Faith & Friends February 2019

Headlines

The Shadow of His Wings

“ Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in You I take refuge.”—Psalm 57:1

Have you ever felt like the world was crashing in around you? You don’t know where to turn, what to do. When anything of such magnitude takes place, the verse continues:

“I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed.”

What a beautiful image! Safe, secure, comforted, strengthened—as we seek protection in the shadow of God’s mighty wings of love. How He must

care for us! And so, in response, we want to give Him thanks—from the depths of our being.

This day, no matter what we are facing, let us be assured that God is with us, and will always keep us in the shadow of His glorious wings.

How beautiful! How extraordinary! How blessed are we!

To learn more about God’s enveloping love, email us at faithandfriends@ can.salvationarmy.org or visit your local Salvation Army church.

In The Upside, two broken men from two different worlds form an improbable friendship.

No Dripping Here Was Diane Stark a bossy person?

A friend showed the Aitkens a profound act of grace.

Help After the Hurricane

In the wake of Michael, The Salvation Army is dispatched to where the need is greatest.

Beyond the Headlines

In an age of fake news, award-winning TV host Molly Thomas fights to tell the truth.

Jim Skinner found hope at The Salvation Army.

When a suicidal Sharon cried out for help, The Salvation Army answered.

Create

(Not) Fake News

Molly Thomas was in her home province of Saskatchewan covering last year’s Humboldt bus tragedy for CTV and Context With Lorna Dueck, a Canadian faithbased current-affairs show. During the memorial service, which was covered by every major network in the country, she saw deceased coach Darcy Haughan’s wife.

“As with so many people in that community, she was a person of faith,” Molly says. “I approached her and said, ‘I’m a believer, too. I can have a conversation with you that no one in this country will have. I know that this is the toughest week of your life but if you want to have that conversation, I’m here.’ And she sat down with me.”

“I’m not talking to anyone else,” she told Molly.

“That’s the benefit of what faith-based media can do,” says Molly. With Context ’s approval, the story was picked up by major national networks, such as CTV, as well as international ones, such as CNN and MSNBC .

Molly was typically modest about the coverage.

“It wasn’t about me,” she says. “I believe our shared faith opened up that conversation.”

Molly has covered stories in countries as far afield as Jordan, Somalia and Bangladesh, and her story is on page 16.

Elsewhere in this issue of Faith & Friends, we profile the good work of a Salvation Army unit in the aftermath of hurricane Michael, we discover the positive in the new movie called The Upside and we see how a caring Army pastor answered a suicidal woman’s cry for help.

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.

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What possible good can result from a vibrant billionaire becoming a quadriplegic in the prime of his life? How can an ex-con with few job skills and fewer options for his future clean up all the messes he’s made? The Upside, now in theatres, explores how two men from opposite sides of the track in New York help each other see the benefits—the upside— in their broken lives.

“You Are Not Qualified!”

Bryan Cranston plays Phillip

Beautiful Chaos

In The Upside, two broken men from two different worlds form an improbable friendship.

by Jeanette Levellie

Lacasse, a wealthy Park Avenue white man who’s recently lost the use of his arms and legs in a paragliding accident. His secretary, Yvonne (Nicole Kidman), interviews several prospective caregivers. Phillip rejects them all.

Enter Dell Scott (Kevin Hart), an unemployed black man recently released from prison and full of excuses why he can’t find a job. His parole officer gives him an ultimatum: either bring his employment search list back to her with three signatures the next day, or go

Photos: Courtesy of STX Entertainment

The Aristocrat and the Ex-con

The Upside is a remake of the beloved 2011 French film The Intouchables, based on the true story of Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, a French aristocrat, and his FrenchAlgerian caregiver, Abdel Sellou. In 1993, Philippe was the victim of a paragliding accident that left him a quadriplegic. The son of a French duke, he was wealthy and privileged from birth. Abdel, an Algerian career criminal, immigrated to France and applied for the position of Philippe’s caregiver only to keep claiming his income support.

In an interview for Telegraph.co.uk, Philippe told Nigel Farndale that Abdel was “intolerable, vain and arrogant,” but that he spotted something in Abdel that others could not see. “He didn’t feel sorry for me—he was irreverent, cheeky and had

Phillip (Bryan Cranston) thinks he’s found the perfect caregiver in Dell Scott (Kevin Hart). Yvonne (Nicole Kidman) is not so sure

an outrageous sense of humour. I suddenly found I was enjoying life again, feeling like I didn’t know what was coming next.”

In addition to sharing a sense of humour, both men lived on the margins of society—a disabled man and an ex-con. Philippe believes this is why they came to realize their need for each other, improve each other’s lives and shorten the chasm between race and class.

Commenting on The Intouchables, Philippe says, “This film says it is OK to laugh sometimes. Life in a wheelchair can be funny as well as sad. I think many people find disability frightening, but we want people to relax around us, because we feel much better if you take it easy. And this guy Abdel has such humour. Never nasty, just funny. I like laughing.”

Dell’s parole officer gives him an ultimatum: either bring his employment search list back to her with three signatures the next day or go before the judge.

before the judge. When Dell hears about Phillip’s job opening, he barges into the interview room and demands that Phillip sign his search paper. The one detail he overlooks is that, strapped in his wheelchair, Phillip can’t use his arms.

“You are not qualified for this position!” Yvonne snaps at Dell. But the wealthy man hires him anyway, and the beautiful chaos begins.

Beauty in Diversity

Dell is insensitive, cynical and loud. Phillip is miserable and bitter. Both are self-centred and sarcastic. When the billionaire becomes angry that his friends shower him with unwanted gifts on his birthday, Dell shouts, “I’m sorry you gotta have a surprise party in your huge mansion. Someone’s got real problems. I’m fightin’ to see my son.”

Phillip is unmoved. “Whose fault is it? Is it yours? Or is the world out to get you?”

In spite of the huge chasm between classes, tastes and lifestyles, the two men form a deep bond. They unwittingly bridge their

differences by offering new perspective to the other. Together they discover meaning in their messy lives and the key to untold potential for their futures.

Forming a Bond

The Bible is full of unlikely friendships, from David and Jonathan to Ruth and Naomi to Jesus and his motley crew of disciples. God shows us through their stories how he enjoys bringing people into our lives that we’d never normally choose as friends. They are opposite us in every way. Yet we need them. They help us gain wisdom and enrich us by their differences.

In The Upside, Phillip and Dell find hope for their futures through their shared struggles. In real life, we can discover the good plans God has for us through the friendship of others, even those different from us. Perhaps especially those different from us.

If we stay open to looking at the world through their eyes, we become better people—and that’s an upside we can all get behind.

No Dripping Here

My son’s humorous exclamations made me wonder: Am I a bossy person?

by Diane Stark

“Honey, it’s dripping,” I told my husband as he helped me by clearing the dinner dishes from the table. “Put something under the dish so it doesn’t drip on the floor.”

My husband, Eric, nodded and dutifully did as I instructed.

“If I have to mop the floor when you’re done, then your help wasn’t really all that helpful,” I added.

Eric just nodded again.

But then-two-year-old Nathan had something to say. “Honey, it’s

dripping!” He called out gleefully.

Eric and I looked at one another and laughed. “I don’t think he knows what that means, but he’s sure having fun saying it,” Eric said.

“Honey …”

But the next day, Nathan and I were out shopping, and a lady stopped to talk to us. “Hello, young man,” she said, smiling at my son.

Nathan pointed at her wet-fromthe-rain umbrella. “Honey, it’s dripping,” he said.

Diane and Nathan Stark

The woman laughed when I explained what had happened in our kitchen the night before. “We didn’t think he understood what ‘dripping’ is, but clearly he knows,” I said.

“Honey, honey, it’s dripping,” Nathan squealed with a grin.

The lady put her hand under the umbrella to appease my son. “Yep, he knows,” she said.

The next day, Nathan spilled a cup of milk from his high chair. “Honey, it’s dripping,” he shouted.

He definitely knew.

and I found it funny that someone would hand-paint it on a sign. Of course, it caught my eye because the verse included my family’s new favourite word.

I bought two of the other signs and left the one about the quarrelsome wife in the store. After all, it’s not like it applied to me or anything.

But when I got home, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.  Only now, it didn’t seem quite so funny. Especially that evening when I became irritated with the way 10-year-old Julia loaded

I loved my family, but I wanted to love them better. DIANE STARK

The phrase became an oftenused one in our home, and not just by Nathan. Any time I called one of my family members “Honey,” they finished my sentence for me.

Sign of the Times?

One day, I was shopping at a craft fair and I spotted a display of handmade signs with Bible verses on them, featuring encouraging verses Christians commonly quote in times of trouble. But one actually made me laugh. It was Proverbs 27:15: “A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm.”

I’d never heard the verse before,

the dishwasher.

“Honey …” I began to correct her.

“Is it dripping, Mom?” she joked back.

No, it’s not, I thought. But I think I am. I thought back on my interactions with my family over the last few weeks. And I realized how often I became annoyed with my husband and children when the way they did things wasn’t exactly how I would have done them.

Work in Progress

When Eric got home from work that night, I showed him the signs I’d bought at the craft fair. “They had

another one there,” I said. “I didn’t buy it, but I think maybe I should have.”

I told Eric about the verse in Proverbs. “Do you think I’m a quarrelsome wife?”

“No, of course not,” he said quickly.

“But I’m kind of bossy, right?” Before he could answer, I said, “The ‘Honey, it’s dripping’ thing got started because I was being bossy.”

Eric shrugged one shoulder. “You’re not bossy. You just like things done a certain way.”

“And I want other people to do it that way, too. That’s the very definition of bossy.” I sighed. “I don’t want my critical words to be like drips in a leaky roof.”

Eric put his arms around me. “Honey, we’ve got five kids. That’s a lot for anyone to manage. You’re being too hard on yourself.”

“I still feel like I need to work on it,” I said decisively.

No-Drip Zone

Over the next few weeks, I paid close attention to the way I spoke to my family. I tried not to impose my way of doing things on them. I smiled and thanked them for their help with chores, even when things weren’t done the way I would’ve done them. When I slipped up, I asked them to forgive me, and I asked God to help me do better the next day.

As a reminder that my words matter, I pictured a drip in a leaky roof. Drips that, one at a time, don’t damage anything, but when they add up, those drips can ruin everything. “Dripping” became my code word for criticism and I was determined to make my house a drip-free zone.

I loved my family, but I wanted to love them better. I didn’t want my words to hurt them. It was hard work, being so careful with my words. But my family’s feelings were worth it.

One morning after a shower, a few weeks after I’d started my quest to be less critical, Nathan saw me and noticed that my hair was wet. “Honey, you’re dripping,” he said.

“Yeah, but I’m dripping less than I used to,” I said with a smile.

All Together

The Stark family on a recent visit to Disney World. “I was determinated to make my house a drip-free zone,” says Diane

Of Cars and Forgiveness

A friend showed us a profound act of grace.

by Kathy Aitken

I’ ll always remember Clarence and the car. My husband and I agreed to buy it from him for a certain amount and pay it off through monthly payments. We were very grateful to Clarence for the opportunity.

A Debt to Pay

About halfway through our payments, I made the mistake of driving the car one afternoon despite a light blinking at me from the dash panel. I didn’t stop immediately to see what the light was trying to warn me about; I needed to reach my destination. I’ll check that out after my appointment, I thought. Unfortunately, before I did, the car died. I’d run the engine dry of fluid and

“toasted” it. The car was not fixable.

Several days later, my husband and I visited Clarence. My husband handed him the monthly payment cheque, to which Clarence replied, “I can’t accept that.”

“Yes, you can,” my husband said. “We still owe you half of the agreed upon amount for the car.”

“You can’t pay for a car that doesn’t exist,” Clarence responded.

My husband and I were shocked. We owed Clarence. We had a debt to him, yet he was cancelling it.

He didn’t have to do this. But he did.

Paid in Full

That evening, we realized we’d just had an object lesson. Clarence had shown us the most Christlike act of grace and forgiveness we had ever witnessed.

I had a new awareness of what it truly felt like to have God cancel the debt I owe for my sins. Jesus paid our debt in full by dying for us on the cross and saying to us, “You no longer owe God anything for your sins. They have been paid for in full.”

My husband and I replaced our car with another little runabout. But it will never be replaced in our hearts or memories.

Help After the Hurricane

IN THE WAKE OF MICHAEL, THE SALVATION ARMY IS DISPATCHED TO WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST.

On October 10, 2018, hurricane Michael, one of the most powerful storms to ever make landfall in the United States, ripped through the Florida Panhandle. Damage was catastrophic and as far as the eye could see. While residents coped with the aftermath, The Salvation Army offered hot meals, tarps, hygiene kits, cleaning supplies, and emotional and

spiritual care.

Helping Hand “This is about more than pencils and crayons,” says teacher Kevin McCoy, here with Salvation Army volunteer Linda Leigh

Linda Leigh was deployed to Panama City, Fla., with a team from the Army’s emergency disaster services, to manage and assist with relief efforts.

Throughout the two weeks of her deployment, she heard horrific accounts of riding out the storm and saw gut-wrenching scenes of what was lost. Here are just three:

1. Providing Normalcy

The extent of damage from hurricane Michael forced schools to close for a month. When children returned, life was different.

“Some children are living in shelters. Some are sleeping on couches with friends. Others have lost entire

homes. In one way or another, they’ve all been traumatized,” says Kevin McCoy, a pre-kindergarten teacher. To help his students move forward, Kevin contacted The Salvation Army for help with backpacks and school supplies.

“Giving a backpack to a child who

Upended Lives Devastation left by hurricane Michael

has been through an ordeal such as this is about more than pencils and crayons,” says Kevin. “It’s about stability, restoration and telling them they’re not forgotten.”

While Kevin provided comfort to his class, he was working through his own painful memories.

“The eye of the storm came over my house,” says Kevin. “I used my body to barricade the front door. Meanwhile, a massive tree fell on my house.

and personal items. Our lives have been upended.”

Jolynn and her family of seven hunkered down in a bathroom as winds ripped apart her house and property.

“When we heard the wind pull up the roof and drop it down many times, we thought we were going to die,” says Jolynn. “We heard trees cracking. Then suddenly three quarters of the roof ripped away from the house. We were under one big skylight.”

“We’re grateful to The Salvation Army for the listening ear and a hot meal when all we could do was focus on cleanup.” SHERRI

The roof caved in and there’s water damage. I’ve lost 60 per cent of my possessions and am still cleaning out debris. It was scary and unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

“The backpacks are helping to provide normalcy,” continues Kevin. “It’s a war zone here. There isn’t much left of this city.”

2. Finding Her Way

“I have so much to worry about,” says Jolynn. “Since the hurricane, my six-year-old daughter won’t go to the washroom alone and screams when she hears the wind. We are trying to keep what’s livable clean so we won’t get sick. We’ve had to throw out water-wrecked furniture, mattresses

Jolynn received hot meals, hygiene kits and cleaning kits at The Salvation Army’s canteen.

“I don’t know what I’d do without the extra help from The Salvation Army,” says Jolynn. “My heart is

Welcome Assistance

“The Salvation Army makes things just a little easier,” says Jolynn

heavy and The Salvation Army makes things a little easier. When I’m at the canteen, I feel a bit better. We didn’t just lose our homes. We lost our way.”

3. A Day at a Time

Rick and Sherri were supposed to be in Hawaii for a delayed honeymoon. Instead, they were talking to insurance adjusters, cleaning out debris and living out of a camper in their driveway.

“Our neighbourhood looks like an atomic bomb was dropped on it,” says Sherri. “When the eye of the storm came through, I held tight to my husband in a hallway. We felt the walls of our home breathe like lungs. A maple tree crashed down on the side of our house. We were trapped in our collapsing home, convinced we wouldn’t get out alive.”

Rick and Sherri’s home has to be gutted due to roof, water and mould damage. When the tree fell, three bedrooms were torn away from the side of the home.

Two Against the Elements

“Our neighbourhood looks like an atomic bomb was dropped on it,” says Sherri, here with Rick

“We lost more than $100,000 in electronics, furniture, appliances and clothes,” says Sherri. “We still don’t know where to go. It could be up to 14 months before we receive insurance money. We don’t know if it will be enough to rebuild. And we still have to make our mortgage payments.

“I haven’t cried yet. I’ve gone from shock to sadness and now I’m angry,” she says. “Help and answers are hard to get. We are taking it a day at a time, but we’re grateful to The Salvation Army for the listening ear and a hot meal when all we could do was focus on cleanup.”

“My Salvation Army colleagues and I were able to offer hope in the midst of immense destruction,” concludes Linda. “There’s no feeling quite like that.”

To donate to families, children and individuals affected by the hurricane, visit www.HelpSalvationArmy.org, phone 1-800-SAL-ARMY or text STORM to 51555 to receive a donation link for easy mobile giving.

Beyond the Headlines

IN AN AGE OF FAKE NEWS, AWARDWINNING TV HOST MOLLY THOMAS FIGHTS TO TELL THE TRUTH.

by Giselle Randall

IN 2017, SOMALIA WAS ON the brink of famine, with crops and cattle devastated by prolonged drought and more than six million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Molly Thomas was there to report on the crisis for Context With Lorna Dueck, a national, faith-based current affairs show. It was a story receiving little coverage in the mainstream media.

Broadcast News

Molly Thomas has filed reports for all three major Canadian news networks

This Just In Molly reports from Bangladesh, where almost one million Rohingya Muslims fled after facing brutal persecution—called a textbook example of ethnic cleansing by the UN—in Myanmar. Cox’s Bazar is now the largest and most densely populated refugee camp in the world

As she interviewed a Muslim leader in a rural community, he asked, “Why are you here? Why do you care?” It’s a question she often hears in the field.

“I care because Jesus cares,” she replied.

A Heart for Social Justice

Molly grew up in a Christian family in Regina. Her parents, immigrants

of Indian heritage, were intentional about exposing their three children to global issues. They had a heart for newcomers and opened their home to international students. “We lived in a tiny little house, but we always had people staying with us,” says Molly. “The world was in our home.”

They also travelled abroad, often accompanying her father, an evangelist with an international ministry.

“I love the fast pace of breaking news, but I also love the beauty of telling a story that you need time to think about.” MOLLY THOMAS

“We’d go to India and Malaysia, and my parents made a point of taking us to the slums,” says Molly. “They’d say, ‘The only difference between you and these kids is that you were born somewhere else. What are you going to do about it?’ ”

At the time, she didn’t realize the significance of these experiences. Athletic and smart, she was more interested in playing basketball and pursuing her dream of being a journalist.

“I was always Miss Chatterbox in the classroom,” she says. “I quickly learned that people and their stories are too interesting to pass up!” She imagined herself in a TV studio, behind an anchor desk. “I went into journalism to be on TV,” she laughs.

But in her first year of the journalism program at the University of Regina, this goal began to take a different shape. “I sensed God say, ‘You’re going to tell stories about vulnerable people around the world,’ ”

she recalls. “I remember thinking, Did I hear that right? I’m in smalltown Saskatchewan—I don’t even like being in the developing world!”

That was 10 years ago. Since then, Molly has honed her skills working for all three major Canadian news networks and the national news station in Rwanda. She’s been a reporter, videographer, producer, host and anchor, and has filed stories from Somalia, Bangladesh, Turkey, Jordan and Iraq, among others.

In 2016, she completed her master’s degree in global affairs at the University of Toronto, and joined Context as a senior correspondent.

“God has taken me all over the world,” she says. “He’s given me such a heart for social justice.”

The Advocate

As a Christian and a freelance journalist, Molly moves between different worlds—the mainstream

On the Spot

Molly interviews a young boy in Iraq, whose family was internally displaced after fleeing ISIS

and faith-based media, headline news and feature-length pieces.

“I love the fast pace of breaking news, but I also love the beauty of telling a story that you need time to think about,” she says. “That’s what journalism is supposed to do—make people think. I want to help people understand the world, to bring awareness to vulnerable people and create compassion.”

She brings this passion and perspective to whatever role she’s in. “In any newsroom, we fight for stories,” she says. “We’re always pitching, always pushing our editors to focus on something. People will say, ‘No one cares about that.’ So you figure out a way to get on the ground and

bring the stories back.”

In northern Somalia, where the people rely on agriculture, the fields were dryer than anything she’d ever seen in Saskatchewan. When she returned to Canada, Molly shared the story with Context viewers, and then—with the blessing of host and executive producer Lorna Dueck— with media outlets across the country.

“When I see suffering like that, I need to get the word out,” says Molly. “I didn’t do that for money— I did it because children are dying. Does that make me an advocate?

Sure. But it’s something Jesus told me to do, so I’m going to do it.”

For Molly, giving people an

opportunity to respond in the midst of tragedy is something faith-based media excels at.

“I’ve struggled to go to places, cover tragic incidents and then walk away,” she says. “When I covered the Syrian refugee crisis for Context, we told viewers how they could partner with an organization to sponsor people—and we were able to bring Syrian refugees into Canada directly through our programming.” Molly also recently met another refugee in Yorkton, Sask., whose Canadian sponsorship was inspired by her storytelling.

“I want to help people through journalism—to make content that actually changes people’s lives.”

Telling

the Truth

As Molly goes beyond the headlines

to share often unheard stories, it provokes honest wrestling with her faith.

“I remember talking to a father in Iraq whose son was gunned down in front of him by ISIS, and children in refugee camps who are traumatized,” she says. “When I come home, I yell at God, ‘Why would you let that happen?’ I’m mad! It’s an honest relationship—it’s not filtered. But God can handle that. And at the end of the day, I always go back to Him, because I know that He sees these kids before we do, and His heart breaks more than mine does.”

In a world in which we are constantly barraged with information, Molly is using her skills to raise awareness of injustice and suffering. She is using her voice to tell stories that matter—to tell the truth.

New Friends

“In 2017, I met these beautiful girls in Somalia while reporting on the devastating drought in the country,” says Molly

Finding His Place

ALCOHOLISM ALMOST RUINED JIM SKINNER’S LIFE, BUT HE FOUND HOPE AT THE SALVATION ARMY.

by Diane Stark

Having it All Jim Skinner and his wife, Linda. “I have a beautiful wife, a close relationship with my daughter and a loving, supportive church family,” he says

Jim Skinner still can’t believe how different his life is today.

“I have a beautiful wife, a close relationship with my daughter and a loving, supportive church family,” he says. It’s a far cry from where he stood in 2004. Then, he was in jail, serving time for driving under the influence. Alcoholism had already destroyed one marriage and put an end to his family life. In fact, alcohol had cost him everything—but Jim couldn’t stop drinking.

Could anything turn his life around?

A Token in Futility

Jim grew up in Harbour Breton, N.L. As a child, he attended church with his mother and younger brothers.

“But when I was 11 or 12, I lost interest in church,” he says. “I decided not to go anymore, and there wasn’t much my mom could do about it.”

Not long after, an older cousin offered Jim his first taste of alcohol. “At first, I drank because of peer pressure,” he says. “But then I started drinking every weekend.”

After high school, Jim studied to be an electrician. In 1990, he met a woman and the two began dating. The first time he met her parents, they invited him to attend church with them. Although it had been nearly a decade since he’d gone to church, Jim accepted the invitation.

“It was a beautiful service,” Jim recalls. “It moved me to tears, and I felt this warmth come over me. I know now that God was working in my heart, showing me a taste of what it would be like to have a relationship with Him. But I never acted on it.”

Jim married that woman and they had a daughter. They moved to St. John’s, N.L., and that’s when Jim’s drinking got even worse. “When I first started drinking, I’d mix the alcohol with juice or soda, but by that time, I was drinking it straight, right out of the bottle,” he says. “My wife left me, and I couldn’t blame her. I would’ve left me, too!”

Eventually, Jim realized he needed to make a change and he began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. They helped him get sober, but it was always temporary.

“I have so many tokens for one year of sobriety,” Jim says. “I’d get clean, but then I always went back to my addiction.”

Taking Action

Five years after his divorce, Jim met a woman named Linda in a club. The two began dating and got married in 2007.

Not long after, Linda’s father began having health problems and he had to stop driving. Linda took over driving her parents around, including to Salvation Army church services in Conception Bay South, N.L.

Man at Work

“I make sure the lights stay on at my church,” says Jim. “It’s my way of doing the Lord’s work”

“Linda really liked the services there, and she wanted me to go, too,” Jim says. “But I replied, ‘I don’t need that.’ ”

However, Linda’s father invited Jim to attend a church dinner with him, and Jim reluctantly agreed to go.

“The people there treated me like they’d known me all my life,” Jim says. “They took the time to ask me about my job and my life. It felt good

to have people interested in me.”

Jim started going to church regularly and reading his Bible, too. At the 2014 Christmas Eve service, the pastor, Major Lorne Pritchett, was preaching about the first Christmas.

“I could picture Jesus’ birth more than 2,000 years ago,” Jim says. “As I sat in that pew, that warm feeling came back over me. I felt so emotional, and I knew that God was

“I’ve found that I want to help people more than I used to. Life isn’t all about me anymore.” JIM SKINNER

reminding me of that church service I’d attended so many years ago. God was giving me another chance to accept His offer.”

Jim took action. “That night, I prayed and asked God to forgive me for my sins and come into my life. I asked Him to be my Saviour.”

Living Proof

As a result, Jim’s life was forever changed in so many ways. “I turned my addiction over to God, and He completely took away my cravings for alcohol,” he says. “I’d never been able to stay clean permanently, but God healed me of that addiction. It doesn’t tempt me anymore.”

Jim also noticed a big change in his attitude. “I’ve found that I want to help people more than I used to. Life isn’t all about me anymore,” he says.

Jim has used his skills as an electrician to help out at the church. “I make sure the lights stay on,” Jim says. “It’s my way of doing the Lord’s work at church.”

But that’s not his only contribution. At their church, Jim and his friend, Nic, started Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program that helps

people deal with their hurts, hangups and habits.

“God is now using everything I’ve been through and all the pain I’ve caused my loved ones for good,” Jim says. “I went through it so I can help others. I want to show people that it doesn’t matter what you’ve done. I’ve been there and probably done worse, and God changed me. I want people to know that God can change them, too.”

Today, Jim works as the electrical supervisor for the St. John’s Dockyard. “It’s a stressful job,” he says. “There’s only one other believer there, but I believe God put me there for a reason.”

In November 2016, Jim became an official member of The Salvation Army.

“I love my church and I wanted to be a part of it in a formal way,” he says.

Jim recently went to visit his mother. “My mom was so proud that I returned to the Lord,” he says. “Others in my family were shocked to see me wearing a Salvation Army uniform. But I’m proof that, in this church, there’s room for everyone.”

On the Edge of Death

When a suicidal Sharon cried out for help, The Salvation Army answered.

by Linda Leigh

Alcohol and bulimia had taken over Sharon’s life. Then, following the death of her mother, she lost all hope and the desire to live. With a bottle of pills her hand, Sharon called The Salvation Army in St. John’s, N.L. “I wasn’t looking for attention,” says Sharon. “I was ready to go.”

Hitting Rock Bottom

Sharon was raised in a Christian home and sang and played guitar in the church. But at 16, she rebelled. Drinking with friends went from moderate to excessive in a short time. At 19, she moved to Alberta with

her boyfriend. There was alcohol and abuse. When Sharon’s family in Newfoundland and Labrador learned of her volatile situation, her father called The Salvation Army in Fort McMurray, Alta., for help.

“Two Salvation Army pastors drove me to the bus station and travelled the four-hour journey to the Edmonton airport with me, where I caught a plane home,” says Sharon. “What they did was unbelievable.”

Back home in Newfoundland and Labrador, Sharon eventually married and began working in the office of a trucking company.

“Every night after work people

Photo:

went for drinks, and I was right there,” Sharon says now. “Many times, my husband came home from work to find me on the floor unconscious, and would call an ambulance.”

In 2015, Sharon viewed her situation as completely hopeless with no way to change things for the better.

“I was drunk every day—and was tired of it,” she says. “I had such low self-esteem I didn’t think I was fit to live. I felt like a complete failure. So I got in my car, sped down the road and deliberately drove into a light pole. But that suicide attempt failed.”

Still suicidal, Sharon went home intending to take the bottle of pills. But in an unexpected moment of clarity, she wondered who could help her or give her words of comfort.

She called The Salvation Army.

The Choice to Live “Help please,” she said to the Salvation Army worker on the other end of the line at the New Hope Community Centre in St. John’s. “I’m at my wits’ end and want to end my life.”

“The social services worker who

took the call was understandably overwhelmed by the intensity of Sharon’s need, and asked me if I could take the call,” says Major Hedley Bungay, the executive director and chaplain there.

For the next two hours, he listened to her problems and let her talk about her feelings and thoughts.

“This was a true moment of peace for Sharon,” he says, “where she was able to let go of the guilt and the negative things in her life.”

He then called her regularly for the next year.

“Her life took on a more meaningful path of sobriety and contentment,” Major Hedley says.

“With support from Major Bungay, I turned back to God and took control of my life,” says Sharon. “I never drank again.

“The Salvation Army cared about me, a total stranger,” she concludes. “Conversations with them created a safe space for me to open up about my feelings and develop a positive outlook. I’m proud of how far I’ve come and am proof that new beginnings are possible.”

(left) Linda Leigh is a staff writer in the Salvation Army territorial communications department in Toronto. She attends Oshawa Temple and participates in ministry with the church band.

Eating Healthy With Erin

ROSÉ BASIL RIGATONI WITH CHICKEN

TIME 40 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH additional fresh basil and Parmesan

For the rosé sauce:

60 ml (4 tbsp) butter

30 ml (2 tbsp) flour

250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream

750 ml (3 cups) crushed tomatoes

22 ml (1½ tbsp) sugar

2 ml (½ tsp) red pepper flakes

5 ml (1 tsp) dried oregano

2 ml (½ tsp) onion powder

2 ml (½ tsp) garlic powder

2 ml (½ tsp) salt

1 ml (¼ tsp) pepper

60 ml (¼ cup) fresh basil, diced

60 ml (¼ cup) Parmesan

For the chicken:

4 boneless chicken breasts

5 ml (1 tsp) black pepper

2 ml (½ tsp) salt

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

5 ml (1 tsp) oregano

5 ml (1 tsp) paprika

400 g (14 oz.) rigatoni noodles

Rosé Sauce:

1. In pan over medium heat, stir butter until melted. Add flour and stir frequently for 2 minutes until bubbling.

2. Slowly pour in cream and continue to whisk and cook on medium-low heat until the consistency is thick but smooth.

3. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once bubbling, slowly reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

4. Add fresh basil, stirring frequently. Add Parmesan and continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes.

Chicken:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Place oil in a heavy skillet on medium heat. Once oil starts to simmer, add chicken breast, skin-side down.

3. Sprinkle half of the oregano and paprika on side facing up and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Flip chicken breast and sprinkle the rest of the oregano and paprika on other side and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Remove chicken from skillet once edges are white or an internal temperature of 150 C is reached, then slice into cubes.

6. Boil rigatoni noodles in salted water until cooked, then drain.

7. Assemble rigatoni, rosé basil sauce and chicken breast together.

Recipe photos: Erin Stanley/veganvirgin.ca

in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box

QUICK QUIZ

1. What is the capital of New Zealand?

2. Which structure, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife?

3. What Latin abbreviation means “In the year of our Lord”?

on next page.

by Kevin Frank

Word Search The World of Chocolate

ALMONDS

BAKING

BIRTHDAY CAKE

BITTERSWEET

BROWNIES

CANDY BAR

CARAMEL

CHIPS

CHOCOLATIER

COCOA

COCONUT

CONDENSED MILK

CONFECTIONER

COOKIES

CREAM-FILLED DARK DECADENT DELICIOUS FAIR TRADE FROSTING

FUDGE

HAZELNUT

HEART-SHAPED

BOX

ICE CREAM MILKSHAKE

PEANUT BUTTER

PEPPERMINT

POWDERED SUGAR

PRALINES

SEMI-SWEET

SPRINKLES

SUNDAE

TRUFFLES

UNSWEETENED

VANILLA EXTRACT

WHITE

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Wellington; 2. The Taj Mahal; 3.

(Anno Domini)

Decked Out

Create a thoughtful Valentine’s gift from a set of playing cards.

How many things do you love about your sweetheart? With this craft, you can tell them up to 52 times! Use a second-hand set of playing cards to create a one-of-a-kind gift for that special person in your life.

Step 1 Buy a set of playing cards at your local Salvation Army thrift store. Reserve two cards for the front and back covers.

Step 2 With a single-hole punch, add two holes along one side of each card in the deck. Try to line up the holes so they are the same for each card.

Step 3 Use binder or shower rings to create your book. Slide each card onto the rings and then close them.

Step 4 Use markers to add text or draw pictures onto adhesive labels. Each label will feature one thing you love about your sweetheart. Trim the labels to fit your cards. Stick one label on each card.

(left) Denise Corcoran (a.k.a. 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.

For address changes or subscription information contact (416) 422-6119 or circulation@can.salvationarmy.org. Allow 4-6 weeks for changes.