What is The Salvation Army?
From the editor’s desk
The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.
CELEBRITIES are delving into the past to uncover their family histories on ITV. In DNA Journey the celebrities’ journeys of discovery are taking them around the UK and around the world. ‘I want to know where my roots come from,’ said Shaun Wallace of quiz show The Chase in the first episode of the series. It’s a sentiment that many people can identify with. But some who try to track down their family background discover that doing so is not straightforward. Jane Blasio was six years old when she learnt that she was adopted, but it was not until she was in her teens that she really began to ask questions about her own history. It took many more years before Jane found out that she had been bought on the ‘black market’ as a baby. In an interview in this week’s War Cry, Jane explains how this discovery initially devastated her and impacted her feelings towards the people who had brought her up. ‘They were willing to haphazardly buy me as a baby without knowing my medical background or family history,’ she tells us. ‘The reality of my childhood and the hatred I felt towards my parents hit me, like a tsunami.’ Jane describes how she went through wilderness years as she tried to piece together the facts relating to the clinic that sold her and her own biological family background. It was a painful and draining experience. However, Jane found a way to cope. ‘Piece by piece, God began to heal me,’ she says. ‘Today I believe that my identity is found in Jesus Christ.’ Jane is not alone in her experience. Sadly, many people encounter hurt and feel a loss of identity or value. There is nothing anyone can do about the circumstances in which they were born or any mistreatment they received when young and vulnerable. However, God is able to help and heal. ad the War C Whatever our personal history may be, with e re ry u’v God, nothing needs to hold us back from a better future.
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 7573
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Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN
CONTENTS
Tel: 0845 634 0101 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
FEATURES
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Good experience
Immersive events are gaining popularity 6
A stretch of faith
App combines fitness and spirituality
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Bought as a baby
The story of a woman sold at birth
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2 • WAR CRY • 23 April 2022
Amazing Grace? TV detective aims to solve murders
Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 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 CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper
Your local Salvation Army centre
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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
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War Cry World
12 Team Talk 13 Keys of the Kingdom 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: ITV