War Cry 1 February 2020 by The Salvation Army UK and Ireland

1 February 2020 20p/25c

Leader of the pack WHO WILL COME OUT ON TOP IN WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SIX NATIONS?

HANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

DESTIGMATISING MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS

THE DRAMA OF UNLEASHING POTENTIAL

Tom takes the role of a real-life US TV favourite

Time to Talk Day encourages people to speak about how they feel

Theatre company changes lives through its productions

From the editor’s desk

What is The Salvation Army? The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church

‘ALL the world’s a stage,’ says the melancholy Jaques in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, ‘and all the men and women merely players.’ Whether or not we agree with that view of life, television schedules, film releases and theatre productions demonstrate that some of the most enthralling dramas are based on real-life events. Last weekend, for example, TV viewers were gripped by the final episode of The Trial of Christine Keeler, the series based on the Profumo affair, which made headlines in the 1960s. But it is not only scandals that can make captivating viewing. As we report in this week’s War Cry, the latest Tom Hanks’ film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood focuses on Fred Rogers, a US children’s TV presenter and Christian who helped his young viewers through issues such as divorce and bereavement. We also feature a theatre company in Torbay that is portraying the life of another Christian who made an impact for good in the lives of others. The Cross and the Switchblade tells the story of David Wilkerson, who reached out to young people caught up in the gang culture of 1950s New York. Many of those who met David became Christians and had their lives transformed. Some of the actors in the Torbay production can relate to the characters they are playing. ‘They’ve lived out the story,’ says Martin Harris, who is directing the play. ‘Many of them have been on the streets, spent time in prison or struggled with drug and alcohol addictions. But they’ve got clean.’ Some have also become Christians through their interaction with the Unleashed Community Drama Group, which Martin set up to help people who are struggling with life. It is amazing to realise that the Christian faith can make a positive impact on the lives of everyone, whether they’re children growing up with their future ahead of them or adults who feel life has nothing left to offer. The good news is that no one is excluded from the opportunity to become a Christian and experience God’s love. A life of faith is available to us all.

What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

WAR CRY Issue No 7459

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Contents

Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies

Published weekly by The Salvation Army ©The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England and Wales is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper

Your local Salvation Army centre

FEATURES 3

Neighbourhood watch TV presenter’s life depicted in Tom Hanks film

All to play for Teams try again in Women’s Six Nations

‘I wished I wasn’t here’ Talking openly about mental health

Dramatic results The theatre company changing lives

REGULARS 4

News and media

Browsing the Bible

Out of the Mouth of Babes

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: PA

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Sony Pictures Releasing (UK)

FILM Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) meets Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys)

ALL FOR THE CAMERAS?

REETING audiences with a beaming smile and a cheerful ‘Hello neighbour’, children’s TV presenter Fred Rogers was a staple of the American TV schedule for more than 30 years. He educated, entertained and empathised with children, tackling tricky topics from divorce to bereavement. His life is explored in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, which was released in cinemas yesterday (Friday 31 January). Based loosely on a real profile piece written for US men’s magazine Esquire in 1998, the film follows fictional journalist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) as he seeks to find out whether Fred (Tom Hanks) is really the national treasure that everyone thinks he is. Fred, a writer, producer, puppeteer, musician and counsellor all in one, is a practising Christian and is known for helping children deal with their feelings through his show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. His widespread popularity leads the Esquire editor to commission Lloyd to write a profile of him for the magazine’s series on heroes. The investigative journalist is initially cynical about his puff-piece assignment, and tries to write an exposé, interrogating Fred about his personal life. But he is taken aback when Fred turns the questions around on him, taking a genuine interest in his interviewer’s life.

Emily Bright sees a journalist investigate whether a children’s entertainer lives up to his on-screen persona Setting aside time from his busy schedule, Fred greets Lloyd as if he were an old friend, and seeks to unearth his emotional trauma and help him overcome

He made a proactive choice to be kind and inclusive it. First and foremost, he sees the journalist’s value not merely as a writer, but as a human being. As Lloyd follows Fred around in his day-to-day routine, he quickly realises that the presenter’s compassionate demeanour isn’t simply a TV persona. Although Fred’s wife admits her husband is not always a saint and that he works hard to be kind, Lloyd discovers that Fred is passionate about making the world a better place by simply listening to and caring about others. Speaking after a screening of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Tom Hanks reflected that Fred Rogers

provided ‘an altruistic exchange of time and presence which he saw as a gift’. Tom explained: ‘It was a proactive choice he made to be kind and inclusive. He lived his gospel, completely unjudgmental and completely accepting.’ As the film highlights, Fred often turned to the Scriptures to sustain him and help him maintain these positive attributes. Throughout the Bible, there are many references to showing love to others. One enthusiastic presenter of Jesus’ teaching, Paul, provides a clear definition of what it means to love. He writes: ‘Love is patient, love is kind … It is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs … It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres’ (1 Corinthians 13:4–8 New International Version). Paul adds that, although other things will pass away, one thing that will not is God’s perfect love. He offers us all the chance to be in a relationship with him, and to have our lives transformed for the better, if we open up our hearts to him. That beautiful fact is something worth broadcasting.

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NEWS AND MEDIA

Salvation Army opens new centre in Dublin A STATE-of-the-art Salvation Army community hub has opened in the heart of Dublin. It houses a social enterprise café and will provide a base for the church and charity’s support teams to serve vulnerable people in the city. The café will offer training placements to help people from The Salvation Army’s shelters and family hubs back into work, and will serve ethically sourced, organic food and beverages. The hub will also host a range of community activities such as parent-and-toddler groups, English language classes for migrants, student meals and children’s clubs. Major Paul Kingscott, leader of The Salvation Army in Ireland, said: ‘We recognised the needs of people in Dublin and hope this new centre will give us an opportunity to demonstrate our belief of changing people’s lives within communities and enhance the already strong ties we have with residents.’

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Artificial intelligence training for new priests MEMBERS of the Church of England who train and wider society. to be priests are set to receive more opportuniThe Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev ties to learn about cutting-edge science as part of Justin Welby, said: ‘This new stage of the project a £3.4 million project run in partnership with the with its combination of research and provision of Universities of Durham and York. resources will further deepen church-wide underUp to half of all people training for ordained standing of the challenges science and technology ministry are expected to benefit from sessions pose for society.’ on areas of scientific interest such as artificial intelligence. In addition, the project will offer more science-based conferences for senior church leaders and clergy. The Scientists in Congregations scheme, in which grants are provided to science and faith projects in churches and cathedrals, LIVERPOOL will be expanded, and research will forward be carried out into attitudes to sciRoberto Firmino ence and faith within the church (pictured) has shared a video of his baptism on Instagram. EARTHQUAKE victims in Puerto Rico received The clip, which emergency support from has been viewed Salvation Army teams, which more than 3.7 million responded quickly to the disaster. times, showed the Mobile units provided hot footballer being held meals to emergency services during the ceremony and disaster survivors and by his wife, Lari, and supplied essential items to people Liverpool goalkeeper displaced by the earthquake. and Brazilian teamFour Salvation Army recovery mate Alisson Becker. centres were opened to the Before his public to provide emotional and baptism, he said: spiritual care. Mobile phone ‘Jesus is love. It has charging points were also made no explanation, just available to help victims contact believe in him their families and make other and believe in the essential calls. Holy Spirit.’ A series of earthquakes and aftershocks, including a 6.4 magnitude earthquake, hit the island over four days last month, damaging buildings, roads, and electrical and water supplies. PA

THE head of the National Housing Federation, who toured an east London hostel run by The Salvation Army, has said that she was impressed by the church and charity’s work. Kate Henderson, who is the chief executive of the national trade body for housing associations, met staff and service users at Founder’s House to discuss how the government could assist supported housing, such as that provided by The Salvation Army, to prevent rough sleeping. She said: ‘I was impressed by the working of Founder’s House in the community – they provide not only a home for people who are homeless, but also vital support to help them turn their lives around.’ Founder’s House gives accomodation to 123 men and offers specialist support in areas such as mental health, relationship breakdown, and drug and alcohol addiction. Residents can also receive guidance in finding employment and applying for benefits.

The café, where training placements will be offered

SPORT PA

Teams try again

Action from last year’s match between England and France

SIX nations are trying to come out on top. Tomorrow (Sunday 2 February), the teams will line up for the first matches of rugby’s Women’s Six Nations Championship. Fans have an exciting start to the competition as the two teams that have shared the past four titles will be going head to head. France’s home game against last year’s champions England kicks off the tournament, shortly before Ireland face Scotland in Dublin and Wales welcome Italy to Cardiff. The winner of the annual competition, which pits six of the world’s best teams against each other, will be crowned after five rounds. Every team will play each other once, and the nation with the most points will get to lift the trophy. Ireland, who finished in fifth place last year after winning only one of their games, played a warm-up match against Wales in January. They have been training hard and fine-tuning their game plans, but head coach Adam Griggs believes that there’s something else that might help them. ‘We have the advantage of having three home games in the Championship this season, which could make a big difference to us,’ he says.

Home games bring benefits in Women’s Six Nations, writes Sarah Olowofoyeku As in other sports and tournaments, the teams in the Women’s Six Nations regard playing home games as an advantage because the players are more familiar with the ground and pitches, they will not have had to travel as far as the opposing team, and they’ll be

Having a supportive community can help us get to our goal surrounded by their own fans whose vocal backing can give them a boost. Everyone can benefit from being cheered on from time to time. Life can throw at us so many problems that can bring us down. When we face situations that are a bit touch-and-go, it can help to have people around us who are on our side and will encourage us. Whether winning looks like getting a new job, experiencing peace within our family or finding some stability, a supportive

community can help us get closer to our goal. Since the days of the first churches, many Christians have found support in one another. Teaming up their faith in a loving God with a community of fellow believers has helped them to tackle the problems they have faced, and to live better lives. More importantly, though, those who have chosen to follow Jesus have discovered that, with him on their side, they always have someone to support them in their tough times. People may let us down, or simply cannot be with us, but if we put our trust in God, who loves us, we can always count on his help and know that we will never be alone. In the Bible, God promises those who have entrusted themselves to him: ‘Don’t be afraid, for I am with you … I will strengthen you and help you’ (Isaiah 41:10 New Living Translation). If we choose to be on God’s team, it will be to our advantage.

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People need to feel heard Time To Talk Day next Thursday (6 February) aims to get people talking about mental health. PATRICK REGAN talks to Emily Bright about the experiences that led him to set up a charity named after a technique for repairing pottery

UTWARDLY, everything seemed to be going well for Patrick Regan. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had visited his youth charity, XLP, twice in a single year, generating significant media coverage. He was happily married to his teenage sweetheart, Diane, and they had a young family. But inwardly, it was a different story, as a series of events left Patrick feeling as if his life was spiralling out of control. Diagnosed with a degenerative knee condition, Patrick had to undergo limb reconstruction surgery on each leg, which he knew could limit his movement for up to 18 months at a time. That alone would be stressful enough but, around the same

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time, his father received a cancer diagnosis and Patrick’s children developed their own health and special needs issues. And in the lead-up to Patrick’s operation, Diane had a miscarriage when she was 13 weeks pregnant. ‘When you go through those times, it’s like rocket fuel to your anxiety,’ he says, describing how he fell into a ‘really dark, isolating’ depression. ‘It felt like I was falling and trying to grab hold of a branch to stop myself, but I couldn’t. At my darkest moment I thought: “I wish I wasn’t here any more.” And you think that people would be sad if you died, but that they’d get over it. ‘Initially, I felt embarrassed and ashamed. But then I realised that struggling doesn’t

make you a failure, it makes you human.’ Patrick sought solace in his Christian faith. ‘I realised that God goes through the barrier of the shadow of death,’ he says. ‘He doesn’t promise to signpost you around it but I felt a sense of him being with me. ‘The Bible’s book of Psalms became very important to me. It contains many laments where the writer cries out to God, saying: “I don’t understand, it’s frustrating, it’s scary.” I think it’s okay to have questions and not understand everything. ‘God does understand and he does get it. I think the Christian faith anchors you and provides a sense of value and purpose and of knowing that you’re not

INTERVIEW

Struggling doesn’t make you a failure, it makes you human

Patrick Regan on your own.’ Last year, in response to his own experiences of mental health, Patrick published a book, Honesty over Silence. In it he candidly described what it was like to have depression and included excerpts from other people’s writings about their own mental health challenges. ‘I started being honest about my experiences, and I realised doing that allowed other people to be honest as well,’ he explains. Patrick says that one of the main obstacles to open conversations about mental health is the ‘ridiculous stigma’ surrounding it. ‘I think it boils down to a fear of being judged. We live in a perfectionist society. It’s so much about our performance and what we do rather than who we are. It’s a challenge to operate within that and be honest and real.

‘But if we’re brave enough to talk to a counsellor or just to other people about our mental health and receive understanding and empathy, it’s a game changer.’ In the midst of his mental health struggles, Patrick received unhelpful advice such as ‘everything happens for a reason’, and ‘you just need to have faith’. In his book, he remarks that this ‘mind over matter’ advice would not be offered to someone who had a physical illness. ‘People always want to come up with a solution,’ he says. ‘But when you’re in that vulnerable place, you just want to be loved and shown empathy and compassion. ‘It’s also about being more selfcompassionate, talking to yourself in the way you’d talk to your best friend.’

atrick’s desire to generate honest P conversations about mental health inspired him to set up Kintsugi Hope. The

charity derives its name from the Japanese technique of repairing pottery with golden glue to make beauty out of brokenness. The idea behind it is to encourage people to see the value in their emotional scars rather than hide them. Patrick explains: ‘Our mission statement at Kintsugi Hope is to create a world where mental and emotional health is understood and accepted, with safe and supportive communities for people to grow and flourish. ‘We’re not there to rescue or fix them;

we’re just there to love. Healing takes place when people feel heard.’ Kintsugi Hope hosts talks to support people grappling with mental health. It also carries out advocacy work to persuade the government to provide longterm solutions to problems. But one strand of the charity that Patrick is particularly passionate about is the well-being groups run to support wider communities. ‘Our charity set up 12-week wellbeing courses, which churches run for people, whether or not they have a faith, in homeless hostels, people’s homes and in food banks. We’re going to start it in prisons too.’ In a peer mentoring setting, the course allows participants to explore issues such as depression, anxiety, anger, loss, forgiveness and faith. Leaders can also signpost participants to further resources and specialist help. Reflecting on his charity’s work, Patrick acknowledges the driving force behind it: ‘Faith is completely central to everything we do. The fact that we’re made in the image of a loving God is a huge message. ‘The church is in every community across the country, and it is part of the answer to this issue. There’s something beautiful in being loved by God, and having more of a revelation of his love.’

l Honesty over Silence is published by CWR 1 February 2020 • WAR CRY • 7

s k c a p a m a r d g Gan h c n u p n a i t s i r h aC CLAIRE BRINE

t a theatre u o b a e n ri B e ir la C lls MARTIN HARRIS te il their potential lf fu le p o e p s lp e h company that

Martin Harris

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ICTURE the scene: New York in 1958 and a number of notorious gangs are roaming the city, fighting and killing each other. Every day on the street is dangerous. Every day brings violence. Pumped up on drugs, the troubled teens don’t care who they hurt. All they know is an existence of homelessness, addiction, prostitution and crime. Disgusted onlookers see no hope or future for such kids. Surely, any gang members caught by police deserve everything they get. But David Wilkerson, a young Pennsylvanian preacher, thinks differently. His mission is to befriend the gangs of New York and lead them to faith in Jesus Christ. He heads for the big city, armed with nothing more than his trusty Bible and a dollop of faith. What happens next is nothing short of miraculous. In his bestselling book The Cross and the Switchblade, published in 1962, David shares his real-life experiences of reaching out to the teenage gangs and helping them to find freedom from addiction through faith in God. It’s a story that the Unleashed Theatre Company in Torbay wanted to portray on stage. ‘The central message of the play is that people can change, that recovery does happen and that transformation is possible,’ says Martin Harris, the play’s director and the founder of the company. ‘It doesn’t matter how bad your life is, it can be different. That’s

INTERVIEW Unleashed Theatre Company

The cast film a fight scene which appears in the play

lot of them have come to faith. They’ve also found that performing builds their confidence.’ Back in 2014, while volunteering as a Street Pastor in Torquay, Martin was struck by the number of people experiencing homelessness that he met. Having a background in acting, he offered to run some drama workshops in the town, hoping to help people improve their self-esteem. ‘For the first six weeks, only one person came,’ he says. ‘But we kept turning up every Thursday, and now each week we get up to 30 people coming. It’s a real mixed bag of people – but together we have become a big family.’ From those sessions the Unleashed Community Drama Group The Unleashed Community Drama Group was born. Martin build their confidence through workshops explains how

Unleashed Theatre Company

the truth we want to get across.’ It is a truth experienced by many members of the play’s cast. Martin tells me that about half of them have faced problems with addiction and homelessness. ‘They’ve lived out the story,’ he says. ‘They get what it’s all about. Many of them have been on the streets, spent time in prison or struggled with drug and alcohol addictions. But they’ve got clean, and a

They get what it’s all about. Many of them have been on the streets it works alongside his other group, the Unleashed Theatre Company, which he set up many years earlier. ‘Unleashed Theatre Company was designed for churchgoers who wanted to get together and put on productions with specific Christian themes. So the first thing we did was a play of John’s Gospel. Then we did a production called The Hiding Place, which tells the story of Corrie ten Boom. She was a Christian woman who helped a number of Jews escape Nazi persecution by hiding them in her home. ‘At that point, we were just a ragtag bunch of Christian actors. But then an abbot from Buckfast Abbey commissioned us to do a play at the abbey over the summer. With a cast of about 50, we performed a show called What’s So Amazing about Grace? That was our first big-scale production.’ Unleashed Theatre Company continued

Turn to page 10

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From page 9 to grow and to perform annually at Buckfast Abbey. A few years later, the Unleashed Community Drama Group got involved. ‘I invited some of the guys who had become regulars at the workshops to join the ensemble for one of the Unleashed Theatre Company productions,’ Martin says. ‘A lot of them had managed to get clean and build a stable life for themselves. Many of them had also become Christians through their recovery programme and were attending church. Suddenly there was a crossover happening between the two groups.’ While the Unleashed Theatre Company’s aim is to perform plays that promote a clear Christian message, the Unleashed Community Drama Group has a different aim. ‘You don’t have to be a Christian to join,’ Martin says. ‘You can be atheist or agnostic. Our members range from 20 to 80 years old. Everyone is welcome. The Unleashed Community Drama Group is about helping people find selfrespect, build some confidence and strengthen social skills. But the fact that it’s run by a Christian team of volunteers is no secret.’ Over the past six years, the community drama group has gone from strength to strength. Agencies working with people

experiencing homelessness and drug addiction in Torbay have begun making referrals to the group, recognising the positive impact it is having. The group has even staged its own plays – something which Martin never envisaged when he started it. ‘We did a one-hour play called Black Comedy,’ he says. ‘We had two casts for

the play, and arranged a four-night run. The plan was that each cast member could perform for two nights. That way, if any cast member had a rough time and fell off the wagon, we had a back-up actor who could step in for them. It was a fantastic production.’ Although the Unleashed Community Drama Group and Unleashed Theatre

It’s about unleashing people into freedom from addiction

The gangs of New York fight each other in rehearsals for ‘The Cross and the Switchblade’

CLAIRE BRINE

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INTERVIEW

Company tend to focus on different projects, each year the two groups unite for a mass production. Several years ago they performed a show called Under One Roof – The Big Homeless Musical at the Princess Theatre, a 1,500-seat venue in Torquay. Last year, they joined forces once again to present songs and sketches in All the World’s a Stage. Some of the material was based on the group’s personal experiences of homelessness. ‘That’s the thing about the name “Unleashed”,’ says Martin. ‘It’s about unleashing people’s potential. It’s about unleashing people into freedom from addiction. And, of course, it’s about unleashing the Christian message of hope.’ Through its production of The Cross and the Switchblade at St Mags Church in Torquay, the company is hoping to show people that knowing Jesus can be life-changing. And it wants to convey that message through more than just the action on stage. After one of the performances, two cast members will be taking part in a Q&A, sharing with the audience how faith has helped them overcome addiction. ‘Edd, one of our leading actors in the play, used to be a drug addict and criminal before he turned his life around and became a Christian,’ explains Martin. ‘And he is now on stage playing Nicky Cruz, the hardest gang member of the lot. ‘In one particularly powerful scene, Nicky attacks David Wilkerson with a knife, saying he’s going to cut him up. But David replies: “You can cut me up and every single piece will get up and tell you that Jesus loves you.” It’s a shocking and unsettling part of the play. But later on, Nicky ends up turning to Christ and his whole life is renewed. ‘Nicky’s story shows that whatever people have been through or whatever they have done, there is a way forward. Jesus can help them turn their life around. With him, transformation is possible.’

l Unleashed Theatre Company is performing The Cross and the Switchblade from 6-8 February at St Mags Church, Torquay. For more information email unleashedtickets@gmail.com

Meet the cast

Edd

I’m playing Nicky Cruz, the leader of the Mau Maus gang. Nicky was known for being very dangerous, and I identify with his character a lot. For ten years I was a career criminal and drug addict. But then, like Nicky, I met Christ. It was sudden and significant. God had been talking to me even before I knew who he was. And eventually I started listening to him. I’ve been a Christian for ten years now.

Laura

A couple of years ago I didn’t have a home. Eventually I found somewhere to live, but the people were sexually abusive and it totally messed me up. Then one day I had a meeting with a parole officer at the centre where Martin was running the drama group. I turned up the next week. Being part of the group has been my saviour. It has helped so much with my anxiety and given me confidence. As well as attending the drama group, I’ve also started going to church. I don’t believe in the whole God thing, but as I watch the people who truly believe in God, they seem to be plugged in to this amazing energy. I would love to be able to believe like that.

Marc

For 25 years of my life I was on drugs, 18 as a heroin addict. So when I got clean, everything felt a bit much. I went to the Unleashed Community Drama Group but was too scared to get involved. Gradually I started doing a bit of acting. I found it did wonders for my confidence. The group was like a little family. In The Cross and the Switchblade, I’m playing Israel, the vice-president of the Mau Maus gang. It’s a really poignant story because it’s a bit like my old life. When I was younger, I had a knife pulled on me, and at various times in my life I’ve pulled a knife on people as well. But I’m different now. I’ve been clean for two and a half years and I’m a happy family man. Life couldn’t be better.

Nick

I used to be a drug addict, taking crack every day. Being around drug dealers was my life. But then I lost my job, ran out of money and hit rock bottom. I’ve been in rehab for eight months now and haven’t taken any drugs in all that time. Life has gotten so much better. I go to the community drama group every week. I love how you can walk into a session feeling miserable and leave two hours later feeling on top of the world. As well as attending the drama group, I’ve also started going to church. A few months ago I wouldn’t have thought that getting clean, being in a play or going to church was possible, but I wouldn’t change my life for anything now. 1 February 2020 • WAR CRY • 11

EXPLORE Prayerlink THE War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances. Send your requests to Prayerlink, War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your envelope ‘Confidential’.

Becoming a Christian There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong. Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free. Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit. Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book in the Scriptures

Ephesians

HE apostle Paul’s years in Ephesus T (in modern-day Turkey) are recorded in Acts 19. While there, he challenged the

worship of the Greek goddess Artemis. In doing so, he threatened the livelihoods of the many silversmiths who made shrines to the goddess. The city was in uproar. When Paul writes this letter to the Christians in the city, it is clear that he still has great affection for them. Perhaps remembering the city’s artisans, he describes his readers as being God’s ‘handiwork’ (2:10). He is thankful for knowing them and wants God to give them the spiritual wisdom and revelation they need to stay faithful and spread the good news of Jesus in an antagonistic society (1:15–23). Above all, he prays that God will give them the power of the Holy Spirit to withstand opposition and to grow in numbers and maturity (1:19; 3:16–20). Such power, he says, comes only through being put right with God, or ‘saved’. Salvation is based not on good works, but on a personal commitment of faith to Jesus (2:8 and 9). He reminds them that Christ’s death and resurrection has changed them. Because of

Key verse

been saved, ‘It is by grace you have ns 2:8 through faith’ (Ephesia on) New International Versi

their sin, they were once condemned to eternal death. But now, because of Jesus, they have a place with God in Heaven. Jesus is a bridge between humankind and God so they, who were once far away from God, are now close to him (chapter 2). As well as spiritual power, there is also strength in unity. He urges them to be

Paul prays that God will give them the power to withstand opposition united and sure of the tenets of their newfound faith (4:1–16). Their behaviour must inspire others to want to know Jesus. They are to be kind, compassionate and forgiving (4:32). They must not give in to the habits of their former life, such as lying, stealing, rage, sexual immorality and drunkenness. Being filled with the Holy Spirit will prevent them from falling back into their old ways and help them to ‘follow God’s example’ (4:25 to 5:20). Their spiritual relationship with God is to be reflected in their human relationships. Paul offers advice to married couples, parents, and masters and slaves (5:22 to 6:9). It is, he concludes, only by clothing themselves in spiritual armour that they will be able to stand firm in their faith and win others to Jesus (6:10–17).

Looking for help? Just complete this coupon and send it to War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army Contact details of a Salvation Army minister

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Name Address

EXPRESSIONS

Rosemary Dawson on the life lessons she has learnt from her grandchildren

That lightbulb moment EARNING to read is one of the most important things we ever do. My grandL son Samuel always loved books, but in his first year at school he found it surprisingly hard to make the transition from looking at the pictures and letters

QUICK QUIZ 1. Which band had a No 1 hit in 2000 with the song ‘Beautiful Day’? 2. Who wrote the book The Tattooist of Auschwitz? 3. Who played Miranda’s friend Stevie in the TV comedy Miranda? 4. Which football club has won the Scottish Cup the most times? 5. On which Japanese island is the country’s capital, Tokyo? 6. Which 19th-century English poet wrote the line, ‘I wandered lonely as a cloud’? ANSWERS 1. U2. 2. Heather Morris. 3. Sarah Hadland. 4. Celtic. 5. Honshu. 6. William Wordsworth.

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to actually reading the story – which he often knew by heart. Putting the two together eluded him. To make matters worse, the observant Samuel noticed that most of his friends had moved on from the basic books, with one line on a page, to more exciting ones with four lines on each leaf. After one particularly difficult day at school, he sobbed his heart out to his mum: ‘It’s too hard. I can’t do it. I hate school. I don’t want to go any more!’ Poor Samuel. He doesn’t see his older cousin Abigail very often because she lives 200 miles away, but she could have told him not to worry. She also struggled with reading until – thanks to a new form of phonetics – the penny dropped, and Abigail experienced that wonderful ‘lightbulb moment’ when the letters joined up and became words. Now she reads everything at a hundred miles an hour. Some things don’t come easy. The only way to succeed is to keep on trying and not give up – and I’m pleased to report that, with lots of hard work and encouragement, Samuel eventually progressed to the next level of books. It also helped that they were about his favourite superheroes!

BOOK REVIEW The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Charlie Mackesy Ebury Press IN the introduction to his debut book, artist Charlie Mackesy writes, in calligraphic text, about his hopes that the book will encourage people to ‘live courageously with more kindness for yourself and for others’. The boy meets the mole on the first page, and they later meet the fox and then the horse, and all four go on an adventure together. Despite the loose narrative, it is the type of book that you can open up on any page. Charlie’s delicate drawings are comforting, and his simple, truth-filled words strike a chord at a time when the world does not always seem kind. Readers are encouraged with lines such as: ‘Life is difficult – but you are loved.’ The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse is a timeless book that will touch readers of all ages. Beautifully presented, outside and in, it is perfect as a gift or as a book to treasure for yourself.

Sarah Olowofoyeku

1 February 2020 • WAR CRY •13

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Restrain (4) 3. Bar (3) 5. Noisy (4) 7. Morning meal (9) 9. Seven days (4) 10. Slight quarrel (4) 11. Remains (5) 14. Engage in medieval combat (5) 15. Ruin (5) 17. Point of discussion (5) 18. Child (5) 19. Wander (5) 20. Strained (5) 23. Disgusting (4) 25. Medical procedure (4) 27. Make laws (9) 28. Elated (4)

HONEYCOMB

29. Affirmative answer (3) 11. Supply grudgingly (5) 30. Support (4) 12. Fire-raising act (5) DOWN 13. Vegetable (5) 1. Black bird (4) 14. Prod (3) 2. Yelp (4) 16. Gear (3) 3. Brag (5) 21. Improve (5) 4. Particularly good (5) 22. Becomes sullen (5) 5. Endure (4) 23. Banner (4) 6. Hard of hearing (4) 24. Guide (4) 7. Lovely (9) 25. Pierce (4) 8. Clock (9) 26. Recess (4)

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

1. Long, narrow ditch 2. Protective bar on a car 3. Government 4. Fail to remember 5. Pouch on clothing 6. Sloping typeface

WORDSEARCH

ANSWERS QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Curb. 3. Ban. 5. Loud. 7. Breakfast. 9. Week. 10. Tiff. 11. Stays. 14. Joust. 15. Wreck. 17. Issue. 18. Bairn. 19. Drift. 20. Tense. 23. Foul. 25. Scan. 27. Legislate. 28. Glad. 29. Yes. 30. Back. DOWN: 1. Crow. 2. Bark. 3. Boast. 4. Nifty. 5. Last. 6. Deaf. 7. Beautiful. 8. Timepiece. 11. Stint. 12. Arson. 13. Swede. 14. Jab. 16. Kit. 21. Edify. 22 Sulks. 23. Flag. 24. Lead. 25. Stab. 26. Nook. HONEYCOMB 1. Trench. 2. Bumper. 3. Regime. 4. Forget. 5. Pocket. 6. Italic.

9 6 4 3 7 8 5 1 2

7 4 5 8 9 6 1 2 3

1 8 2 5 3 7 4 9 6

6 3 9 4 1 2 8 7 5

3 5 1 7 8 9 2 6 4

2 9 6 1 4 5 7 3 8

4 7 8 2 6 3 9 5 1

SUDOKU SOLUTION

14 • WAR CRY • 1 February 2020

BIRMINGHAM BOURNEMOUTH BRIGHTON BRISTOL CAMBRIDGE CANTERBURY CHICHESTER EXETER LIVERPOOL LONDON MANCHESTER NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NOTTINGHAM OXFORD PLYMOUTH STOKE-ON-TRENT WOLVERHAMPTON YORK

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these English towns and cities

7 9 2 3 6 5 4 8 1 R E T S E H C I H C G A J P X V B E 8 4 1 2 9 7 6 3 5 D C N Z B O L B N L Y B C I A Z Y M 6 3 5 1 I 4Q Y Z P T B T 8 2 7 9 B L E M H H C O Z N W F R S A Z D V E A J E D L M D L K 4 1 8 6 7 2 9 5 3 N O T T I N G H A M Q M X Z V Z P I 2 C Q B M L O Z 5 7 9 3 1 T 8 I 4Y O O 6 J F N G O I Y W O L V E R H A M P T O N X S B J 9 6 3 8 5 4 7 1 2 G H E U Q Z Q H E P G Y D Q N N Z S 3 7 4 5 2 9 1 6 8 V L K B I M G Y T S Z C X M N X D B E B O U R N E M O U T H D X Z Y R A 1 2 6 4 8 3 5 9 7 G L T O I I E H H R Q E Z G P I M Z 5 8 9 7 1 6 3 2 4 D D S M P U S D E V A J R C G Z G K I Y R U B R E T N A C C E H G G D U R I T O Q X E Z O Z W Y T Z Q R Z D B H V A F X Q V M L E O P Y J S U U M U J B E X H L I H N R P U L J P N A J O H T U O M Y L P K P L L P Y P C E N Y T N O P U E L T S A C W E N

4 3

5 8

2 5

9 4

1 7

6 1

8 2

RECIPES

Thai potato noodle broth Small bunch fresh Thai basil 800ml vegetable stock

2 red chillies, sliced

2tbsp ginger purée

4 lime wedges

Few slices fresh ginger 2tbsp lemongrass, finely chopped 4 kaffir lime leaves 1 lime, juice Handful mange tout

SERVES

6 button mushrooms, sliced 1 Maris Piper potato, spiralised Small bunch fresh coriander

Bring the stock to the boil in a large pan. Add the ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, lime juice, mange tout and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes, then mix in the spiralised potato. Cook for another 5 minutes, until the potato is soft but not falling apart. Garnish with the fresh coriander, basil and chillies. Serve with the lime wedges on the side.

Chinese potato squeaks 4 large potatoes, cut into small cubes 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp Chinese five-spice 100g bean sprouts 1 small carrot, peeled and cut into thin sticks 2 pak choi, sliced 2tbsp plum sauce, plus extra, to serve Salt and pepper 1tbsp oil Flour, for dusting 2 spring onions, sliced

Place the potatoes in a large microwave-proof bowl and rinse with water. Drain and place back in the bowl. Add a splash of water, the garlic and the five-spice. Cover with clingfilm and cook in the microwave for 8 minutes. Shake the bowl, then allow to stand for 1 minute, then drain and add a knob of butter. Mash and add in the beansprouts, carrot, pak choi and plum sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well together. Shape handfuls of the mixture into round patties to make 8 potato squeaks. Lightly dust with flour. Heat the oil in the frying pan and carefully cook the squeaks for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain the cooked squeaks on kitchen paper. Scatter with the spring onions and serve with plum sauce on the side.

MAKES

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board website lovepotatoes.co.uk

1 February 2020 • WAR CRY •15

GOD determines the number of the stars and calls each ONE by name Psalm 147:4

Picture: GREG RAKOZY