War Cry 25 June 2022

Music fans pitch up at Glastonbury

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Serving up a treat Emma Raducanu joins the other players back at Wimbledon The refugee who met royalty

From the editor’s desk

What is The Salvation Army?

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.

TOMORROW (Sunday 26 June) marks the end of Refugee Week, which aims to celebrate the contribution, resilience and creativity of refugees. The week has coincided with a significant number of news reports about how best to support people who have fled their country and arrived in the UK. In 1968, Ram Gidoomal and his family had to flee from Kenya, arriving in the UK on a cold winter’s day and finding the reception they received as frosty as the weather. They faced abuse and prejudice but, despite that opposition, Ram was determined to make a success of his life.

In an interview in this week’s War Cry, Ram talks about his experiences and how he eventually became a government adviser and had his contribution to society recognised by the Queen. He also tells us how his Christian belief helped him.

‘The power of prayer has sustained me,’ he tells us. ‘I couldn’t have done what I have without my faith.’

Ram grew up in a Hindu family but was open to attending a church when friends invited him. Although he found the worship alien, he took the time to listen to the teaching. He also read the Bible, which convinced him of the truth of Christianity.

Elsewhere in this issue, in an article about stillness, Jim Burns also talks about the benefits of taking some time to think about God. It’s a good idea. Regardless of what we may believe right now, there is always something new to learn about God. Finding the opportunity to do so is never a waste of time. If you would like to know more about Christianity, why not ad the War C speak to whoever gave you this copy of the e re ry v ’ u War Cry? Or contact us using the coupon on page 12.

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 7582

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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 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 3

Wimbledon is back on court

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

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In a field of its own Glastonbury attracts a host of musical stars A new chapter Novel reflects life as book club members support grieving woman

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INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

Return of service

‘It would have been easy to give up’ Building a life in a foreign country REGULARS

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War Cry World

12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought!

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: XINHUA/ALAMY

Smashing!

Wimbledon’s Centre Court celebrates 100 years Feature by Claire Brine

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COLIN WATERS/ALAMY

ERVE up the strawberries and lob on the cream! Wimbledon fortnight is about to begin. From Monday (27 June), tennis stars from around the globe will be hitting the courts at SW19, ready to compete in the 135th All England Lawn Tennis Club championships. Could this be Emma Raducanu’s year for a shot at the women’s singles title?

As fans look forward to the games, sets and matches that lie ahead, visitors to the site’s museum are being invited to celebrate the centenary of Centre Court with a new exhibition, Centre Court: 100 Years of Change.

‘This stadium has witnessed not just epic matches, but many changes in the world around us and in society,’ says Ian Hewitt, chairman of the All England Club. ‘This year provides an opportunity for reflection on the past, but also to envisage what is to come in the next 100 years.’

As tennis fans look back over the history of Centre Court, no doubt countless memories will spring to mind, such as the Björn Borg-John McEnroe final of 1980, when a tense fourth set tiebreak lasted for 20 minutes. Or the recordbreaking moment in 1990, as Martina Navratilova smashed her way to her ninth Wimbledon singles victory.

There have also been plenty of moments on the court that haven’t

Leslie Godfree and ‘Algy’ Kingscote play the first match on Centre Court in 1922 involved balls and rackets. In 1987, fans cheered as Pat Cash became the first Wimbledon winner to climb into the stands in order to celebrate with his family in the players’ box. Another awards ceremony made headlines in 1993, when, after collecting her runners-up trophy, a disappointed Jana Novotna cried on the shoulder of the Duchess of Kent.

However much (or little) we know about tennis and its history, it can be fascinating to revisit the past. Sometimes we stumble across memories that bring us joy and feelings of positivity.

Other memories can be more difficult to reflect on, but teach us about the type of person we once were – and who we might like to be in future.

While many of us fall into the habit of dwelling on old memories, it’s important to remember that what happened before is in the past. It has gone and we can’t

What matters most now is the future

change it, however much we might like to.

What matters most now is the future and how we live it.

For some, the thought of a new tomorrow can be scary. Life has a habit of throwing up challenges and we don’t always know how to handle them. But there are also countless people who approach the future with confidence – because they have chosen to put their trust in Jesus, who was the living and breathing proof of God’s love.

The Bible says: ‘Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!’ (2 Corinthians 5:17 New Living Translation).

When we put our faith in Jesus – and ask God to guide us through life – we can find forgiveness for our past mistakes, strength for the challenges in our present, and hope for a brighter future.

When we team up with him, nothing can beat us. What a result!

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Coach has Jesus in his life’s game plan THE new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, talked about his faith during his first press conference, reported CBN News.

Darvin Ham, who played in the NBA from 1996 to 2005, and was an assistant coach for the Lakers for two years, thanked God before saying anything else.

He said: ‘First of all, I want to thank God. Coming from where I come from, I was raised in a household with strong, spiritual faith, belief in God and his Son Jesus Christ, so I want to start with that. Everything I’ve been able to overcome in my life, along with the people around me, it’s been that spirit that was instilled in me as a youngster.’

Christians forced to flee

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‘There is no typical food bank user’

Majors Carole and Alan Donaldson at the food bank in Penrith

CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND HERALD

CHRISTIAN minorities are being deliberately driven from their homes and communities to erase the presence of the faith, according to a report by Open Doors, an organisation that supports persecuted Christians across the globe.

The report, The Church on the Run, describes a deliberate strategy to weaken, silence or completely eradicate Christian populations by governments, armed extremist groups, communities and even families.

It also highlights how Christians do not leave persecution behind when they flee. In their new location, they can be denied basic aid or face attack from other displaced communities.

Helene Fisher, Open Doors global gender persecution specialist, said: ‘Part of this deliberate strategy is to fracture religious communities. Displacement is not just a by-product of persecution, but, in many cases, it is an intentional part of a broader strategy to drive out Christianity from the community or country.’

A SALVATION Army food bank in northwest England has received more than 1,200 referrals in one month alone as the UK’s cost of living crisis takes its toll.

Major Carole Donaldson, who co-leads The Salvation Army’s church in Penrith, Cumbria with her husband Alan, said that she was ‘seeing extraordinary demand’ but was determined to ‘get food to those in need, in whatever way we can’. The church has used financial donations to stock the food bank each week.

The food parcels include items such as tinned vegetables, pasta, sauces, toiletries and coffee. Parcels for families with babies include nappies and formula milk. Each referral receives enough food to last users for seven days.

‘From single people to couples and families and from the employed to the unemployed, retired and those on disability benefits; there is no typical template of a food bank user,’ Carole said. ‘Needing help can creep up quickly on anyone and something has gone wrong if people who are working can’t even afford to put food on the table.’

tWwxcxz Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

SOUNDS LIKE SUMMER

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Website links to people’s compassion THE founder of a website that helps people in financial need said in The Sunday Times that he was inspired by his Christian faith.

In his weekly Sound Advice column, Julian Richer wrote that, in 2005, just as the internet was ‘really taking off’, he had an idea to create a website on which trained church volunteers could upload requests for cash from people in need in the community.

‘Donors from anywhere in the world would be able to see these requests and contribute directly,’ Julian explained. ‘The overheads would be tiny and the hope was that every penny would go to the recipient, rather than on costs.’

Julian recalled pitching his idea to Dr John Sentamu, who at the time was archbishop of York, and he came up with the website name Acts 435.

‘It’s a catchy name/number referring to a verse in the Bible about giving to everyone who has need,’ Julian said.

Julian went on to say that, since the website’s beginnings, ‘fraud has been minuscule’, and when it comes to raising the funds to meet an individual’s need, ‘people’s compassion has come through every week’.

He concluded: ‘We are in 700 churches, have helped tens of thousands of people, and we think the charity gives the general public a very good example of what the Church should be.’

Glastonbury Festival is back after two years of Covid-19 cancellations Feature by Emily Bright

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EOPLE are pitching up – Glastonbury returned on Wednesday (22 June). This weekend, Sir Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and Billie Eilish are among the headline-grabbing names to grace the stages of the festival at Worthy Farm, Somerset.

It’s the first time that festivalgoers have gathered at Glastonbury since 2019. For those not attending in person, the BBC is featuring highlights of the festival’s biggest five stages on TV, radio and online, and promises ‘the ultimate armchair experience of the world’s best-loved festival’.

ITV News reported that as the expectation of music fans built, former Beatle and 18-time Grammy winner Sir Paul (pictured) confessed that he still feels pre-gig nerves. ‘It’s actually a recurring dream of mine: I’m playing and people start walking out, and I’m trying to think of a song that will get them back – “do ‘Long Tall Sally’, quick!” – but they keep walking – “let’s do ‘Yesterday’!” – it’s typical performer’s insecurities.’

While we may never perform before thousands of people, we still face our own insecurities and problems in life which can feel overwhelming. It may be the fear of what others think or how they will act towards us, financial concerns or the pain of a broken relationship or bereavement.

In such times, some simply get by with a little help from their friends, but others can also rely on the ultimate source of support. A leader and musician who lived millennia ago once wrote about when God listened to his cries for help and sustained him through a dark time.

He said: ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of … the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand’ (Psalm 40:1 and 2 New International Version).

Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by life, but there is always a way forward. God offers us his strength to deal with our circumstances, if we open our hearts to him. All we need is his love.

Sir Paul confessed that he still feels pre-gig nerves

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Author offers a Rae of hope SUSANNAH B LEWIS talks about how her experience of grief inspired her new novel, and why its theme of restoration is so important to her Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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GRIEVING woman who joins a book club of older women is the basis of a story of hope. After a divorce and the passing of her mother, fictional character Rae Sutton finds comfort in spending time with her aunt and her friends. The novel Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton was inspired by the real-life experience of Memphis-based author Susannah B Lewis.

‘When my mother passed away, I had just self-published a fiction book,’ she tells me over Zoom. ‘My great-aunt had a book club, and they asked me to come to talk about my book. As I sat there, I listened to these sweet old ladies playfully bicker with each other and talk about our small home town, where I was raised. They would talk about things that had happened over 30 years ago, but also about who in town was sick and needed a visit. At that book club meeting, they came alongside me and encouraged me.’

The women at the book club supported Susannah at a time when she needed it most, and she felt that her experience would itself make a good book. So she wrote Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton.

I ask her what she wants readers to take from the novel.

‘Hope,’ she says, without missing a beat.

‘A lot of the point of the book is finding hope through faith and humour. All my books have a theme of restoration. I can see how God has restored me and, because I’ve lived through that, it’s in my DNA. Hope and restoration are just natural things to write about.’

Susannah also explains that writing the

book brought back memories from when her own mother died, which she was surprised to find were helpful for her.

‘There’s a scene about the mother’s funeral, and I took that from my own experience of remembering my mother and her funeral, how she looked and how her hands were cold. That was difficult to write, but it was healing.’

Something else helped her after her bereavement. ‘Faith is the number one thing that got me through the death of my mother,’ Susannah reflects.

‘I had been through grief in my life – my dad died when I was young, and I went through infertility issues – but when my mother died, I was in a deep and dark

When my mother died, I was in a pit of despair

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pit of despair. We were incredibly close.

I reached a point where it was like I was drowning, and I knew there was nothing I could do. I said to God, “You’ve got to save me.” It wasn’t always easy. There were times when I would just lie in my bed. I had to rely on him to bring me out of that pit. And he did.’

One of the ways God brought her out of despair, she explains, was by giving her a book deal. It allowed her to write – something she had wanted to do from the time when, aged eight, she read a book that made her laugh and cry.

‘I thought it was so great, all those emotions in one little package. I said to myself that I wanted to do that. So I started writing books on notebook paper, illustrating them and leaving reviews on

Susannah B Lewis

the back. Then I wrote throughout my youth, I had a blog. In 2015, I finally selfpublished and it snowballed from there.

‘Writing has always been ingrained in me. It’s a cheesy story of following your dreams, because I’m 40 now and that’s a dream I had when I was 8. I think God puts seeds in us. We watch them grow, and they come to fruition in his timing.’

Susannah has also seen growth in her online following over the years.

After regularly posting humorous videos on her social media platforms, some of them went viral and today she has amassed more than 1.2 million followers on Facebook and almost 150,000 on Instagram.

When she started out, she simply shared funny and relatable stories about her life, but after some time, she felt she needed to be vocal about her Christian faith.

‘As soon as I mentioned God, some people were out,’ she admits. ‘But you can’t get your feelings hurt about that. And there were a lot of people who said it was great that I was a funny and relatable person and was just incorporating my faith into that. I’ve developed a thick skin, so when somebody leaves an ugly comment, I don’t let that steal my joy.

‘The stereotype is that Christians are rigid. So I love to inject humour wherever I can. I believe the Lord had a good

sense of humour. It’s important to show that Christians are relatable, that we also sin and need grace, but we’re fun to be around and not judgemental. Jesus ate with all sorts of people and he loved them all, and that’s what we’re called to do as well.’

Writing was a dream I had when I was 8

l Bless Your Heart, Rae Sutton is published by Thomas Nelson

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From racial abuse When RAM GIDOOMAL arrived in the UK in 1968, he faced prejudice and abuse.

To mark Refugee Week – a celebration of the contributions, resilience and creativity of refugees, which runs until tomorrow (26 June) – he and his wife, SUNITA GIDOOMAL, speak about their experiences as he made the journey to become a successful businessman and governmental policy-influencer Interview by Emily Bright

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Ram Gidoomal with his wife Sunita and their three children at Buckingham Palace for his CBE investiture in 1998

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N a rooftop terrace one humid evening in Mombasa, Kenya, Ram Gidoomal’s family buzzed around him, the women sharing recipe ideas while wealthy businessmen complained about work. There was a feast of food, with fragrant spices mingling in the air. But that night, everything changed for Ram. Ram’s uncle, who had been like a dad to him since his biological father died, received a deportation order to leave the country within 24 hours. He would have to start all over again. His family followed him to England. Aged 17, Ram boarded a flight to London on 2 January 1968.

Once respected traders in Japanese silk, living in a 15-bedroom house with servants, the family were catapulted into freezing weather and a foreign culture.

They set up a corner shop in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, which Ram helped to run.

He went from studying at a top school in Mombasa to a comprehensive near Wormwood Scrubs prison at a time when racial tensions were running high. The family shop’s window risked being trashed by football hooligans, and people hurled racist insults at Ram in the street.

‘Life was very difficult for us,’ Ram says. ‘But wearing Queens Park Rangers colours gave us protection.’

He later studied at Imperial College London. In 1972, during his third year at university, he encountered a group called Campus Crusade For Christ.

‘They were leading a Rock for Christ music concert, singing songs by Bob Dylan and others and reading from the Bible,’ Ram says. ‘Afterwards, I invited them to discuss the Christian faith with me. And boy, did we argue! It was all very friendly though. So I began my journey of faith.’

Ram grew up in a Hindu family and had attended a Sikh place of worship and a Muslim school in Kenya, but the Christian faith felt alien.

‘I’d always thought that was the white man’s God – blue-eyed, blond and wearing a pinstripe suit,’ he muses. ‘But I decided to find out if Jesus existed.

When I went to the British Library and my university library, I found material there

to royal approval

Being interviewed on Radio 4

Ram receiving a fellowship from Imperial College London in 2010

by historians who were not Christians but who referred to someone as “Jesus Christos”.’

Friends later invited Ram to church, which was a culture shock.

‘I was going to take my shoes off but was told to leave them on. I remember thinking: “This can’t be true.

I can’t be entering a holy place with my shoes on.” At Muslim, Hindu and Sikh places of worship, you always take them off.

‘As we sat down I thought: “You can’t sit on a chair to worship. It’s disrespectful, you must go to the lowest position before God.” And then the organ blasted out during worship, and my question was: “Who died?”

‘I wasn’t going back, until I heard the sermon on a single verse about being “salt of the earth”. That had me gripped like nothing else. I needed to hear more.’

Meanwhile, Ram was also reading the Bible.

‘My friends told me to read one of

Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. It blew my mind. It was so relevant and extraordinary. When I reached the Book of Revelation at the end of the Bible, I knelt down and said: “Lord Jesus, you take control.” The peace that followed surpassed all my understanding.’

About that time, he met a girl called Sunita, and asked her to help stick up posters for a sitar concert. It was a pretext for inviting her to lunch afterwards.

‘I took the invite at face value,’ his wife Sunita laughs. ‘But we got on straightaway and had lots to talk about.’

Ram adds, with a twinkle in his eye: ‘And, when you meet a beautiful girl, you can’t help but fall in love, can you?’

They covertly met at Shepherd’s Bush Underground station for a while before revealing their romance to family.

Although they were from the same Indian Sindhi community, they had very different backgrounds. Sunita was born in London

Each caste held a mindset about the other

Ram’s biological father and mother

and her father helped to run a multimillionpound business. Ram was an immigrant whose family ran a corner shop. There was also the issue of differing castes.

‘We have two castes,’ explains Sunita.

‘When he met my family, it came up

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Ram meets prime minister John Major

From page 9 that he was from a different caste and they didn’t want that for me. Our close immigrant community also put pressure on me, saying: “He’s a Christian, he’s this, he’s that.”’

Ram says: ‘My aunt told my mum: “Your son is marrying a girl from a professional caste, but we don’t trust those people.

You have to be careful. They are very cunning.” So each caste held a mindset about the other. But when I threatened to marry a white girl, my family allowed me to marry any Indian girl.’

The couple got married in a register office in 1976 – a church ceremony felt too alien to their families. But Sunita, having had previous encounters with Christianity, agreed that, after they were married, she would attend church with Ram. She says: ‘In school, I knew all the hymns, had heard the Bible read, and was used to sermons. My parents were Hindus, but by the time I met Ram, if I had a choice, I would have gone to church.’ She soon became a Christian.

After their marriage, Ram became an operations research analyst at Lloyds Bank International. But as he tried to scale the career ladder, he encountered racial prejudice in hiring practices. He applied to become a commercial banker, knowing he had the necessary skills and existing contacts with South Asian businessmen.

Instead, the job went to his white counterpart. As Ram says in his soon-tobe-published memoirs, My Silk Road, he

Ram visits a cotton factory in Gujurat, India, on a business trip in 2009

had ‘the wrong tie, the wrong school and the wrong accent’.

In 1978, Ram was offered a job working with Sunita’s uncle, and the couple spent some years abroad – during which time their three children were born – before returning to the UK. Then, in 1988, Ram visited India on business. While there, he had arranged to see the work of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in supporting people living in the slums of Mumbai.

Sickened by the poverty and atrocious living conditions he saw, he left his well-paid job to begin the Christmas Cracker campaign, which mobilised young people to raise funds for Indian charity projects. Money came streaming in.

The following year, Ram and Sunita helped to set up the charity South Asian Concern (SAC), which works in partnership with local churches to equip people in the region to meet their financial, health and educational needs.

As time went on, the purpose of SAC evolved and included telling Indian

It would have been easy to give up

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Speaking to students about politics at Queen Mary University of London in 2004

communities in the UK about the Christian faith.

‘When we had invited family to church, they would often say that they didn’t want to go to “a foreign place”,’ says Ram. ‘So I said to myself: “How do we create a culture that they will feel comfortable in, and include the sitar, tabla and Hindi or Urdu words in Christian worship?” People need to hear the gospel in a culturally contextualised manner.’

Ram and Sunita also wanted to address misconceptions about South Asians in Britain.

‘Many are now second-generation immigrants,’ Sunita remarks. ‘They are more British than Asian, and are often professional and well-to-do, a fact which Christian churches weren’t always addressing.’

‘The biggest gap was sharing the news of Jesus with business and professional communities,’ continues Ram. ‘And that’s what SAC was uniquely equipped to reach.’

Ram later wrote a book, Sari ’n’ Chips, which presented a portrait of South Asian communities, highlighting the issues and prejudices that they faced. He became

a popular media spokesperson on such topics, and other books followed.

He also sought to join boards of charities, companies and health trusts, but again encountered persistent racism.

‘Often I’d go for an interview, only for the usual suspects to get the job,’ he remembers. ‘It would have been easy to give up applying, thinking it was a waste of time. But we prayed and kept going.

And the Lord opened doors.’

In 1997, he was appointed to a task force created by Tony Blair to influence government policy and he chaired the anti-discrimination legislation subgroup.

As part of the committees, he heard evidence and submitted reports to ministers.

Since then, through board and committee appointments, he has held companies to account over institutional racism.

He recalls: ‘On one board I joined, they said: “We’ve done well – 8 per cent of our workforce are from diverse communities.”

And I asked: “Can you map that same 8 per cent by pay grade?” And what you get with such a map is a snow-capped mountain. We need more non-white

people at the top, to better reflect the communities that they serve.’

Life has come full circle for Ram. He has served on governmental committees to tackle the discrimination that once blocked his rise up the career ladder. Once an immigrant living in a humble home above his family’s corner shop, he met the Queen at a Buckingham Palace garden party – twice – in acknowledgment of his achievements. He was also appointed CBE in 1998.

‘It was wonderful meeting the Queen,’ he says. ‘She has an awesome presence.

She knew who I was and came up with details about what I’d done.’

Ram also went to a garden party as a Royal Society of Arts trustee, to mark its 250-year celebration.

‘It started pouring with rain, so the Queen’s equerry went to collect the royal umbrella. She was alone in the royal enclosure tent while I was there with Sunita and four other guests.

‘I went up to her and said: “Ma’am, Your Majesty, there are people here who would love to meet you.” Chairmen of big companies were looking to me to introduce them to the Queen.’

Throughout his life, Ram’s faith has been a constant. ‘The power of prayer has sustained me,’ he says. ‘I couldn’t have done what I have without my faith. Writing my memoirs has strengthened it even more as I can see God’s hand at work.’

l My Silk Road will be published by Pippa Rann Books and Media on 1 August

25 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 11

Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Justin, who has motor neurone disease and is very poorly.

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’.

j

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.

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK No need to feel Bluey over parenting

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

IN The Guardian, Tom Lamont called it ‘an addictive, joyous, witty, smug, obscurely wounding piece of children’s programming’. He wondered why an Australian cartoon about a family of dogs had ‘inspired devotion from viewers of all ages’. The headline went so far as to suggest that the series had become ‘a Bible for modern parenting’.

He was talking about Bluey. Ever since CBeebies started broadcasting episodes, my family has loved Bluey. Every morning, in our pyjamas, we tune into the adventures of six-year-old Bluey, her little sister, Bingo, and their mum and dad, Chilli and Bandit. The stories about playing creatively, growing up and friendship always make us laugh.

Though the programme is often about what happens to Bluey, Bandit is arguably the star of the show. He’s a dad who loves spending time with his kids.

‘Bandit always plays the games right,’ Tom wrote. ‘Bandit invests in his daughters’ dreamed-up scenarios without … sighing or checking the time.’

For these reasons, Tom suggests, Bandit incites an inferiority complex among parent-viewers. He recalled conversations with friends along the lines of: ‘Have you seen Bluey? I love it, but it makes me feel awful about myself.’

He even referred to his own feelings of inadequacy, explaining: ‘I have played well with my own children … but never this well.’

Much as I agree with Tom that Bandit is a good parent, I’m going to try to refrain from comparing myself to a fictional cartoon dog (because, let’s face it, it’s rarely a good idea). I’ve spent many years comparing myself to others who, I think, are better than me, and it’s never been helpful. If anything, it only makes me undervalue the skills that I believe I have been given by a God who loves me.

My own approach to motherhood is to aim to be the best parent I can be.

Some things I know l will get wrong. But what’s most important is that I keep trying, that my actions are motivated by love, that I say sorry when I could do better and that I listen to my child as I spend time with her.

That’s the kind of mum I want to grow up to be.

Comparing myself to others is never helpful

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

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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 • 25 June 2022

NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

2

Which African country’s flag is made up of red, gold and green horizontal stripes with a black star in the middle?

In ballet, what is the term for a 360-degree turn on one foot?

A 3

4

5

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Who played Chief Warden Hodges in the classic TV comedy Dad’s Army?

Which bird is sometimes known as the ‘windhover’?

Which MP was the first black woman to be elected to the House of Commons?

Who wrote the 1952 novel Invisible Man?

ANSWERS

by Jim Burns

Still a good idea A

FTER a stroll along the towpath beside the Grand Union Canal, my wife and I were pleased to find a bench for a short rest. While we sat there, a number of people passed by – some with their heads down deep in thought, others who smiled a greeting and some who commented on the beautiful weather. It is Britain, after all.

Farther along there were other benches, and it was interesting to see who used them. A woman sat on one the whole time we were there, watching the water and the occasional barge that passed. A second woman stayed only as long as it took her to eat a sandwich, while another stopped to give herself a rest during her dog walk.

The dog was happy to get the chance to roll on the grass and get rid of that itch on its back.

But everyone who sat down took the chance to be still. It reminded me of my old headmaster who, when trying to get pupils to settle down for assembly, would call out, ‘Still. Still and quiet!’ Which further reminded me of the words in one of the Psalms in the Bible: ‘Be still, and know that I am God’ (46:10 New International Version).

Some other translations from the original Hebrew are even more helpful. One says: ‘Calm down, and learn that I am God’. Another, ‘Stop striving’. In our busyness, we can get so caught up in our worries that we don’t make time for God or take time to recognise who he is. Doing so can help us to find respite from challenging situations and peace in troubling times.

We can be still and think about God at any point of the day, in any place: a garden can become our church and a park our cathedral. Perhaps, as we enjoy the sunshine in these coming summer months, we can take moments to sit outdoors, to see God in nature and to find stillness and rest in him.

Come rain or shine, whether we sit or stroll, we can experience God’s presence and enjoy the sense of peace he gives.

We can get caught up in our worries

25 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Ghana. 2. Pirouette. 3. Bill Pertwee. 4. The kestrel.

5. Diane Abbott. 6. Ralph Ellison.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD

SUDOKU

ACROSS 1. Style (7) 5. Prance (5) 7. Handcuff (7) 8. Stiff (5) 10. Act of religion (4) 11. Private (8) 13. Prisoner (6) 14. Observing (6) 17. Clearly stated (8) 19. Present (4) 21. Pathway (5) 22. Tarried for (7) 23. Intellect (5) 24. Allured (7) DOWN 2. Holy place (7) 3. Imperial unit of measurement (4) 4. Required (6) 5. Baptise (8) 6. Augustus _______, English architect (5) 7. Fun (9) 9. Overjoyed (9) 12. Afflicted (8)

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

2 7 3 6 8 1 9

1 4 8 3

4

2 3

6

9 5

8 2

3 8 7 6 15. Stupid (7) 16. Conclusion (6) 18. Marketplace (5) 20. Puff (4)

6 8 1 7 4 9

WORDSEARCH

2 7 3 6 8 4 9 5 Look up, down, forwards, 8 1 backwards 6 5 9and3diagonally 2 7 on the grid to find these Beatles songs 5 9 4 1 2 7 8 3 A C J Z B G P4U O E V1O 8 L E6H 9 S 5 Y7S 2 P A P E R B A C KWR I T E R C Q P 6 T2E R 3 D4A 9 8 W N L N D L Y1E S Y Z5B W R T V I W U U3A W E Y U D Y R F G 8 9 7 6 5 4 1Z O B B R V F J U N B B J O Z C C S I J U D A Q K A9Y 3I N8D 4 T Q7Y 6 E O1M 2 U F Y A M C H T7Z E F O Z I D P Z P D 4 1 9 5 2 3 6 XMY B E K K E L H O D I T I J E F 2 Q5G R 8 A3Z 1 L E T U N U I 6V O E N7N 4 Y

M O HONEYC B Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. ________ Clunes, actor 2. Sung by a choir 3. Very brave 4. Make an effort to hear something 5. Come to an end 6. Make larger or longer

K D L G Q M W K B

ANSWERS 2 8 5 4 1 3 9 7 6

7 1 9 5 6 8 3 4 2

3 6 4 7 2 9 8 1 5

7 6

6 5 1 2 3 7 4 9 8

8 9 2 1 4 6 7 5 3 5

3 8

4 3 7 8 9 5 6 2 1

9 2 8 6 5 4 1 3 7

5 7 3 9 8 1 2 6 4

1 4 6 3 7 2 5 8 9

6 8 1 7 4 9

HONEYCOMB 1. Martin. 2. Choral. 3. Heroic.

4. Listen. 5. Finish. 6. Extend.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Fashion. 5. Caper. 7. Manacle. 8. Rigid.

10. Rite. 11. Personal. 13. Inmate. 14. Seeing. 17. Explicit.

19. Gift. 21. Track. 22. Awaited. 23. Brain. 24. Enticed.

DOWN: 2. Sanctum. 3. Inch. 4. Needed. 5. Christen.

6. Pugin. 7. Merriment. 9. Delighted. 12. Stricken.

15. Idiotic. 16. Finale. 18. Plaza. 20. Pant.

14 • WAR CRY • 25 June 2022

5

L O V E R Z P V X

R I P P E R R K H

S I WF O L L E L E E F Y I T O A Z

Z G L A B C Q U L

I F Q S K Q B O G

N Z P E Q Z V Y D

WL T T T H P L HM E A G X O T X J

O K I MB L L WO H YM L D K Y V D E A S EME H U Z Q H F Y A S Y B G B B V S H H E MMO R F L C L Q T Y

N Y L A N E X J E

BACK IN THE USSR

LET IT BE

CAN’T BUY ME LOVE

LOVE ME DO

DAY TRIPPER

PAPERBACK WRITER

FROM ME TO YOU

PENNY LANE

HELLO GOODBYE

PLEASE PLEASE ME

HELP!

SHE LOVES YOU

HEY JUDE

TICKET TO RIDE

I FEEL FINE

YELLOW SUBMARINE

LADY MADONNA

YESTERDAY

Y P V G L F A B B

1 4 6 3 7 2 5 8 9

Lemon and herb chicken with chickpeas Ingredients 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts 1 lemon, grated rind and juice 1 garlic clove, crushed 1tsp olive oil 1tsp black mustard seeds 1tsp cumin seeds Pinch turmeric 4 spring onions, chopped 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 3tbsp mixed fresh herbs, chopped 2tbsp half-fat crème fraiche

Method Place the chicken with the lemon rind and juice and the garlic in a non-metallic dish and combine. Set aside in a refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds for 1 minute, until fragrant.

Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Add the marinade to the pan with 200ml boiling water. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through.

Add the turmeric, spring onions, chickpeas, herbs and crème fraiche and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Season well with the pepper, to serve.

Freshly ground black pepper

SERVES

2

Tasty layered potatoes Ingredients 1.25kg thinly sliced potatoes 3 garlic cloves, sliced 1tbsp fresh thyme 2tbsp olive oil Salt and ground black pepper

Method Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3.

Lightly grease a large ovenproof dish. Layer the potatoes, garlic and thyme in it.

In a bowl, mix together the olive oil and 200ml water and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the potatoes.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, removing the foil halfway through.

SERVES

4

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Diabetes UK website diabetes.org.uk Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Vegetarian Society website vegsoc.org

25 June 2022 • WAR CRY • 15

Cast all your anxiety on God, because he cares for you 1 Peter 5:7

WAR CRY