It might just be the most gruelling event in the entire Olympic Games.
The decathlon—10 sports over two days. From the 100-metre dash to the discus throw, from long jump and hurdles to shot put and javelin, each contender must have conquered multiple disciplines. It’s no surprise that the winner has traditionally been called the “World’s Greatest Athlete.”
If this sounds like an impossible feat to you, you’re not alone. It takes incredible strength and endurance to compete in this event.
We may not be chasing gold medals, but everyone faces challenges in life. Our strength may be tested and come up short, leaving us feeling weak and defeated. But in those times when we feel least able to overcome the hurdles of life, God promises us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
With God, no race can’t be won. When we are weak, He makes us strong.
FAITH BUILDERS
5 All the Feels
In Inside Out 2, will new emotions threaten our hero’s tranquility?
CAMP TALES
8 Summer Fun
Salvation Army holiday camp helps participants such as Francis develop social and outdoor skills.
COMMON GROUND
10 Making a Difference
For more than five years, Nina Halpern has been helping at The Salvation Army.
12 The Right Place
16
Joan Daines never imagined herself in a Salvation Army uniform. But as it turns out, it was the perfect fit.
A Sweet Story
A fateful taxi ride set Tareq Hadhad on a path to Canada—and a delectable chocolate business.
22 Recipe for Success
Once helped by the Army, a former street kid now relishes helping others.
FAMILY TIME
25 Quick Win?
Diane Stark’s online gaming pastime seemed to be good clean fun. Until it wasn’t.
LITE STUFF
28 Eating Healthy With Erin Sudoku, Quick Quiz.
NIFTY THRIFTY
30 A Mug’s Game
Here’s a fun and simple DIY for a favourite someone.
Taxi Driver
“
Why don’t you try Canada? ”
Reading Tareq Hadhad ’s profile again, I was struck by one point. What if the young man had not met a kind taxi driver that night in Beirut almost 10 years ago? Where would Tareq and his family be?
The Hadhads would probably not be in Antigonish, N.S., and Tareq would not be the founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, a company devoted to sharing a family passion across Canada and around the world.
What made the taxi driver say what he said? Those words changed a family’s trajectory.
The cabbie could have chosen to stay silent and not care what Tareq’s plight was.
He could have simply driven the young man home to his family and went on with his life. Instead, he cared.
The cab driver probably did not realize it, but he was echoing the Old Testament: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up” (Proverbs 12:25).
We all have that superpower. Words can hurt but they can also help, if we choose them wisely. There is a great power with that responsibility. So be like that cabbie!
Tareq’s inspiring story is on page 16.
Elsewhere in this month’s Faith & Friends, you’ll see our take on the new Inside Out 2 movie, read how one woman’s journey to become an official member of The Salvation Army started with income taxes, and learn how a bottle of homemade relish was a way a former street kid said thank you for saving her life.
Ken Ramstead
Mission Statement
To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.
Faith & Friends is published bimonthly by:
The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4
International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England
Lyndon Buckingham, GENERAL
Commissioner Lee Graves
TERRITORIAL COMMANDER
Lt-Colonel John P. Murray
SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS
Geoff Moulton, DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND LITERARY SECRETARY
Pamela Richardson
ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ken Ramstead, EDITOR
Kristin Ostensen
MANAGING EDITOR OF SALVATIONIST AND SALVATIONIST.CA
Lisa Suroso
GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST
Emily Pedlar
JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Rivonny Luchas
DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Giselle Randall
SENIOR EDITOR OF SALVATIONIST
Abbigail Oliver
EDITOR OF JUST FOR KIDS AND STAFF WRITER
Logan Graves CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR
Scripture Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from New International Version
Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6153
circulation@ salvationarmy.ca
All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064794 ISSN 1702-0131
Inside Out 2, in theatres now, is Disney and Pixar’s animated sequel to Inside Out, a film that focuses on the emotions that live inside a young girl’s head as she adapts to a new school after her family moves across the country.
Balance Upsetted
Inside Out 2 picks up a few years after the original. Riley (Kensington Tallman) has just turned 13. Her body—and her emotions—are in a state of flux.
All the Feels
In Inside Out 2, will new emotions threaten our hero’s tranquility?
by Diane Stark
New Emotions
Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as new emotions show up
Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira) are still present in Riley’s mind, helping her to manage her feelings and make positive memories. Everything is going according to plan—until the wrecking ball shows up.
The control panel that the emotions use to manage Riley’s feelings is demolished and rebuilt to make room for four new emotions that will join them in Riley’s mind. The first to show up is Anxiety (Maya Hawke).
The existing emotions don’t know how to deal with this new unwelcome feeling in Riley’s mind. Then they’re joined by three more: Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Puberty has wreaked havoc on Riley’s emotional well-being, upsetting the delicate balance her emotions have striven to maintain.
Can Joy and the other emotions help Riley learn to handle her new emotions in a healthy way?
Can We Trust Our Feelings?
Even though most of us are long past puberty, we can still struggle to manage our emotions at times. A stressful situation at work, a health problem or a financial issue can cause our emotions to get out of
whack and make us feel more angry or sad, fearful or anxious than usual. This is completely normal. No one feels joyful all the time. God designed us to feel a range of emotions, and being a Christian doesn’t take away all of our negative feelings. Besides, if we never felt grief or despair, we couldn’t feel empathy for a loved one who was experiencing those emotions.
It’s important to remember that emotions can be tricky. They feel so real in the moment, but we can’t always trust them to portray an honest picture of reality. Our feelings are not always a good metric on which to make important decisions.
For example, if as Christians, we feel helpless about our future, that emotion is not an accurate representation of reality. We might
What‘s Happening?
Sadness, Joy, Disgust, Fear and Anger are awakened to an alarming reality: everything is changing now that Riley is 13
No matter what is going on in our lives, God is still with us, still rooting for us, still designing a special plan for our life.
DIANE STARK
feel that way for a time, but it’s not true. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ” No matter what is going on in our lives, God is still with us, still rooting for us, still designing a special plan for our life.
Just the Facts, Ma’am
If we can learn to trust God and His plan, even through difficult circumstances, we should never feel helpless because we know that God keeps His promises. He’s promised us a heavenly home when we leave this earth, so no matter what, we can always have hope.
We might think that our faith in God is based on feelings, but those
can change from day to day or even minute to minute. Instead, we need to remember that faith isn’t just a feeling. It’s a belief based on facts that will never change. Two thousand years ago, God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die and take the punishment for our sins (see John 3:16). God never changes. He loved us then and He still loves us now. Sometimes, we might feel ashamed of something we’ve done and think that God may have changed His mind about us, but it’s not true. Those are our feelings, and they aren’t always reliable.
When our feelings are causing us to doubt God’s love or His promises, we need to lean on the facts found in the Bible.
God knows us—inside and out— and He loves us anyway.
(left)
Diane Stark is a wife, mother of five and freelance writer from rural Indiana. She loves to write about the important things in life: her family and her faith.
When Michelle Khoury saw an advertisement for Salvation Army summer camps in British Columbia in 2022, she decided to ask her son, Francis, eight, if he wanted to join. Francis excitedly agreed.
Since enrolling, Michelle has noticed that the activities at Camp Sunrise have helped her son gain confidence, as well as a few other skills.
Pathway to Participation
“My son has ADHD and mild autism,” Michelle shares. “When he came back from camp last year, he was a different kid, in a good way. He was very confident in himself.
Summer Fun
Salvation Army holiday camp helps participants such as Francis develop social and outdoor skills.
by Juan Romero
Hands Up!
Francis and a camp cabin leader enjoy another day at Camp Sunrise
His hand-eye co-ordination also improved.”
The social aspect of camp is what Michelle likes the most. As she considers herself a homebody, she felt that Francis maybe hadn’t had the chance to socialize much with other children outside of school. Since he began attending camp, Francis has built some nice friendships along the way.
“The social aspect of camp really helped my son out. He made really good friends and some of them went with him again last year,” Michelle adds.
The current summer program Francis is enrolled in is Camp Sunrise’s holiday camp.
“If it wasn’t for the Salvation Army camp, Francis would probably be home all summer long.” MICHELLE KHOURY
This weeklong camp is open to children between the ages of seven and 12, who can take part in a variety of outdoor activities. Since Francis joined holiday camp, the Khoury family has become more involved with The Salvation Army. They now attend church services weekly, while Francis goes to a children’s program that teaches participants about Jesus. In addition, Francis is also enrolled in music camp.
Opportunities for Growth
Aside from the developmental benefits, Michelle also admits the affordability of the program can be very helpful for families.
“If it wasn’t for the Salvation Army camp, considering how much summer camps cost now, he’d probably be home all summer long. Salvation Army camps offer financial support, too. If a parent needs a bit of financial support, they can help cover some of the costs, so it doesn’t become a financial burden, and not all camps do that,” Michelle says.
Looking forward, Michelle expects Francis to continue going back to camp every summer, and perhaps eventually even become a cabin leader.
“I’m grateful he’s had the opportunity to go and try new things. Extremely grateful,” concludes Michelle.
(left)
Juan Romero is the staff writer/news media relations specialist at The Salvation Army’s territorial headquarters in Toronto.
Prep Work “ By providing food, you are helping people,” says Nina Halpern, hard at work in the kitchen of the Salvation Army Gateway of Hope in Langley, B.C.
Making a Difference
For more than five years, Nina Halpern has been helping at the Gateway of Hope in Langley, B.C.
by Dan Ferguson
Before she retired, Nina Halpern had the same thought whenever she would happen to drive past the Salvation Army Gateway of Hope in Langley, B.C.
“It’s a wonderful thing that it’s in our community, helping out people who we see on the streets, who we know need the help,” she says.
Seeing a Need
Then, in 2018, Nina retired from her job as an occupational therapist who
worked with young children.
“I was looking for what I was going to do during the next chapter of my life, when I didn't have to go to work, and I definitely wanted to give back to the community,” she recalls.
The Gateway looked like it would be meaningful work to her.
“I made an appointment with the volunteer co-ordinator and she said the kitchen’s where they need the most help. So, I started helping out, and I came to really enjoy it.”
Photo: Special to Langley Advance Times
Helping People
For most of the last five years, the 68-year-old grandmother of three has devoted two days a week, four hours each morning, to working in the kitchen at the Gateway, helping prepare meals for people in need.
“Sometimes it’s food prep—a lot of chopping,” Nina explains. “I make a lot of sandwiches. I do breakfast shifts early in the morning. We do two servings to different groups and then after that, we clean up and I make a bunch of lunch bags for people to take away.”
Lately, due to a shortage of volunteers, she’s been coming in more often than usual.
“There’s never any question in your mind that by providing food, you are helping people,” she says. “You know, it’s not one of those situations where ‘I’m going to give money to this or that and maybe it’ll make a difference, maybe it won’t.’ You know that people need that meal and that it makes a difference in their day.”
“When People Come Together” Nina encourages people to take up volunteering. “It’s a wonderful thing to do, something that you know is helping others and feels meaningful, and the people you’ll meet while you’re volunteering are some of the best people you’ll ever meet. They’re all good people who want to help others.”
Rachel Martin, volunteer co-ordinator at the Gateway, says people like Nina play an indispensable role.
“These dedicated individuals selflessly contribute their time, skills and energy for the service of others,” Rachel states.
“It is amazing to see what happens when people come together to help those who are in need. We are grateful for our volunteers, as we would not be able to do what we do without them, and we are always welcoming of more volunteers.”
Reprinted from Langley Advance Times, November 21, 2023
(left)
Dan Ferguson has worked for a variety of print and broadcast outlets in Canada and the United States, winning awards from the Pacific Northwest Society of Professional Journalists, Washington Press Association and a number of Canadian newspaper organizations.
Photo: Courtesy of Joan Daines
The Right Place
JOAN
DAINES NEVER IMAGINED HERSELF
IN A SALVATION
ARMY
UNIFORM. BUT AS IT TURNS OUT, IT WAS THE PERFECT FIT.
by Ken Ramstead
While Joan Daines was a newly minted Salvation Army soldier—an official member of the church—she had never worn her uniform out in public.
But a friend of hers had suffered a stroke and was in palliative care, so she went right from church to the
“It was evident she wasn’t going to make it,” Joan says.
As she went into the hospital room, she prayed, “Lord, give me the words to say because You know I’m not a
Joan’s friend was not a Christian but that didn’t matter. Joan told her how much God loved her and that He would be there for her, and to not be
“I know she heard me,” Joan says. Later, one of the nurses stepped up to her and said, “I appreciate what you and your church do for people
here in this city.”
“It felt really good to own that uniform,” Joan smiles, “to be seen as a member of The Salvation Army.”
“I’ll Do It”
Joan’s Salvation Army journey started with a tax clinic.
She had been getting her income taxes done at the Army’s community and family services facility in Kingston, Ont.
But this particular year, the manager of the facility asked Joan if she would be interested in volunteering with the church.
“You answered a prayer,” Joan told her. “I’ve been praying about where I should be.”
“Well, we need you right here,” the manager told her.
“Fine,” Joan replied. “When do you need me?”
“Can you start tomorrow?”
Hugs Not Handshakes
The next day, Joan was at the reception desk. Soon, she became more involved, helping with the luncheons the Army prepares for people in the community.
“They do a lot there,” she says. “There’s a food bank and showers for the homeless. There’s a lot of things going on.”
One day, Joan’s manager asked her, “Would you like to come out to our church one Sunday?”
The question could not have come at a better time.
“I wasn’t happy with where I was at my church,” she recalls. “Something wasn’t right. I didn’t feel as if I was getting the teaching I needed. I wasn’t being led in faith, and I needed to know more about Jesus.”
Joan accepted the invitation and decided to attend a Sunday service at The Salvation Army’s Kingston Citadel.
“I walked in and I felt something I hadn’t felt before,” Joan says. “The congregation was so loving and caring. It wasn’t handshake greetings I was being offered. It was hugs.”
Joan was also impressed by the pastors, Captains Christopher and Nichole Maxwell.
“They focused on Jesus, purely on worshipping Jesus,” she says. “That was so new to me.”
Prayerful Decision
While Joan was happy just worshipping at The Salvation Army, she never thought “in a million years” what would happen next.
Retired pastors Majors Wil and Catherine Brown-Ratcliffe asked her if she would be interested in attending an eight-week course they offered.
“It was a ‘no strings attached’ opportunity for people to explore what The Salvation Army
Dress
Blues
“It felt really good to own that uniform,” says Joan Daines of her acquisition
Photo: Courtesy of Joan Daines
“I realized that, as I already felt part of the Army, I might as well make it official.”
JOAN DAINES
believes, its mission and ministry, and to ask questions regarding our theology, and the nature and structure of our church,” says Major Wil.
A delighted Joan agreed to attend.
“She was an active participant in discussions and sharing in the classes,” reports Major Wil. “In conversations with my wife, Joan told her several times about how much she was learning, and she eagerly anticipated the weekly get-togethers.”
After Joan completed the course, Majors Wil and Catherine encouraged her to become a soldier.
“I prayed about it,” she says, “and realized that, as I already felt part of the Army, I might as well make it official.”
Joan was encouraged by her friends, both in and out of the church, and by her church acquaintances who were soldiers.
“I went ahead and I’m so glad I did,” she says.
“They’re My Family” Joan’s faith has deepened since
joining The Salvation Army.
“I’ve gotten closer to God,” she says. “I let the Holy Spirit guide me now, whereas I didn’t have that deep belief before, which is so sad when I think of all the years that it took me to come to The Salvation Army to really understand and have a real relationship with God.”
“Joan has a wonderful, vibrant personality,” says Major Wil, “and Catherine and I were happy to encourage her to become a soldier, knowing that her example of a faith-filled life would be a witness to others, as well as an encouragement to those who are seeking to follow Jesus.”
“I have so much admiration for the people of The Salvation Army,” she says. “They’re dedicated, and they know who they are. I like to say that they have their feet firmly on the ground.”
Joan helps with the Christmas kettle campaign, assists with the food pantry and attends Bible study.
“It just feels like the right place for me. I love The Salvation Army. They’re my family.”
Proud Canadian
In January 2020, Tareq Hadhad officially became a citizen of Canada
A Sweet Story
A FATEFUL TAXI RIDE SET TAREQ HADHAD ON A PATH TO CANADA—AND A DELECTABLE CHOCOLATE BUSINESS.
by Ken Ramstead
LAST SUMMER AT INSPIRE,
the Salvation Army conference and congress that celebrated the mission at work in Canada and Bermuda, Tareq Hadhad held members of the Army’s territorial communications team transfixed with his immigrant story during a luncheon session.
Tareq is a Syrian refugee who is now living a new life with his family in Nova Scotia as the founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate. He is the recipient of the EY Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and RBC ’s Top Immigrant and Entrepeneur of the Year awards. Tareq has been recognized as one of the Top 50 CEOs by Atlantic Business Magazine as well as one of their 30 under 30 innovators, and he’s a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee medal recipient.
Tareq’s had the privilege of meeting presidents and prime ministers, from Barack Obama to Justin Trudeau, but in 2012, he was just a medical student studying to be a
doctor in Syria, and his family owned a successful chocolate business. Things changed in an instant, however, when bombs destroyed their home and chocolate factory, collateral damage of Syria’s tragic civil war.
Fleeing to safety in Lebanon as refugees, all they had were four walls and a ceiling above their heads. Existing in a stateless limbo, they could not even apply for Lebanese citizenship. Tareq’s family realized they needed to start a new life overseas, but where should they go? The family applied to 15 embassies, but all they heard was “We are not taking any Syrians. You are not welcome here.”
In January 2015, Tareq was volunteering with the UN’s medical relief efforts, helping refugees like himself get back on their feet. After a long day at work at a mobile medical clinic office, he realized he was too late to take public transportation, and his home was 40 kilometres away.
“We’re Going to Canada!”
As he wondered what he should do next, a Lebanese cab driver stopped his car and asked Tareq, “Son, do you want a ride?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “Can you drive me to see my family? They are living 25 minutes away from Beirut along the coast.”
“Of course!” the driver smiled.
“But,” Tareq said, “I don’t have any money on me. Can you come back tomorrow and I will pay you?”
“No, it’s all right,” he replied. “I’m going there anyway. It’s the end of my day shift.”
As they started their journey, the driver asked, “Where are you from?”
“Syria,” Tareq replied.
They spoke briefly about the life he and his family had left behind, and Tareq could tell from the driver’s questions that he was a kind and generous man. As they drove, he looked at Tareq and said, “Are
An INSPIRE-ing Talk
Last June, Tareq spoke to members of The Salvation Army’s territorial communications team at the INSPIRE Conference and Congress in Toronto
you OK ? Do you need any help? You look nervous.”
There was something about the cab driver that made Tareq unburden himself of his worries and woes, and he told him all about his family and what they had gone through since the civil war.
“I’m trying to get my family out of Lebanon,” he concluded.
“Why don’t you go to Canada?” the cabbie asked.
“Why Canada?” a startled Tareq replied.
“Oh, I lived in Montreal for a while. It’s a beautiful place.”
Hope restored, Tareq immediately contacted the Canadian embassy and applied for a WUSC (World University Services of Canada) student visa. Frustrating months passed, but his perseverance was rewarded, and a new life began when Tareq was welcomed to Canada on a community-based sponsorship.
Photo: Steve Nelson
One night, he returned home and announced to his family, “I have sweet news for you. We’re going to go to Canada!”
A New Ending
Tareq settled in Antigonish, N.S.
“Canadians are very well known for being nice, but Antigonish is extra nice,” he says.
Tareq’s sponsors came to the airport to welcome him, and they carried flowers and signs that said: “Welcome to Canada, Tareq!”
Being welcomed this way made Tareq feel more confident to launch
his life in Canada, and he was soon followed by the rest of his family.
But what to do now? The family decided to go back to their roots and start a chocolate company.
“Building the chocolate business again was a big thing for us because chocolate is our own way to be grateful for everyone here,” Tareq says. “That’s exactly why we were inspired to call the company Peace by Chocolate.
“We are trying with every piece of chocolate to reflect something about the culture that we brought to Canada. That’s the mission.”
Home, Sweet Home Tareq with his family in Antigonish, N.S. “Hope is the reason why I came here. I was looking for a place where I feel that I belong,” he says
“Syria is my home by birth, but Canada is my home by choice.”
TAREQ HADHAD
Photo: Courtesy of Vox Management Agency
Peace by Chocolate has produced and shipped millions of chocolate pieces across Canada and around the world. And they are giving back to the people that made them feel welcome in Canada. They are supporting their community by offering jobs and purchasing from the local community, with more than 55 employees now working at Peace by Chocolate.
Tareq officially opens his family ’s new factory in September 2017
Take a Seat
As part of Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017, the Red Couch Tour—a project funded by the Canadian government to hear from Canadians about what their country means to them— visited the Hadhads to share their family’s story
“We are able to give back,” Tareq smiles. “And I’m pleased to report that the company that just started only a few years ago is now the third largest employer in Antigonish, and it is on the way to becoming one of the top five chocolate companies in the country within the next few years.
“My family feels safe. We are
Ribbon-Cutter
Photo s: Courtesy of Vox Management Agency
not refugees anymore. We are new Canadians,” he says. “As newly arriving refugees, our family vowed that we did not come to Canada to take. We came here to contribute and give back.
“No one can go back and start a new beginning, but everyone can start today and make a new ending.”
A Home by Choice
“I’m here with you folks because of that cabbie!” Tareq told the audience at INSPIRE .
One kind word, born out of care, made all the difference to Tareq and his family.
What made the cabbie say what he said? Tareq never saw him again, but he has a possible explanation.
“In business, there’s the concept of the ROI: the return on investment,” he explains. “But there’s something much bigger than the ROI. It’s called the ROK: the return on kindness. The ROK is much more important than the ROI.
“Return on kindness, paying it forward, not only for yourself but for others. If you are successful, it is your moral responsibility to lift others to success, to give others hope in the face of all of these challenges that they face. I think the cab driver was using his ROK .”
This is why Tareq respects and appreciates The Salvation Army.
“Your slogan, Giving Hope Today, is absolutely the most wonderful thing I’ve ever heard,” he says.
“When I think about The Salvation Army, families like mine come to mind. You are families to those who are suffering and just waiting for a hand to help them find that sense of purpose and hope.
“Hope is the reason why I came here,” Tareq concludes. “I was looking for a place where I feel that I belong. Canada made it so easy for all of us to feel like we can belong to a new place, our adopted home.
“Syria is my home by birth, but Canada is my home by choice.”
Peace by Chocolate
Tareq Hadhad’s family’s journey has been detailed in a book called Peace by Chocolate as well as a feature film, which is now streaming on sites such as Crave and Apple TV after it premiered in movie theatres across Canada and the United States in the spring of 2022.
Photo: Courtesy of Magnetic Noth Pictures
Photo: Peace by Chocolate
Relishing the Moment
Recipe for Success
ONCE HELPED BY THE SALVATION ARMY, A FORMER STREET KID NOW RELISHES HELPING OTHERS.
by Ken Ramstead
Tammi Pinay-Ross was just about to start her workday as The Salvation Army’s family services co-ordinator in Moose Jaw, Sask. Sipping her coffee at home, she turned her morning radio show on and was surprised to hear a woman named Debbie Rigetti mention that she was donating the proceeds from her popular Goldie’s Relish to The
Salvation Army.
“That doesn’t happen every day,” smiles Tammi.
Sure enough, Debbie showed up at the Salvation Army facility that very afternoon, a $600 cheque and two jars of relish in hand, and proceeded to tell Tammi her story—after she promised her she could have the two jars!
Debbie Rigetti (left) and Tammi Pinay-Ross pose with their jars of Goldie's Relish (inset)
“Thanks to Debbie’s generous donation, we’ll be able to feed 50 street people every morning for weeks with that money. It’s fantastic.” TAMMI PINAY-ROSS
Never Forgotten
“I was a street kid,” Debbie says simply. “I left home when I was quite young. From the age of 13 until I was 17, I was doing drugs and everything else, all strung out.”
But her life was turned around by a Salvation Army facility in Victoria. The director, Don Baker, took one look at Debbie and told her, “I know where you need to go.”
“Jack and Julie McNeil were two caring people who had three boys, and the entire family welcomed me into their house,” says Debbie. “They were kind and they were sweet. The mom has passed away, but I continue to keep in touch with the dad and his sons—Jack still calls me his daughter and they still call me their sister.”
The family and The Salvation Army helped the young woman get clean and back on her feet.
A grateful Debbie never forgot what her foster family and the Army did for her, and she has always wanted to give back in some way to the church that saved her life.
Full Circle
So how does Goldie’s Relish factor in to all this?
When she married her husband, Milt, his mother, Goldie, handed down her extremely popular recipe to Debbie.
Debbie, in turn, decided to use the recipe as her way to raise funds for The Salvation Army.
“But it’s really thanks to Milt,” says Debbie. “If not for his generous support of purchasing all the jars, labels and ingredients, this really couldn’t work at all.”
Local establishments have clamoured to sell her relish, which she produces by growing her own cucumbers and purchasing any other locally sourced ingredients.
Her efforts on the Army’s behalf are not unappreciated. While Debbie believes that “$600 is not very much,” Tammi thoroughly disagrees.
“Six hundred dollars is not a sneeze,” she asserts. “We have a breakfast program here. Thanks to Debbie’s generous donation, we’ll be able to feed 50 street people every morning for weeks with that money. It’s fantastic.”
“Once a street kid myself, I can now help others,” says Debbie, “and maybe those people will be able to help others down the road. It’s a fullcircle moment.”
Salvation Army Wins 15 Awards
The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory’s magazines, website (Salvationist.ca) and digital media won 15 awards at the annual Canadian Christian Communicators Association (CCCA) ceremony, held online this spring. The CCCA (formerly the Canadian Church Press) has 58 members, including individual writers, musicians and representatives from publications of mainline, Catholic and evangelical churches. The awards are judged by accomplished secular journalists, writers and academics. Faith & Friends took home three awards for articles published in 2023. “Breaking Down Walls,” Giselle Randall’s September/October article on Mohawk musician Jonathan Maracle and his message of forgiveness and healing, won second place in the Biographical Profile category. Additionally, the article picked up a third-place win in the Front Cover—Magazine category. And Lisa Suroso, graphic design specialist, scored a third-place nod for her November/December “Blanketed With Love” in the Feature Layout & Design category, which detailed The Salvation Army’s efforts to help Japanese-Canadian internees during the Second World War.
received six awards in total, including first places in the Opinion Piece category for “On Pain of Death,” and in the Feature Layout & Design category for “INSPIRED for Mission,” the magazine’s coverage of The Salvation Army’s INSPIRE conference held last year. Speaking of which, our INSPIRE Conference and Congress commemorative photobook (above), designed and compiled by Lisa and Pamela Richardson, assistant editor-in-chief, respectively, received a well-deserved first. Salvationist.ca received four, including three awards for second place. Our podcast series received an award, as did an audio interview by Kristin Ostensen that dealt with reading the Bible from an Indigenous perspective. Our website also received a secondplace nod, and our e-newsletter placed third. Last but not least, the video team took home an award for their Remembrance Day production. Check out our winning entries online at: salvationist.ca/cccaawards2024.
Quick Win?
My online gaming pastime seemed to be good clean fun. Until it wasn’t.
by Diane Stark
Six weeks ago, my college-aged daughter, Julia, took my cellphone from my purse and downloaded a new game onto it.
“You don’t have to play it,” she said, “but I get extra rewards in the game when my friends sign up.”
Three of Julia’s four siblings also downloaded the game, as well as their significant others. “I just sent
you a present,” Julia said to her younger brother.
There were presents in this game? My curiosity got the best of me.
At first, I only played to be a part of what my kids were doing. It was a fun way to stay connected with my older kids on the days we didn’t see one another. We even started texting tips and tricks to do better in the game.
Photo: ViDi Studio/stock.Adobe.com
I wasn’t just chasing the temporary— I was chasing the pretend. DIANE STARK
We texted about the game so often that my oldest son, Austin— the only sibling who wasn’t playing the game and, clearly, the smartest one of us—renamed our family group chat: GAGS (Gaming Addicts Group Support). It was funny because it wasn’t true. It was just a game.
Sense of Accomplishment?
But then I started noticing that playing the game was the first thing I did every morning. I was especially interested in a part of the game called “Today’s Quick Wins.” Every day, there were three simple tasks, and when you completed one, the game put a little check mark next to it and gave you extra rewards. If you completed all three tasks every day for a week, you got an even bigger reward. The tasks were simple things that could usually be completed in just a few minutes of playing. But every once in a while, one of the tasks was a bit harder, and I’m embarrassed to admit how much time I spent trying to complete them.
The game was taking over my day. I’m a list-maker by nature. I love writing a to-do list and then
checking off the items as I complete them. I’d read that scientists believe that the satisfying feeling we get from completing a task is due to a release of dopamine in our brains. Scientists call dopamine “the achievement hormone.” They say that our brains crave it and often don’t differentiate between an actual, real-life achievement and an imaginary one, such as in a game, for instance.
Yep, the “quick wins” in the game were giving me a dopamine rush. Getting a hit of the achievement hormone from clicking a button on my phone was so much easier than getting it from completing tasks that actually mattered. Why would I tackle the mountain of laundry when I could just roll the dice and get the same feeling? Why would I complete my own tedious to-do list when the game gave me those same little check marks for doing nothing? And, most importantly, why would I struggle through those chapters in Leviticus in my Bible reading plan when the game tricked my brain into feeling a sense of accomplishment for testing out the latest game tip my son sent in our group chat?
Realigning Priorities
A few days ago, I woke up and immediately reached for my phone, which had become my habit. As I opened the game, a thought popped into my head: “I wish I wanted to open my Bible as much as I want to play this game.”
It was a sobering thought.
As a Christian, I’ve been taught to focus on the eternal, rather than the temporary. But now, I was distracted by rolling the imaginary dice to collect imaginary money and imaginary prizes. I wasn’t just chasing the temporary—I was chasing the pretend. It was beyond silly— and maybe even a little dangerous.
It was time to make a change. I asked God to forgive me for allowing my priorities to get so mixed up. Then I asked for His help to realign them. I decided to focus on “important wins” rather than the “quick wins” in the game. Every morning, I made a list of three important tasks to complete before opening the game. The first one was always spending time praying and reading God’s Word.
As I re-established the habit of putting God first each day, I felt something far better than a dopamine rush.
I felt peace.
Photo: ViDi Studio/stock.Adobe.com
Eating Healthy With Erin
PESTO CAPRESE ORZO SALAD
TIME 20 min MAKES 5 servings SERVE WITH grilled chicken or steak
1 L (4 cups) water
500 ml (2 cups) dry orzo
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
60 ml (¼ cup) pine nuts
500 ml (2 cups) fresh basil
1 clove garlic
125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
60 ml (¼ cup) Parmesan cheese
2.5 ml (½ tsp) lemon juice
1 ml (¼ tsp) salt or to taste
1 ml (¼ tsp) black pepper or to taste
250 ml (1 cup) cherry tomatoes
125 ml (½ cup) mini bocconcini or mozzarella cheese, cubed
60 ml (¼ cup) fresh basil to garnish (optional)
drizzle of olive oil to garnish (optional)
Parmesan cheese to garnish (optional)
1. Bring water to boil. Add dry orzo and stir. Cook uncovered for 5-8 minutes and drain. Set aside in large mixing bowl.
2. With dry pan on low, gently heat pine nuts for a few minutes.
3. In blender, add pine nuts, basil, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice, and blend until resulting pesto is smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour pesto over orzo and mix. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and toss in with the bocconcini or mozzarella cheese. Garnish with sliced basil, olive oil or Parmesan cheese as desired. Can be served at room temperature or chilled.
STRAWBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE BOWL
TIME 5 min MAKES 1 serving SERVE WITH bacon, eggs and toast
1 frozen banana
125 ml (½ cup) milk
125 ml (½ cup) strawberries
5 ml (1 tsp) maple syrup
15 ml (1 tbsp) shredded coconut to garnish
5 ml (1 tsp) chia seeds to garnish
60 ml (¼ cup) strawberries and banana, sliced, to garnish
1. Blend banana, milk, strawberries and maple syrup at medium speed until consistency is smooth, about 1 minute.
2. Pour into bowl and garnish with coconut, chia seeds, strawberries and banana.
Recipe photos: Erin Stanley
QUICK QUIZ
1. What month was named for Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar?
2. Who has won six Olympic gold medals for Canada, Andre De Grasse or Neil deGrasse Tyson?
3. What does electroencephalography (EEG) measure?
Visit faithandfriends.ca/subscribe or call (416) 422-6153 today! Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box contains
Grasse;
Step 1 Visit your local Salvation Army thrift store for a second-hand mug. You can either grab a plain one or patterned.
A Mug’s Game
Here’s a fun and simple DIY for a favourite someone.
Jazz up a second-hand mug using temporary tattoos, then fill it with your favourite tea, chocolate, etc.
Supplies Needed: Thrifted mug, temporary tattoos, Mod Podge, sponge brush, sponge and water, scissors.
Step 2 Source some fun temporary tattoos for your design—hearts and flowers, for instance, or any other designs.
Step 3 Using a sponge and a small bowl with water, follow the instructions on your temporary tattoos to adhere them to your mug. Usually, you would place them on your dry mug, then use a damp sponge over the tattoo to add it to the surface of your mug.
Step 4 Keep adding tattoos until you’re happy with the design. Then allow to dry.
4
Note: Handwash the mug to extend the life of your design.
Step 5 Once dry, you can seal the design with Mod Podge, either matte or gloss. I added two coats of gloss. Allow the Mod Podge to dry.
The final step is to fill the mug with a yummy treat.
5
(left) Denise Corcoran (aka Thrifty By Design) is an author, upcycler, community builder and workshop facilitator based in North Vancouver. She shares her enthusiasm for crafting and upcycling by facilitating “Crafternoons” throughout Vancouver. She is also a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s thrift stores. Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.
