What do the final words of Jesus mean for those who are vulnerable and suffering? by Jon DeActis, Arthur Mathews, Major Bruce Mac Kenzie, Major Elaine Bridger, Maricarmen Raudales, Melissa Noble and Jonathan Hopkins
13 / A Gift of Clean Water
How The Salvation Army is transforming lives in Myanmar and Zambia. by Kyle Mangio
14 / A Fair Deal
Eight myths about gender equity in The Salvation Army— and the reality. by Lt-Colonel Wanda Vincent
18 / Unwavering Faith
Finding strength, prayer and community through Atlantic women’s ministries. by Abbigail Oliver
20 / The Road Ahead
Helping seniors transition from incarceration to independence. by Abbigail Oliver
God himself through Jesus made our salvation possible. This is the Easter message. This is redemption’s story. This is our story.
—COMMISSIONER LEE GRAVES, PAGE 9
SALVATIONIST
is a bimonthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory
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THE WAR IS WON
Recently, I stumbled on the stranger-than-fiction story of Hiroo Onoda, a second lieutenant in the Japanese Imperial Army who served during the Second World War. For 29 years after the Japanese surrendered in 1945, Onoda continued to fight, refusing to believe that the war was over. He and three other soldiers permanently holed up in the jungles of Lubang Island in the Philippines, a former strategic army base. Subsisting on wild fruit and stolen rice, they often engaged in skirmishes with villagers and shootouts with local authorities.
Even though Onoda and the others received leaflets from fellow soldiers and pleas from family to come home, they stayed in hiding, believing the messages were Allied propaganda. Eventually, the other three soldiers died or surrendered, and Onoda was the last one left. It was only when Norio Suzuki, a Japanese explorer, made contact in 1974 that Onoda agreed to exit the jungle. Even then, he would not formally surrender until he was relieved of duty by his superior, Major Yoshimi Taniguchi, who travelled to the island to issue the order.
Sadly, many Christians are living their own version of Onoda’s story. Holing up in our churches, refusing to engage with society and insulating ourselves from the world will not do us any good. While there are certainly battles to be fought (we are a Salvation Army after all!), we can celebrate because the greater war is won. As we approach the Easter season, we can rest secure in the knowledge that Jesus has defeated sin, death and the devil. Through his sacrifice on the cross, we have been redeemed. And through his Resurrection, we, too, have the possibility to rise to eternal life. That is the promise of Easter.
In this issue of Salvationist, Commissioner Lee Graves asks the provocative question, “Who is this man, Jesus?” (page 9), and online at Salvationist.ca, later in April, we will share General Lyndon Buckingham’s Easter message. Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll meet “Easter people” who are living out resurrection power in their ministry. In the Ontario Division, Glow Kids in Bowmanville, a soup van in Hamilton and SPARK junior youth councils are transforming lives (page 16). In British Columbia, Salvationist Ian Pollard is faithfully serving through emergency disaster services (page 30). Women in the Atlantic Division are coming together to display their “unwavering faith” (page 18). And Freedom Ministries in Kingston, Ont., is giving new hope to seniors exiting prison (page 20). All this is evidence that God is at work in our world.
Though Lieutenant Onoda eventually returned to Japan and reintegrated into society, I can’t help but think about his self-imposed exile and the years lost to his stubborn refusal to believe. As Christians, we can be ambassadors of peace to a world that still thinks war is inevitable. We can share hope with those who are still bound by sin, aggression and isolation. We can share the good news of Christ’s victory and be a light to our neighbours. As the Apostle Paul proclaimed, “We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37).
GEOFF MOULTON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The Salvation Army Responds to California Wildfires
As communities across Southern California were devastated by fast-moving wildfires in January, The Salvation Army was on the ground supporting evacuees and emergency responders.
The Salvation Army deployed emergency disaster services (EDS) teams to serve meals and offer spiritual and emotional care at emergency shelters, providing bedding, first aid, emergency medical care and mental-health support, with more emergency vehicles and mobile kitchens on standby.
“The Salvation Army is mobilized and we are prepared to help meet the most immediate needs of our neighbours,” said Major Anthony Barnes, general secretary for the Southern California Division, in the aftermath of the fires. He added that The Salvation Army was working to ensure no one goes hungry, and that water and clothing were available for those who needed it.
“The Salvation Army is there before, during and after any disaster strikes, and we are committed to serving the whole person, physically, emotionally and spiritually,” said Major Barnes. “We want to remind people that we are with them and that they are not walking alone in these disasters.”
On Tuesday, January 7, intense wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area, rapidly spreading across five neighbourhoods, forcing more than 200,000 people to evacuate their homes, including at least four Salvation Army officers.
Shortly after the fires broke out, General Lyndon Buckingham called for Salvationists to support the people of California in prayer: “As the wildfires continue to devastate communities across California, our hearts and prayers go out to those who have lost their homes, livelihoods and loved ones. May we, as a global Salvation Army family, demonstrate our love and concern through fervent prayer for the people of California.”
“The destruction has been widespread, and we are grieving alongside those who have suffered great loss,” said Captains Becky and Nick Helms from Pasadena, California, in a note to their congregation. “This is a moment for us to truly embody what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ.”
Report by IHQ Communications and Caring Magazine.
TERRITORIAL NEWS
Thousands Participate in Santa Shuffle
On December 7, 2024, thousands of Canadians, dressed in running shoes and holiday attire, participated in The Salvation Army’s Santa Shuffle races across the country. The annual five-kilometre run and one-kilometre “Elf Walk” raise money for local Salvation Army ministries, helping provide critical support, such as meal programs and family services.
The 2024 Santa Shuffle attracted more than 4,900 participants from 32 locations across Canada, including major cities such as Ottawa, Vancouver and Edmonton, as well as smaller communities such as Kemptville, Ont. At the end of each race, participants received a Santa Shuffle medal.
The Prairies and Northern Territories Division saw more than 350 participants across three race locations in Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg, sponsored by Grimms, Planet Fitness and Save-On-Foods.
In St. John’s, N.L., approximately 400 participants gathered at Quidi Vidi Lake for a fun and lighthearted race. Emergency disaster services (EDS) trucks handed out free hot chocolate, and Shieldy, The Salvation Army’s mascot, greeted runners and their families.
Heather Prystanski, divisional events co-ordinator, Ontario Division, and national race director, was inspired by the stories of individuals who chose to participate this year.
“I heard from a man in Moncton, N.B., whose family had received support from The Salvation Army when he was a child, and the Santa Shuffle was his way of giving back. In Vancouver, a woman shared that she runs every year in memory of her father,” says Prystanski. “From coast to coast, I heard from individuals who wanted to fundraise for The Salvation Army because they knew the impact it would have within their local community, and that is so heartwarming!”
(Top) Runners take off at the starting line of the Ottawa Santa Shuffle
(Right) Shieldy at the St. John’s, N.L., Santa Shuffle
Salvationists, officers and volunteers pray for victims of the California wildfires
Photo: KimberleyHoy,Fun&Fancy Photography
Photo: John Docter, Caring Magazine
Territorial Leaders Embark on Year-End Tour
In December 2024, Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves, territorial commander and territorial president of women’s ministries, embarked on a three-day tour across Eastern Ontario and Montreal.
During the brief but impactful tour, Commissioners Graves visited more than 15 ministry units, including corps and social services, with stops in Montreal, Ottawa, Kemptville, Kingston and Cobourg, Ont. Among the ministry units visited were the Booth Centre, Grace Manor, Bethany Hope Centre, Ottawa Citadel and Barrhaven Church in Ottawa; several correctional and justice services (CJS) programs in Kingston; and more.
Supported by Lt-Colonels Brenda and John Murray, director of international development and territorial secretary for communications, Commissioners Graves took this opportunity to close out 2024 by connecting with local staff, volunteers and officers on the front lines.
“This tour was about thanking people and taking time to connect with them,” says Lt-Colonel John Murray. “It was about being on the front lines and encouraging people in their ministry.”
According to Lt-Colonel Murray, Commissioners Graves have prioritized visiting ministry units outside of divisional centres during their territorial tours, ensuring they are connecting with officers, employees, volunteers and mission partners in every corner of the territory.
The visit provided a chance for the territorial leaders to reflect on the successes that ministry units have had in 2024, and to celebrate the ongoing work of The Salvation Army in Eastern Ontario and Montreal.
Army Celebrates Kettle Campaign Success
Canada’s first Christmas kettle appeared in Toronto in 1903, and more than 120 years later, the campaign remains an iconic part of the Christmas season and a vital fundraising initiative for The Salvation Army. In 2024, the Christmas kettle campaign surpassed its target goal of $22 million, raising a total of $23.5 million.
“The Christmas kettle campaign is about more than raising funds; it’s a way for Canadians to come together and help their neighbours, many of whom are faced with impossible choices in these economically challenging days,” says Lt-Colonel John Murray, territorial secretary for communications. “Thanks to the generosity of our donors, volunteers and corporate partners, The Salvation Army is giving hope to millions across Canada.”
With more than 2,000 kettle locations nationwide, the campaign is key to raising awareness of the Army’s mission and encouraging donor support during the giving season. Funds raised from the kettle campaign stay local, circulating back into the communities in which they were raised, directly supporting local programs and services year-round. These include food banks, community meals, shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness and domestic violence, emergency disaster services and more.
Of the total funds raised, $3.34 million came from TipTap, a secure cashless option for debit and credit donations. This marks a 17 percent increase in usage over the previous year. Additionally, the Army’s National Recycling Operations contributed another $573,267 to the fundraising goal through its GoodWorks@Work initiative.
“In the past year, rising costs have made food insecurity and housing affordability a harsh reality for many Canadians. Salvation Army research reveals that one in four parents ate less so that their children or other family members could eat,” says Lt-Colonel Murray. “Thanks to the generous contributions of our donors, volunteers and supporters, The Salvation Army is giving help and hope to people when they need it most.”
In 2024, funds were raised at more than 2,000 kettle locations across Canada
Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves and Lt-Cols John and Brenda Murray with kettle volunteer Angie Mintz of Barrhaven Church in Ottawa
Photo: WTB Photography
The territorial leaders visit Kemptville, Ont.
Glenmore Temple Band Joins Rose Parade in California
In January, Calgary’s Glenmore Temple Band (GTB) was thrilled to join the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, as a special guest. The parade, featuring floats, marching bands and equestrian units, is part of the historic Rose Bowl festivities celebrated annually on New Year’s Day.
“The Salvation Army has been a part of the Tournament of Roses Parade for more than 100 years,” says Major Denise Walker, corps officer at Glenmore Temple. “The Pasadena Salvation Army invites a guest band each year, and this time, it was our turn. There were 43 members of our band that made the journey.”
“While we’re marching in a parade, we’re also sharing a message of hope and service.”
MAJOR DENISE WALKER
Though Alberta delegates have participated in the parade in previous years, this was the first time that the full GTB was invited as a special guest.
A highlight of the trip for many band members was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a parade at Disneyland ahead of the Tournament of Roses Parade, marching down the iconic Main Street, U.S.A. “It was such a cool experience to see the crowds cheering and to be part of that magical atmosphere,” says Major Walker.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
New Initiative in Surrey, B.C., Helps Fight Food Insecurity
Majors Diane and Glynden Cross, corps officers at Surrey Community Church, B.C., have always been passionate about ensuring food security. Over the past year, they launched a program called “Food Matters,” which helps clients access snacks. It also raises awareness about The Salvation Army’s services for those who may be unfamiliar with them, particularly newcomers who have recently arrived in the city.
“We have a huge immigrant population here in Surrey who know nothing about The Salvation Army,” says Major Diane. “It is about food security first and foremost, but we are also introducing people to The Salvation Army.”
The current initiative provides snacks, beverages and conversation around food security, and builds relationships with students from a nearby high school.
The GTB also participated in Band Fest, a showcase of the parade’s participating musical groups, and performed at Pasadena Tabernacle during a Sunday morning service. That evening, they also held a concert at the Tustin Ranch Corps.
On New Year’s Day, the GTB joined Salvationist delegates from across the United States, Canada and other countries, forming a large marching ensemble for the Tournament of Roses Parade. For Major Walker, hearing the band’s rendition of What a Friend We Have in Jesus was inspiring, and the spectators loved it.
“It’s great exposure for The Salvation Army,” says Major Walker. “When people see us, they are reminded of our long history of service and our commitment to communities worldwide. The commentators always speak so highly of The Salvation Army and our mission.
“While we’re marching in a parade, we’re also sharing a message of hope and service. It’s not just about the music but about reminding people of who we are and why we’re here.”
Holding it twice a week in the parking lot of The Salvation Army makes it accessible for students as they walk home from school.
“There are lots of people out there who aren’t using our services and are still seeking food security, so we are trying to reach teenagers and talk to them,” Major Diane says. “We want to engage with the students so they feel comfortable around The Salvation Army. It’s about introducing a whole new generation to what the Army does.”
Understanding the Army’s services encourages students to inform their parents about any assistance they may require. It also inspires them to complete their community service hours by volunteering with the Army.
“We are hoping that as they mature and become adults, they’re going to
remember and then they are going to teach their children,” she adds.
In January, Food Matters introduced a new initiative, hosting cooking classes three times weekly for children between seven and 11. There are also plans to form a gardening group that teaches clients how to grow herbs and spices for their everyday meals. As Food Matters continues to grow, more initiatives will be introduced.
“We can’t stay stagnant here in Surrey. We are the second largest city in British Columbia, and we must build off that,” Major Glynden says.
The Glenmore Temple Band at the Tournament of Roses Parade
Families line up for snacks at The Salvation Army in Surrey, B.C.
GRIEF AND COMFORT
This is a deep, rich, thoughtful article (“Grieving Room,” Salvationist.ca, October 2024). Thank you, Major Sheldon Bungay, for the work you put into expressing your observations to share with others. I am reminded of Jesus’ beatitude: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). What a wonderful way for a congregation to offer comfort—through music and singing together. Our worship should be able to acknowledge every human emotion, including grief.
Major Cathie Harris
SCROOGED
This is great, Michael Boyce (“Bah, Humbug!” Salvationist.ca, December 2024). Your reflections on A Christmas Carol, and the 1951 film Scrooge of what I get out of watching Alastair Sim every Christmas Eve—a childhood family tradition for me, too! Marley’s Ghost knows the chains Scrooge has forged. He also knows there is hope even for a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner,” as Dickens puts it.
Grieving Room
Christmas opens us to the hope that the worst among us (including me) can experience transformation—or reclamation, as the Ghost of Christmas Past puts it. What four ghosts do for Scrooge reminds me of what Jesus did for so many around him. As with Tiny Tim, he transformed lives through physical healing. As with Scrooge, he transformed lives by making the whole person well. What better Christmas wish can we pray for our friends and enemies than this? God bless us, everyone!
Aimee Patterson
SUPPORTING STUDENTS
I was so encouraged to read this article today (“The Hands and Feet of Jesus on Campus,” Salvationist.ca, December 2024). This is such an essential ministry. Almost every Salvation Army church is in close proximity to a college or university, and we have resources to help these students, most of whom are struggling with mental health and other serious issues. We need an army of people like Sharon Dean in our churches. Thank you for brightening my day!
Rose Amer
LEST WE FORGET
Great Story
To be considered for publication, letters to the editor must include your name and address, and a phone number or email address where you can be contacted. Letters may be edited for space and clarity, and may be published in any medium.
An article in the November/December 2024 issue of Faith & Friends about a previously unknown exhibit prepared for the Canadian War Museum left some questions. Who prepared it? Why? And when? We were prepared to treat this as an unsolved mystery … until we received an email from a retired Salvation Army officer:
The “previously unknown exhibit,” as it is referred to in Faith & Friends, took place during my term as the director of the George Scott Railton Centre and Major Ron Millar’s term as training principal. There was a report about the event in The War Cry, if I remember correctly.
I received a request from an official of the War Museum in Ottawa about an upcoming anniversary. Along with their own display, they wished to include one about The Salvation Army’s War Services. Karl Larson, a staff member at the Canada and Bermuda Territory’s Archives, and I selected photographs and line drawings from our files, and I prepared written copy. I was invited to attend a public meeting at the museum and speak about the Army’s Red Shield work.
I felt honoured to be invited. And, lest I forget, I was somewhat overwhelmed by the expressions of praise and gratitude for the Army’s ministry to “the boys overseas.”
A few weeks later, the material we had sent in a brown envelope returned to us in a large carton with the pictures and drawings still framed, as described in Faith & Friends.
They were possibly returned to us as a gift of thanks for the loan of the photos for the exhibition or perhaps they were put on display at some point in our archives, as well.
The material was passed on to the archivist, and the original photographs and line drawings were also returned and refiled.
My mind seems to tell me that the framing of the pictures was authorized for a specific Army display. Where and when, I cannot recall but I seem to think it was tied into a cross-country tour.
Major Ira Barrow
WHO IS THIS MAN?
The religious leaders saw a blasphemer. The broken saw a healer. The Roman soldier saw the Son of God.
BY COMMISSIONER LEE GRAVES
is a season of reflection and meditation, as we consider this question: Who is Jesus? It was a question frequently asked by those who encountered the carpenter from Nazareth, as they listened to his teaching, observed his activities and witnessed his authority over the elements. He captured the attention of Jewish teachers, clerics and the political elite of Israel. They were both fascinated and angered by Jesus, gathering close to hear his words, and positioning themselves to pounce on the truth he claimed.
On one occasion, a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus. When his friends couldn’t reach him through the crowds, they lowered the man on a mat through the roof. This man was longing for healing, expecting a touch. Yet Jesus’ words, striking and pointed, were not “be healed,” not “get up and walk,” but rather, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20). For the Pharisees and teachers of the law, this was a jarring statement, earning their rebuke: “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Luke 5:21).
Who is this man?
Invited into the home of a Pharisee, Jesus reclined at the table, engaging in conversation. But then a woman, known as one who lived a sinful life, entered, drawing all attention. Moving close to Jesus, she fell before him and performed a beautiful act of worship, covering his feet with her tears and anointing them with expensive perfume, emptying the entire bottle. Jesus’ response was not a rebuke,
as onlookers would have expected, but rather a telling revelation about himself and the Father’s love: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48).
The religious leaders, given their cultural and religious convictions, were outraged and angered by her demonstration of love and Jesus’ response. They began to talk among themselves, with judgmental, sarcastic intent: “Who is this [man] who even forgives sins?” (Luke 7:49).
Who is this man?
Herod Antipas, Rome’s ruler over the region of Galilee, heard that this teacher had captured the imagination of many, and he was greatly troubled (see Luke 9:7-9). He demanded, “Who is this Jesus?” Some said that Jesus was John the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded, risen from the dead. Others thought that Elijah had appeared. Still others said that one of the prophets of old had come back to life.
Who is this man?
Jesus was rejected by the religious and political leaders, by the general population and even by those in his own hometown (see Mark 6:1-3). He was betrayed, arrested, given a mock trial, painfully executed on a Roman cross, and buried in a borrowed grave. There would be no Easter celebration if the narrative ended there. History would simply note Jesus as just another misguided person who made claims without divine authority.
But the story doesn’t end there. Scripture describes Jesus’ victory over death and the grave, gloriously illustrated by the stone rolled away, revealing an
empty tomb, proving the claims he made. His birth, life, teaching, service, love, death and triumphant Resurrection fulfilled the prophecies of old and the covenantal mission of God the Father.
Jesus had come to bring salvation for the whole wide world, salvation for you and me—the acceptance of God the Father by his unconditional love, and the forgiveness of sins through his abundant grace.
Who is this man? We can be confident and clear about who Jesus is. Our fourth doctrine reminds us, “that in the person of Jesus Christ the divine and human natures are united, so that he is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.”
Who is this man? Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (see John 1:29). God himself through Jesus made our salvation possible. This is the Easter message. This is redemption’s story. This is our story. Who is Jesus? He is our Saviour!
Who is Jesus to you? Do the words of the Roman soldier, who witnessed the death of Jesus on the cross and was moved to reflect, “Surely this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39), resonate? How will you respond?
COMMISSIONER LEE
GRAVES
is the territorial commander of the Canada and Bermuda Territory.
SALVATION
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”—Luke 23:43
As I sit at my desk, I close my eyes and picture the folks I encounter here at the London Centre of Hope, Ont., who struggle with addiction, mental health and homelessness. All too often, the people we serve believe they are being punished by God for their present situation. Their suffering is a daily burden, a cross to carry.
I weep for those struggling, not just for their suffering, but for their souls. How do we offer hope to those who are vulnerable and marginalized? How do we offer a change of heart?
On the cross, in his last dying moments, the thief looks at Jesus and recognizes him for who he is, realizing that his future is in this person next to him. There was no Bible study group, no church service, no evangelistic event, just the person himself.
CRIES FROM THE CROSS
What do the final words of Jesus mean for those who are vulnerable and suffering?
On Good Friday, as Jesus hung on the cross, he spoke his final words. These seven sayings, gathered from the four Gospels, have often been used for prayer and reflection during Holy Week. Traditionally, they are known as “words”—of salvation, forgiveness, relationship, abandonment, distress, triumph and reunion. What do these words mean for those who are vulnerable and suffering today? Seven officers and employees who work in Salvation Army social services ministries contemplate these sayings.
I wonder, what did the thief see? Did he see Jesus’ suffering and was that something to which he could relate? Did he recognize Jesus’ innocence and feel the injustice of his death? Or did he just simply sense God and that was enough to believe?
Earlier in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me” (Luke 18:16). We are all God’s children. Jesus wants nothing more than for his children to come to him.
But is salvation for the world to come the only good news the people we encounter need? I cannot help but wonder if there is more to salvation than this. It starts with a personal transformation, but it doesn’t end there.
The folks we encounter every day need to know that the “cross” they carry can only be carried by the grace of God who asks to be their cross bearer. As the hands and feet of Jesus, we need to reach out in practical ways to meet each one at their point of need and show them the hope that Jesus offers.
—Jon DeActis is the executive director of the London Centre of Hope, Ont.
FORGIVENESS
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
—Luke 23:34
These words by Christ have a profound implication for social services as they relate to people with differing abilities—individuals with developmental disabilities, seniors, people with mental-health challenges—and in how we embrace and learn from the past, how we provide services now and how we deliver services in the future.
Unfortunately, the history of social services is fraught with examples of accepted community practice that treated people who were different unjustly, and they are points of shame in our collective psyche.
In stark contrast to these occurrences, Christ’s words on the cross portray the ultimate in compassion and grace—words that challenge all of us to act with understanding and forgiveness in all we do. It is a call to not focus on the evil, but on the ignorance, and how we, as part of broader society, can work to counteract this ignorance.
RELATIONSHIP
“Woman, here is your son … Here is your mother.”
—John 19:26-27
Astarker contrast is hard to imagine.
Four soldiers, girded in violence as armour; across from them, three women and John, garbed in grief and fear. Between them hangs Jesus, wearing bruises and blood as a garment. His words rasp from his throat, yet they reform reality: “Woman, here is your son,” and to John, “Here is your mother.”
No mere act of compassion, his words embody the completion of his mission. Mary, a one-time refugee with a questionable past, now a widow with an uncertain future. John, the son of an established family with every option before him. Different people, with different backgrounds and different stories. They had nothing in common, except disappointment, pain, grief—and Jesus.
“You. Are. Family.” And it was so. Because of Jesus, lasting hope was given practical form.
It still happens today, when people gather who have nothing in common—except Jesus.
At the Winnipeg Centre of Hope, one of our chaplains had a vision for a music ministry. He invited anyone who would like to be part of it to respond. And so Hope Choir was born. Residents, staff and volunteers gather, representing vastly different backgrounds, stories and circumstances. Yet all sing the same song—because of, and for the glory of, God. These everyday, ordinary people are not defined by their individual histories, but by their shared hope in Christ.
Whatever the name over the door, this is ultimately what it means to be a centre of hope. It encompasses our social mission—indeed, our whole mission: ministering to others in such a way that lasting hope is given practical form. By God’s grace, and for his glory, let’s all be about it.
—Major Bruce Mac Kenzie is the assistant executive director of the Winnipeg Centre of Hope.
For social services professionals, it means not to vilify, but to forgive and educate; not to punish, but to teach, mentor and embrace; and not to forget an offence, but rather to use these situations as opportunities to demonstrate God’s love and to support essential activities, such as learning, healing, development and growth. And for the people we support who may behave in ways that breach societal norms, the message is to look past the behaviour to the human within, and exercise the same paradigm: forgive, learn, educate and embrace.
For us as individuals, Christ’s words should help us recognize that we will inevitably make mistakes and, in doing so, we need to be able to forgive ourselves when they occur, learn from them and go on to make the lives of those around us better.
Embracing Christ’s words, to forgive, and then addressing the knowledge gap, can only make our responses more human, our supports more beneficial to individuals and society, and our work going forward more illustrative of the example Christ sets for us all.
—Arthur Mathews is the executive director of London Village, Ont., and Broadview Village in Toronto.
ABANDONMENT
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
—Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34
When we think about the Crucifixion, we tend to focus on the physical suffering Jesus endured. In this statement uttered by Jesus, a quote from Psalm 22, Jesus is saying that God has turned his back on him, and, in that moment, he feels abandoned.
This statement reveals deep emotional pain, one that is shared by many who come through our Army doors: the feeling of being alone, forsaken, forgotten and abandoned, with nowhere to turn.
Let’s look for a moment at Christ’s inner circle, his chosen 12, with whom he spent the bulk of his time. Those he supported, encouraged and helped when things got tough. After his arrest, they took off. Amid his anguish, Jesus’ trusted friends turned their backs on him.
And on the cross, as he became sin for us, he experienced the ultimate rejection and feeling of abandonment as God turned his face away from his Son.
Many people who are struggling through pain and despair feel forsaken, that the people they depended on have disappeared. Questions arise. Where is God when everything in our world is falling apart? When our finances are crumbling, our health is deteriorating and our families have turned their backs? When we cannot find our way, when our path is not clear, when our minds are filled with fear and anxiety—where are you, Lord?
As believers, we know there is hope because of the Resurrection, because Christ was victorious over sin and death. It is true that people will let you down, will turn their backs on you and cause you pain. Jesus was forsaken, betrayed and crucified but he conquered all of that. People are imperfect, but Christ is risen and victorious. He overcame and we can, too, in his strength and in his power. When we put our trust in God, we are not forsaken. This is the message that we deliver to the world: there is hope. Life is worth living, just because he lives. —Major Elaine Bridger is the executive director of the Edmonton Centre of Hope.
DISTRESS
“I am thirsty.”—John
19:28
L’Abri d’espoir is a place of welcome and safety for women in vulnerable situations. In this context, Jesus’ declaration, “I am thirsty,” offers a profound message of comfort and hope to women facing violence, deprivation, fear or isolation. In his physical and emotional suffering, Jesus becomes a figure who understands the pain of the oppressed and invites them to feel seen and loved. In response to his request for water, Jesus is given sour wine. Similarly, the women sheltered at L’Abri d’espoir have often received abuse and harm from society rather than care and protection. For some of them, oppression and violence have been their reality for some time or all their lives. “I am thirsty” evokes
TRIUMPH
“It is finished.”—John 19:30
When Jesus cries out, “It is finished,” it is a declaration of total triumph over sin and death—our debt paid in full. When we reach out with love that embodies empathy and creates community, it amplifies Jesus’ cry of victory by demonstrating there is nothing separating us from the love of God. It is this love in action that reaches into the darkest places to announce we never have to be alone again, because the work completed on the cross was the ultimate reconciliation.
It has been said that the most profound sense of loneliness comes when we are surrounded by people, when the absence of connection or sense of belonging leaves us feeling truly alone. Most of us can recall a time when we felt the weight of invisible solitude, but in my work as a counsellor with marginalized individuals, I see how it can permeate a person’s existence.
REUNION
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”—Luke 23:46
After experiencing unimaginable suffering—insult, injury, torture and betrayal— the Lord’s last act before his death is a public affirmation of his trust in God. Christians understand, as a tenet of the faith, that our hope and salvation come through Jesus’ willing sacrifice and enduring faith. It is through this act we are restored.
Those we serve at the Victoria Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre are no strangers to suffering. Their lives tell stories marked by trauma, abuse, violence, hunger and neglect. It is something that binds them as a community, and it is something they share with God’s Son. At an evening Bible study in our chapel on a Thursday night, the participants nod in agreement as they discuss Christ’s vulnerability. Jesus’ pain is honest, relatable; his commitment unwavering. The discussion leads to a shared reflection on not only the agony that leads to the false promise of addiction, but the hardship involved in recovery.
not only a physical need to drink, but also a thirst for justice and dignity. In his obedience to the Father, Jesus demonstrates confidence that there will be an end to his agony and sorrow, giving us all hope for a better future.
L’Abri d’espoir helps and responds to the thirst of women in need. It is a safe place where they can gradually regain their dignity, rebuild their identity and begin to heal their inner wounds. Jesus shows that there is always a path to restoration, even in the darkest moments.
When Jesus says, “I am thirsty,” the words take on powerful meaning. They become a call to all humanity for solidarity with those experiencing distress and suffering.
—Maricarmen Raudales is the executive director of L’Abri d’espoir in Montreal.
Particularly when someone is unhoused, being alone can be both a luxury and a burden. To eat you may have to line up at the local community meal and sit in a busy dining room. Your bed might be a cot in a room full of others, your neighbour sleeping just a few feet away. Yet in the constant presence of others, many people I work with talk about feeling utterly alone. Through them I have learned that the darkest times we experience are not necessarily the tragedies we endure, but the despair that comes when we feel there is no one who can share our burden. When served with a truly loving heart, a hot meal or kind word can become a connection to the eternal hope won for us on Calvary, not just for those we serve but for us as well.
—Melissa Noble is a mental-health counselling specialist at St. John’s Housing and Community Services (Ches Penney Centre of Hope) in St. John’s, N.L.
There is a striking parallel between an individual’s recovery journey and the words of Christ uttered in Luke. Recovery is a holistic process driven by hope and the agency of a person committed to change. Since addiction touches on our physical, spiritual, social and psychological being, the transformation necessary to be free from addiction demands remaking one’s entire life and identity. Friends and family members are lost along the way; a new community embraced; skills acquired; trust restored; the gauntlet of grief and shame confronted. As the participants reflect on what they have given up, they consider a Saviour who understands the cost of sin and the faith required to obtain hope for a new tomorrow. On a recovery journey that tests them in every way possible, members of the ARC community identify with Jesus because he is a man acquainted with grief, whose faith does not falter. They acknowledge the truth of Christ’s words on the cross, and those echoed by Saint Augustine some 400 or so years later: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”
—Jonathan Hopkins is the executive director of the Victoria Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre.
A GIFT OF CLEAN WATER
How
The Salvation Army is transforming lives in Myanmar and Zambia.
BY KYLE MANGIO
Each year, more than two million lives—many of them children—are lost to waterborne diseases caused by unsafe water, according to the World Health Organization. The Salvation Army is helping transform communities through clean water projects. Here are two stories of how these efforts are bringing hope and renewal to those in need.
A NEW BEGINNING AT PHYU CHILDREN’S HOME
In the heart of Myanmar lies The Salvation Army’s Phyu Children’s Home, where children live and learn in a safe and nurturing environment. For years, the home relied on an old water tank supported by a deteriorating wooden structure. Over time, the structure became unsafe, threatening the children’s access to clean water for cooking, bathing and daily needs.
Determined to safeguard this essential resource, the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program worked alongside the Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar Territory to rebuild the water tower. The project replaced the aging wooden frame with a durable concrete and iron structure, ensuring stability and safety for years to come.
After seven months of construction, the new water tank was completed in January 2024. Today, the children and staff can rely on clean water from their upgraded system, which features two
tanks with a combined capacity of 5,000 gallons.
“This project has been a blessing,” shares Captain Ciin Don Kim, home manager at Phyu. “The children are healthier and happier because we now have reliable, clean water for all our needs. We are so grateful to everyone who made this possible.”
A RIPPLE EFFECT OF CHANGE
While the Phyu Children’s Home celebrates this milestone, The Salvation Army’s mission to improve access to clean water continues. Across the globe, communities still face water challenges that affect health, education and quality of life.
In Zambia, The Salvation Army is making strides with the Petauke Community School ablution block project. This initiative addresses the critical need for safe sanitation facilities at a school serving more than 200 students.
Students at Petauke were relying on deteriorating pit latrines, posing potential health risks and discouraging school attendance, especially for the girls.
The new ablution block will provide flushable toilets and a clean, hygienic environment, creating a safer and more dignified space for learning.
CLEAN WATER, BRIGHT FUTURES
These projects are about more than water—they’re about life. Access to clean
water and proper sanitation transforms communities, improves health and fosters educational opportunities. They align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure clean water and sanitation for all.
When children no longer worry about illness from contaminated water, they can focus on their education and dreams for the future. When families have access to safe sanitation, dignity and health follow.
As we mark World Water Day on March 22, we invite you to join us in creating ripples of hope. Your support through Gifts of Hope can fund projects such as these, bringing clean water and brighter futures to those in need. A new water tank for a children’s home. A hygienic bathroom for a community school. The gift of clean water means health, safety and the opportunity to thrive.
Visit salvationist.ca/gifts-of-hope to support life-changing projects and celebrate the power of clean water. Together, we can build a world where every child has the water they need to grow, learn and dream. KYLE MANGIO is the resource and media co-ordinator in the international development department.
The children and staff at Phyu Children’s Home in Myanmar celebrate the completion of the water tank project
MYTH 1
GENDER EQUITY PRIORITIZES WOMEN AT THE EXPENSE OF MEN, RATHER THAN SEEKING EQUALITY AND FAIR TREATMENT FOR EVERYONE.
REALITY
The Salvation Army strives for change that ensures equal support for and empowerment of women and men in leadership roles. Our theology reflects that female and male persons are created equally, and all are intended to contribute to God’s mission (see Genesis 1:27-28). No intentional target is being painted on the backs of men in the work of gender equity. Historically in The Salvation Army, a much larger percentage of men have held senior leadership positions. The pendulum has swung in the direction of men. A temporary positive bias toward the development of female leaders is recommended to centre the pendulum of female and male representation in leadership roles. In addressing the inequity of women leaders filling leadership roles, the pendulum swing required is not intended to adversely affect male leaders but to provide a more equitable balance. A continued improvement in female leader representation is required, not by negatively attacking men, but by intentionally supporting women as needed.
A FAIR DEAL
Eight myths about gender equity in The Salvation Army—and the reality.
BY LT-COLONEL WANDA VINCENT
WhenI was introduced as the territorial gender equity officer last March, responses on social media were mixed. “It’s about time!” said one person. “I thought we were all equal in God’s eyes, so why do we need a special person to tell us?” said another.
A few months later, an officer couple arrived at a new appointment. “It’s great to have you! Here’s your office space,” a local leader said to the male spouse. When the female officer inquired about an office, the reply came, “I thought you worked from home.”
Although we are all equal in God’s eyes, the lived experience of many women officers shows that the work of gender equity remains important. There is still much to be done as the Canada and Bermuda Territory honours its commitment to equitable leadership development and opportunities for female and male officers to flourish. Let’s bust some myths to clarify why working toward gender equity is still necessary.
MYTH 2
ADDRESSING GENDER EQUITY IS NO LONGER RELEVANT OR NEEDED.
REALITY
To make ministry operations and leadership opportunities fair and just for all persons, we must address the truth that women remain at a disadvantage in some areas. Women still face barriers in leadership development that men do not. For example, women do not have the same number of female leadership role models as men do. Role models provide guidance and support during leadership formation and demonstrate organizational values. Role models help women internalize a leader identity as they see more women filling senior leadership roles. Role models are important for both genders
MYTH 3
as women battle stereotypical viewpoints and prejudices that men do not. Addressing gender equity is also needed because women are more challenged than men to find a healthy work-life balance. Although household responsibilities have become more equally shared between women and men, women still have more domestic responsibilities, whether in childcare, household duties or caring for elderly parents. Such imbalance adds a heavier load on women, particularly in a marriage, as women share ministry responsibilities with their husbands.
GENDER EQUITY IGNORES THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES OF MANY WOMEN.
REALITY
The territorial gender equity team intentionally celebrates the progress of healthy leadership we see in many women leaders across our organization. We are working on ways to highlight how women are making an impact on the church and community in their leadership, both on the front lines in corps and social ministries, and in administrative roles. We applaud the progress in having more female leaders appointed as area commanders and recognize other leadership roles where women are stepping up.
GENDER EQUITY PLACES WOMEN IN CERTAIN POSITIONS, REGARDLESS OF QUALIFICATIONS OR MERIT, AND IGNORES OTHER FEMALE LEADERS WHO HAVE WORKED EXTREMELY HARD TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS AND EQUALITY WITH MEN ON THEIR OWN.
REALITY
The work of gender equity is not about placing women in roles for which they are not equipped, trained or educated just for the sake of having women represented. Advocating for gender equity ensures competencies or skill sets in women are identified and not overlooked so they are equally utilized. Without fabricating skills or rewarding women with roles for which they are not trained, gender equity looks for opportunities to equip women for roles they are interested in, but for which they may not yet be prepared. This does not mean diminishing the standard required for any individual in each position. Gender equity ensures that women and men are recognized for hard work, unique talents and competencies.
GENDER EQUITY BELITTLES OR CRITICIZES WOMEN WHO CHOOSE ROLES AND LIFESTYLES TRADITIONALLY SEEN AS “FEMININE.”
REALITY
Gender equity, in its purest form, honours the heart and purposes of God for the world. Both women and men were created to partner with God to care for creation and for the physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs of people. God gifts women and men in various ways so that together we fulfil his purposes. The work of gender equity supports the New Testament framework of ministry engagement according to giftedness (see Romans 12:4-8). It is giftedness, not gender, coupled with development, passion and demonstrated competency, that should warrant leadership assignments. We encourage women to discover, cultivate and use the gifts God has given them. There are roles that have been previously gendered, such as those around children or homemaking. If this is an area of ministry that a woman officer feels particularly passionate about or skilled in, there should remain pathways to fulfil those roles. We must remember, though, that an ongoing growth mindset is critical for leaders. Leaders need to stretch themselves beyond their comfort levels to fully develop themselves.
WORKING
TOWARD GENDER EQUITY IS UNNECESSARY BECAUSE WOMEN ARE TREATED WITH FAIRNESS AND RESPECT IN THE SALVATION ARMY.
REALITY
The Salvation Army demonstrates respect for women leaders in many ways. “The Salvation Army is committed to empowering men and women equitably,” says Commissioner Lee Graves, territorial commander. There are, however, harmful stereotypes and beliefs about gender that are embedded in society, which creep into the life of the church. People sometimes conform to these toxic stereotypes without realizing it. For example, the belief that women are more emotional than men sounds innocent but can quickly snowball into women being mistreated and men being shamed for expressing emotion. Current experiences are still being shared where such unfair treatment happens, thus the work must be ongoing. Consistently demonstrating gender equity is crucial to work through these damaging beliefs, creating a culture where all persons are treated with fairness.
MYTH 7
WHEN WOMEN ARE FIRM IN THEIR CONVICTIONS AND ASSERTIVE IN SPEAKING OUT, THEY ARE BEING OVERLY AGGRESSIVE, TOO EMOTIONAL OR TOO MASCULINE.
REALITY
The thinking behind this myth reflects the stereotype that it’s OK for male leaders to be assertive but not female leaders. In the past, leadership traits were defined as masculine and feminine. Being assertive was a desired masculine trait for leadership while being nurturing and caring were defined as leadership traits for female leaders. Evolving research asserts that both traits are needed for leaders to be effective. When women leaders speak out strongly against demonstrated inequity or unfair treatment of themselves or others, they are strong leaders. They are not being difficult or unfeminine. They are reflecting a Christlike leadership characteristic. They are not being too emotional or aggressive. Women leaders want to be respected and heard in the same way that men are.
REALITY
While the phrase “gender equity” may have diverse connotations in society at large, the current gender equity work in this territory is geared toward the equitable treatment of female and male officers. It is not about gender identity or human sexuality. It does not change the organization’s value and position regarding marriage. The action steps taken are based on the recommendations of the gender equity task force, reflecting the lived experiences of our officers (read the task force report and recommendations at salvationist.ca/ gender-equity/report-recommendations). The gender equity committee advocates for the recommendations approved by the spiritual and denominational affairs board to be embedded in
everyday ministry operations, as well as the ongoing behavioural change required to support our stated commitment to leadership equity.
Commissioner Lee Graves has given his full support to the work of gender equity in our territory: “The Salvation Army has, from its inception, through the teaching and example of our Founders, declared that people must be treated equally in all areas of life and ministry. I commit to ensuring our theology is lived out in the behaviour of leaders at all levels.”
LT-COLONEL WANDA VINCENT is the corps officer at London Citadel, Ont. and the territorial gender equity officer.
MYTH 8
THE GENDER EQUITY WORK IS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY OR HUMAN SEXUALITY.
The Home Front is an ongoing series where we highlight the mission and ministry taking place around our territory. We will visit each Canadian province and territory, as well as Bermuda, and celebrate the innovation and impact the Army is having in corps, social services and youth ministry
AT A GLANCE
LT-COLONEL BRIAN ARMSTRONG Divisional commander
LT-COLONEL LYNN ARMSTRONG Divisional officer personnel secretary and divisional spiritual life development secretary
A PLACE TO GROW
Three stories of igniting change in Ontario.
BY GISELLE RANDALL, WITH MELISSA YUE WALLACE
When Aux-Lieutenant Allison Rennick arrived at Bowmanville Community Church a few years ago, her mandate was clear: to revitalize the corps.
“There was a vibrant community ministry, but the corps was dwindling,” she says. “We had a nucleus of people who showed up on Sunday morning, but the activities were inward-focused—there was no connection to what was going on during the week.”
The first thing she did was transform an unused room off the sanctuary into a coffee hub, a welcoming space for guests to wait for their food bank appointment. Volunteers from the corps offer snacks and conversation, breaking down some of the barriers between the corps and community services, and providing an opportunity for spiritual conversations.
The next step was community outreach, specifically to families, since it had been many years since the corps had a children’s ministry. An innovation grant provided funding to hire a family outreach co-ordinator, Sarah Ali, who started a mid-week children’s program.
“Glow Kids is open to any children from the community, but we really try to connect with families from community and family services (CFS),” says Aux-Lieutenant Rennick. “Our goal is to work toward integrated
mission between CFS and our spiritual community—that what we do during the week would eventually feed into the corps.”
They started with three kids, but about 30 now attend each Wednesday, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The evening begins with praise and worship, a Bible story and a challenge to memorize Scripture.
“The foundation is to teach the kids about Jesus, because that is the seed that needs to be planted,” says Ali. “But we also teach sports and art—it’s a skill-building opportunity, especially for families who can’t afford extracurricular activities.”
Every few months, the kids participate in the service on Sunday morning. In December, they performed a Christmas musical called “God’s Gift to Us.” Parents are invited to attend, opening the door for them to explore church.
Another way Aux-Lieutenant Rennick is trying to break down barriers is by hosting café church once a month. Rather than a traditional service, where people sit in pews in a sanctuary, café church is a relaxed environment, with food and conversation around tables.
As attendance grows, Aux-Lieutenant Rennick is also introducing other initiatives, such as a monthly community meal, men’s breakfast and family fun nights.
Making a birdhouse at Glow Kids
GLOW KIDS IN BOWMANVILLE, ONT.
Photo: Kaitlyn Smith
Photo: Sarah Ali
Sarah Ali leads Glow Kids and is part of the community service team at Bowmanville CC
Ontario
Splayed across a grassy knoll in the northern end of Hamilton, various groups of individuals stir, making their way toward the familiar sound of the Salvation Army soup van approaching in the distance.
On board, the van doles out a hot meal, often soup and sandwiches, and refreshments, to approximately 75-150 people per night at two stops in the city, five days a week.
The ministry aims to support a marginalized demographic, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and has faithfully done so since 1992, despite challenges in funding and an increase in people turning to them for help.
“The soup van ministry is primarily about connection and building relationships,” says Jon Miedema, director of spiritual care for Hamilton, Halton, Brantford (HHB) Housing and Support Services. “We want the people we serve to know they are seen, heard and loved.”
A lot of the people the ministry supports have been neglected and dismissed by many, he explains. The soup van ensures clients have nutritious food to eat and someone to talk to.
It has made a world of difference to Susan, who has lived in her friend’s garage for three years. She brings her four grandchildren to the soup van with her to get food and snacks. “The soup van helps me get by and gives me hope so that I can contribute to my daughter’s situation.”
Bob is a 33-year-old man who says he has lost everything due to his fentanyl addiction. “My crazy world now consists of me begging for drug money on street corners and sleeping in shelters when I can get a bed. The one thing I can always depend on is the soup van where I can get food and, from time to time, I ask for prayer to help me get by.”
One of the key reasons people feel comfortable accepting help is because of kind service workers such as Gregor Winton, who has served as a driver with the ministry for the past 23 years.
“I’ve been very blessed by The Salvation Army through many years of service,” he says. “The ministry can be a hard vineyard to work and plant seeds in, and we don’t always see the fruit of our labour, but we know that it’s a good thing, and that people are being blessed by God.”
—by Melissa Yue Wallace
SPARK JUNIOR YOUTH
It only takes a spark to get a fire going—that’s why SPARK is the perfect name for the Canada and Bermuda Territory’s reimagined junior youth councils. Over the past several months, the Ontario Division has held regional SPARK events for kids in Grades 1 to 6, with a hands-on Bible lesson, music and prayer, and games and crafts. It was the first event for this age group since before the pandemic.
“The overarching theme for our SPARK day is that God created you on purpose to reflect, honour and serve him,” says Becca Allen, divisional children and youth program co-ordinator and director of Blaze Adventure Camp, Ontario Division. “We talked about how God has given each of them a spark—an acronym for spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, real-life experiences and kind of personality—and how they can use those gifts for him.”
The day began with a focus on God as the Creator, as the kids used playdough to make something representing each day of creation. After reading the story of Punchinello in If Only I Had a Green Nose by Max Lucado, another teaching segment returned to God’s final act of creation—making humans in his image. The kids decorated a handheld mirror with the key verse for the day: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).
At a prayer station later in the day, the kids were invited to write down how they were uniquely made by God and then place their notes on a full-length mirror. Other stations included writing a letter to God using Scrabble tiles, praying for others as they built a Lego tower, and painting a mural to thank God for his creation.
“We want to help kids understand that praying doesn’t have to only be sitting still with their eyes closed,” says Allen. “If we can build in some healthy prayer habits now, hopefully those will continue as they get older.”
As the kids were encouraged to “find their spark” and consider how they could use them for God, one girl reflected on the experience of moving to a new school, and how it made her want to welcome others.
“If every kid walked away knowing that God created you, as you are, on purpose, and has a plan for you to use those things for him, I think that was a successful day for us,” says Allen.
Gregor Winton has served as a soup van ministry driver for the past 23 years. Tonight’s meal includes chili, a bun and hot beverages
Becca Allen shares a moment with a young girl at the Lego prayer station
COUNCILS
SOUP VAN IN HAMILTON, ONT.
Photo: Melissa Yue Wallace
Photo: Mjr Mark Dunstan
UNWAVERING FAITH
Finding strength, prayer and community through Atlantic women’s ministries.
BY ABBIGAIL OLIVER
as
and
(Top left) The ministry committee at Camp Starrigan poses for a photo. The beach-themed retreat combined the topic of “Unwavering Faith, Wholehearted Surrender” with fun activities, such
crafts
photo booths
(Above) A bracelet making workshop taught by Jan Keats
(Inset) The committee prepares for mom and kids’ camp at Camp Starrigan
(Above) At the regional Rally Day and Sunday service at St. George’s Corps, Bermuda, special guest Mjr Renée Dearing engaged women in crafts and Scripture
(Middle left) The overnight retreat at Corner Brook Temple, N.L., featured special guest Mjr Barbara Pritchett (centre)
(Left) The Maritime region’s “Bloom and Flourish” retreat welcomed 220 women for an inspirational weekend in June 2024. From left, Cpt Whitney Pikel, area secretary for women’s ministries, Maritime region; Col Janet Munn; Mjr Renée Dearing
WhenLeah Willis Taylor was facing darkness in her life last year, a Salvation Army women’s camp came at just the right time.
Her daughter was struggling with addiction, and Willis Taylor felt lost and filled with sorrow. As a Christian for more than 50 years and a member of the St. John’s West Corps, N.L., she was used to turning to the Lord for help. At women’s camp at Camp Starrigan, located between Bunyan’s Cove and Musgravetown, N.L., she looked up at the wooden cross and prayed for healing.
“I felt the need to lean on that cross,” says Willis Taylor. “I went forward to pray and cried my soul out to God.”
The camp was one of a series of women’s events held in the Atlantic Division last year, united by the theme, “Unwavering Faith, Wholehearted Surrender.”
“The only way to have unwavering faith is through wholehearted surrender,” explains Major Renée Dearing, divisional women’s ministries secretary, Atlantic Division. “We give it all to God, not knowing what the future holds, and not knowing how everything is going to work out, but trusting God and having unwavering faith in the midst of the deepest and darkest moments.”
THROUGH THE STORM
Hundreds of women across the Atlantic Division came together to worship, reflect and reignite their spirits through various women’s ministries events, from Corner Brook, N.L., to Moncton, N.B., to Bermuda. Participants experienced solidarity in prayer and the profound impact that women’s ministries can have on both spiritual well-being and the Army’s mission.
“When they arrive at women’s camp, a lot of them are tired and weary. They are facing their own hurdles in life and ministry,” explains Major Dearing. “These retreats provide participants with muchneeded rest and fellowship, allowing them to return to their communities revitalized and ready to serve.”
At Camp Starrigan, each woman came fighting her own battles, and they found strength in sharing their hardships and turning to the Lord together.
“To hear people’s testimonies, what they’re going through and how God has brought them through—it was just amazing,” says Willis Taylor. “I have been to many camps in my time, but at this one,
I gained more strength than I ever have.”
One of the Bible teachings at the Camp Starrigan retreat focused on Matthew 14:22-33, when Peter, filled with doubt, began sinking in the storm and Jesus caught him. It resonated with Willis Taylor, who was reminded that just as God helped Peter, he has helped her through many storms in her own life.
“The tears just flowed,” she says. “At that time, I was ready to fall aside, but God brought me through. He sent many friends my way, and he showed me how good these people are—how friendly they are, and how prayerful they are. God has been good.”
TRANSFORMATION TOGETHER
The Newfoundland and Labrador region of the Atlantic Division hosted four key events in 2024. An overnight retreat at Corner Brook Temple kicked off the season’s events in May, with approximately 220 women gathering for a beach-themed worship retreat with special guest Major Barbara Pritchett. Women travelled from across the province, some driving for many hours to the west coast to take part.
According to Major Dearing, the atmosphere was electric. “From the moment we started to worship, there was an instant connection,” she says. “People were 100 percent tuned in and wholeheartedly ready to worship, and from the very first song, women were coming forward to kneel at the altar.”
The momentum continued the next weekend with a retreat at Camp Starrigan with guest Major Darlene Anderson, followed by two mom and kids’ camps featuring special guests Major Marlene George and Major Sandra Budden. The camp provided an outdoor oasis and uninterrupted time for spiritual renewal, fellowship and connection with God and one another.
“There is a hunger to connect, and it’s so exciting to meet up with people you haven’t seen in a while,” says Major Dearing, who notes that many of the women attending these retreats are officers, Sunday school teachers and program leaders who can return to their communities with a renewed spirit and commitment to their ministries. “I’ve seen first-hand the impact that it has on mission. When they go back, they bring a fresh vibrancy that benefits their communities.”
BLOOM AND FLOURISH
In June, 220 women from the Maritime region of the Atlantic Division gathered
in Moncton for a retreat. Attracting participants from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, the event featured Colonel Janet Munn, a retired officer from the United States. In her message, Colonel Munn used the theme of “Bloom and Flourish” to remind attendees that they flourish for and because of God, and she emboldened them to bloom where they are planted.
Friday entertainment was provided by the dance team at Moncton Citadel Community Church, comprised of women ages 20 to 90, followed by worship, crafts and the spiritual practice of lectio divina (divine reading) led by Major Sandra Budden.
On Saturday evening, attendees gathered for a performance by the dance group at Light of Hope Family Church in Montreal and an auction raising money for the territorial project, Love Without Borders. Between the Newfoundland and Labrador and Maritime regions’ women’s ministries events, more than $32,000 was raised for the cause in 2024.
In October 2024, the festivities continued on Thanksgiving weekend in St. George’s, Bermuda, as women gathered for Rally Day, featuring Major Dearing as a special guest.
LIGHTING THE FIRE
Across the territory, women’s ministries events nurture the spiritual and emotional well-being of female Salvationists, as well as their friends and families. These ministries not only make an impact on an individual level, lighting a fire in their souls and in their personal relationships with God, but they help build community with other women—many of whom experience the same hardships and hope as each other.
“I can’t wait to go to women’s camp again,” says Willis Taylor. “I’m looking forward to another year of experiencing God and listening to other women talk about their experiences with him.”
The Atlantic Division’s women’s ministries anticipate another year of transformative events in 2025. The Newfoundland and Labrador region will focus on the theme, “At the Feet of Jesus for All Seasons of Life,” while the Maritime region asks, “Yes, But How?”
Ask your corps officer for more information about Atlantic divisional women’s ministries events in 2025.
In Kingston, Ont., a new program by The Salvation Army’s Freedom Ministries is offering a second chance to seniors exiting the criminal justice system. Assisting Seniors After Prison (ASAP) addresses the unique barriers that make successful re-entry into society particularly difficult for seniors, a largely underserviced group.
According to Dennis Chadwick, program manager, the leading cause of recidivism is the level of need and the lack of resources and support upon release to address those needs. The goal of ASAP is to help meet those needs early, preventing the revolving door of incarceration so that clients can restore their dignity and independence.
A DAUNTING TASK
Re-entry into society requires finding housing, employment, medical care, securing necessary documentation and relearning how to live in a society that has changed rapidly.
There are barriers to securing housing as many people exiting prison do not
THE ROAD AHEAD
Helping seniors transition from incarceration to independence.
BY ABBIGAIL OLIVER
The Salvation Army’s Freedom Ministries provides a caring, welcoming and non-judgmental safe space for individuals exiting the criminal justice system to seek support
have income, credit history or references, and long-term care and congregate living facilities have long wait lists. In addition, they also experience food insecurity, lack of world and social knowledge, and public stigma.
Additionally, research shows that individuals in prison experience rapid aging compared to the average adult in society. “In prison, someone who is 50 may be experiencing the same level of need as someone who is 65,” explains Chadwick. Yet, many seniors don’t qualify for government benefits and pensions until they reach the age of 65.
Recognizing the vast need and a gap in services, Freedom Ministries sought funding from Public Safety Canada as part of its Policy Development Contribution Program (PDCP), which provides funding for initiatives that collect data to inform government discussions and policy development around public safety.
Currently in its second year, ASAP has six regular clients and a growing number of referrals from the Kingston area.
SYSTEMS NAVIGATION
Some individuals spend a large portion of their adult lives behind bars, and for someone who is aging, medical needs are greater, job prospects are fewer, and it may not be possible to start a new career. In prison, they also have access to medical care that ends once they are released, leaving them to fend for themselves. This unique set of challenges and barriers to re-entry cause seniors exiting the prison system to struggle on their own.
ASAP starts with a referral system that begins six months before release so that the support team can determine the client’s immediate needs and lay a foundation for successful reintegration. Caseworkers create a personalized plan that addresses medical, housing, financial and emotional support.
Once the client’s needs are determined, caseworkers help them navigate each aspect of re-entry from finding housing to accessing services, such as health care, employment assistance and applying for government benefits. Staff also accompany clients to appointments
to help document, communicate and liaise with community partners. The goal is to guide each client toward full independence or adequate assisted living within one to two years of release.
“We’re stepping in to help them navigate the system,” Chadwick explains. “We get to know them so that before they come out of prison, there is already a plan in place to support them.”
MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN
Christopher (not his real name), a client of the ASAP program, says that the rules in society, and those outlined in his release conditions, can be overwhelming. But having ASAP there to help him access resources and stay motivated has made an incredible difference in his life.
“This time is much better than in the past. I have a place to go and a support team,” he says. “My goal is to stay on track with my mental health and be self sufficient in my life again. Without the housing and support team, I think I’d be back inside the prison. I’d fall into depression and feel like I am being left behind by society.”
“I HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND A SUPPORT TEAM. MY GOAL IS TO STAY ON TRACK WITH MY MENTAL HEALTH AND BE SELF SUFFICIENT IN MY LIFE AGAIN.”
—CHRISTOPHER
Christopher is used to doing what he must to survive, but he knows that returning to jail is not an option for him if he wants to achieve his future goals. Still, without income or credit, he has struggled to find his footing outside of prison. ASAP has given him a safe place to turn for direction, guidance and support.
“I can ask questions and not be judged for not understanding, or for wanting more information about the world and
what I can and cannot do,” he says. “This service is helping me achieve my goals to get back home and be OK.”
Like Christopher, Michael (not his real name) has struggled to secure employment and income, a chal lenge that has a direct impact on his physical and mental health. “It’s tough with no place to live, trying to find supports, resisting homelessness and doing everything I can to stay off the streets,” he says.
“But I am overcoming my obstacles and taking it one day at a time, focus ing on my goals for the day. ASAP has helped me find employment and better myself. It helps keep my emotional well-being in check, and it is an outlet to talk about change and what needs to happen for me.”
co-ordinator, conducts a detailed needs questionnaire with clients before creating an individual program plan
THE CRISIS OF DESPAIR
Reintegration is not just about accessing services—it’s also about reconnecting with community, rebuilding social ties and overcoming feelings of isolation. Many people who have exited prison report a deep sense of despair when confronted with the daunting task of starting over. Some seniors don’t know where to begin with community reintegration and many have lost touch with their families.
To address the growing concern of isolation and despair, Freedom Ministries has restarted Open Door Fellowship, a program that ran before the pandemic, now with a smaller group to foster close connections. Open Door Fellowship is a welcoming, non-judgmental space for fellowship, worship, group activities and pro-social discussions. It integrates faith, friendship and a positive support network into the individual’s healing journey.
“We are encouraging people to develop new, healthy, supportive relationships,” says Chadwick. “They know that they have friends in The Salvation Army.”
Within the community, ASAP attempts to address stigma by raising awareness through presentations at St.
Lawrence College in Kingston and the University of Ottawa, developing relationships with community partners and speaking into discussions about systemic issues in the criminal justice system.
“People often look at someone coming out of prison as being a higher-risk individual when, in fact, they have gone through a lot of cognitive behavioural therapy inside,” explains Chadwick. “In many cases, they have learned from their behaviours and have no desire to repeat those mistakes.”
A PLACE IN SOCIETY
“We know that God can work miracles in people’s lives, and we’ve seen first-hand that with the right support, people can change,” says Chadwick, who has spent more than a decade working with individuals in the criminal justice system and has witnessed the transformative power of faith and community support. For participants, ASAP provides an opportunity to reclaim their dignity and their place in society.
“It’s not just about surviving; it’s about thriving and finding a new way forward,” he concludes. “Individuals don’t have to end up in jail, but if they do, we want them to come out somehow better than they went in.”
ASK ? EXPERT
“Isthere a diet for people like us?” asked a client in a nutrition class at Harbour Light, a Salvation Army addictions treatment program in Vancouver, where I was a dietitian for more than a decade. This facility is in the roughest and least-understood neighbourhood in the city. The session was with clients in the first and hardest weeks of the recovery journey. Fatigue and pain—both physical and emotional—hit hard, and the substances these struggling individuals had been using to provide synthetic energy or to numb their bodies (and hearts) are no longer available. Add to that the loss of community and a body out of its preferred rhythms, undernourished and dehydrated.
From the conversation so far, I knew this client was asking if there was a diet for detoxing and recovery from drug use. Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to his question.
A BALANCED PLATE
Many who struggle with poverty and addictions also have concurrent health challenges, which may require personalized eating guidance. Common examples include being immunocompromised due to HIV or hepatitis, heart disease, diabetes, dental problems or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Why is nutrition important in recovery?
BY KAREN GIESBRECHT
selves hungrier than usual, especially craving things that provide quick energy—sweet, caffeinated beverages and simple carbs.
These kinds of cravings are common for any of us when we feel overwhelmed. We have all experienced life slipping out of balance, and then when we get our eating and sleeping in a good rhythm, we function better. We can think more clearly and manage our emotions. Life will throw stressful things at us, but we can generally cope with these when we have eaten well.
“Half a plate of vegetables!?”
This came from another client, expressing that he had never heard of anything so ridiculous. Or, at least, he had rarely eaten a meal that looked like that. A balance like this is challenging in a residential care program if that is not what the offered meals look like, or if that is not how one grew up eating.
Whole foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, complex carbs and good quality proteins, as well as specialized foods needed for individuals with medical nutrition needs, are more expensive than what is typically available in supportive facilities, especially when the program relies on donations of rescued food. Purchasing decisions and menu planning require expertise and creativity. The food service teams in Salvation Army centres and similar programs across Canada (and beyond) are some of our unsung heroes.
Even without additional health challenges, the chaos that led to someone entering a treatment program also likely meant that food was not adequately accessible, and many arrive extremely undernourished. For some, this stress takes away appetite. Others find them-
I explained this to the group in a way I hoped they would understand, knowing their fatigue and limited attention. And then I explained that what we understand now as the healthiest way to eat for all of us—no matter what our lives look like—is if half our plates are vegetables and fruit, about a quarter is protein, and a quarter is carbohydrates (the more unrefined the better, but this was not the setting to go into details like that).
Thought also goes into shaping the environment of treatment programs, which then supports clients to make appropriate choices. For example, we can guide what, when and how meals and snacks are offered to support individuals to make good food choices, especially as clients’ resilience, energy and decision-making ability is limited. Client needs, budget and logistics are often the main things to consider when determining policies, job routines and menus, but the well-being of those who produce our food and climate change concerns are also important.
DIGNIFIED EATING
As a dietitian, I also address misconceptions around nutrition, supplement use and safe food handling practices, which are particularly important for vulnerable
Karen Giesbrecht (centre) and friends prepare coleslaw for a church community meal in Vancouver
individuals. For example, it is common for clients and staff to believe that people coming off the street should consume large amounts of food to catch up on nutrition, but overeating, especially after a season of undernourishment, leads to new health challenges, such as constipation, poor sleep, compromised blood sugar control, lethargy and poor body image.
What an individual has eaten (or not eaten) affects their ability to cope. Better eating habits established during a stay in a treatment program could limit the potential for relapse, or the number of times clients cycle through supportive programs. A key factor in relapse prevention is the ability to make and adhere to good decisions, and not make rash moves in a stressed state. Dignified eating environments also contribute positively, including not having to wait in a lineup for a meal, using non-discriminatory language and offering culturally appropriate foods.
We cannot assume that people know how to eat well, especially those who did not grow up in an environment where regular meals were modelled. Poverty and related stresses change one’s relationship to food. Individuals are more likely to hoard, eat foods that are not safe to consume and overeat when food is available. These tendencies can take a year (or longer) to subside after someone returns to a stable situation. Social capital is often low, and social recovery can be the hardest part of recovery, which further limits access to food and the benefits of sharing meals.
LEARNING TO EAT WELL
Trauma-informed care and harm reduction are also key priorities for programs for vulnerable individuals, and thus we must offer food in ways that emphasize safety, trust and opportunities for choice. Difficult emotions and mental-health challenges, including depression and anxiety, can be soothed (to an extent) or exacerbated by how one eats. During acute stress or a mental-health breakdown, one often eats erratically—the opposite of how one should eat to minimize difficult emotions.
Individuals are often unable to listen to what their bodies are saying they need, and thus require an environment that helps them make appropriate food choices. Food literacy skills, including what to eat in the morning, cooking basics, stocking a kitchen and packing a lunch for work, are an asset and should be covered alongside other relapseprevention skills as individuals prepare to live independently again.
“I have probably spent half a million
dollars trying to destroy myself, but I don’t spend any money on caring for my body,” someone told me recently, reflecting on several decades of substance abuse. He seemed to be doing well with his recovery, and certainly looked brighter than he did when I met him five months ago, now that he had been eating regularly, gained a few pounds, neatly trimmed his beard, and had new well-fitting dentures. We were talking about good snacks to keep on hand, as he finds it hard to eat in the mornings, and thus his energy flags by the afternoon.
Changing how we eat is hard, especially for those residing in a facility where one has limited control over food options, or who live without adequate income, but nutrition knowledge and cooking skills are not usually the main barriers to change. Ultimately, before we can explore the question of diet for someone who is struggling, we must consider where the individual lives and if they can purchase enough food.
FOOD SECURITY
The term food security refers to one’s right to (and the measure of) food that is affordable and nutritious. To be food secure, one also must be able to access sustainably grown food that meets one’s cultural preferences and is obtained in dignified ways. Food lines and food banks rarely meet all these criteria, although there are many people doing good work to make free and low-cost food as honouring as possible.
We need economic policies that ensure adequate income for everyone. Living wages and increasing the amount of money provided by social assistance programs, such as child benefits, employment insurance, pensions and rental assistance programs, reduce the risk of food insecurity (and many other challenges).
We also need to learn about and create appropriate supports for those who experience disproportionately higher rates of poverty. Canada’s Indigenous community, those who receive social assistance, loneparent households, renters, individuals living with a disability and vulnerable older adults are more likely to have an inadequate income and struggle with factors affecting the availability and accessibility of food.
These are serious issues, but we must believe they are avoidable, and we can be a transforming influence in our communities. The diet for people like us is a world where everyone has an income, a home, a wellstocked kitchen and a community to share meals with.
“I HAVE PROBABLY SPENT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS TRYING TO DESTROY MYSELF, BUT I DON’T SPEND ANY MONEY ON CARING FOR MY BODY.”
KAREN
GIESBRECHT
is a member of The Salvation Army’s Boundless Vancouver community council. She is a registered dietitian with a particular interest in mental health, strong communities, good stories and real food. She wove all these together in Happy Colon, Happy Soul: An Exploration of Why and How We Share Food. Giesbrecht takes great delight in sharing good meals with her family, friends and those in her community who know hunger. Learn more at karengiesbrecht.com.
While Major James Anderson was at the College for Officer Training (CFOT), a sermon was preached based on the Book of Jeremiah, where God took the marred clay and, rather than throwing it away, reshaped it.
“Somehow, I knew that was me,” says Major James.
“If you can mould me into what you need me to be,” he prayed, “I can be clay in your hands.”
“And that is what happened.”
TAKING FORM
Hailing from Channel-Port aux Basques, N.L., Major James wasn’t born into The Salvation Army, but the family attended an Army Sunday school.
“After a while, my mom joined us at the church,” says Major James.
“One evening in 1973, I saw my mom go to the altar to pray, and my three sisters and I all toddled up and knelt down beside her. I didn’t particularly know why, but my seven-year-old self knew something terrific had happened in that moment.
“My life had changed, and I had had an encounter with God. Life in the Army just took form.”
“GOD IS CALLING”
After graduating from college, Major James found employment at Ultramar Canada.
Then, in February 1987, he attended a Salvation Army student fellowship retreat.
“I needed God to tell me where to go from there. Was I to stay at Ultramar Canada or move on?”
After spending time praying with a friend, Major James went and knelt in prayer on his own.
“All of a sudden, I felt this huge hand on my right shoulder. I didn’t open my eyes; I continued praying. And then a
CLAY IN HIS HANDS
Major James Anderson knows that The Salvation Army is the only church for him—because it brought him to God.
BY KEN RAMSTEAD
voice whispered in my ear: ‘Son, you need to know that God is calling you to be an evangelist.’ ”
A weeping Major James got up. Standing behind him was Commissioner Ed Read.
“He shook my hand and said, ‘God has great plans for you. Listen to what you heard.’ ”
And so the 23-year-old said yes to the Lord and entered CFOT in September 1987.
While pastoring in Grand Bank, N.L., the newly commissioned officer reconnected with his former girlfriend, Darlene, who had found her own way to The Salvation Army. She was commissioned in early 1992, and they were married in July.
MISSION TO RUSSIA
After ministering in Ontario, the Andersons were appointed to Russia in 1995.
“Lord,” Major James prayed, “why have you sent us to a place where we cannot even communicate with the people to whom you have called us?”
The couple didn’t know how to speak Russian.
“We prayed, ‘Lord, if you have called us to Russia, you have to do one of two things. You either have to repeat the Pentecostal experience and endow us with the knowledge of speaking Russian, or you have to send us home.’
“Neither of the two happened, by the way,” Major James smiles.
But with the assistance of a patient babushka and a Russian teacher, Major James was speaking Russian within six months.
One of the richest ministries the Andersons had while they were in Russia was at Yekaterinburg at Prison 2257, where there was a population of 4,800 men.
“On one occasion, I had the privilege
of experiencing 37 men make a decision for Christ, and that discipleship group grew over time.”
The Andersons ministered in Russia until they returned to Canada in 1999.
SIMPLE SOLUTION
From Russia—via various postings back in Canada—Major James and Major Darlene were transferred to Moncton, N.B., where they served as the corps officers at Moncton Citadel Community Church.
“God has truly blessed the ministry here and the church is growing faster than we can keep up with,” Major James says. “It just couldn’t happen if God wasn’t part of it.”
Unfortunately, Major Darlene recently had to retire for medical reasons. As a result, it is probable that Major James will also retire next year.
“I realize that one of the primary examples of my responsibility to Jesus is to love my wife, as Christ loved the church,” he says. “And so, from that standpoint, I don’t think I would be obedient to him if I disrespected her situation by simply continuing on.
“But I’ve always said that the Lord called me into ministry through The Salvation Army, and he would have to call me out.
“That’s not to say that the Lord isn’t going to use us—I’m sure he’ll find other ways to—but I am as excited about being obedient to the call of God as I was when I was seven years old.
“I’ve never wanted to be anywhere else but the Army, because it’s through the Army that I met God,” he concludes. “It’s as simple as that.
“The Salvation Army not only changed my life; it gave me back life in ways that are beyond words and description.”
THE GOD OF ALL THINGS
How the Nicene Creed helps us understand our heavenly Father.
BY JAMES READ
“We believe in one God the Father almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.”—Nicene Creed
For millennia, the question was which god or gods people bowed to—Ba’al or Yahweh or Caesar, and so on. Today, the question is whether people believe in any god. In 1971, seven percent of Canadians identified as atheists or agnostics or claimed no religious affiliation; now they number more than one-third of all Canadians. Those who believe in God are a shrinking number. The fastest growing “religion” is “none.”
In the face of this, the Nicene Creed boldly asserts three things: God is one, God is Father and God is Maker. Let’s look at these three in reverse order.
Maker: Note that Maker is not past tense. God is not a cosmic engineer who spoke the universe into existence and then left it to its own devices. God is involved in the making of what exists in the present as much as in the past. And God will be the Maker of whatever exists in the future. Even in eternity God is the Maker.
God makes it all, things visible and invisible. People, wheat and algae. Electrons, black holes and prime numbers. God makes angels, principalities and powers. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Father: The Maker is not just an impersonal “force.” That may do for Star Wars, but not for Christian belief. We believe the universe is held together by an intelligent personality that sustains its natural and moral order.
Look at how the world is put together. The universe is orderly, not haphazard. “The sun … runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them” (Psalm 19:4-6 NRSVUE). Scientists may be more prosaic, calling the daily sunrise and sunset a natural law. But scientist and psalmist are noticing the same thing—the world is an orderly place.
The universe discloses a moral order too. It is wrong to torture children, and we know that just as surely as we know gravity causes apples to fall from trees. We know that a loving marriage is to be celebrated as certainly
as we know spring follows winter. Even when we violate the standards of morality, we can be grateful for the moral order built into the fabric of our universe. “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul…. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold” (Psalm 19:7, 10 ESV).
Moral order and natural order are what we would expect if the Maker of it all also has a fatherly concern for what he makes. Jesus teaches us to pray “our Father which art in heaven” (Matthew 6:9 KJV).
God our Maker loves people and opens the way for all to be children of God. We can have an intimate, unguarded, unreservedly trusting relationship with God, and the human spirit can respond, “Abba, Father” (see Galatians 4:6).
One God: Some may think this is too obvious for comment, but there are implications worth thinking about.
When I say I believe in one God, I’m not merely saying that God is one of the things that I love, alongside politics and finances and family and sports. If God is my one God, then I should be devoted to him with my whole mind and heart and soul and strength and anything else that makes me up. Nothing else should compete. “You cannot serve both God and money,” Jesus says in Matthew 6:24.
All our decisions—whether they concern money, politicians and political power, our love for our family, our concern about self-esteem and success—all our decisions and concerns need to be tied to our belief in God.
Exactly how to fit these concerns together will be a challenge. However, if we truly believe in one (and only one) God—a God who is both Maker and Father—life will, in turn, be cohesive and unified.
DR. JAMES READ
was the executive director of The Salvation Army Ethics Centre for many years and was a member of the International Theological Council. His co-author of this series, Major Ray Harris, is a retired Salvation Army officer and author of Convictions Matter. Major Harris and Dr. Read attend Heritage Park Temple in Winnipeg.
We Believe is a six-part series on the Nicene Creed, which marks its 1,700th anniversary in 2025.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION
• What threatens to be a rival to God in your life?
• How do you make sense of the rise in the number of religious “nones”?
HOW LONG, O LORD?
A lament for Afghan women.
BY CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK
ImetZainab Rasouli on a Wednesday evening in October. She had recently arrived in Canada from Afghanistan, via Pakistan, and had found her way to an English conversation class hosted by The Salvation Army in Barrhaven, Ont., a suburb of Ottawa. Aware of the recent events in Afghanistan, my heart rejoiced that Zainab had found refuge in Canada. Since the Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, regained power in 2021, I had watched the deterioration of the lives of Afghan women from afar. Where once women and girls were able to go to school, work outside the home and had a bright future, the Taliban had since imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights.
I WONDERED WHERE HOPE WAS FOR AFGHAN WOMEN AND GIRLS.
Systematically, the Taliban chipped away at women’s access to education, employment and involvement in society. In March 2022, girls above Grade 6 were told to go home. Later that year, female students were banned from attending university. In May 2022, women were ordered to wear long robes and cover their faces, except the eyes. A nationwide ban on women using gyms and parks followed, along with excluding women from nearly all jobs. Even beauty salons were eventually shuttered.
And then, in August 2024, laws were passed that not only made it mandatory for women to veil their entire bodies in public, including their full faces, but also forbade them from speaking, singing or reading outside their homes. Women are no longer allowed to leave their homes without a male companion and face severe
beatings if they do, and the frequency of child marriage has significantly increased.
As I watched this unfold, my heart broke for the more than 14 million Afghan women and girls who are so severely oppressed. These women and girls have been forced into the shadows, their voices have been criminalized, and their thoughts, opinions and even their songs have been silenced.
“This is what we need. For newcomers, everything is very hard, and we need hope,” says Zainab Rasouli, as she points to The Salvation Army’s “Giving Hope Today” slogan on Cpt Laura Van Schaick’s shirt
Feeling helpless, I cried out to God, who reminded me that just as he saw Hagar, abandoned and suffering in the desert (see Genesis 21) he also sees the Afghan women and girls. God will not leave them nor forsake them.
As I continued to lament this gendered injustice, it made me pause to ensure that I was not taking for granted my privilege to speak in public arenas, to read freely and to sing as I please. I determined that when I stood in the pulpit, read to my children or sang along with the radio, I would do so with intentionality, with a heart of gratitude and with a prayer of petition: Lord, have mercy.
And yet, I wondered where hope was for Afghan women and girls.
All of this heartache and heartbreak bubbled just beneath the surface as Zainab and I introduced ourselves. I wondered how much hardship Zainab had experienced before fleeing Afghanistan. What was her story? Where was her hope?
And then Zainab noticed three words on my shirt, which Salvationists in our territory display below the iconic Red Shield: Giving Hope Today. Her face lit up, and she exclaimed, “This is what we need. For newcomers, everything is very hard, and we need hope.”
As I’ve come to know Zainab, I have discovered that, despite her difficult journey, she has hope in spades. She is driven to share her story and to use her
voice to make a difference in the lives of women who are still oppressed under Taliban control. “History always has been, and always will be, shaped by women,” she recently shared in an email to me, and I believe that her efforts will, indeed, allow her to be a change-agent for the silenced and oppressed women of Afghanistan.
In asking Zainab what she would like Canadians to know about the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, she shares: “In Afghanistan, women are being erased due to anti-woman laws. They force us to flee from our own gender and live in constant fear of death.
“Yet, the women of Afghanistan are hopeful, seeking life and salvation. We, women, are the strong arms of society. We are the bearers and nurturers of humanity. We are women. If women in any corner of the world are silenced and imprisoned as captives, other women from around the globe must unite and become a powerful force to crush misogynistic laws. I want to shout out loud: I am a woman, and we are women! No power can erase us from society!”
CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK
is the corps officer at Barrhaven Church in Ottawa, and the divisional secretary for women’s ministries in the Ontario Division.
OUT-OF-THE-BOX FAITH
The Heritage Centre boasts a wonderful selection of collection boxes.
Since its earliest days, The Salvation Army has raised funds to support its mission and ministry with the help of a variety of collection-box efforts.
The Self-Denial Appeal is an annual effort to raise funds for the Army’s worldwide operations. The concept for the appeal originated in London, England, in 1886. An officer named John A. Carleton was not financially able to contribute to the Army’s appeal for money. He decided to forgo his pudding for a year and give those funds to the Army. This reached General William Booth, who said, “This officer’s offer of his pudding-money has given me a good idea. I could not think of asking people to give any portion of their food for 12 months; but it has occurred to me that all our people would be willing to deny themselves for one week of something in the way of food, such as pudding, tea, sugar and so on. Let us try a Self-Denial week.” This resulted in the establishment of the worldwide Self-Denial Appeal. The Founder picked a week and every Salvationist in the world was expected to observe it.
Grace-Before-Meat (GBM) was a scheme for raising funds for social work. General Booth conceived of the idea from a conversation he had with a woman who described an ancient custom in which Hindus from India, even the poorest ones, would set aside a handful of rice before every meal in readiness for a hungry beggar who may come calling. In characteristic manner, he declared that if the poor from India could do it, why couldn’t they? Launched in 1893, the purpose of the GBM scheme was to solicit funds to help meet the needs of the poor and to support the Army’s fast-growing social services programs of the day. Participants would receive a GBM tin, which they would place on their dining table. Before each meal, a brief prayer of thanks was given and a small coin—penny, half-penny, cent—would be dropped into the tin. The idea quickly captured the attention of Salvationists in the United Kingdom, and soon the scheme spread to other parts of the Army world, including Canada. By 1943, there were still more than 11,000 GBM boxes in use.
Living History is an ongoing series showcasing just a small assortment of the more than 350,000 items housed at The Salvation Army Heritage Centre in Toronto. This month, we are highlighting the humble collection boxes that played such an important part of the Self-Denial Appeal, the effort to raise funds for the Army’s worldwide operations (also known as the annual appeal or Partners in Mission campaign in some countries).
“Sunshine Bags” originated in Canada in 1982 and quickly spread to other countries. They were distributed by league of mercy (now community care ministries) members to residents in hospitals, prisons/correctional facilities, nursing homes and other institutions.
The bags could contain flowers, treats (fruit, candy, chocolate, etc.), personal care items and a copy of The War Cry. Money for “sunshine bags” was raised by various league of mercy activities, such as collection boxes and by the distribution of little yellow bags into which coins were dropped each sunny day of the year. These yellow bags and metal collection cans were called “sunshine” banks.
Retirements: Jan 1—Mjr Sterling Snelgrove; Mjr Darren Wiseman
Promoted to glory: Mjr Elsie Goodridge, Oct 24; Mjr Garland Foote, Oct 31; Mjr Winnie Cave, Nov 12; Lt-Col Amy Homewood, Nov 12; Mjr Ronald Sharegan, Nov 22; Mjr Glen Habkirk, Dec 1; Mjr Kevin Rideout, Dec 1; Mjr Dianne Stevenson, Dec 1; Mjr Rocky Bishop, Dec 10
CALENDAR
Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves: Feb 28-Mar 5 Bermuda; Mar 6-7 Institute 1, JPRCC; Apr 20 Oakville CC, Ont.; Apr 27 convocation, Booth University College; Apr 28-May 3 Holiness Institute, JPRCC
Colonels John and Lani Chamness: Mar 23-24 CFOT; Apr 18-20 St. John’s Temple, N.L.; Apr 27 convocation, Booth University College; Apr 28-May 3 Holiness Institute, JPRCC
Canadian Staff Band: Mar 1-2 Oshawa Temple, Ont.
Canadian Staff Songsters: Mar 1-2 Scarborough Citadel, Toronto; Apr 5-6 North York Temple, Toronto
ALBERNI, B.C.—At The Salvation Army Alberni Valley Ministries’ annual Hope in the Valley event, Mjr Michael Ramsay, CO, receives a King Charles III Coronation Medal, recognizing his vision and leadership in providing essential social services to the community. From left, Heather Ramsay; Mjr Ramsay; and Gord Johns, member of Parliament, Courtenay-Alberni.
ONT.—Rideau Heights Corps enrols two new junior soldiers, celebrating with cake and fellowship. From left, Cpt Rosalyn
ST. GEORGE’S, BERMUDA Sandy Butterfield, addictions clinical supervisor at Bermuda Harbour Light, receives the Kathleen Ester Ford Community Partnership Award. From left, Lt Lester Ward, executive director, Bermuda Community Services, and Butterfield.
25 years as the assistant executive director for Bermuda Community Services. From left, Lee and Lt
FLIN FLON, MAN.—Flin Flon Corps celebrates 95 years of ministry in the town and surrounding areas. From left, Envoy Michael Vancoughnett, corps leader; Sherrill Chigol, senior soldier; Envoy Shelly Vancoughnett, corps leader; and Corbin Vancoughnett.
KINGSTON,
Toynton, CO; Caliopi Hughes and Aubrey Smith, junior soldiers; and Cpt Stephen Toynton, CO.
ST. GEORGE’S, BERMUDA Chandra Lee celebrates
Lester Ward, executive director, Bermuda Community Services.
PORT
TRIBUTES
LISTOWEL, ONT.—Lt-Colonel
Amy Homewood was born in Hamilton, Ont., and spent her formative years in China, returning to Canada to finish high school. She entered nursing training at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto and completed her bachelor of nursing science degree at Western University in London, Ont. She entered training college and was commissioned in 1954 as a member of the Shepherds Session. Amy married Captain Ray Homewood in 1955, and they shared several international appointments in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as well as appointments at the training college, in seniors’ ministry, and correctional services in Alberta, Quebec and Ontario. Nursing remained an important part of her ministry as a Salvation Army officer and continued beyond her official retirement. In retirement, Amy lived in Cambridge, London, Toronto and Listowel, Ont. Wherever she was, Amy was content in the hands of the Lord, and she enjoyed being surrounded by friends and family. Predeceased by her husband, Ray, in 2012, Amy will be missed by children John (Dorothy) Homewood, Major Gillian (Major Dennis) Brown and Ray (Diane) Homewood; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
TORONTO—Wallace Court was born in 1930 to Ernest and Grace Court and raised in Brantford, Ont. Moving to Toronto in 1950, Wally worked as a draftsman at Massey Harris before embarking on a career in public relations at British American Oil and Gulf Oil. He became a journalist and the editor of Gulf’s Commentator magazine and received more than 130 business awards. Wally was the only Canadian lifetime fellow of the International Association of Business Communicators. He served in the editorial department for many years, sharing his journalistic expertise through the pages of The War Cry. Wally founded WL Court Ink, a consulting firm, and earned a BA in sociology from Toronto’s York University. His interests included photography, writing, history, genealogy, psychology, music, sports and humour. A lifelong Salvationist, Wally attended the Army in Brantford, Ont., and Toronto’s Dovercourt, Earlscourt and Etobicoke corps. He played in the band for the better part of 75 years, led the Etobicoke Temple Youth Band, and supported various camps and other programs. Wally is remembered by his wife of 63 years, Evangeline (Vangi); sons David (Della), Major Stephen (Danielle) and Richard (Lisa); and grandchildren Simon, Paige, Zion, Michael, Victoria, Judah, Sarah and Moses.
MOUNT PEARL, N.L.— Major Winnie Cave began her calling in 1952 in outport Newfoundland and Labrador as a single corps officer. In 1954, she married George Cave, and they continued serving together in corps ministry until 1963 when they were stationed at the Grace Hospital in St. John’s, N.L., as co-chaplains. In 1979, they were appointed to the Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ont., before serving in administration at long-term care homes in Victoria and Montreal. In 1990, they returned to chaplaincy work in palliative care at the Toronto Grace Health Centre. After more than 40 years of service, Majors Winnie and George retired to Newfoundland and Labrador in 1994. Winnie will be missed by daughters Sandra (Don) and Diane (Steve); grandchildren Stephen and Jia; and many family members and friends.
When did you first become part of The Salvation Army?
I was raised in a Christian home and attended church at an early age with my family. We moved to Canada from England when I was 10 years old. My sister and I were invited to Sunday school at the local Salvation Army corps, and there was a bus ministry that picked kids up. We all started to attend regularly, and that’s where I made a commitment to Jesus and became a junior soldier.
After we moved to a different neighbourhood, my parents settled in another church, and sports and studies became more of a priority for me. But when I got my driver’s licence, I started attending the Army again, recommitting myself to God and becoming a senior soldier.
How did you get involved with EDS?
QA &
Ian Pollard is the divisional emergency disaster services (EDS) director in the British Columbia Division. He attends Cascade Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C.
After getting married, I started working for the Army in community and family services and as a youth pastor. Then I pursued a career in banking, which was rewarding but very time-consuming. Along the way, I volunteered in various ministries, including EDS.
After 20 years in banking, I felt God was calling me to full-time ministry. My wife and I went to an officership information weekend, but then an opportunity to rejoin The Salvation Army as an employee came up around the same time. Many of the
THE DANGER ZONE
From fires to floods to hurricanes, EDS director Ian Pollard is on the scene.
skills I learned in the business world were transferable to EDS, and I felt this was where God was leading me, and that I could still be effective in ministry as an employee.
How many EDS responses have you been involved with over the years?
Probably about 80, keeping in mind that some can be small, such as a local building fire, or much larger, such as a wildfire, flood or hurricane. About 10 were larger responses.
Do any responses stand out to you?
The first that stands out was the atmospheric river that caused flooding in British Columbia in 2021. The main highways into the Interior were all damaged or closed, and we had to get creative to deliver supplies to inaccessible areas, including using government helicopters, which was a first for us, and some small private planes.
A second is the 2023 wildfire season. It was the worst in B.C. history, with more than 2.8 million hectares burned. Our response, which ran from May to September, was one of our largest, with 15 vehicles deployed at one time. To put that in perspective, we have approximately 30 emergency vehicles, mainly canteen trucks, in B.C., and having half of those deployed at one time is significant.
There were more than 330 wildfires burning across the province, so we were busy feeding evacuees, first responders and wildfire crews. I’m thankful to everyone who helped with that response, from volunteers to staff to officers.
How else are you involved with your corps?
Over the years, I’ve been involved in Sunday school, youth group, hockey and camp ministry and the band. I currently serve on the finance committee and the mission board. I help at church services and events as we have them. The local church has many ways to get involved in the community. It also allows me to worship and fellowship with others and brings my experiences and training into those ministries.
When you reflect on your spiritual journey, how has God been with you?
God has been there for me as an encourager, providing support, love and wisdom throughout my life. I draw close to him during times of celebration, but also at times of difficulty. It’s a daily journey to trust in God, in his Word, in everything that we do. EDS can be challenging at times, but God has equipped me through some of my past experiences, and in sharing his wisdom and peace when I’m deployed.
What would you most like to be known for?
I’d like to be known as someone you can count on, someone caring, understanding and wanting to help those in need, but also encouraging others to do their best. I’d also like to be known for being a good husband, a good father to our two children, a good son and a good friend, and for supporting God’s work and being a strong Christian witness to others.
Ian Pollard has been involved with approximately 80 Salvation Army EDS responses
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PHRASE BE is an ongoing series highlighting the dozens of everyday sayings that originate with biblical text.
This month, we unpack:
ON THE WALL THE WRITING
PHRASE: The writing on the wall.
DEFINITION: To be aware that something bad will probably happen soon.
EXAMPLE: After two bad quarterly reports, the employee could see that the writing was on the wall.
SOURCE: “Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale and he was so frightened that his legs became weak and his knees were knocking.”
—Daniel 5:5-6
In the sixth century BC, Balshazzar, the king of Babylonia, was holding the Jews captive. During a banquet, a mysterious hand appeared, writing on the wall of the king’s palace: mene, mene, tekel, upharsin (numbered, numbered, weighed, divided). The king called upon Daniel, a Jew turned royal advisor, who interpreted it to mean that God intended the king and his kingdom to fall, and his days were numbered. He had been weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Despite appearances, God controls history. And, in time, He’ll prove it.
In a critical and unbelieving world, we can rest assured of God’s presence and protection if we remain faithful to Him, as did Daniel, who, despite tests and punishments, kept his faith intact.
SOMEONE CARES
5 Goals Attained
For players at Anchor of Hope Community Church, soccer is a symbol of hope.
101 8 What Am I Reading?
Learning to read the Bible for all its worth.
Alison sees volunteering at her local thrift store as retirement with a purpose.
12 Impossible Choices
When paying rent means skipping meals, The Salvation Army steps in.
16
Of One Heart
Through love, marriage, infertility and sickness, Erica and Damian Azak have found a home in each other.
22 Messy But Beautiful
As Ian Knight and his mother navigated her final journey, The Salvation Army was there for them.
This Easter, Snow White is a reminder that one day, our Prince will come.
The Salvation Army’s vocational training programs equip individuals with essential skills that help them enter the employment market.
Timeless Truths
If you’ve gotten anything by the skin of your teeth, wanted to travel to the four corners of the earth, thought that there’s nothing new under the sun or believed that the love of money is the root of all evil, you might be surprised to find out that you were actually quoting the Bible.
There are dozens of common sayings that originated in the Bible, and it shows how its influence on culture, society and even our everyday language has endured for thousands of years.
Starting this month, we are debuting a new series-“Phrase Be”-on the inside front cover, illustrating Bible phrases that have entered everyday conversation.
This new department nicely complements the second in a three-part series written by Salvation Army pastor Mal Davies on how to read the Bible for all its worth, and how to appreciate the world’s bestselling book.
“Knowing what you’re reading can help you come to grips with its timeless truths and advice,” he says.
Elsewhere in this month’s Faith & Friends, you’ll encounter a remarkable young couple from northwestern British Columbia. Through love and marriage, infertility and sickness, Damian and Erica Azak have found a home in each other. Now leaders at the Salvation Army church in Gitwinksihlkw, their love for each other remains as steadfast as their faith in God.
The Azaks’ love story is on page 16.
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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International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England
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Commissioner Lee Graves
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One Kick at a Time
The Salvation Army’s Anchor of Hope Community Church's indoor soccer program in Vancouver helps guide its players toward a future filled with promise
Solace on the Court
For Mohammad Yasin Jamali, a refugee haunted by the echoes of war in his homeland, soccer has become a sanctuary
Goals Attained
For the players at The Salvation Army’s Anchor of Hope in Vancouver, soccer is a symbol of hope.
by Giuliano Mendonca
Photos: Giuliano Mendonca
Here, age or skill level doesn’t matter; everyone is welcomed with open arms.
GIULIANO MENDONCA
Soccer, the beautiful game that transcends boundaries and unites people around the world, has become more than just a sport for the community gathered under the caring wings of Captain Carlos Cuellar, a pastor at The Salvation Army’s Anchor of Hope Community Church in Vancouver. His vision, ignited by a profound love for the game and a desire to foster unity, gave birth to an indoor soccer program in 2020.
Five years later, it’s still not about the goals scored or matches won, but about the profound impact it has on the lives it touches.
Soccer as Sanctuary
In the heart of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, among the clients of Salvation Army shelters, a diverse tapestry of humanity converges on the soccer field. Captain Carlos, eyes gleaming with hope, describes it as a melting pot of nationalities, where language barriers dissolve in the universal language of soccer. Whether from Afghanistan, Africa, South America or Central America, they find common ground, stitching bonds of camaraderie through every pass and goal.
Yet, challenges to continue the program keep on the mind. The scarcity of space and equipment, the ebb and flow of participants hindered by life’s demands—these are the hurdles they face. But within this arena, hope shines brighter. Here, age or skill level doesn’t matter; everyone is welcomed with open arms. The logistics are handled with care by the members of the church, ensuring that every participant feels valued and supported.
Each kick of the ball echoes a different story, a unique journey of resilience and hope. For Mohammad Yasin Jamali, a refugee haunted by the echoes of war in his homeland, soccer becomes a sanctuary. His eyes reflect a longing for his family left behind; among the chaos, he finds solace in the game, chasing dreams of a brighter future in Canada together.
One Kick at a Time
Alongside Mohammad stands Arash Mehrgan, whose life took turbulent turns before finding comfort in the game he loves. Starting as an entrepreneur, a knee injury led to an addiction to painkillers and, eventually, homelessness. Battling
Thumbs Up Arash Mehrgan’s life took turbulent turns before he found comfort in the game he loves
addiction and homelessness, he found redemption through the compassionate embrace of The Salvation Army and the healing power of soccer. Through sweat and determination, he is rebuilding his life, one kick at a time, supported by a community that understands his struggles.
Their stories intertwine on the field, weaving a tapestry of resilience and redemption. With every pass, they rewrite their narratives, turning despair into triumph, pain into joy.
On the court they find not only a relief from their troubles but also a glimpse of the possibilities that tomorrow holds.
For in the game of soccer, they find not only a means of escape but also a beacon of light guiding them toward a future filled with promise. And as they leave the gym, heads held high, they carry with them the belief that no matter the challenges they face, as long as they have hope to win this game of life, they can conquer anything that comes their way.
Giuliano Mendonca is the marketing and communications co-ordinator for The Salvation Army’s divisional headquarters in British Columbia. A journalist for more than a decade, he’s had newsroom experience in print and television, and has also worked as a communications consultant for private companies and the government. Giuliano is passionate about soccer, food and telling good stories.
Photo: Giuliano Mendonca
(left)
What Am I Reading? Learning
to read the Bible for all its worth.
by Mal Davies
In the second of a three-part series, Major Mal Davies talks about the world’s bestselling book—the Bible—and how to understand the genre of what you’re reading and the importance of context.
You might recall high school days when your locker contained a whole heap of books, often hastily thrown in there to the point that they deteriorated in condition and had covers falling off by the end of the year.
Before you went to the next period on your timetable, you’d grab whatever books you needed just for those classes. So, you might grab a novel for English, a math textbook,
a history book, a book of poetry or an atlas for geography.
The books were different styles or genres—from the French word for “kind” or “sort.”
Not One Book
The Bible is not one book written by one author. It is a collection of 66 books (more like a library) and it contains books of many different genres. It’s important to understand
The Bible is a fascinating collection of books within a book, and knowing what you’re reading can help you come to grips with its timeless truths and advice. MAL DAVIES
what genre of book you’re reading to have the proper context for how to read it.
Four books—named after their authors, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—are biographies that tell of the life of Jesus. They are followed by a history book called Acts; it tells of the “acts” of the followers of Jesus as they started a new religion called Christianity.
The Book of Acts captures a period of about 30 years after Jesus, and it tells of people called apostles starting churches, teaching about Jesus and confronting strong opposition from people who didn’t particularly want a new religion starting.
These apostles would travel a great deal and—long before emails and texting and phones existed—they would write letters to churches to offer them teaching and encouragement. And they would write letters to other church leaders. Many of these letters are in the Bible, giving us very intimate insight into what was said about Jesus and His teachings by people who had known Him.
Right Living
The first part of the Bible (known as the Old Testament) includes writings that were sacred for the people of Israel and instructional on how they should live—but there are different ways you can be instructional.
The first is that there are books of religious laws, books with titles like Leviticus and Deuteronomy, and then there are books of wisdom and advice, like Proverbs and Psalms. There are also books of lessons on how to live as God wants, written by people called “prophets,” people such as Isaiah and Jeremiah and Hosea and Micah.
All these books helped guide people on right living and right religious practice. There are also history books, like Judges and Joshua and Nehemiah. The Israelites were great students of history and honoured those who had gone before, so these history books helped to capture their culture and key events.
Some books also contained something called prophecy, which is when people—inspired by God— would see visions of future days and would warn the people of what was
Photo: jonchootc/stock.Adobe.com
to come and tell of what God had in store.
The best known of these books is the final one in the Bible, called Revelation. It captures the “revelation” (what was “revealed”) to a man called John, who wrote down what he saw in visions of the end times, still to come.
So, the Bible is a collection of different books written in different genres. It can help your understanding of what you’re reading
to know if, for example, it’s history (something that actually happened) or fictional (like the parables or teaching stories that Jesus told) or poetry or a personal letter.
The Bible is a fascinating collection of books within a book, and knowing what you’re reading can help you come to grips with its timeless truths and advice.
Happy reading!
Reprinted from Salvos Magazine (Australia), April 27, 2024 (salvosonline.org.au/salvos-magazine)
(left)
Major Mal Davies is a Salvation Army pastor and writer living in Australia.
“I’m
The Book Lady
Alison sees volunteering with The Salvation Army as retirement with a purpose.
by Juan Romero
Many retirees struggle to find ways to fill their newfound free time. But Alison, a volunteer at the Salvation Army thrift store in Richmond Hill, Ont., did not face this challenge.
Helping the Community
Alison was interested in volunteer work that would allow her to contribute to the community. She found a perfect place to do so at the Army.
“The Salvation Army does a lot of good work,” Alison says. She began volunteering at her local thrift store because she had previously managed a small charity shop in Great Britain. Alison thought her experience would ease her transition into the new role.
Being a volunteer has made a positive impact on Alison’s life.
“It’s given me a purpose,” she adds. “I feel that I’m helping the community, and I’m working with people.”
Giving Back
For nearly three years, Alison has been a familiar face at the thrift store, volunteering three times a week. Her main role consists of taking care of the book donations. For this reason, she is affectionally known as the “Book Lady” by fellow staff members and customers.
For Alison, providing access to goods at a reasonable price is important. “People in the community need to have access to inexpensive and unusual goods.”
Whenever she finds an old gem, she lets her supervisor know, and that item is showcased at the front for people to find easily.
Alison enjoys her role at the thrift store and plans to be a part of The Salvation Army for as long as she can.
“As long as I have my health, I want to continue volunteering,” she says. “More people should try to give back.”
Book Lover
helping the community, and I’m working with people,” says Alison of her volunteer effort with The Salvation Army
Impossible Choices
WHEN PAYING RENT MEANS SKIPPING
MEALS, THE SALVATION ARMY STEPS IN.
When Shirley McDougall’s husband was injured at work in the 1990s and they needed a little extra help to feed their seven children and buy them new clothes for school while waiting on his workers’ compensation, she turned to the Wiarton, Ont., Salvation Army for help.
Now, living on a small widow’s pension that’s often not enough to cover all her basic needs, Shirley says The Salvation Army has again been helping her make ends meet. She’s turned to the food bank when her pension hasn’t stretched far enough to cover rent, bills and groceries; and her Salvation Army caseworker has helped her negotiate a back-rent payment plan with the housing provider, and provided financial support to help her purchase a new pair of glasses.
“I don’t know what I would do without them,” says Shirley. “Right now, my rent’s paid and my bills are mostly paid, but that’s what most of my money goes toward.”
Challenging Times
Major Mary Millar, the pastor at the Salvation Army church in Wiarton, says the public often make unrealistic assumptions about people who need support from a food bank or shelter.
“It’s not people who are not trying,” she says. “I’ll talk to people who are making minimum wage and pull me aside with tears in their eyes to say, ‘Could I get some help because my mom is sick, and we’ve been driving her down to London, Ont., and the costs have been significant?’ Or people who aren’t getting paid when they’re not working and have been off sick for 10 days with no income.”
Even though inflation has slowed, and the Bank of Canada has started to cut interest rates, many Canadians are still struggling with cost-of-living pressures, according to a recent Salvation Army survey of more than 1,500 Canadians. One in four respondents said they were extremely concerned about having enough income to cover their basic needs.
Hard at Work
Lesley Oliver works at the Salvation Army’s food bank in Wiarton, Ont., one of the many social services the organization offers, which includes thrift stores, shelters, substance-use rehabilitation, after-school programs, camps and school nutrition programs
Finding Comfort
“We see people are making steps and we help them continue up that ladder,” says Major Mary Millar, at The Salvation Army church in Wiarton, here with a client
Three quarters said they faced challenges with food security. While purchasing discounted food items or shopping at discount retailers was the most common coping strategy, a notable 44 percent were cutting back on their groceries to pay other bills and stretch their money for the month, and 26 percent said they were skipping or reducing the size of meals—up from 21 percent in October 2023. One quarter also said they were eating less so their children or other family members could eat.
Overcoming Barriers
“It’s no secret that many Canadians are feeling increasingly squeezed by factors beyond their control,” says Lt-Colonel John Murray, territorial secretary for communications at The Salvation Army. “We have more families seeking assistance than ever before, and we’re acutely aware of the impossible choices they’re having to make.”
There has also been a “significant shift” in the types of clients seeking out The Salvation Army’s services since the pandemic, Lt-Colonel John says, with a far greater share of firsttime users, particularly families and single parents.
The Salvation Army is one of Canada’s largest direct providers of social services. Last year alone, it provided more than 5,500 shelter beds and distributed 3.2 million meals across the 400 communities in which it operates. It also helped 2.1 million Canadians with essen-
tials, including food and clothing. By the time people show up at The Salvation Army, they’ve often already had to make “impossible choices” to stretch their limited resources, and some are dealing with the “very real possibility of being made homeless,” all of which take a major toll on their physical and mental health, Lt-Colonel John says.
He says The Salvation Army is working to reduce poverty through programs that help them overcome barriers to employment and stable housing.
“Amazing Partners”
In addition to its food banks, thrift store and shelter services, The Salvation Army runs a wide range of social services programs, including substance-use rehabilitation, afterschool programs and camps, school nutrition programs, life skills and more.
Its Pathway of Hope program provides support from a dedicated caseworker to Canadians trying to achieve goals, such as getting their driver’s license, finding stable housing, earning their high school diploma, enrolling in a college or university program, or regaining custody of a child. Graduates of the program are paired with a mentor who can continue to support them.
“We see people are making steps and we help them continue up that ladder. It’s been smashingly successful,” says Major Mary.
“We have more families seeking assistance than ever before, and we’re acutely aware of the impossible choices they’re having to make.”
LT-COLONEL JOHN MURRAY
NATIONAL STATISTICS 2023
MILLION
112,000
3 school meals provided
438,000
Visits to community and family services for food and nonfood services such as school supplies and baby products
1.1 MILLION
Shelter, addictions, detox, and mental health beds provided each night
5,500
1,158 long-term care and supportive housing beds provided visits for Christmas assistance including food hampers and toys
170,952 community meals were distributed
3.2 MILLION nutritional snacks and other food items provided
Source: The Salvation Army
She notes that many people who turn to the organization feel ashamed of their circumstances and of needing help, and staff work to make them feel welcome, valued and supported.
Support from philanthropic partners has been crucial to The Salvation Army’s work, Lt-Colonel John says. In Wiarton, grants, donations and partnerships with other agencies have powered crucial social services, including a dental
Reprinted from The Globe and Mail, November 15, 2024 visits made to The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda for assistance
clinic, back-to-school backpack program for children, food hampers for families, summer camps and literacy programs for children, and the organization’s community garden.
“We have some amazing partners,” Major Mary says. “It’s one of the reasons we can do as much as we do.”
Love Story Erica and Damian Azak enjoy the beauty that surrounds them in Gitwinksihlkw, B.C.
Of
One Heart
THROUGH LOVE, MARRIAGE, INFERTILITY AND SICKNESS, ERICA AND DAMIAN AZAK HAVE FOUND A HOME IN EACH OTHER.
by Giselle Randall
HUGAXAT WIL LUUT’AAYY. Although Erica Greenham didn’t know the words, she understood their meaning. Damian Azak was on bended knee, holding a ring. She said yes.
Two Lives
Erica is from Twillingate, N.L., a small coastal town.
“It’s just cliffs and ocean and wind,” she says. She remembers her childhood as magical, with loving parents, lots of outdoor adventures and family and friends around the table. As a sixth-generation member of The Salvation Army, she was involved in many traditional church activities. While studying at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John’s, N.L., she was part of the Army’s student fellowship, where she knew people who had worked at The Salvation Army’s Camp Mountainview in British Columbia.
Photo: CMA zak Photography
“I filled out an application because I had never seen a mountain,” she laughs, remembering her motivation for seeking a summer job on the west coast of Canada. She already had another job lined up when she was offered a position at Camp Mountainview.
“It made no sense, but I said yes,” she says.
Damian is from Gitwinksihlkw, a Nisga’a village in the Nass River valley of northwestern British Columbia, where he was raised with the cultural values of Sayt-K'ilimGoot (of one heart)—the philosophy of the common bowl. He also grew up in The Salvation Army, which is an integral part of the community. As a young adult, he faced the serious consequences of alcohol
abuse, but turned his life over to God.
“Since then, I’ve been on a journey with the Creator and Jesus,” he says.
In 2002, Damian accepted a position at Camp Mountainview, and met Erica.
A New Friendship
It wasn’t love at first sight. When they first met, Erica was sick, tired and a little overwhelmed from travelling across the country to work at Camp Mountainview for the summer—and her name was spelled wrong on the welcome sign Damian was holding at the airport.
Still, as they spent time together over the next few months, a friendship started to grow.
“I’ve worked at a lot of different
The Call of the Drum Erica participates in The Salvation Army’s annual Celebration of Culture powwow at Pine Lake Camp in Alberta as part of the Four Crest Dancers
camps over the years, and that summer’s staff stands out as a group that really connected, encouraged and supported each other,” says Erica. “There weren’t any sparks with Damian, but I liked being around him. He was caring and always himself.”
“We were both into hockey,” Damian remembers. “She’s beautiful and just fun to be around.”
When Erica returned to Newfoundland and Labrador at the end of the summer, they stayed in touch.
Home Again
“I think I always knew he was going to be important in my life,” Erica recalls. “We’re very different people, but it didn’t matter—because it
always felt like family. It always felt like home.”
A few years later, when Erica decided to return to university for a teaching degree, she chose the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George.
Damian was working in Gitwinksihlkw, but often drove eight hours one way to spend time with Erica and other friends on the weekend.
“It was worth it,” he says, smiling. Eventually, he asked her on a date. He proposed in 2008, with words in the Nisga’a language: Hugaxat wil luut’aayy (It feels like home to me).
Miraculous Love
After getting married, Erica and Damian lived in Terrace, B.C.,
Photos: Giselle Randall
A Time to Dance Damian leads the Grand Entry at the Celebration of Culture powwow at Pine Lake Camp in Alberta
Happy Family
Damian and Erica, with Tory and Judy. “I wouldn‘t be who I‘m supposed to be without him,” says Erica of Damian. “He‘s taught me a lot about love”
ERIKA Welcome!
Damian holding his misspelled airport sign
for a couple of years, then returned to Camp Mountainview as leaders. Around this time, they started struggling with infertility.
“It was a difficult time in our lives,” says Erica. “I always wanted to be a mom. There were years of medical interventions and lots of heartbreak and frustration. Then we moved jobs and communities again. It was just struggle after struggle.”
Erica admits there were times when she was angry with God,
especially when she saw children in harm’s way.
“I knew children and families where things weren’t great—and I thought, How is this OK , God?” she says. “What God said to me was, You care for what I’ve entrusted to you. So, whether it’s kids at camp or kids I work with in the community, I care for them and love them as best I can, as God calls me to. I trust the rest of it to God, believing that He loves children more than I do.”
Photo:
Courtesy of Damian and Erica Azak
Photo: CMA zak Photography
“When you’re not sure if your partner is going to live, or how long they’re going to live … it made me realize how precious life is, and to just cherish every moment.”
ERICA AZAK
In 2013, they moved to Gitwinksihlkw to lead the Salvation Army church. Soon after, Tory came into their lives and, later, Judy.
“When there were children in our extended family who needed a home, they came to live with us,” says Erica. “Tory calls us Auntie and Biip (uncle). Judy calls us Mom and Dad. When I look at our two girls, having them in our lives is miraculous.”
Good Out of the Bad
In 2021, Damian was diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, in his left leg. They spent five weeks in Prince George, along with many trips to Vancouver, for treatment and surgeries. For a year afterward, he needed a walker.
Says Erica, “When you’re not sure if your partner is going to live, or how long they’re going to live … I know it’s cliché, but it made me realize how precious life is, and to just cherish every moment.”
During this time, one of the things that sustained her was getting out on the land to connect with God.
“Things I prayed for, I saw answered,” she says. “I felt God’s presence the whole way.”
Damian has now been cancerfree for three years. As he looks back on his life, he sees God at work.
“Cancer is not a blessing, but being in Prince George meant we were able to spend time with Judy before bringing her home,” he says. “God is in every part of my life, bringing good out of bad.”
Steadfast Love
Erica describes Damian as the greatest gift of her life.
“I wouldn’t be who I’m supposed to be without him,” she says. “He’s taught me a lot about love.
“Scripture tells us that God doesn’t change, love doesn’t change—and Damian exemplifies that. Through everything—job difficulties, infertility, cancer—as well as all the good things, such as our girls coming into our lives, no matter what’s going on, his love remains steadfast.
“It’s just home.”
Better Times Than These Ian Knight and his mother, Katharyn
Photo: Courtesy of Ian Knight
Messy But Beautiful
AS IAN KNIGHT AND HIS MOTHER
NAVIGATED HER FINAL JOURNEY, THE SALVATION ARMY WAS THERE FOR THEM.
by Giselle Randall
When the doorbell rang that night at 9 p.m., Ian Knight had an uneasy feeling.
It was a Sunday evening in December, and he and his wife, Meagan, had already settled their one-year-old daughter into bed.
Life was busy. An outreach worker at The Salvation Army’s Gateway, an emergency shelter in Toronto, Ian was on the front line in responding to the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. He had also been caring and advocating for his mother, Katharyn, who was in declining health. There was a gift under their Christmas tree for her—a beautiful blanket, because she was often cold.
As he opened the door and saw a police officer, his heart sank. He knew immediately that it was about his mom.
Sad News
Ian grew up in Oshawa, Ont., in a
rough part of town, with poverty, addiction and mental-health issues all around him. His parents divorced when he was young, and his mother was later diagnosed with schizophrenia. For many years, he was estranged from most of his family. But when his older brother, Jonathan, became a Christian in his university years, Ian saw a change in him.
“I saw how broken relationships were repaired,” Ian says. “I wanted something different. I wanted peace.”
Over time, he began his own journey of faith and became part of Sanctuary, a church and community in Toronto that seeks to share life with people who are poor and marginalized. From there, he joined The Salvation Army’s Gateway as a front-line worker. For the past several years, he has been part of the outreach team, caring for people who live outside.
“It means meeting people where they are, whether it’s a tent in a park, under a bridge, in the woods or at Tim Hortons,” he says. “Our focus is to find people and help them with housing. Some don’t want help, so we just offer community and friendship.”
But when the pandemic hit, the team was called back to the front line of shelter work. And with a new baby, born just a few months earlier, life was about getting through each day.
In September, he hadn’t been in touch with his mom for a while when his grandmother called.
“She said she was in bad shape,” he recalls. “She had always struggled with her mental health—she’d be good and then decline—and had diabetes. She wasn’t caring for herself and had lost close to a hundred pounds.”
Rebuilding a Relationship
Ian took her to the hospital, where she was stabilized and then admitted to a mental-health ward for a couple of weeks. But he knew that wasn’t enough—she couldn’t go back to her apartment.
“I’ve been in some really bad apartments through my work, and this was probably the worst I’ve ever seen,” he says.
She needed a safe place to stay while getting back on her feet, but shelter beds were in short supply. Although he found it difficult to ask for help, Ian felt God’s presence with
him as he spoke up on her behalf and with the support he received from colleagues.
“A bed came up the day we needed it,” he says. “Something like that—it’s God-given.”
By October, his mom was staying in a room overseen by The Salvation Army’s Florence Booth House, a shelter for women experiencing homelessness in Toronto. Ian saw her weekly to help with banking, doctor’s appointments or just for coffee. As they started to rebuild a relationship, they celebrated her birthday together, along with his brother, with pizza and cake.
“It was the first time in probably 15 years,” he says.
She was still underweight and struggling with her mental health. She didn’t say a lot, but she listened and nodded. She remembered many details and conversations from their childhoods. It was hard, and it was good.
Passing Away With Dignity
And then the police came to his door one Sunday evening, about six weeks later.
“It was right out of a movie,” says Ian. “I just wish it wasn’t my story.”
The police told him that his mother had passed away early that morning, found by shelter workers as they dropped off breakfast. She died of complications from diabetes.
“She was just too sick at the end,” Ian says. “Her body didn’t have time to catch up.”
“She passed away with dignity. She was found right away. It’s a deep, God-given comfort.”
IAN KNIGHT
It was devastating news, especially since they had just started reconnecting. With pandemic restrictions and no vaccine, she hadn’t even met his daughter yet. But he took comfort in the way the last few months of her life unfolded.
“I knew where she was. I knew I could get a hold of her if I needed to. I knew she was safe, that she would be eating healthy meals,” he says. “I’m forever grateful to The Salvation Army for her receiving that care until she died.”
He knows things could have been different.
“If she had died at home, it could have been weeks before she was found, with her living situation the way it was,” he says. “She passed away
with dignity. She was found right away. It’s a deep, God-given comfort.”
A Healing Process
It took Ian time to recover from the stress of this difficult season and to grieve his mother’s loss. Part of the healing process has been for him to tell the story and celebrate her life, even though it wasn’t always an easy relationship.
In his early years of working with people experiencing homelessness, Ian attended a conference where a spoken-word artist described this vocation as “messy, and beautiful.”
It’s how he describes this time in his life, too. It was tragic, hard and God was there.
“It was really messy, but beautiful.”
Photo: Courtesy
In theatres March 21, Snow White is a live-action reimagining of Walt Disney’s 1937 animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Snow White (Rachel Zegler, West Side Story) is a beautiful young princess who shows kindness to everyone. After her mother dies, her father, the king, remarries a coldhearted woman (Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman). Not long after, her father dies unexpectedly, leaving her in the care of her stepmother, the Evil Queen, who is desperately jealous of Snow White’s beauty.
“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” the Evil Queen asks her talking mirror each morning. When the mirror responds
Apple of His Eye
This Easter, Snow White is a reminder that one day, our Prince will come.
by Diane Stark
with her stepdaughter’s name, the Evil Queen decides that Snow White must die. Snow White flees into the woods, where she meets and befriends the seven dwarfs.
Snow White is happy living with the dwarfs, but she is worried for her people. Her father was a benevolent king, but the Evil Queen is heartless. “This was my father’s kingdom, but the queen changed everything,” Snow White says. “The queen stole everything from all of us. It’s time to restore our kingdom.”
But to do that, Snow White will not only have to contend with her stepmother’s trickery and cruelty but with a poisoned apple that could spell her very end.
Just One Bite
Snow White is not the first story in which an apple gets people into trouble.
Thousands of years ago, God created Adam and Eve, and He intended for them to live in the Garden of Eden and commune with Him every day. Everything was perfect until Adam and Eve broke the only rule God gave them. A serpent convinced Eve to eat an apple from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and then Eve gave it to Adam to eat.
The decision introduced sin into the world, and that changed everything. Adam and Eve had to leave the garden and were not allowed to return. Falling for the serpent’s scheme—one bite of forbidden fruit—cost Adam and Eve the beautiful life God had intended for them. That one sin created a rift between God and man.
As White as Snow
Just as Snow White couldn’t change her situation after she ate the poisoned apple, there was nothing we—as flawed human beings— could do to repair the damage our sin had caused. But despite that, God still loved us and wanted a relationship with us. This meant that He had to bridge the gap with the ultimate act of love.
But it wasn’t a kiss from a prince, as in Snow White. No, fixing our sin problem required a sacrifice from the only perfect person who ever lived. The Prince of Peace, God’s only Son, Jesus, died a violent, painful death on a cross. It was a punishment that we deserved, but He took it on our behalf.
“The queen stole everything from all of us. It’s time to restore our kingdom.”
SNOW WHITE
Jesus died and then rose from the dead three days later. His Resurrection defeated death and sin and created a path back to God for each of us. All we have to do is accept Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. When we do, God gives us a clean slate. It’s like our sin is erased and never happened. Because of Jesus, we can have a relationship with God and spend eternity with Him in heaven.
Our own Prince washes away our sins and leaves us white as snow (see Isaiah 1:18).
Eating Healthy With Erin
EASY SPLIT-PEA SOUP WITH CROUTONS
TIME 1 hr MAKES 6 servings SERVE WITH salad
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
250 ml (1 cup) yellow onion, chopped
500 ml (2 cups) carrot, chopped
500 ml (2 cups) celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves
500 ml (2 cups) white potato, peeled and diced
250 ml (1 cup) yellow split peas
250 ml (1 cup) green split peas
5 ml (1 tsp) dried thyme
2.5 ml (½ tsp) dried marjoram
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
2.5 ml (½ tsp) black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 L (8 cups) low sodium vegetable broth
250 ml (1 cup) sliced ham
30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh parsley
500-750 ml (2-3 cups) croutons
1. Add olive oil, onions, carrots and celery to a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté for 4 minutes. Add garlic and potatoes and sauté together for another minute.
2. Add peas, thyme, marjoram, salt, pepper and a bay leaf and sauté together for a minute.
3. Add broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a low simmer and continue to cook for 50 minutes.
4. Remove lid from soup, add ham and continue to cook while stirring for 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with fresh parsley and croutons.
CITRUS VINAIGRETTE COLESLAW
TIME 5 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH split-pea soup
37 ml (2½ tbsp) rice vinegar
45 ml (3 tbsp) orange juice
5 ml (1 tsp) maple syrup
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
750 ml (3 cups) green cabbage, shredded
250 ml (1 cup) purple cabbage, shredded
125 ml (½ cup) carrot, shredded
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt
2.5 ml (½ tsp) black pepper
1. Combine vinegar, orange juice and maple syrup in a bowl and whisk. Slowly add in olive oil while whisking.
2. Add green and purple cabbage, carrots, salt and black pepper, and stir to mix well.
QUICK QUIZ
Word Search
Anniversary, Cinderella
GLASS
Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Productions
Transforming Lives
Major Mary Ratnasingh, a Salvation Army social services officer, at work with a woman in Sri Lanka. The Salvation Army’s vocational training programs equip individuals with essential skills, such as sewing, that help them enter the employment market. Through this training, youths and adults can earn a sustainable income, providing a fresh start for themselves and their families.
Help Provide Food and Shelter to Those in Need
People across Canada continue to struggle to meet basic needs. More than half of food bank users are accessing services for the first time. Parents are especially affected, often cutting back on food to ensure their children are fed.
The Salvation Army is one of the largest non-governmental direct providers of social services in Canada. With your support, neighbours in need can have reliable access to food and safe shelter.
Make a life-changing difference today.
Visit SalvationArmy.ca or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY to donate.
