January 2023
Message from the International Personnel Liaison Officer
Greetings from the International Personnel Office. Thank you for your ongoing support of our personnel from Canada & Bermuda serving outside of their home territory.
This past year, 10 officers moved to international appointments (Brenda & David Allen, April Barthau & Marco Herrera-Lopizic, Chad & Lisa Cole, Andrew & Darlene Morgan, Eddie & Genevera Vincent). Two couples already serving internationally were transferred to new appointments at IHQ (Grant & Lauren Effer and Ian & Wendy Swan) bringing the total of Canadian trained officers at International Headquarters to 12! How grateful we are for your prayer support for the impact our officers may have throughout the world.
Below you will find the latest updates as well as thank you notes received from those whom you support with your prayers and monetary gifts. But first a couple of reminders:
Territorial Missionary Focus Facebook Page
Once per week we continue to post the most recent prayer requests received from our sisters and brothers serving far away from home. It provides a well-timed reminder to intercede for them each Wednesday at 8AM Eastern Standard Time. You can help increase this prayer support by following, liking, commenting and sharing this page. Here is the link:
Territorial Missionary Focus Facebook Page
Online Donation Site Activated
The dedicated online Territorial Missionary Focus Offering site has been updated. This will enable you to continue your financial support and track the progress towards our goal. The Mission goes on, the need for support is even greater. Feel free to share this link with anyone you know who may be interested in supporting our international personnel Here is the link:
Territorial Missionary Focus - Offering
For those not online, mailed-in donations will always be gladly received.
Ministry Highlights and Prayer Requests
LT.-COLONELS ANDREW & DARLENE MORGAN
Andrew and Darlene arrived in Rome in September 2022 to begin their ministry as Leaders of the Italy & Greece Command.
Ministry Highlights
• Being able to meet every officer and ministry unit in the Command in our first few months! This provided tremendous opportunity to help us begin to understand the people, needs and complexities of the Command.
• The joy, passion, loyalty and zeal for The Salvation Army and the Lord displayed in officers and soldiers! Their great desire for people to know Jesus and to advance the work of the Army is evident and matched with action.
Prayer Requests
• Please pray for wisdom. We need the Lord’s perspective and guidance for things spiritual and temporal in the Command:
o missional use of the Command’s limited financial resources
o shortage of officers to fill all available appointments
• God’s continued work of calling people to himself and to full-time ministry
• Continued language learning. Comprehension is growing each day; the ability to speak freely is a slower process but we are making progress!
We are grateful and amazed at God’s provision for us, our family, and the Italy & Greece Command. Join us in praising Him for his goodness! We should never be surprised!
LIEUTENANTS APRIL BARTHAU & MARCO HERRERA-LOPIZIC
April and Marco arrived in Port Moresby (PNG) in February 2022. They write:
Update
After 1 year and 5 months of Officership and 9 months of ministry in Papua New Guinea we can re-affirm that God is always faithful. When we first arrived in PNG in 2016 as lay workers we did not expect to come back again as Officers. While we understood the great need of the country, we also knew that God could put us in any place He needs us. We now understand that God continues to prepare and equip us for His ministry.
Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are one of the most undeveloped countries in the world. The lack of basic services is a common denominator of the pacific countries. In our current appointments we can help in a little way to develop the communities where The Salvation Army is currently working. April is the Territorial Development Officer and Social Justice Officer. She overseas 3 House of Hope (safe houses and drop-in centers) for women who suffer Gender Base Violence and other types of stigma and discrimination. She also oversees the Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Response and Restorative Justice programs. Part of her Development role is to oversee projects, community development, and respond to emergencies. One of the projects is funded by the Australian Government through the Church Partnership Program (CPP). It looks at capacity development and some key programmes like literacy and skills training.
My role as the Territorial Health Director is to oversee our 28 health facilities and Nursing School.
We currently have 7 main health facilities, 20 aid post and 1 stand-alone HIV Clinic. It is particularly challenging to run medical clinic without funds. The government of Australia through CHS (Christian Health Services) started paying our staff in 2022. There is little support from the government to run programs and outreach activities done by these Clinic. We are always grateful for resources receive from USAAID, CPP, International development support from the Canada & Bermuda Territory and other IHQ Projects that allow us to go one step further in the care of the people of Papua New Guinea. Our Nursing school educates 40 new Community Health workers (CHW) every year. These students are highly required in our remote health facilities. After 2 years of education, we send them out with the best knowledge about community care and health in PNG. My second role in the development office helps me connect the health project with the health department and supervise projects in the Solomon Islands. Of course, we also both enjoy every opportunity to provide health care teaching and direct care of patients both in the community and ensuring that Officers health is prioritized.
Our greatest joy and ministry is our little family. Hadassah (5) and Elijah (1) are growing fast, but we are happy to see their joy in life and their personalities emerging. We thank God that He has been faithful, that He has blessed us abundantly, and that He continues to keep us all safe and healthy. Hadassah has many friends at school and after school in the compound where we live. Elijah has many aunties and bubus (grandparents) that take care of him.
2nd Photo: Onamuga Health Center - Infection Control Training, medical support, and mentorship, and visit to the new Maternity Ward project (Opening early 2023)
Challenges / Prayer Topics:
We pray for His continued guidance and wisdom to lead our current work to what He wants to achieve.
Pray for health and safety. In a remote country like PNG health care is not guaranteed, we have to trust that God is with us and that he takes care for us.
Pray for family and friends who are missing us back home (Canada and Chile) and whom we also miss.
Pray for more opportunities and partnership with other NGO’s to help in the development of these countries.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to keep moving people towards God and to follow Him into ministry as Officers or lay workers.
COLONELS EDDIE & GENEVERA VINCENT
Eddie & Genevera arrived in Los Angeles in September 2022 to begin their first international appointment.
Highlights of Ministry
We are blessed to serve in a beautiful location that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. The spectacular sunsets we view from our home are constant reminders of the beauty of God’s creation. More than that, is the beauty of God’s people with whom we are privileged to serve. We have been overwhelmed with the warm welcome to the territory and are delighted to have opportunity to travel to the varied locations that are all different and special. We have been blessed to hear stories of transformation, which speaks to the effective ministry happening in many of our locations. An added blessing is the fact that THQ is located on the same campus as the CFOT, allowing us the opportunity to connect regularly with the Cadets and Staff and get to know them in a more intimate manner. We have been here for just a short time, but we look forward to being used of God in the coming years to provide leadership and service to the fabulous USA Western Territory.
Prayer Requests
On a personal note, we ask for prayer for our aging parents who are experiencing health challenges. The challenge of living so far away during family sickness is a reality for us.
From an appointment perspective, we seek prayer for wisdom and guidance as we support the Territorial Leaders in leading through challenging times. The social issues that confront us are beyond our capacity to resolve, but we know we have a huge role to play in meeting the needs of our community. This territory has some of the largest populations of people living with homelessness, so we are actively involved with various government agencies to address this crisis. We also ask for prayer for good health and protection as we engage in significant travel throughout the territory.
LT.-COLONELS GRANT & LAUREN EFFER
Grant & Lauren were transferred from the France Territory to International Headquarters, beginning their new roles in August 2022.
Prayer Requests
• Health and strength for our work and travel schedules.
• Strong connection with family and friends while away from Canada and that they will have a blessed Christmas season
• For Grant and the International Audit Team, prayers for Lt.-Colonel Cheryl Carpenter (Australia) following the death of Bruce, her husband, a member of the International Audit Team and for safety and resources for the audit team given the challenges that present in many territories.
• For Lauren and the International Program Department for the ongoing development of programs that can have significant mission impact globally.
LT.-COLONELS DAVID & MARSHA-JEAN BOWLES
David and Marsha are the Corps Officers of the Berlin South-West Corps. David sent the following update:
Highlights
Three areas stand out as we reflect on our ministry in 2022.
Ukraine Help - during the first wave of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine (March – July), our Corps put together a team with a dual focus:
• We supported by providing tables/benches, heaters, pavilions, personnel, training, moral & spiritual support to the volunteers greeting and assisting refugees 24/7 (mostly women and children) arriving by train and bus at our local train station (BerlinSüdkreuz/Berlin South Cross)
• We setup emergency overnight accommodation in our building for up to 25 persons. Fortunately, we have showers, a washing machine and two kitchens in the corps. Over the five months we hosted 112 persons who stayed a total of 479 nights with us.
• Additionally, we were able to host a family of three adults in our quarters for a month.
Cargo Bike Ministry – in the summer we received the first of two donated electric cargo bicycles which we used weekly to bring refreshment and conversation to lonely people sitting in the parks of our neighbourhood. When the weather turned cold, we began using the bike to deliver Shelter Suits (a sleeping bag/winter coat combination) to the homeless.
Small Groups (Online) – we are pleased that participation in Bible Study/Conversation groups has increased through hybrid (face-to-face and internet) and full online meetings. Included is an English Bible Study every Sunday evening, which is fully online, and a weekly Men’s Bible Conversation, which is half and half. Video technology (MS-Teams and Zoom) has enabled us discuss Scripture with people who otherwise would not be able to attend such a group (e.g.: young families and seniors).
Prayer Requests
• Continued growth in the joy of my salvation.
• Our family (kids & grand kids) living in Leipzig GER, Manchester UK, Mayne Island, BC.
• Bringing unsaved into the Kingdom
Thank You Notes
Here are a few of the Thank You notes from our international personnel upon receiving the TMF Christmas Gifts:
Please convey my appreciation to the TMF for their continued interest, prayers, and support that reminds us of home and folk we know and cherish.
As we continue to better understand our new appointments we are convinced more and more of the world’s need of saving grace and an intimate relationship with God.
We pray that this Season of Celebration will draw others into conversations about the Christ Child. With warmest personal greetings and best wishes for the holidays.
Ian Swan, Colonel
Thank you so much for your email and this generous gift. We are feeling very blessed and will use the gift to bless others through “Gifts of Hope”.
Genevera Vincent, Colonel
Thank you for your email and for the beautiful Christmas gift from the Territorial Missionary Fund! That is so kind and I am very grateful. Please pass my thank you & God’s blessings on to those who have given to this fund in support of us Canadians who are serving overseas!
Rosalie Peddle, Commissioner
International
Personnel – January 2023
ALLEN, Major Brenda
Learning Pathways Coordinator
ALLEN, Major David Secretary for Leader Development INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
BARTHAU, Lieutenant April
Territorial Development Officer & Social Justice Officer
HERRERA-LOPIZIC, Lieutenant Marco
Territorial Director for Health Services & Associate development Officer
With Haddy & Elijah PAPUA NEW GUINEA WITH SOLOMON ISLANDS TERRITORY
BOWLES, Lt. Colonels David & Marsha-Jean Corps Officers – Berlin South-West Corps GERMANY, LITHUANIA & POLAND TERRITORY
BUNGAY, Commissioner Deborah
Territorial President of Women’s Ministries
BUNGAY, Commissioner Wayne
Territorial Commander
ZIMBABWE & BOTSWANA TERRITORY (WITH MADAGASCAR)
COLE, Captains Chad & Lisa
Corps Officers – Brimbank Corps – Victoria Division
With Ginny & Connor
AUSTRALIA TERRITORY
EFFER, Lt.-Colonel Grant
Chief International Auditor
EFFER, Lt.-Colonel Lauren
Under Secretary for Programme Resources Department
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
GRAVES, Commissioner Deborah
IHQ Chaplain & City of London Liaison Officer
GRAVES, Commissioner Lee
International Secretary for Business Administration
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
MCMILLAN, Commissioner Susan
International Audit & Finance Specialist
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
MORGAN, Lt.-Colonel Andrew Officer Commanding
Morgan, Lt.-Colonel Darlene
Command President of Women’s Ministries
ITALY & GREECE COMMAND
PEDDLE, General Brian General
PEDDLE, Commissioner Rosalie
World President of Women’s Ministries
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
SENTER, Major Royal
International Financial Accounting Standards Training & Deployment
Team Lead (Administration)
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
SWAN, Colonels Ian & Wendy
International Social Justice Commission – Directors
SWAN, Colonel Wendy
Chair of the International Moral & Social Issues Council
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
VINCENT, Colonel Eddie
Chief Secretary
VINCENT, Colonel Genevera
Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries
USA WESTERN TERRITORY
VINCENT, Lt.-Colonel Morris
Chief Secretary
VINCENT, Lt.-Colonel Wanda
Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries & Territorial Secretary for Program CARIBBEAN TERRITORY