War Cry 7 August 2021 by The Salvation Army UK and Ireland

TV writer Jimmy McGovern on why he puts faith in focus

WAR CRY

7 August 2021 50p

Hunting high and low Matt Damon plays a dad searching for the truth that will free his daughter

African culture celebrated in Coventry

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

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 7537

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888

IN recent times, some of the things people took for granted have become appreciated treats, such as being able to hug loved ones or going to a sporting event. The lifting of Covid-19 restrictions has given hope of a more ‘normal’ future. In this week’s War Cry – as in previous weeks – we reflect that cinemas are again able to show new releases, as we cover the Matt Damon film Stillwater. We also report on some of the public events going on in Coventry, the UK’s City of Culture. We also, however, carry the sad reminder that not everybody survived the pandemic. This issue includes a report on the dedication of a new memorial in Stirlingshire that acknowledges the pain, challenges and loss that people suffered because of coronavirus. Speaking at its dedication, Church of Scotland minister the Rev Dan Harper said that it ‘honours all that was lost in the isolation of lockdown and all that was lost in events not celebrated’ as well as ‘all the loved ones we have lost along the way’. While so many are able to pick up aspects of their lives that they have missed during these past 17 months, it is right to remember those who are still feeling the effects of the losses that the pandemic brought. It should also be remembered that there are still thousands of people in the country catching the virus every day. We all need to show caution and consideration of others in the way we behave while enjoying our freedoms. And if we have not yet taken up an offer to receive a vaccine, then we must do so promptly, so that we can play our part in helping our communities look to the future with as much ad the War C e re ry confidence as possible. u’v

CONTENTS

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, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399. Printed by Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper

INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

2 • WAR CRY • 7 August 2021

PASS IT ON f

not hy ,w

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

From the editor’s desk

When yo

What is The Salvation Army?

5 8

FEATURES

Freedom fighter

Dad does hard labour to free his

daughter from prison in film Stillwater

Popular culture

Communities celebrate in Coventry

‘Faith can be found in any story’

Interview with TV writer

Jimmy McGovern

REGULARS

War Cry World

12 Team Talk 13 Faces of Faith 14 Puzzles

15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: JESSICA FORDE/FOCUS FEATURES

FRENCH CONNECTION An American father fights to free his daughter from a Marseille prison

Film preview by Andrew Stone

IFE for oilrig roughneck Bill Baker is a matter of working, resting, keeping an eye on his mother-in-law and trying to eke out his pay cheque. However, over the past five years, that routine has been interrupted by journeys of 5,000 or so miles from his home in Stillwater, Oklahoma, to Marseille in France to visit his daughter, Allison, who is in prison for a murder she claims she did not commit. In Stillwater, which is on general release in cinemas from this week and stars Matt Damon and Abigail Breslin as the troubled father and daughter, Allison tells Bill of new evidence she has discovered which could prove her innocence. But, frustratingly, Allison’s legal representatives refuse to follow it up. Desperate to help the daughter he let down as a child because of his drink and drug addiction, Bill takes matters into his own hands. He begins the hunt for the man he believes committed the crime. But Bill doesn’t speak French and has no

knowledge of the country’s complicated legal system. He knows he needs help, and that help comes from an unlikely source – French single mum Virginie (Camille Cottin) and her young daughter, Maya (Lilou Siauvaud). Nevertheless, the odds are stacked against him. His own daughter does not trust him, but Bill believes this is his chance to atone for the years he failed her as a father. He wants to see his daughter released from prison, but he’s also hoping for a sense of freedom for himself. ‘Bill Baker has clearly got a past, and he’s made a lot of mistakes as a father,’ says Matt Damon. ‘He’s trying to get his life together and get this relationship back on track with his daughter. He carries a lot of guilt and shame around how he’s behaved.’ Bill’s past – and the consequences – are never far from him in a film that, director and writer Tom McCarthy says, focuses on ‘the shackles of shame and

The longing for love and purpose runs deep

7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 3

JESSICA FORDE/FOCUS FEATURES

Bill visits Allison in prison

guilt that keep us rooted to one place’. He adds: ‘It’s a film that addresses our longing to be loved and needed.’ There are many cinemagoers who will be able to relate to the issues Stillwater tackles. The longing for love and purpose runs deep within most people – along with, for some, a sense of being held back by the past, perhaps because of mistakes they have made or the way others have treated them. Whatever the reason may be, the feeling that the issues of the past cannot be repaired or left behind can hold anyone back. However, that does not have to be the final verdict – there can be hope for the future. One Bible writer said that anyone who decides to follow Jesus can transform their lives. ‘Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person,’ he wrote. ‘The past is forgotten, and everything is new’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 Contemporary English Version). If we will commit ourselves to following Jesus, he will show us how we can be free from the guilt and shame of our past and discover purpose with a life that lasts for ever. That is a freedom worth finding.

Wwxc

WAR CRY

ccxsztW

AWARD-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie told The Sunday Times Magazine that faith was important for her family after the death of her father last year. The author of Half of a Yellow Sun, who wrote about her father’s death in the book Notes on Grief, said: ‘Catholicism meant a lot to my father, it was moderate but very deeply felt. He was a believer in the simplest, most beautiful way. I consider myself a questioning Catholic, but I grew up with it and found it immensely comforting, so I gave the readings at the funeral, one in Igbo, one in English.’

A GLOBAL challenge is under way to offer one million hours of prayer for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Two Christian organisations, the Japanese International Sports Partnership and the Japan Evangelical Mission, have teamed up to create the Japan 1 Million initiative. After it was ruled that spectators would not be allowed in venues because of Covid-19 restrictions and the in-person events churches had planned were put on hold, the two organisations decided to switch their focus to praying for the Games. ‘Every door seems to be closed, but the door of prayer hasn’t closed,’ Marty Woods of the Japan International Sports Partnership told warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk Christian media group Premier. ‘There’s been this incredible move @TheWarCryUK of prayer amongst the Japanese Church… TheWarCryUK We’re praying that God’s Spirit would fall on this land in a way that we’ve salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry never seen before.’

Do you have a story to share? a

Food aid given after riots THE Salvation Army is distributing thousands of food parcels to the most vulnerable people in South Africa after looting and rioting caused major disruption. Working with local authorities and partner agencies, the church and charity has identified an initial 17,500 people in the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng regions who require support. Over the next six months, those individuals – mostly women and children – will receive food parcels or vouchers. They will also have access to spiritual and psychosocial support from trained Salvation Army officers. Meanwhile, a group of volunteers from The Salvation Army’s Soweto Central church in the Gauteng province have distributed tea, soup and bread to members of the community who are cleaning up a shopping centre. Elsewhere, in the KwaZulu-Natal province, its Durban Central and Imbali churches have assisted with the community clean-up, while officers in Pietermaritzburg have purchased food and snacks for support teams maintaining security at night. Almost 340 people have died since civil unrest broke out in South Africa last month, causing an estimated £2.5 billion of damage.

8 7 August 20212021 4 • WAR CRY • 27 February

ALYN SMITH, MP for Stirling, was among dozens of people who attended a service to dedicate a memorial to acknowledge the pain, challenges and loss that people have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic. The MP (pictured far left) spoke briefly in support of all those in pain and thanked everyone who had cared for people throughout the pandemic. The memorial, a black granite obelisk in the grounds of Stirlingshire Crematorium, features a design by 12-year-old Poppy Lunn from Galashiels. She explained that the rainbow thistle in the middle ‘represents the NHS and all they have done for us’ and ‘the other thistles on each side are protecting the NHS, just like we have tried to do’. Church of Scotland minister the Rev Dan Harper (second from left), who became ill with Covid last year and still suffers from its symptoms, said during the service: ‘Love brought us here today, and this memorial honours all that was lost in the isolation of lockdown and all that was lost in events not celebrated. It honours all that remains lost for those still suffering and all the loved ones we have lost along the way.’

Celebrating culture

In December 2017, Coventry won the bid to be the UK’s City of Culture. Its year was launched in May 2021, and over the next 12 months the city will host an array of cultural events. KRISSIE AGYEMAN, events planner for This Is Africa, talks about how the brand is showcasing and celebrating black and African cultures in Coventry Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

EUGENE McLAUGHLIN

This Is Africa’s launch event featured Afrobeats dance group For Dance Sake

EING sent to Coventry is usually understood to be bad news. But this year, as the UK’s City of Culture, Coventry is the place to be. The West Midlands city officially launched its year in the spotlight in May, and events will continue over the next 12 months. They include arts festivals, comedy performances, dance and theatre productions. Among the groups staging activities and events throughout the year is This Is Africa, an umbrella brand that celebrates African cultures. Its output is a collaboration between individual creatives, local voluntary organisations and businesses. Its launch event at the end of June, We Are Warriors, was an African cultural night that included dance, poetry and music. Krissie Agyeman, who is one of the people planning events, explains that This Is Africa aims to ‘show how diverse and how beautiful black and African cultures are’.

Krissie Agyeman

One of those events takes place today (Saturday 7 August). ‘The Embracing Africa Festival is a big family event showcasing African and Caribbean cultures, which will include performances, art, fun activities for the kids, and food from various cultures,’ says Krissie. ‘We’re also supporting small businesses through stalls which people from the community can use to sell their products. The event will begin with a carnival-style parade from the town to the venue.’ Krissie has taken the lead on the Embracing Africa event, and she says that putting the spotlight on various cultures ‘brings togetherness’. She explains: ‘I have so many friends

Turn to page 6 f 7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 5

It’s important to learn about each other’s culture From page 5 from different nations, and if you were to ask me what their national dish is, for example, I might struggle to say. So I think it’s important to come together and learn a bit more about each other’s culture. An event like Embracing Africa is a great way to do that and to celebrate the things you learn.’ Krissie tells me about her own culture. ‘I’m from Dominica, one of the smaller islands in the Caribbean. I’m happy that, as part of the festival, we’re celebrating some of the music from my culture – soca and zouk. They’re not widely known like reggae or Afrobeats, so to have them in the festival will be amazing. We will also have Caribbean food, like jerk chicken, fried plantain and saltfish fritters. My ancestry is African so we share a lot of the same foods, but we cook it differently.’ The This Is Africa initiative is made up of people from various backgrounds and with various skills, and Krissie explains that it is a collective effort. ‘Our manager, Christabel, identified different strengths in different community members and pulled us together, saying we could do something great for Coventry. I am co-ordinating events, because that’s my strength. Someone else in the group is excellent

This Is Africa’s youth choir

6 • WAR CRY • 7 August 2021

with sports, so they ran our sports day last month, another one of us is fantastic with fashion and hair, so we have a fashion event coming up. It’s a great venture, which we’re hoping we can roll out yearly.’ The biggest challenge This Is Africa faced as it prepared for this year was Covid-19. The pandemic and lockdowns made some of the planning and budgeting for the programme difficult, but Krissie says The two members of that the team pulled Congolese act Sweet Music resources from the perform at the launch community to make it work. And before that, it responded to the immediate needs of its community. ‘When Covid online youth activities.’ hit and we were fully on lockdown, we Now that restrictions have lifted and supported black and African people in the events side of the group’s mission the community – offering homework is back on track, This Is Africa will also club, maths and English tutoring and host an art exhibition, a black business expo, a youth-led social action event, an interactive African drumming performance and a health and wellbeing conference. As well as celebrating her culture, Krissie has been able to bring her faith into the festivities through a women’s conference, which will take place next March to mark Women’s History Month. ‘I chose to do this event called She Speaks to empower women from the BAME community in how to take care of themselves a little better in body, mind and soul. ‘We will talk about health issues,

The African Performing Arts group showcase traditional drumming and singing

like diabetes, which we have a high percentage of in the community – the body. We will let them know that if they have something they are able to do or that they love, they can create a business out of it and make an income for

We’re all about unity and togetherness themselves – the mind. And we will talk about faith and how it impacts a person’s whole being – the soul. ‘We will talk about how all three are linked and how, through using those elements, you can push yourself forward as an individual. ‘While it’s not a Christian conference, and the speakers won’t be telling people that they need to be a Christian, all the speakers are Christians. They are from different fields – there is an engineer, a nurse, a public speaker and someone in business – and they all have stories that are uplifting. One of the speakers will be sharing how she experienced loss, but didn’t let that keep her back from where she needed to be in life. They’ll all be talking about how their faith is at the centre of everything they do, and

South African performance group Uzambezi Arts

motivates them.’ Faith is what motivates Krissie too. ‘When I wake up, even before I get out of bed, God is part of my daily routine,’ she says. ‘And, although I’m not speaking at the event, I want to use my faith to encourage others, which is why I chose Christian speakers.’ At the heart of all This Is Africa’s events is a desire to empower others, bring joy

and to freely share culture. These values have allowed Krissie to connect to This Is Africa on another level. ‘We’re all about unity, togetherness and spreading happiness, love and understanding,’ she says. ‘My values as a Christian woman support that. Everything I do in life is about sharing love, peace and happiness, so I’m passionate about working with This Is Africa.’ 7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 7

‘I’ve been Stories about belief have always fascinated screenwriter JIMMY McGOVERN. The man behind BBC One’s prison drama Time reveals why he has the deepest respect for Christianity and why he believes everything should be forgivable Interview by Claire Brine

Jimmy McGovern

8 • WAR CRY • 7 August 2021

CREENWRITER Jimmy McGovern has a confession to make. Many years ago, he stopped going to church. He can’t remember the last time he prayed. He is not sure if he believes in God any more. But none of that stops him from putting faith at the centre of his BBC dramas. In 2017, Broken told the story of a fictional Catholic priest serving an impoverished community in the north of England. Earlier this year, Jimmy explored the Christian themes of atonement and forgiveness in his prison drama Time. The subject of faith has fascinated him since childhood. ‘Everything about my upbringing was Catholic,’ says Jimmy, who was born and bred in Liverpool. ‘I grew up in an Irish Catholic community, went to Catholic school and learnt Catholic history. In those days, there were two people who could walk into your house and act as if they owned it. One was the doctor, the other was the priest. Religion has always been part of my history. It fascinates me because I’ve been steeped in it. ‘One of my earliest memories is going to church with my mum when I was about six years old. During the service, I remember her reaching into her handbag for something, then dropping a packet of cigarettes on the floor! I cringed in total embarrassment.’ After receiving his first Holy Communion aged seven, Jimmy began to take his faith ‘very seriously’. He says: ‘I was very pious until I was about 13. God was to be feared. These

steeped in faith’ BBC/MATT SQUIRE/JAMES STACK

In ‘Time’ Mark (Sean Bean) is sent to prison, where he is placed under the watchful eye of Eric (Stephen Graham)

days, I’m not sure that I believe in God any more, but I’d love for it all to be true. I’m very open to my faith returning.’ Though Jimmy is no longer a practising Catholic, he remains hugely respectful of the Christian faith and its community of believers. When he sets out to write a script for television, he cannot help but bring faith into it. ‘I will tell any story – as long as it’s a good story,’ he says. ‘But I suspect that if I set out to write a story which was devoid of faith, I’d still find huge elements of faith in it. Faith interests me and it feels natural for me to examine it.’ After spending six years writing for the Channel 4 soap Brookside in the 1980s, then creating the ITV crime series Cracker in 1993, Jimmy wrote a film called Priest,

released in 1994. While he was working on the screenplay, his father died suddenly, prompting Jimmy to reflect once again on his childhood faith. ‘My brother Joe found our father’s body, and he noticed that dad’s shirt was all creased up,’ remembers Jimmy. ‘Joe said to me: “My dad died in rags.” Immediately, I responded: “Christ died in rags.” ‘It was strange. Joe and I had never spoken about faith to each other before, but we both felt that what I said in that moment seemed very apt. We were non-believers, but in times of grief, I think people turn to faith. In my dad’s death, it brought me comfort. For that moment, I made myself believe. I wanted to believe.’

In that moment, I wanted to believe

While he was writing Priest – about a Catholic priest undergoing a crisis of faith – Jimmy got to know a number of clergymen and found himself fascinated by their work. He returned to his research when he came to write Broken, a BBC drama series starring Sean Bean as Father Michael Kerrigan. ‘In the 1980s, I had tried to persuade the BBC to let me do a big drama series about a priest,’ says Jimmy. ‘But they wouldn’t go for it, which is why Priest became a film instead. Over the following years, I kept in touch with the priests I met, and the more I learnt about them, the more I realised that their reality is not so different from anyone else’s. They’ve got a job to do and they do it. ‘When I had the idea for Broken, I wanted to see how a priest would cope

Turn to page 10 f

7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 9

From page 9 with all the poverty that’s around them. You have to be muscular to be a priest. And earthy. It’s no good talking about God to people if their bellies are empty. You have to feed them as well. It’s a slog to look after parishioners.’ When Broken was broadcast in 2017, Jimmy described Father Kerrigan as ‘the kind of man I aspire to be’. He tells me that Father Kerrigan’s character is ‘so good and yet he is always full of doubt about whether he is good at all. He chimes in with me because he lost his faith as a teenager, just as I did. He knows that there was a time when he treated people badly, and he carries around with him the need to atone.’ While Broken didn’t shy away from presenting the grey areas of religion or the bleaker parts of Church history, Jimmy says that at the heart of the series lies the

deepest admiration for Christianity. ‘I respect the faith enormously. The Church has a lot to answer for, but the Christian faith and the priests who labour in it are wonderful. In Liverpool, we have some wonderful Catholic and Anglican priests. We are so proud of them. And The Salvation Army has always had a special place in my heart as well. My wife and I brought our kids up in the Wavertree area of Liverpool, and the Army ran a nursery there. It was a tremendous boon for the locals, who lived in quite a poor area. The Salvation Army were a big part of the community. ‘At its best, faith compels us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit the imprisoned. It asks us to do all the things we are supposed to do as humans. And to not be soft about it.’ Though much of Jimmy’s work over the years has featured characters of

LA PRODUCTIONS

Heads of drama do not always see the importance of faith

faith, Jimmy remains surprised that the subject of religion causes so many people – programme-makers included – to switch off. ‘Heads of drama do not always see the importance of faith,’ he says. ‘They don’t realise how much faith there is in society – which means they’re missing a trick. I’m always looking for good stories, and faith is full of them. ‘What appeals to me is the grey areas. The uncertainty. The imperfections. The little hypocrisies. All the things we are guilty of. I can’t remember the last time I prayed, for example, but I’ll make deals with God, saying: “If you do this, I’ll do that.” Then I keep my side of the bargain for a week before I forget it.’

arlier this year, Jimmy explored matters of faith from a new angle in his prison drama Time, which is available on BBC iPlayer. Starring Sean Bean as Mark Cobden – a man sent to jail for killing a cyclist while drink-driving – the series focuses on justice, atonement, forgiveness and redemption. ‘These subjects are the essence of religion,’ says Jimmy. ‘You do something wrong and you can’t live with it. Prison is undoubtedly a place of atonement. And if you want to write about prison, your characters have to talk about forgiveness and atonement. You have to use that language. I get angry when some writers feel unsure about giving their workingclass characters big words. Some of the most articulate people I know come from working-class backgrounds.’ The idea to set a story behind bars first came to Jimmy in the 1980s, when he used to go into prisons to deliver writing workshops. In later years, such opportunities dried up, but Jimmy returned to prisons whenever he was invited. As part of his research for Time, he went along to a prison that was running a victim awareness course called the Sycamore Tree project. The course – based on Christian principles – enables offenders to meet victims of crime, learn about the harm that crime causes and take part in discussions on how to make things right. ‘I found the Sycamore Tree sessions very valuable,’ he says. ‘In one, a couple who had lost their son through knife crime came to talk to the prisoners about what happened and how it affected them.

Sean Bean played Father Michael Kerrigan in ‘Broken’ 10 • WAR CRY • 7 August 2021

BBC/MATT SQUIRE

‘Time’ examines questions of forgiveness

In my mind there was an element of: are these prisoners doing this course just to tick a box because they think it’ll grant them a lighter sentence? But what I saw impressed me. What I saw worked. And it works because the people in prison are decent and good people – they have just broken the law. We can all break the law. I always think: There, but for the grace of God, go I.’ One of the most poignant scenes in Time takes place in the prison chapel. Shortly after Mark is told that he cannot attend his father’s funeral, prison chaplain Marie-Louise, played by Siobhan Finneran, offers some consolation. She suggests that they follow the order of service together and hold their own ‘little Mass’. Writing the scene made Jimmy cry. ‘I’ve always said that you can’t ask an actor to cry in a drama unless you cry, writing it,’ he says. Other powerful scenes focus on the importance of seeking forgiveness or offering it. When a mother in the series

comes face to face with the offender who killed her son, she spits out that his actions were ‘unforgivable’. It’s a word Jimmy considers carefully. ‘The “what is forgivable?” question is huge,’ he says. ‘I have never been badly wronged by anyone in my life, so I haven’t faced anything yet that has felt impossible

I think everything should be forgivable to forgive. I’d like to think that I would forgive people who hurt me, though I know I would find it very hard to forgive people who hurt those I love. ‘When you ask for forgiveness, you’re asking for a huge thing. But I think everything should be forgivable. You have to forgive.’ In the final scene of Time, Mark is released from prison and meets the wife of the cyclist he killed. He is desperate to say sorry in person and find forgiveness.

Jimmy reveals that the scene required multiple rewrites. ‘At first, I wanted the wife to be outside the prison when Mark walked out and for her to embrace him. I thought that would show tremendous Christianity, but some of my colleagues told me that it was too much. So we cut the scene back and, in the end, the wife met Mark a year later. She was still unable to forgive, but desperate to keep trying. I found that ending much more real and interesting.’ Although Time is now behind him, Jimmy says that stories of crime and prisoners continue to fascinate him. He is currently writing his next television script, which will explore what happens to a young man after he is released from prison. ‘He has committed a crime that is not easy to sympathise with at all,’ Jimmy says. ‘I can’t say much about it yet. But I’m sure that faith and redemption will crop up again, because those are the subjects that interest me. Faith is part of me – and it can be found in any story.’

7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 11

Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Sylvia, who is seeking healing. The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘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.

Team talk TEAM TALK

talk ‘ ’ There are ‘other things’ besides winning

Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

WITHOUT spectators in the stands, the 2020 Olympic Games were always going to feel a little bit different. But as the competition in Tokyo draws to a close tomorrow (Sunday 8 August), the Olympic spirit is still strong. Certainly there have been plenty of standout moments over the past fortnight, giving sport fans at home plenty of reasons to cheer at the telly. Week one brought Magic Monday, when Team GB won three gold medals and two silvers. Among the champions was Tom Daley, who, alongside diving partner Matty Lee, achieved gold in the synchronised 10m platform event. When Tom was in tears during the awards ceremony, I was crying with him. ‘I’ve been diving now for 20 years, and this is my fourth Olympic Games,’ he told a BBC reporter during a poolside interview, shortly after winning the title. Anyone, like me, who has been watching Tom dive since his first Games in Beijing in 2008, will know that success hasn’t come quickly or easily for him. Out of the pool, he has experienced a number of lifechanging events, including losing his dad to cancer when he was just 17, getting married and becoming a father. Understandably, such milestones have shaped him and the way he views his career. Ahead of his event, he told The Sun: ‘I think any athlete would be lying if they said they didn’t want to win an Olympic gold medal. But at the end of the day, I am a father, I am a husband and I think a massive shift in perspective has happened for me over these last couple of years. ‘Previously I used to define myself by how well I did in the diving pool. But there are other things to life … that I find equally important.’ ‘Other things.’ As Tom has discovered, life is not just about competing. It’s not about chasing goal after goal. Life is about the ‘other things’ around us as well. And when we embrace that variety, we can’t lose.

There have been plenty of standout moments

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

" Tick one or more of the options below, complete the coupon and send it to

War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army

Looking for help?

Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 7 August 2021

j Q&A

FACES OF FAITH RHYS REED-JOHNSON from London on writing comedy, Chinese history and working smart What’s your typical day? I’m a full-time freelance screenwriter. I’m currently heading up a project to create a comedy animation show. Besides work, I’ve got my friends, and we like to go to various pubs and debate issues that have caught our attention.

What did you want to be when you grew up? I got interested in history and English when I was around 11 years old. My mum bought me a Horrible Histories book, and from there I wanted to do something involving writing and making people laugh.

What makes you feel like a grown-up now? I grew up in Rumney, Cardiff. I always wanted to go to London, and I felt like my wings were unbound when I started doing what I’d always wanted to do. I hope to never grow up fully, though.

What advice would you give your teenage self?

Q A

QUICK QUIZ 1

Who plays Dorothy in the classic

It’s not about how hard you work, it’s about how smart you work. If you can get the same job achieved with half the effort, go for it.

What was the last book you read? My favourite book is the one I’m currently reading, Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. It’s a novel about a significant period in Chinese history after the Han dynasty fell.

film The Wizard of Oz?

What is the name of the long-

distance walker who wrote the

prizewinning memoir The Salt Path?

What is the two-digit country code for international phone calls to the UK?

Which Abba compilation recently

What TV programmes do you like to watch? I’m a huge fan of Japanese animation. I’m about to start watching the sci-fi anime series Cowboy Bebop again.

How did you become a Christian? I grew up in a Christian family but didn’t like Sunday school teaching. Then when I was 13, I heard this old, genteel pastor. He wasn’t the regular preacher at the church I was in, and I don’t know what it was, but something clicked.

became the first album to reach 1,000 weeks on the UK albums chart?

Who was captain of England at Euro 2020?

Which breakfast cereal is

advertised by Tony the Tiger with the slogan ‘They’re grrreat’ ? ANSWERS

I’ve always been an anti-legalist. What Christianity does is that it accepts I’m terrible. Good works are fine, but they’re not the basis of my relationship with God. I think the saying goes, ‘God is most satisfied in us when we are most reliant on him.’

How does faith influence your life? Finding God is something I’m unable to do myself, and I can only be accepted with God’s intervention. Whatever the case, it’s out of my hands.

1. Judy Garland. 2. Raynor Winn. 3. 44. 4. Gold. 5. Harry Kane. 6. Frosties.

What’s good about being a Christian?

7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 13

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Tussle (5) 4. Disorder (5) 8. Zodiac sign (3) 9. Punctuation mark (5) 10. Prickle (5) 11. Taxi (3) 12. Extreme (5) 13. Organise (7) 16. Flag (6) 19. Regret (6) 23. Masterly (7) 26. Entitlement (5) 28. Night bird (3) 29. Welcome (5) 30. Perfect (5) 31. Hatchet (3) 32. Claw (5) 33. Restore (5) DOWN 2. Send money (5) 3. Pacify (7) 4. Fight (6) 5. Change (5) 6. Fleeced (5) 7. Dullard (5) 9. Morsel (5) 14. Poisonous snake (3) 15. Revolver (3) 17. Chest (3)

SUDOKU

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

2 9 1 5 6 5 8 2 3 4 2 8 9 9 2 3 7 1 1 7 3 6 3 4 9 7 2 9 1 2 3 18. Nothing (3) 20. Sooner (7) 21. Sum (5) 22. Catchphrase (6) 23. Saturated (5) 24. Clumsy (5) 25. Lethal (5) 27. Harvest (5)

WORDSEARCH

7 4 2 9 6 1 8 5 3 6 5 8 7 2 3 4 9 1 Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally 9 words 1 3associated 4 5 with 8 6summer 2 7 on the grid to find these 3 2 6 5 1 4 7 8 9 K M X B Y O O R L T Z M Q B T K L G 5 8 9 2 3 7 1 4 6 B R O O R W X V K W P L N M Z I N Q 7 4L 6J W V 8 9 3 5 S Q M A B Q I 1U W V X I 2K M K F F R L L E H S A E S W 2 3 7 8 9Q F Z P M 6 5 1 4 T N R D D I F Z B U S J U R U X H V 8 6 1 3 4 5 9 7 2 L O H W S J E Y B T N H U A Y O S M S T R A W B E R R 4 9 I 5E S J Z L T H B 1 7 2 3 6 8

M O HONEYC B

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

D N X L N L L Z Q U Q H C I X V B Q P I V K L F T M N S O E D R U U F B T M G O Q H S U N G L A S S E S R V D D V Y Y Z A X O N Y F N H Q E K E M A E R C E C I Q I Z V N Z H V N Z M B R H T T D C Z H Q J Q L M R M T Z A Y C J P N Q N T E J I Z K R P Q D I J X E V A W T A E H B L Y U V P H Z G T C W S T D B Y Q S P R Y Z B S M V J N Y F L O G Y Z A R C W O V S T R N W S S Q J L O J N G X I R K

1. Feeling of sickness 2. Cherry red colour 3. Power to be active 4. Keep possession of 5. Football club from Craven Cottage 6. Artistic dance

ANSWERS HONEYCOMB 1. Nausea. 2. Cerise. 3. Energy. 4. Retain. 5. Fulham. 6. Ballet.

7 6 9 3 5 1 2 8 4

4 5 1 2 8 7 3 6 9

2 8 3 6 9 4 7 1 5

9 7 4 5 2 6 8 3 1

6 2 5 1 3 8 9 4 7

1 3 8 4 7 9 6 5 2

8 4 6 7 1 2 5 9 3

5 9 2 8 4 3 1 7 6

3 1 7 9 6 5 4 2 8

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Scrap. 4. Chaos. 8. Leo. 9. Comma. 10. Thorn. 11. Cab. 12. Ultra. 13. Arrange. 16. Banner. 19. Repent. 23. Skilful. 26. Right. 28. Owl. 29. Greet. 30. Ideal. 31. Axe. 32. Talon. 33. Renew. DOWN: 2. Remit. 3. Placate. 4. Combat. 5. Alter. 6. Shorn. 7. Dunce. 9. Crumb. 14. Asp. 15. Gun. 17. Ark. 18. Nil. 20. Earlier. 21. Total. 22. Slogan. 23. Soggy. 24. Inept. 25. Fatal. 27. Glean.

14 • WAR CRY • 7 August 2021

BADMINTON

SANDCASTLE

BATHING SUIT

SEASHELL

BOARDWALK

STRAWBERRIES

CRAZY GOLF

SUNGLASSES

HEATWAVE

SUNSCREEN

HOLIDAY

SURFING

ICE CREAM

VOLLEYBALL

3 4 9 7 2 1 2 3

Beetroot and chickpea curry Ingredients 100g brown rice 1tsp extra virgin olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated 1tsp turmeric ½tsp ground coriander 1tsp ground cumin 200ml reduced-salt vegetable stock 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 2 medium beetroot, chopped 210g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 large carrot, diced ½ lemon, zest 200ml coconut milk 10g fresh coriander, chopped

Method Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large deep frying pan and cook the onion on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 5 minutes. Mix in the turmeric, coriander and cumin and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Pour in the stock and add the tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then mix in the beetroot, chickpeas, carrot and lemon zest. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. While the curry is simmering, check the rice. Once the rice is ready, set aside and cover to keep warm. Add the coconut milk to the beetroot curry and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Divide the rice between plates and top with the curry. Sprinkle with the fresh coriander, to serve.

SERVES

Breakfast fruit compote Ingredients 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced 200ml apple juice 200g ready-to-eat prunes, sliced 30g sultanas 50g blueberries 200g 0 per cent-fat Greek yoghurt 75g oats 50g hazelnuts, chopped Cinnamon

Method Gently simmer the apples, apple juice, prunes and sultanas in a large pan for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold most of the blueberries into the yoghurt in a bowl, setting aside the remainder. Gently heat the oats, nuts and a pinch of cinnamon in a non-stick pan for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Place the cooked fruit into bowls, add a bit of the yoghurt and blueberry mixture, then top with the oat mixture and the reserved blueberries, to serve.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Vegetarian Society website vegsoc.org

SERVES

7 August 2021 • WAR CRY • 15

I want to travel light, so I forgive Emmanuel Jal

WAR CRY