freedom (noun).
Source: Tradukka online dictionary
In the Dust
Religion/Spirituality | Captain Sarah Green | Listen on Spotify or find on Instagram @inthedustpodcast
Captain Sarah Green’s podcast series, In the Dust, draws from an idea originally presented by Rob Bell in the Nooma DVD: Dust . Sarah takes her listeners on a journey to explore what it means to walk every day in the dust of our Rabbi (teacher) Jesus and allow that dust to cover us. In these short weekly episodes, Sarah uses personal experiences and biblical reflections to help encourage people to walk more closely with Jesus, while reminding us that God believes in us and invites us to come follow him. I am now following this series so I don’t miss an episode. Check it out for yourself. (Reviewed by Captain Rachel Montgomery)
Do You Know These People?
If you recognise the people in this photo, we’d love to hear from you. Email: archives@salvationarmy.org.nz
Prayer Focus: Nicaragua
Nicaragua, located in Latin America, has a large Christian population, however the current government views Christians as destabilising agents and has recently changed the laws furthering hostility and persecution of the Church in this country. The government has revoked the legal status of hundreds of evangelical groups as part of its crackdown on institutions that challenge its authority. In the last month, 1500 non-profit organisations, many of them evangelical religious groups, have been shut down, with church property being confiscated. The decision to eliminate hundreds of churches reflects the government’s growing effort to silence religious leaders and their congregations.
Pray for protection: that God’s power and protection will cover people in these dangerous situations.
Pray for church leaders: that they will have courage and wisdom to minister to the people and to stand firm for the gospel. Pray for practical support that enables leaders to continue ministering.
Pray for the government: that God will change their hearts and lead them to understanding. Pray for those in positions of power and decision-making.
This story was published on the Open Doors website on 10 September, view at tinyurl.com/NicaraguaOpenDoors
Sunshine and Spice
Khloe Spice has been coming into the Winton Family Store to help Gayle, her support worker, for just on 4 years. Southland Area Manager for Family Stores Jade Taylor said, ‘It has been amazing to watch her go from being a shy quiet girl who would not speak to anyone to now helping on the counter and interacting with strangers, with the help of her caregiver’.
Khloe even had the courage to share her in-store experiences with her school in a recent speech. Her manager Pam Anderson shares that Khloe now thrives in the store atmosphere and has become a cheerful, helpful young woman with so much to offer.
‘We are thrilled to know it is not just our customers that leave the store happy and content but are so grateful to see the confidence building in Khloe as time goes by—there are many ways of caring for people and transforming lives’ said Pam. ‘Khloe has brought sunshine into our lives, and we can see her transformation before our eyes.’
QUICK QUIZ
1 What is the smallest country in the world?
2 What animal sweats milk?
3 What is the largest butterfly in the world?
4 What American state name includes the letter Q?
5 Which fruit contains more protein than any other fruit?
Answers page 32
What sunshine is to flowers; smiles are to humanity. JOSEPH ADDISON
Fighting for Freedom
With close to 50 million people caught up in modern slavery and human trafficking globally, the odds of bringing down this evil giant may seem insurmountable. However, Captain Sammy Millar explains how The Salvation Army is fighting for freedom and making a tangible difference in the lives of victims around the world—including in our four nations.
WORDS Jules Badger
or close to four years now, Captain Sammy Millar, corps officer at Palmerston North Corps (church), has been integrating her additional appointment of ‘Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response Contact Person’ into her life and ministry.
‘That title is such a mouthful,’ laughs Sammy. ‘But the idea behind the role is to coordinate The Salvation Army’s response to modern slavery and human trafficking (MSHT) here in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. It’s a reality within all four nations of our territory and each country requires its own coordinated local response,’ she explains.
More than numbers
So what is MSHT? Anti-Slavery International defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud, coercion or deception, with the purpose of exploiting them for profit. The Salvation Army’s international positional statement refers to MSHT as the umbrella term for human trafficking for sex, labour or organs, exploitative labour practices, child labour and early and/or forced marriage. It involves not just individuals but also social and economic systems. Victims are usually vulnerable people trying to escape poverty, improve their lives and support their families.
According to the latest global estimates of modern slavery from Walk Free (2022), the International Labour Organization and the International Organization for Migration, 49.6 million people live in modern slavery including forced labour and forced marriage. Roughly a quarter of all victims of modern slavery are children. There are 22 million people in forced marriages and two out of five of these are children. Of the 27.6 million people trapped in forced labour, 17.3 million are in forced labour exploitation in the private economy, 6.3 million are in commercial sexual exploitation and nearly 4 million are in forced labour imposed by state authorities. The pandemic exacerbated conditions that lead to modern slavery, with migrant workers becoming particularly vulnerable.
The Salvation Army internationally is deeply committed to the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking in all its forms.
Her Freedom Song
Early in her officership, Sammy was exposed to the injustices that women face globally through an intense period of reading.
‘That was the beginning of God stirring up something within me,’ explains Sammy. ‘My eyes were opened. MSHT really upset and infuriated me. And I’m not the
kind of person who can take in new information and do nothing. Ever since then I’ve been doing what I can to combat injustice and share what I’ve learnt with others.’
Readers may recall the New Zealand-based ‘Her Freedom Song’ conferences, which Sammy spearheaded a decade ago, focusing on justice for women globally. During the final conference in 2016, a young woman shared her testimony about gang involvement and how she escaped that life. The next speaker was Sarah Scott-Webb from Hagar International who spoke about the realities of human trafficking, the indicators and how to respond. The penny dropped and the young woman who had just shared her testimony recognised that what Sarah was explaining was what she had experienced—she had been trafficked within New Zealand’s gang world.
‘This brave young woman’s story revealed that trafficking is alive and well right here in our own backyard,’ says Sammy.
The first case of human trafficking to be prosecuted in New Zealand took place in 2016. It was discovered in a church environment when a perceptive person noticed some red flags in the story of a visitor. Further questions led to the recognition that something was
Above: Captain Sammy Millar (kneeling bottom left) with members of US Department of Homeland Security and NGOs including Citizens Advice Bureau, Tearfund NZ, Community Law, Oceania Freedom Network, ECPAT, Talitha Koum, Hagar and others.
very wrong. The case was reported and the mastermind behind an elaborate trafficking scheme, Faroz Ali, was prosecuted and imprisoned for human trafficking. He had lured 15 Fijian workers to New Zealand with false promises of high wages and working visas.
Fighting for freedom
The Salvation Army’s international ‘Fight for Freedom Strategy’ has eight action areas: prayer, prevention, protection, partnerships, participation, policy, prosecution and proof. These are being championed by Sammy, who is collaborating with other organisations to advocate for changes to government policy and law. She is also leading training days, as well as frontfooting campaigns like the recent ‘Let My People Go’ September prayer focus for The Salvation Army internationally.
In the ongoing fight for freedom, Sammy explains that an exciting development happening in New Zealand
is the launch of the new ‘return and repatriation’ guidelines for trafficking victims.
‘The Salvation Army’s global network means that regardless of the country someone is from, we can work with the Army in their home country to ensure they have the best support when they return. Our hope is that instead of deporting victims and survivors of MSHT, we can work with government departments to ensure genuine repatriation and reintegration.’
One of the actions Sammy is encouraging people to take is to sign ECPAT’s petition to government for the establishment of a MSHT helpline. ECPAT is a global network of organisations that work towards abolishing sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
‘Our hope is that instead of deporting victims and survivors of MSHT, we can work with government departments to ensure genuine repatriation and reintegration.’
‘It’s difficult for people to report exploitation or seek advice because there’s no referral system here in New Zealand,’ explains Sammy. ‘We are advocating for a helpline that isn’t managed or handled by the government, but by a separate organisation, because
people who have been trafficked are fearful of going to the authorities. It’s a real barrier if victims have experienced some level of corruption already in their country of origin. Signing the petition is something practical that people can do right now.’ (See link on page 11).
Also, working alongside other organisations like Tearfund, World Vision and ECPAT, The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit is currently providing support to a research coalition by helping develop resources for the public to use when a private member’s bill to increase prosecution of traffickers comes out. The key piece of work here is lobbying the government for an amendment to the Crimes Act 1961.
‘At the moment, international legislation does not require evidence of coercion or deception for a child to have been trafficked. However, our legislation here in New Zealand requires deception or coercion to be evident before the crime can be considered trafficking. But we are talking about children, so this definition needs to be amended as soon as possible,’ insists Sammy. ‘There will be a template available equipping people to lobby their local MP,’ she explains.
Our own backyard
Sammy recently ran three training days in Wellington educating Salvation Army officers (church leaders) and staff about MSHT. Preparation is underway for training in Christchurch, and then in Auckland which Sammy describes as ‘a hotspot’ for exploitation and trafficking.
‘It’s crucial that we don’t dismiss MSHT as something that happens overseas, because it is happening in our own backyards. So the more we can do to learn about what it looks like in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and
Above (this page and opposite): The eight action areas of The Salvation Army’s international ‘Fight for Freedom Strategy’.
Samoa the better. It is essential that we are educated about current trends and know how to recognise, respond and report a case if we suspect someone may have been trafficked or exploited,’ explains Sammy.
‘I am vigilant when I discover people who don’t have access to their own passport, for example, or who have concerns about their visa status or their working environment.’
Sammy reports that The Salvation Army in New Zealand has been working with a handful of people who have been identified as victims of trafficking.
‘In most cases this means advocacy in terms of healthcare and access to lawyers, food and accommodation, and WINZ [Work and income New Zealand]. Certified trafficking victims have entitlements and sometimes require support to access these entitlements. Non-judgemental support and advocacy are essential, and something we can offer at a local level,’ she explains.
Along with Captain Missy Ditchburn, Sammy has produced resources that can be used at any time to educate and inform Salvationists about MSHT. There are resources available for youth and children, and a special family service appropriate for all ages has been carefully designed and provided (see link below).
Principalities and powers
Sammy reports an alarming trend in Southeast Asia, —Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines—and Peru, where young tech graduates are being lured by the promise of a lucrative job overseas, only to be trafficked to compounds where their passports are confiscated and they are essentially kept prisoner. They are forced to use their skills to scam others and
are trapped into performing criminal activities.
‘It is vital that we pray,’ says Sammy, ‘because we don’t always consider that the strangers adding us on social media could be victims of forced criminality.’
The Salvation Army’s International Day of Prayer for Victims of MSHT is held annually on the last Sunday of September. ‘If you missed it this year, get it in the calendar for 2025,’ urges Sammy. Prayer resources can also be easily accessed internally on the Army’s SharePoint—you don’t have to wait until September 2025.
‘Prayer is essential in the fight for freedom because the struggle isn’t just against flesh and blood but against principalities and power at the spirit level. There is an oppressive force that wants to keep people bound and imprisoned. But as people who follow Jesus, we want to see people set free. The day of prayer was all about mobilising people to pray against this evil, but also about creating space for people to think about how they can respond in terms of action. Both are part of our response as followers of Jesus—the one who came to literally set the captives free. How will you respond?’
Read The Salvation Army’s International’s positional statement at salvationarmy.org/ihq/ ipshumantrafficking
Sign ECPAT’s petition to the government to establish a MSHT helpline at tinyurl.com/PetitionEPCAT
God’s Economy
Captain Rachel Montgomery looks to the Bible to explore the justice and equality of God’s economy, and our responsibility to live lives of generosity and awareness in our communities.
We are living in times of significant global change, where economy, politics, violence and poverty are hot topics of discussion. In the countries of our territory, we are experiencing the after-effects of a pandemic, along with a cost-ofliving crisis. Without trivialising how difficult this is for people, it is without a doubt the poor who always suffer the brunt of hard times.
The world is lopsided when it comes to economics and equality. In Shane Claiborne and Tony Campolo’s book, Red Letter Christianity, they explain that, ‘If life were likened to a baseball game, some people are born on third base, and others on first, and some are born with only one shoe to play with’.
Jesus has plenty to say about injustice and setting things right. Sometimes we may hear people quoting Jesus from Mark 14:7, ‘...the poor you will
always have with you’, as a way of excusing ourselves from action; a way of saying we need to be concerned about saving souls, not about poverty, because Jesus said the poor will always be here. But a better reading of the text would be, ‘we will always be with the poor’. When Jesus spoke these words, he was surrounded by the poor and marginalised. We must ask then, where are the poor? Are they among us?
God’s plan of generosity
It would appear at the centre of God’s economy is the idea of redistribution. One of the first stories in the Bible is about the Exodus, where God rescues the Hebrews from slavery and oppression in Egypt. As they are being led out of Egypt, God establishes some new laws and patterns for living, as he calls them to be a holy nation—‘holy’ meaning set apart or called out. This nation is called to show the world what a society of love looks like. Within their practices they are to show hospitality to strangers, special care for immigrants and foreigners, and care for the poor, widows and orphans.
There was also the Year of Jubilee, occurring every seven years, which was God’s regular and systemic dismantling of inequality, where slaves were set free, property was redistributed and debts were freely forgiven. In Deuteronomy 15:11, God says to be openhanded towards your brothers (and sisters) and towards the poor and needy in your land. Jesus is not excusing us from action, rather he is calling us to action. Poverty is our responsibility. God’s people are not to accumulate stuff for tomorrow but to share indiscriminately with the holy confidence that God will provide for tomorrow, especially when there is someone in need today.
Jesus has plenty to say about injustice and setting things right.
In the life of the early Church, this community showed the world what a society of love looks like. In the book of Acts it says, ‘All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone who had need … All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had … There were no needy persons among them’ (Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–34). The resources of one person were God’s instruments of provision for another person, all things were held with thankful hearts and open hands. We see how central need-sharing
and redistribution was throughout the life of the early Church. Bearing one another’s burdens was a part of who they were. If one person suffered, they all suffered.
It’s easy to get caught up in accumulating stuff, but Jesus said not to store up treasures for yourself on earth (Matthew 6:19). As Mother Teresa said, ‘The more we have … the less we can give’. The world needs to see what a community of love looks like. It doesn’t mean that we’re left without providence or security. We have an alternative security, and it comes from God and from a community that believes in bearing each other’s burdens.
Jesus did not call us into individualism as much as he called us into community. Mahatma Ghandi said, ‘There’s enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed’, which must prompt us to ask the question of our own living: where there is abundance and surplus, how is this being offered with a thankful heart and open hands to those in need?
We are called to a radical lifestyle that trusts in God for tomorrow. When we stockpile while others go without, who or what are we placing our trust in? Claiborne shares, ‘We’ve found that as we hold less and less for tomorrow, there’s more and more for today for everyone.’
Right now we may have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later they will have plenty and can share with us when we need it. In this way there will be equality. God promises that there is enough to share.
We have an alternative security, and it comes from God and from a community that believes in bearing each other’s burdens.
Our mission of love and service in Christ
I am all about collaboration and working smarter, so this month I have partnered with my husband Lt-Colonel Ian Gainsford, territorial secretary for Mission, to write this column (code for ‘he wrote it’) focusing on our mission.
Over the last few months, these columns have highlighted our vision and values, partly because they are new; it’s good to understand where we are headed, and to own the values that underpin the way we work and live alongside one another. Our other key strategic statement is older: our mission statement, which commits us to caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society by God’s power. We care for people throughout our territory every day. We are motivated by the God who cares for us, and who reached out in Jesus to love us without condition.
Lives are transformed through the work done in our corps (churches), Community Ministries, Bridge centres and more. Increased freedom from material hardship; living healthier and more resilient lives; connecting with others in healthy relationships, all of which finds its end in an encounter with the love of Jesus Christ and the opportunity of a relationship with the God who is ‘mighty to save’. In our advocacy to government and our efforts in local communities across our four nations, we work to challenge injustice and oppression, to reform our communities and to provide a lived example of loving Christlike community.
The history of the Army is littered with examples of these things. In this issue of SALT we read about work in the area of human trafficking, prisoner reintegration and the Prison Gate Brigade. Around Aotearoa New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa we are actively providing hope for those living in insecure situations. We provide housing for those who have no home. We’re helping people make more of their finances, and live positive and empowered lives.
Our mission is motivated by Christ’s compassion, especially for those who are vulnerable. We are seeing people set free— free from need, from loneliness, from sin, from fear. And in all of this, we know that it is God at work in us and through us that makes any of it possible. It is God’s love that frees us and calls us on; God’s radical compassion that we reflect; God who transforms and includes.
In a community near you, the Army is at work. Why don’t you reach out to see how you can be involved?
Lt-Colonel Liz Gainsford Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development
1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (NIV).
Ki te kōrero tētahi, kia rite tāna ki tā ngā kupu a te Atua. Ki te minita tētahi, kia rite tāna ki tō te kaha e hōmai ana e te Atua; kia whai korōria ai te Atua i ngā mea katoa i roto i a Īhu Karaiti; kei a ia te korōria me te mana ake ake. Āmine (PT).
Kevaka e dua sa vosa, me ia me vaka na vosa ni Kalou: kevaka e dua sa kitaka na cakacaka, me ia ga me vaka na kaukauwa sa solia na Kalou: me vakarokorokotaki kina na Kalou e na ka kecega e na vuku i Jisu Karisito, o koya sa nona na vakarokoroko kei na lewa e na gauna kecega ka sega ni mudu. Emeni (FOV)
Agar tumhaar lage bole ke bardaan hei, to Parmeshwar ke sandes ke parchaar karo. Agar tumme dusra ke madat kare ke daan hei, to jon sakti Parmeshwar dewe hei, usse karo. Sab kuchh wahi rakam se hoy ke chaahi ki jisse Yeeshu Maseeh, jon hardam shaktimaan aur mahima se bhara rahe hei, se Parmeshwar ke baṛaai hoy. Aameen (FRHNT).
Kapau ko e fai malanga ‘a ha taha, ke ne fai ko e folofola ‘a e ‘Otua; kapau ‘oku fai ha tauhi ‘ofa ‘e ha taha, ke ne fai ‘o ngali ko ha toko taha kuo ne ma‘u ‘ene mafai mei he ‘Eiki; koe‘uhi ke fakahikihiki‘i ‘a e ‘Otua ‘i he me‘a kotoa pe ‘ia Sisu Kalaisi, ‘a ia ‘oku ‘o ‘Ene ‘Afio ‘a e kololia mo e māfimafi ‘o lauikuonga pea ta‘engata. Emeni (TWB).
Afai e tautala se tasi, ia tusa ma afioga a le Atua; afai e auauna se tasi, ia tusa ma le malosi ua foaiina mai e le Atua, ina ia viia le Atua i mea uma lava, ona o Iesu Keriso; ia ia te ia le viiga ma le mana e faavavau faavavau lava. Amene (SOV).
Artistic Anointing
Award-winning artist and corps officer (church leader) at New Plymouth Corps Aux-Captain Maryanne Shearman, sat down with Kelly Cooper for a conversation about art, creativity and living a life with purpose.
Aux-Captain Maryanne Shearman humbly describes herself as a missionary. ‘I believe the purpose of my life is to be filled with God and to give back to him through everything I do,’ she explains. In 2024, that ‘everything’ for Maryanne included becoming an awardwinning artist and more recently, along with her husband Aux-Captain Gareth Shearman, an appointment to the position of corps officers and directors of Community Ministries at New Plymouth Corps.
Following a rigorous application process and months of prayer, Maryanne and Gareth were warranted as auxiliary captains on 1 September 2023. This appointment involved a move from a coastal village to central New Plymouth, with their three children. ‘We know this move is right. God has asked a lot of us and we’re doing it, so I’m excited to see what this adventure is going to be,’ shares Maryanne.
That same spirit of adventure led Maryanne to enter and win the 2024 Adam Portraiture Award for her portrait painting of prominent Māori climate activist Tuhi-Ao Bailey. ‘I’ve been drawing and painting since I was little. I never went to university and have no formal training. I am a missionary. My life is set apart for his work and my art is part of that work.’
Inspired creation
The journey to create this awardwinning portrait began over two
years ago with a conversation. ‘Tuhi-Ao is a private person, and it was wonderful that she agreed to me capturing a glimpse of her story,’ shares Maryanne. ‘We took photos at her papakaianga (a group of houses) and I started the piece; but then it sat, and I wondered if the fire had gone out. Months later, as I was thinking of Tuhi-Ao, I drove past her on the road where I had previously seen a baby kingfisher. Kingfisher is kōtare in te reo Māori and it means ‘watchman’. Tuhi-Ao is a watchman for her people, and I had been planning to paint a kōtare in her portrait. Things like this just happen with my art. It is the Holy Spirit. I knew I was meant to paint this piece, and I finished it right on the deadline,’ says Maryanne.
‘My life is set apart for his work and my art is part of that work.’
‘My faith has always been a part of me and so has my art,’ explains Maryanne. ‘If we are consecrated to him, then everything we create or do he delights in, and it becomes worship. My art really comes alive when that’s how I am operating. As soon as I click into “my art is a job”, the quality of my work declines and I find myself on tangents that aren’t full of life, but when I keep it in that place with him, it always flows. It’s pure joy!
Above, left: Aux-Captain Maryanne Shearman working on a painting; right: Maryanne’s award-winning painting of Tuhi-Ao Bailey.
‘There are secular artists who witness that idea of a kōrero or a creation coming to them and almost asking to be output—this sense of being a vessel—I really do believe that’s what we are made to do as people. There is no better joy than operating in our anointing,’ says Maryanne. ‘I love that passage in Exodus 31:1–5 where one of the first people to be filled the Holy Spirit is Bezalel. It’s not Moses or some other prophet who receives the Spirit, it’s an artist, who made all the items for the first tabernacle.
When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you can’t hold it in. For me, my art is one way of doing something with the overflowing of his Spirit,’ shares Maryanne.
A new covenant
Maryanne is grateful for the support of local Taranaki galleries that exhibit her landscape and native bird paintings, which she also sells online. After receiving the exposure and prestige of the Adam Portraiture Award, an artist would typically use this opportunity as a springboard to create more work, host larger exhibitions and increase sales. Maryanne laughs, ‘I wasn’t meant to win. In a way I didn’t want to because I was going to have to say to them,
‘The Salvation Army is a creative movement that was built by ridiculously creative people.’
“Well thanks for this award, but I am actually going to become a pastor now!” That’s not really what you do in the art world, but God was saying, “Lay it down and see what I’ll do”. In the future I would love to have one piece of art that I’m working on and for that work to be exhibited, but we’ll see. I am trusting God. I know that my mission is going to look different moving to officership,’ says Maryanne.
‘It feels like a massive privilege to step into leading one of the churches in our city. Our role is to collaborate with God and allow him
to reveal his plans to us. Although I’m aligning my career and my life with the covenant of being an officer, that doesn’t take away my identity as an artist,’ reflects Maryanne. ‘I am excited to see how God will feed that part of who I am. The Salvation Army is a creative movement that was built by ridiculously creative people, so I want to remind us that creative people—artists, dreamers, and prophets—can operate in this system in their fullness. That is my prayer, my hope and dream for New Plymouth, this place that we love.’
Finding Faith and Purpose
Don Quirk from Johnsonville Corps (church) shares his generational ties to The Salvation Army and his return to family roots.
The Salvation Army has been a part of my family’s story for many years. My mother, Mary Elena Westrupp, joined The Salvation Army in Nelson at 18 years of age. At age 20, she was accepted into the first intake of cadets to train as Salvation Army officers in the 1913 session. Following her training, Mary was appointed corps officer (leader) at several corps in both the North and South Islands, but poor health led her to take early retirement from officership in 1915. Mary married my father Ernest Quirk in 1923.
Up until her death in 1938 at the age of 47, my mother remained a devout Salvationist. I was only four years old when she was promoted to Glory. I grew up attending The Salvation Army in Nelson with several caregivers. After completing my studies at Nelson College, I began working at my first job as a ship’s boy in the Merchant Navy. I came ashore in 1953 and served three months compulsory military training at Burnham Army Camp in Christchurch.
After another two years at sea, I joined the Metropolitan Fire Service, first in Wellington and then the Christchurch Brigade. I moved on to work at the Ministry of Transport (MOT) Rescue Fire Service in Christchurch and Wellington. Over the years my career advanced and I worked at the Civil Aviation Authority where I was responsible for inspecting aerodromes throughout New Zealand. Later my position changed to Aeronautical Services Inspector where I audited firefighting procedures in aerodromes in New Zealand and in the Pacific Islands. Since the day I commenced work I hardly ever attended a church service other than the occasional wedding or funeral.
...I was adamant that no one would convince me to accept Jesus as my saviour.
I always kept The Salvation Army in the back of my mind. Something would always be lingering and tempting me to return to my Army roots, but I resisted giving in. Although I remember little of my mother, I felt her spirit remain with me all those years.
Unexpected encounter
It was Anzac Day in 2016, when a friend suggested that we attend a service at Johnsonville Salvation Army. To be honest, I was not very keen to go but relented. After the outdoor service we were invited inside for coffee and Anzac biscuits, and I met Commissioners Garth and Mel McKenzie. I found talking with these wonderful people of God very inspiring. They invited me to attend a church service, and although I was hesitant, my friend convinced me to go. I thought it might be an opportunity to speak to my second cousin Andy Westrupp, who attended this corps.
Above: Don Quirk’s mother, Mary Elena Westrupp.
On arriving at the church that Sunday, I was adamant that no one would convince me to accept Jesus as my saviour. I made it very clear to the corps officer at the time, Captain Robert Adams, that I had not come to praise, I was just here out of interest. Famous last words! On that day, Pentecost Sunday in 2016, I gave my life to Christ.
Since embracing Christ, I feel a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment in my life.
Since that day, I have not looked back. I am now involved with many aspects of my corps. I enjoy being asked to occasionally pray and read the Bible verses at Sunday services. I like helping with MASH (community meals) each week and reaching out to those who come along. I am learning a lot in my life group. My favourite Bible verses are Ephesians 6:10–17, where Paul talks about putting on the armour of God.
Never too late
Even in my nineties I like to keep myself fit and active. I also love country music and enjoy singing Jim Reeves and Dean Martin songs at the country music clubs I belong to. A year ago, I saw some veterans running in the Masters Games on television and thought, I could do that. I joined an athletics club and took up training. Despite some concerns from my family, I entered the North Island Masters in Palmerston North this year and achieved my goal of competing. I was the only competitor in my age category, and I came last, but I did it. I wanted to prove that it is never too late to have a go at anything new.
Since embracing Christ, I feel a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment in my life. This journey has deepened my understanding of others and strengthened my ability to be more accepting.
Each day, among other prayers, I pray that God would give me the opportunity to reach out and speak to others to help them find salvation. The church has
been an enormous blessing, giving me peace, hope, faith and fellowship. My message to all those who are curious or wavering about getting to know Jesus—it is never too late!
Above: Don Quirk
Hope, Healing and Second Chances
Since establishing the Prison Gate Brigade homes in New Zealand in 1884, The Salvation Army has remained dedicated to supporting those rebuilding their lives after serving time in prison. SALT sat down with Glen Buckner, national operations manager for The Salvation Army’s Reintegration Services, and Field Worker Aaron Cooper to learn more about these vital services and the life-changing difference they make.
WORDS Kelly Cooper
aron Cooper was introduced to methamphetamine when he was just 17 years old. ‘It was great,’ he recalls, ‘I finally felt good. I didn’t have any pain, and I felt invincible.’ Aaron quickly became addicted to meth and started dealing to support his habit. Not long after he was sentenced to prison.
Now, several years later, in his role as a field worker at Christchurch Reintegration Services, Aaron works with clients whose stories often have similar origins. After witnessing and struggling to process the traumatic death of a close friend at 15 years of age, Aaron began drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana to block out his grief and pain. Two years later, Aaron was the victim of sexual abuse. ‘I didn’t tell anyone. I pretended it didn’t happen, but I was so angry I was spiraling out of control,’ explains Aaron. ‘I became a beast. I was disrespectful and I hurt a lot of people. I didn’t want to live my life this way, but I had so much anger. I ended up in and out of court after a series of assault charges and then petty crime started to creep in. Eventually, I ended up in prison.’
Hope in the hurt
Following his release from prison and on the request of a concerned family member, Aaron sought help for his addiction and consented to rehab. He learned some
good tools and remained clean for a period of time but ultimately fell back into addiction. Then an encounter with God one evening changed everything.
‘I was so frustrated with the life I was living,’ explains Aaron. ‘I yelled out, “If you are there, God, help me! Come and help me!” I immediately felt surrounded by love, compassion and forgiveness. All my hurt was gone. That night God took all my cravings, my addiction and my pain away. I can honestly say that I don’t carry it anymore.’
It is this love, compassion and forgiveness that Aaron now extends to his clients. ‘I can relate to a lot of these broken men. I know where they’ve been. They see me walk into the prison in my Salvation Army jacket looking healthy and they make assumptions about me. Then I show them a photograph of myself in full-
‘I yelled out, “If you are there, God, help me! Come and help me!” I immediately felt surrounded by love, compassion and forgiveness.’
Above: Glen Buckner, Reintegration Services national operations manager (left) and Aaron Cooper, Reintegration Services field worker (right).
blown addiction. I looked so unwell. It’s a good way to break the ice and they realise that I do understand. I say to them, “I actually get where you are. I know the pain and hurt you are carrying”. A lot of these men have suffered some form of abuse—physical, sexual, and emotional—and I know what that feels like,’ shares Aaron.
Client-focused care
For Aaron, every day as a field worker is different. Some days he will accompany his clients to appointments, probation meetings, counselling or job interviews. Other days Aaron spends time connecting over coffee, having a chat, or taking a walk down the beach. ‘The key thing is to give people the time and the support that they need,’ says Aaron.
National Operations Manager Glen Buckner couldn’t agree more. ‘People like Aaron are good at giving people all the time they require. While we offer multiple services for those reintegrating, what matters most is the time spent with individuals. We don’t offer
a cookie-cutter experience, everything we provide is developed around an individual and their specific needs,’ explains Glen.
Glen has been part of the team since The Salvation Army opened the Christchurch Reintegration Service in 2007, which quickly grew to include services in Wellington, Invercargill, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Hawke’s Bay and Auckland. Today he leads a staff of more than 40, who provide vital support services for individuals re-entering the community, helping them to rebuild their lives and prevent reoffending.
‘Somebody said to me the other week, “What’s it like hearing the same stories every week?” and I said, “They are similar stories, but different faces and different people each on their own journey”. All our clients have their own complexities and that’s part of the reason that I am still here,’ shares Glen.
Commitment to community
‘We offer a range of services, including supported accommodation for high-risk offenders across the country, emergency accommodation, work with deportees, community services for clients who are living with family, bail houses and a specialised
programme for women. The accommodation side of what we provide is only a doorway to everything else that goes alongside it. We begin working with clients prior to their release from prison and then support them to find employment, rebuild connections with family members and develop life and social skills,’ shares Glen.
‘The key thing is to give people the time and the support that they need.’
Glen acknowledges that their clients typically face many obstacles as part of their reintegration. Access to basic necessities such as identification, opening a bank account and purchasing a cell phone, all present real challenges. ‘Some of our clientele are harder to connect with; we’re not their friend or their family, but for many we are the closest thing they have to them. It’s essential they understand that when we pick them up from prison, we are not judging them. Yes, they’ve been to prison, but they’ve served their time. Their crime is part of who they were, and it doesn’t make them who they are long term.
‘We have the ability to reach about 600 people per year, but we don’t ever say goodbye to anyone, so we could end up with 1000 people on our books. Since Covid-19, the numbers of people we have seen through our services have dropped because we have been supporting people for longer. Some require accommodation for six to nine months. Some clients stay a year or longer. That’s huge, the media would have you think that people are reoffending, but that’s not the case. Many are reintegrating successfully into our communities and rebuilding their lives,’ says Glen.
Glen desires to see a shift in attitudes towards people who have been incarcerated. ‘What we all need to understand is that people are going to be released from prison in New Zealand. There are very few people who will be in prison for life. Most people have more connections with people in prison than they are aware
Top image: Aaron Cooper in the midst of his addiction; bottom image: Aaron today.
of. The reality is people are coming out of prison, so we need to make sure our communities are able to take them back and help them. If we support their reintegration, we can prevent future victims.’
Faith for the future
‘We have a really strong national team, which includes people from many walks of life—some who have a prison background and some who don’t. People who have been teachers, nurses, who owned their own businesses or who are straight from university. We work hard to employ the best people who each have something to offer. I can’t fault the work our team does,’ shares Glen, ‘they are all motivated by a genuine commitment to the work they do.
‘Not all of our staff have a Christian faith, but they understand that it’s the cornerstone of who we are. When there is an opportunity, we pray before and after our assessments. We put a whole lot of faith into what we do, trusting that God will give us what we need,’ explains Glen.
‘Everyone who accesses our service has self-referred, so even before they come, they know that we are a faithbased organisation. Many share that they used to go to church or attend Sunday school as a child, but you don’t have to have a faith background to receive our services. Our doors are open to everyone,’ says Glen.
‘We represent a voice that is hardly ever heard.’
Reflecting on their respective journeys, both Glen and Aaron attest to the hand of God in leading them to work for Reintegration Services. ‘God has definitely taught me some hard lessons,’ shares Aaron, ‘but my experiences have moulded me into who I am today. I can see that God had a plan for my life. I have three core values that I want to share with the clients I work with: I want to show them compassion, forgiveness and empathy. Every day I want to be better than I was yesterday and to do my best by Jesus. If I can do that
daily and shine a light for these men and women who are hurting, then I am a happy man.’
‘This work has greatly added to my own faith,’ adds Glen. ‘It’s helped me to find a dimension of who I am. I didn’t have a lot of self-esteem when I was growing up. God has always been important in my life but the level of that has changed over the years, particularly in this work. We see the evil and the bad in the world in this job, but there must be a God when you see the reconciliation in families, victims and offenders, and the transformation of people who see worth in who they are. Seeing how Jesus works and connects with these people as individuals and their communities is exciting.
‘I am reminded of [Salvation Army co-founders] William and Catherine Booth’s dedication to showing love in action,’ shares Glen. ‘We represent a voice that is hardly ever heard. These people are literally at the bottom of every list. To support our clients in turning their lives around is an enormous privilege, and if they get to know God in the process, well, that’s just fantastic!’
Need support on release?
The Salvation Army Reintegration Services can help you with housing on release from prison as well as a safe and supported transition into your community.
0800 53 00 00
A Prayer for True Freedom
WORDS Jules Badger | ART Sam Coates
Lord of All Creation
We stand in awe of your divine design
Each one of us
Utterly bespoke
Handcrafted
Lovingly
Intentionally
Fearfully and wondrously made
Rendered exactly as you imagined
Fashioned in full and glorious daylight
Give us courage, Lord
To pull back the veil of darkness and despair
And raise in its place
Your banner of repair, colour and fullness of life
Help us, Lord
To celebrate and illuminate
Not isolate or humiliate
Help us, Lord
To embrace and include
Not banish or exclude
Compel us, Lord
To hold sacred space
For anyone bruised
Hurt by the Church
Misplaced or abused
May we always be a Body
That together, shares, feels and heals
And offers sanctuary and true freedom
As we find joy in one another
Bless us, Lord
With hearts full of grace
And loving simplicity
That we may see
The beauty of your complexity
In every precious, image bearing face
May it be so in us...
Pushing Pause: Freedom to Rest
In part five of this series, Major Mat Badger moves to the New Testament and begins to look at the teachings of Jesus, who practised the Sabbath as a way of life. For Jesus, Sabbath wasn’t a command to keep but a way of being that brought life and freedom.
Who doesn’t want deep soul rest and intimacy with God? The Sabbath is a gift to us from the God who loves us and modelled rest for us. When we choose to receive it as a rhythm of life, Sabbath becomes an anchor point for our spiritual formation. And we are completely free to discern the Holy Spirit’s leading when it comes to how we practise Sabbath.
Lord of the Sabbath
Between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament, 400 years had passed. Once again something of the initial intention behind Sabbath practice was lost over time. However, it’s not the failure to observe the Sabbath that causes problems this time, but an overly prescriptive set of rules about how to keep Sabbath.
Mark 2:23–24 reads, ‘One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”’
There is no law in the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament) about it being illegal to snack on the Sabbath. God is not anti-snack. However, while the Israelites of the Old Testament understood what constituted rest, given their many years of slavery and captivity, by Jesus’ time some ambiguity had crept in. What exactly constituted work? Is gardening work? Cooking? Walking? When does walking become exercise? Is exercise
a form of rest or work? What about reading and learning?
Now, I love the ambiguity here because it gives us the freedom to be our unique selves. What might seem like work to me might be life-giving and a way of encountering God for someone else. This is something we can work out with God through the leading of the Holy Spirit; however, for those living in the time of Jesus, this ambiguity left too much room for accidently breaking the Sabbath— a risk the religious leaders took very seriously.
Don’t fence me in
It’s important to remember that Jesus himself may have been a Pharisee. The Pharisees were the religious leaders of the day—and the group he probably most identified with. When Jesus gets upset with them, his words are harsh, probably because he was speaking to them as one of their own. We also need to remember that the Pharisees’ intentions stemmed from a good place. Their genealogy goes back to Ezra, when Israel returned from captivity in Babylon. For all the right reasons initially, they did what
theologians refer to as ‘building a fence’ around the Torah.
A modern-day illustration goes like this: You’re walking along one of New Zealand’s beautiful bush trails and you see a sign pointing to a waterfall. When you arrive, you find that the Department of Conservation has built a fence around it, the idea being to keep you safe and prevent you from accidently tripping and falling in. The same principle applies when the text says don’t ‘work’ but rather ‘rest’ on the Sabbath. The Israelites’ experience in captivity meant that the Pharisees stepped back and added hundreds of sub-clauses to the Law—613 to be exact.
It wasn’t God who did this, and the result was an overly prescribed set of rules called the Mishnah that included everything from what food
...it’s not the failure to observe the Sabbath that causes problems … but an overly prescriptive set of rules about how to keep Sabbath.
you could cook to how far you could walk. The New Testament speaks of a ‘Sabbath day’s walk’, which was probably around 500 metres— a judgement call made to determine when a leisurely stroll became work. Over the generations, the original intent of a protective fence was lost and what was supposed to serve the people slowly became something that shackled them instead.
Jesus is pro-Torah but anti-Mishnah. And so, in Mark 2:24 when the Pharisees ask Jesus why his disciples were doing what was unlawful on the Sabbath, they were not breaking the Torah but the Mishnah. Jesus breaks the Mishnah to make a point.
Freedom to rest
We pick up the story in Mark 2:25–26, where Jesus responds with, ‘Have you never read…’ (This is a bit of classy sarcasm from Jesus as he speaks to a bunch of Torah nerds because of course they have read it) … ‘what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions’.
Jesus was making his case based on a citation from the Torah and effectively saying this is why what we did is okay What he says next is one of Jesus’ most important teachings on the Sabbath. In Mark 2:27 he says, ‘The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man [one of Jesus’ titles] is Lord [the boss] even of the Sabbath’. Essentially,
Jesus was saying that the religious leaders had turned the Sabbath into a soul sucking legalistic rule.
However, here in 2024, we need to hear the first part of this teaching— the Sabbath was made for us. We have the exact opposite problem to the first century Jewish audience. It’s not that we have all these legalistic rules around the Sabbath, our problem is that we don’t have any at all. The society around us has absolutely no expectation around Sabbath observance—we are totally free to practise it or not. I would suggest that in the busyness of life, with its noise, alerts, notifications and many distractions, we need the practice of Sabbath more than ever before.
The Sabbath was designed to bring us a rich and deep well of refreshment. Sabbath is the only spiritual practice commanded in the Ten Commandments, because the implication is that when we practise it, we create unhurried space for other spiritual disciplines— prayer becomes easier and deeper; Bible reading becomes richer and revelatory; fasting eases into worship; and relationships strengthen.
And the presence of the Lord of the Sabbath becomes tangible as we follow his example and find a rhythm of regular rest.
Love in Action Aids Senior Wellbeing
Ben Mack visits Wellington Community Ministries in Newtown to find out about their ministry of supporting seniors, an example of God’s love in action.
Kath Johnston knew something needed to be done.
The Senior Services coordinator, based out of Newtown, was contacted by a member of the public delivering Meals on Wheels who was concerned about an elderly woman living in squalor.
The woman needed help. Among other things, her home did not have a working toilet, bathroom or kitchen. ‘Her house was uninhabitable,’ Kath recalls. The woman was living as a recluse and reluctant to receive support from any services.
Kath knew that life could change for this woman. She was determined to see her housed—a journey that took 10 months of building trust and strengthening relationship.
‘She had fallen through the cracks and was essentially overlooked by society.’
‘It was a long and sometimes frustrating path connecting her with other services that are required for access to residential care. In this, The Salvation Army was an essential bridge and strong advocate. As we worked to successfully relocate her into care, I was able to draw on lots of the resources available at Newtown through Salvation Army Community Ministries—everything from food assistance and clothing to counselling and budgeting. I don’t have to do this all myself; I have a team that helps me.’
The woman is now adjusting to living in residential aged care. ‘For the first time in over 40 years she is now showering regularly, is warm and comfortable, has all new clothes, is eating nutritious meals and has access to the medical and social care she deserves.
‘It’s my view that no one in society needed to live in the conditions she experienced,’ adds Kath. ‘She had fallen through the cracks and was essentially overlooked by society. It seemed as if everyone had walked away because her situation was so complex and just too hard.’
Teamwork and community connections
Major Christina Tyson, Wellington South corps officer (leader) at the Newtown Centre, applauds Kath’s longstanding work in the community. ‘Kath is so tenacious that while no one else could get through this woman’s front door, Kath could. That’s what made the difference for this woman, just as it has for so many others.’
Kath has served in her role for almost 15 years. She says all her clients are treated with the same dignity and respect—with time taken to get to know them, their whānau (families) and their unique situations. ‘For some, we might only need to journey with them for a few weeks. But others I’ve worked with for 10 to 11 years. These are special relationships that often only end when they pass away. And then it’s my privilege to attend their funerals.
Christina says one of the reasons Kath is so effective is that she has strong
community partnerships that she can draw on to help people. This includes social workers at hospitals, contacts at medical centres, legal advisors and many contacts within the aged care sector.
Currently, Kath and her team of 13 volunteers work with 25 to 30 elderly people each month, visiting them in their homes, connecting them to social support activities and advocating for them. Kath organises around 11 social outings a year, with diverse activities, such as a special tour of Government House in Wellington and visits to garden centres and museums. Each month, a ‘Navigating Senior Life’ group is held at the Newtown Centre with various speakers. A recent addition has been sign language lessons from one of the group members who is deaf herself and a qualified sign language teacher. ‘This has been really popular with members,’ says Kath.
For around eight years, Kath has partnered with a local Kilbirnie lawyer for a monthly pro bono ‘Lawyer’s Clinic’ focused on low-income seniors. This assists around 20 people per month— alongside helping people with wills and enduring power of attorney.
Looking to the past and the future
For a number of years, the trend in society has been to support people to stay at home for as long as possible. ‘Back in 2004, The Salvation Army exited from its aged care residences, with funds being redeployed into services such as the one Kath runs and, for a time, in-home care,’ says Christina.
‘Although our ways of supporting seniors have evolved and changed over
the years, as needs and funding realities have impacted our work, The Salvation Army remains strongly connected and committed to seniors in the community,’ says Christina. ‘Across Aotearoa, this work is happening in a myriad of ways ... what we’ve seen at Newtown though is that having a dedicated and passionate coordinator gives focus and purpose to some of our work.
‘...as New Zealand ages, services for seniors are becoming even more important than they already are.’
With Aotearoa’s population ageing—as is the case in almost every country in the developed world—and people living longer than ever, services such as those at Newtown are more important and the numbers support this. According to Stats NZ, about 897,300 people in Aotearoa (17.3% of the total population) are over 65 in 2024. By 2060, that number is expected to nearly double, to 1,636,400 people (25.7% of the total population). What this means is that as New Zealanders age, services for seniors will become even more important than they already are.
Kath attests to the growing need for support for seniors in the community.
‘Seniors are going to be everybody—one day, they will be us. My fear is that they are being forgotten and lost within
‘Everyone deserves human dignity and loving care, no matter how old or young they might be.’
Above: Kath Johnston, Senior Services coordinator at The Salvation Army Newtown.
society. Yes, they are resilient, but they are also vulnerable. Alongside likely physical decline, many of them are not in the same secure financial position as our own parents and grandparents were in the past. They are experiencing more isolation and depression. Certainly, we are seeing more people coming in who are in housing despair and who are spending the majority of their pension on rent, with very little left over for other basic needs. As a society, we need to do better for them. This is what they deserve,’ says Kath.
‘Everyone deserves human dignity and loving care, no matter how old or young they might be,’ says Christina. ‘And no matter what their religious beliefs are.’
Kath has the final word: ‘You know that you’re getting old when you can’t reach your feet to put your socks on. And that’s going to be pretty much all of us at some point. So let’s help each other along the way. Strong relationships and a sense of humour are what will get us through.’
Prime Minister Visits Westgate
It was a busy day for Auxiliary-Captain Ian Wells and the Westgate Mission Centre west of central Auckland on Friday August 23. The reason: the Prime Minister was visiting. ‘It was really affirming,’ says Ian of the afternoon tour by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and a small number of staff and members of parliament (MPs). A corps officer for three years, it was Ian’s first time giving a tour to a prime minister. The tour came about just days earlier, when local MP Cameron Brewer got in touch. The Prime Minister would be in the area, and he asked if it’d be okay if he visited. Ian says the tour included a walk past the social housing village, the centre’s new Family Store, community café and foodbank, prior to the Prime Minister donning a hi-vis vest to check out redevelopment of the existing building. Along the way, he chatted with staff and volunteers.
For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
Orange Sky at MASH
‘Meal at Sally’s House’ or MASH takes place every Wednesday at The Salvation Army Johnsonville. MASH has been running for many years and began as an evening meal but has pivoted to a lunch in response to the expressed needs of the community. Recently, an innovative partnership has developed with charity organisation Orange Sky Aotearoa, which offers a mobile laundry service and a supportive environment for people who are often ignored or feel disconnected from their community. ‘There’s great synergy between us,’ says Major Mat Badger, corps officer (leader) at Johnsonville Corps (church). Cathy Knowsley from Orange Sky agrees: ‘We have found that our values are very well aligned to what The Salvation Army team are offering at the community lunch each Wednesday in Johnsonville, so we are delighted to be partnering with them to run our service at the same time.’
For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
Precious Packages
On Tuesday 13 August at Territorial Headquarters in Wellington, staff and officers enjoyed a hearty winter warmer for a very worthy cause. At $10 a pop for a bowl of delicious soup, people fundraised $640 in just an hour for Precious Packages, this year’s Territorial Women’s Ministries project. Precious Packages is a fundraising initiative for life-saving essentials for premature babies in Samoa. With special premature baby formula costing as much as a week’s wage, families with babies that need hospital care face incredible hardship during a time that is already distressing. For between $150 to $200, packs will be tailor-made for families most in need, and may include: a sleep mat and cover, nappies, premature or newborn formula, a manual breast pump, distilled water, snacks, a care pack for mothers and a food grant or parcel.
For more information, go to tinyurl.com/PreciousPackagesSamoa
From top: Prime Minister Christopher Luxon greets Comr Julie Campbell and Capt Denise Daly; Auxiliary Captain Ian Wells (left) and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
Waikato Bridge Celebrates!
On Monday 5 August, approximately 90 people gathered at Hamilton City Salvation Army (HCSA) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Waikato Bridge and honour the service of officers and staff past and present. The event was hosted by HCSA Men’s Fellowship, which has for many years sponsored men from the Bridge’s residential programme to attend their monthly gathering. For many doing the programme, fellowship in an alcohol-free environment was a first. In attendance was the current Waikato Bridge Director Neville Gibbons, staff representatives, and 17 retired and former officers and staff whose service ranged from 1977 to the present day.
For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
New Social Supermarket for Taranaki
A new Salvation Army social supermarket has launched in New Plymouth, serving the Taranaki community and empowering people and their whānau (families). Located at 118 Powderham Street in central New Plymouth, the social supermarket provides a shop-like setting where people can select their own groceries. The setting preserves dignity and ensures people receive items that suit their specific needs. Taranaki Community Ministries Manager Amy Denham says the social supermarket is part of Te Āhuru Mōwai. The name Te Āhuru Mōwai translates to a safe place or refuge. It serves as a place not only to support the Taranaki community with food, but as part of a support system helping families set goals, organise finances, learn to cook, grow food and more. For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
Two Sweet Homes
In August, the first of two brand new pre-built homes left the Auckland-based Transbuild depot en route for Blue Mountain Adventure Centre (BMAC) in Raurimu. The need for warm, dry housing for staff became a critical issue for the BMAC Board when the availability of appropriate accommodation in the small town of Raurimu rapidly dwindled. ‘The two houses that are now onsite honour the work and commitment of the staff and apprentices of the BMAC team,’ says Major Stu Tong, current BMAC director. ‘We will also now be able to expand our staffing levels with a view to extending the BMAC adventure programme, allowing more people to encounter God in the great outdoors.’ One of the new houses is a family dwelling, while the other has six ensuite bedrooms with a communal living area for sole instructors.
For the full story, go to saltmagazine.org.nz
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Official Engagements
Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries)
4–6 Oct: Kingdom Conference, Palmerston North Corps
12–13 Oct: Napier Corps 140th celebrations
19 Oct–3 Nov: Furlough
Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary)
1 Oct: Opening of the Salvation Army Kotahitanga—Grandview Housing Community, Hamilton
7 Oct: Territorial Online Praying Together meeting
12–13 Oct: Visit to Dunedin City Corps
15 Oct: 15 Year Officer Review—Dinner and Leader to Leader Forum, Booth College of Mission
19 Oct: Concert for retirement of Hamilton City Corps Bandmaster, Hamilton City Corps
21–24 Oct: North Island Officers Fellowship, Rotorua
Lt-Colonel Liz Gainsford (Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development)
30 Sept–3 Oct: International Officer Training and Leader Development Council (IOTALDC), Sunbury Court, London, UK
7 Oct: Territorial Online Praying Together Meeting
Gazette Summary
To read the full version of Gazette notices, visit saltmagazine.org.nz/gazette
Annual General Change: The Annual General change was published on Thursday September 12, and can be read at salvationarmy.org.nz/news/annual-general-change-2025
Napier Corps celebrating 140 years!
12–13 October 2024 | 56 Tait Drive, Napier
For more information, please contact: p: (06) 844 4941 | e: napiersa140thregos@gmail.com
Official Opening and Celebration
Wairarapa Salvation Army in Masterton
9–10 November 2024 | 132 Ngaumutawa Road, Masterton
Saturday, 1.30pm: official opening followed by afternoon tea
Sunday, 10.30am: celebration service followed by a light luncheon. Please RSVP for catering numbers. To RSVP, contact: p: (06) 379 7176 | e: wairarapa.area@salvationarmy.org.nz
Promotion to Glory: Commissioners Nancy and Ian Cutmore, retired officers of Australia Territory, were promoted to Glory on Sunday 8 September and Tuesday 10 September 2024, respectively. Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore served in our territory from October 1996 through to October 1998, Ian as the territorial commander and Nancy as the territorial president of Women’s Organisations. Please uphold in prayer Ian and Nancy’s family and extended family members at this time of grief and loss . Major Anthony Stone was promoted to Glory on 21 September 2024 from Waikato Hospice, Hamilton, aged 75 years. Anthony and his wife Major Gaynor Stone entered officer training from Petone Corps as cadets in The Followers of Christ session in 1973. Gaynor was promoted to Glory on 3 April 2022. We ask you to uphold their children Brendon, Gareth and Aaron and extended family members in your prayers at this time of grief and loss.
Bereavement: Ron French, the brother of Major Elaine Vyle, passed away peacefully on Thursday 29 August 2024. We ask you to uphold Majors Elaine and Bruce Vyle and extended family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss.
Harijadi, the father of Lt-Colonel Elsi Sarimin was promoted to Glory from his home in Turen, Malang, Indonesia on Friday 30 August 2024. We ask you to uphold Lt-Colonels Elsi and Alberth Sarimin and their extended family members in your prayers in this time of grief and loss.
Long Service Award—30 years’ service: Effective 9 August 2024: Congratulations to Major Gavin Baxter on attaining his Long Service Award. Thank you to Major Gavin Baxter for his faithful service and we pray God’s richest blessings upon him.
Resignation: Effective Thursday 9 January 2025, Captains Nicola and Philip Mellsop will resign from officership. Nikki and Phil entered training as cadets in the Ambassadors of Holiness session in February 2009. We thank Captains Nikki and Phil for their 14 years of active service and pray God’s blessing on them and their family in the days ahead.
Return to New Zealand: Effective September 2024, in preparation for her upcoming retirement, Major Afolau Toluono has returned to New Zealand from Samoa and is now based in Auckland.
Quiz Answers: 1. Vatican City, 2. Platypus, 3. Queen Alexandra’s birdwing, 4. None of them, 5. Guava.
SALVATIONISTS IN HISTORY
Freedom for the Prisoners
The New Zealand Salvation Army grew up amidst the depression years of the 1880s. Social distress was taking root, as unemployment soared and slums began to emerge. Poverty, addiction and immorality were rampant. Men went to prison, in and out, in a cycle of imprisonment that was not just physical but mental, social and spiritual. In 1884, the newly established Salvation Army responded by forming a Prison Gate Brigade to help reverse this trend.
In his book, Dear Mr Booth, John C Waite writes, ‘Booth’s Army was an “Army of the Poor”, and he was resolved to assist the destitute, not as one graciously condescending to them, but as one who believed himself to be their brother. The worst elements in the community were to be treated as if they were potentially the best.’
In 1883, en route to set up The Salvation Army in New Zealand, two young Salvation Army officers— Captain George Pollard and Lieutenant Edward Wright—made a stop in Melbourne, Australia on their long and arduous journey from London, UK to Dunedin. Pollard spent time there with Major James Barker who was working to reduce the recidivist criminal activity of ex-prisoners by meeting them on release and arranging accommodation and employment. Barker’s work was deemed so effective that magistrates in Melbourne sentenced some offenders to The Salvation Army ‘Prison Gate Home’ instead of sending them to prison. This practice was later adopted in New Zealand when Pollard opened the first ‘Prison Gate Brigade’ in Auckland in 1884, modelled on Barker’s success.
Brigade members literally met prisoners as they passed through the prison gates upon release. While many were taken directly to pre-arranged accommodation and employment, others had nowhere to go and no money. The brigade helped these newly freed but destitute men find employment, but their ex-prisoner status was a frequent barrier to finding appropriate accommodation. This frustrated Pollard who then determined that The Salvation Army would feed and house these men until accommodation and work were secured.
Captains Albert and Sarah Burfoot were therefore appointed to the task of caring for these men with
the first Prison Gate Home opening in 1884. However, the four-bedroomed house was soon deemed totally inadequate in size, and a larger 10-bedroom building was secured near Queen Street. Figures from 1890 reflect the nature of the demand, with 310 men accommodated that year.
While results were mixed—only approximately 30 percent of the men were described as having gone on to be ‘reinstated as good citizens’—the Army’s work in helping discharged prisoners was nonetheless noticed. Police, magistrates and judges observed fewer repeat offenders, and, in 1887, the Minister of Justice paid tribute to the work of the Prison Gate Brigade in bringing about ‘the moral regeneration of men who had come to be regarded by so many as social outcasts’.
Furthermore, the Prison Gate Home began to serve as a relief centre for destitute men, serving meals and providing accommodation to relieve the economic need which so often led desperate men to commit crimes. In 1897, the Prison Gate Home moved to Margot Street in Epsom. Today ‘Epsom Lodge’ continues to provide transitional and emergency accommodation for men and a small number of women, and is currently undergoing a major refit.
Auckland Men’s Prison Gate and Industrial Home, Epsom, Auckland, 1945.
Asking for help
Parents and caregivers of young children know that kids naturally express a desire for help when they need it. However, as they grow older, asking for help can sometimes become more challenging. Fostering a culture of collaboration where children feel encouraged and safe to ask for help benefits everyone in the family.
Here are some ways to do this.
• Normalise asking for help: Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. When we model and practise asking for help, we acknowledge our need for one another and recognise that we all need help at times.
• Reward the act of asking: Encourage a culture where seeking help is celebrated by expressing gratitude to family members who actively reach out to others.
• Strong family connections: When we ask for and receive help, we cultivate a team spirit within our families and reinforce the idea that we are interdependent and stronger together.
• Everyone can help: Even the youngest family members have something to contribute. When children are asked to help, they experience themselves as competent problem solvers.
• Our ultimate source of help: The Bible teaches us that our help and strength come from God. Along with helping one another, we can model praying and seeking guidance from God who promises to always be with us.
Where does my help come from?
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1–2
Read: We do not know who wrote this psalm, but it was probably said by the Israelites when they were going through tough times to remind them that God was always with them. These verses teach us that we too can always ask God for help and find safety and comfort in him.
Think: Can you remember some moments in your life when you needed help? Maybe you asked God, a family member or a teacher. How did they support you? Can you think of times when you have helped someone else?
Pray: Dear God, sometimes things feel too hard for me to figure out on my own. Please remind me that I can always turn to you for help. Thank you for the people you have placed in my life who I can ask for help from, Amen.
Do: Create some Helping Hands coupons to give away! You can offer to help your family in lots of different ways.
You could: feed a pet, tidy away toys, set or clear the table, or unpack the dishwasher.
Colour in your hand coupons and write what each one is for. There is an example to show you what to do. Hand out your coupons and start helping!
I am going to help you by:
Here’s an example
Cut along the dotted line when you’ve made your coupons. Be careful and, if necessary, get a parent, guardian or other adult to help you. loading and unloading the dishwasher this week
I am going to help you by: Love from:
I am going to help you by: Love from:
I am going to help you by: Love from:
I am going to help you by: Love from:
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
