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 has been an exciting Summer. After months of preparation, three officers joined the international personnel community: Lt.-Colonel Elizabeth Nelson, now the territorial commander for the Bangladesh Territory and Majors Colin and Maureen Bain who are serving as Corps Officers, Lurgan Corps, Northern Ireland, UK & Ireland Territory. A lay person has received her “appointment” and we are hard at work on her visa and work permit hoping she will be able to travel to her assigned post as of October 1st. Name and post will be shared in our next newsletter. Please uphold her in your prayers.
In response to a sudden and time sensitive need, Commissioner Susan McMillan who was serving internationally but based in Canada had a change of appointment which required her to move to the United Kingdom within two weeks! She is now the IHQ Head of Finance (UK Operations). Lt. Colonel Lauren Effer also had a change of appointment within IHQ and she is now the IHQ Chaplain and City of London Liaison. Please pray for both as they engage with their new responsibilities.
Six officers returned home from international service: General Brian & Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, retired as of August 1, 2023; Lt. Colonels Morris & Wanda Vincent, who will be serving in BC as Divisional Secretary and Divisional Secretary for Officer Personnel respectively as of September 1st; and Commissioners Deborah and Lee Graves who are our new territorial leaders also as of September 1st.
Below you will find the latest updates, thank you notes received from those whom you support with your prayers and monetary gifts, an updated list and their mailing addresses. 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
We will be sending our international personnel a small monetary Christmas gift early December. If you wish to contribute toward it, please note 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. You can mail your donation to The Salvation Army – Territorial Headquarters, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, ON M4H 1P4, Attention: Major Pauline Gruer-Caulfield.
Ministry Highlights and Prayer Requests
LT.-COLONELS ELIZABETH NELSON
Elizabeth arrived in Dhaka, Bangladesh mid-June 2023 to assume her responsibilities as the Territorial Commander. Even before leaving Canada, while waiting for visa approval, Elizabeth was fulfilling her responsibilities remotely despite a 10-hour time difference. Some decisions could not wait until she would be there in person.
Among its various ministries Bangladesh counts with 32 Corps and 28 outposts, community capacity building projects especially for vulnerable women and children, medical centres specializing in TB and Leprosy, homes for girls and for visually impaired boys and Sally Ann programs which employs 750. Some of the items produced by the Sally Ann project under the brand Others may be purchased through the Supplies and Purchasing Store. Here is the link: Others
We asked Elizabeth to share about herself, Bangladesh, and her most pressing prayer requests:
About herself
Serving internationally is a familiar thing for me, having grown up in the Caribbean with my family. My calling came as a child while we were living in Jamaica. I was 11 years old when I went forward in a congress meeting to say God was calling me to officership. After I finished my nursing training, I had the privilege of serving internationally in Bangladesh for five years before returning to Canada to prepare for training college. I returned to Bangladesh after training college and served in the UK at International Headquarters.
About Bangladesh
Coming back to Bangladesh has been a little bit like ‘coming home’. I had several significant God-moments in my life during the time I served here. It is a privilege to return and continue investing in the Lord’s work here and being refined by the Lord through the process.
It is hard to say what I am most looking forward to as there are many things. The people are beautiful. The rural areas area stunning. Seeing God at work in difficult circumstances where we can’t depend on much else is humbling. There are the other fun things like the food: mangos, doi and chai!
Prayer Requests
My prayer from the beginning is for God to give me His wisdom and discernment every day. The territory is facing some very challenging times and we need His wisdom and courage to make some of the decisions that need to be made.
My prayer is also for our officers and soldiers who don’t fully understand what it means to be a follower / disciple of Jesus. This is a land where many are ‘born Christian’ and following Jesus hasn’t been seen as a choice of being in a transformative relationship with Him. Praying for eyes and hearts to be opened. Praying for people to recognize their need of the Lord. Praying for the resources and opportunities to take them deeper in their understanding and experience with the Lord. Revival for our people and our territory is desperately needed.
I strongly believe that God will give us the resources that we need. I pray that we will be open to and content with what that will mean for us. Open to new ways of doing things. Open to new sources for supplying our funding, personnel, and any other resources. Open to new types of ministries that are relevant and needed. Open to new partnerships.
My prayer is also for the present and developing leadership. We need leaders who are men and women of integrity, humility and are Jesus-centered. Opportunities and resources to develop and train them is needed.
Present significant concern
A present real concern is Dengue. Bangladesh has many people infected and dying of dengue right now. It is the worse it has been in 22 years. Some of our staff and officers have been quite sick with it. Prayers for protection, health and strength in these days are appreciated.
The learning curve for me is quite steep. The load is heavy. There is much to read, learn, do, respond to, and I could work 12 or more hours a day. Prayers to balance my time and energy are appreciated. The work is the Lord’s and I want to be faithful to do only what He has for me to do. I can be good at picking up a few other things � � � � My heart has been broken by the hurt and anger I have seen in some of our people these days. I’ve been asking the Lord to help me process it well.
Very aware of the prayers of others sustaining me in these days. I really appreciate it.
Thank you for your support and encouragement!
MAJORS COLIN AND MAUREEN BAIN
Colin and Maureen arrived in Northern Ireland on July 4th, 2023, to begin their appointment as the Corps Officers of the Lurgan Corps. Here are the their responses:
About themselves
Maureen is a 4th generation Salvationist from Thurso, Scotland, Colin is a first generation Salvationist born in England. We met and married in Scotland and emigrated to Canada in 1986. We have two adult children, Simon and Sarah, with three grandchildren to Sarah and her husband Cuinn.
What does Northern Ireland mean to you?
Northern Ireland has impacted our lives indirectly as we lived in Scotland through “the troubles”, a period of violent division. While the Peace Agreement secured some stability, it is a divided community at all levels. Political and religious aspects are entwined. While there is relative peace,
currently the elected representatives are not sitting and the operations are being run by civil servants.
On a personal level we have encountered a welcoming and friendly community both within and without The Salvation Army. We have been extremely well supported on our arrival by the organisation.
About International Service
We have been on International Service previously in Coventry, but despite being in the UK again, there are many cultural differences. The UK is well advanced in Climate adaptation and yet we are using oil for our heating and water, which is a surprising first for us. On the other hand we are driving a hybrid electric vehicle.
What are you looking forward to?
We are looking forward to a pastoral ministry together as we have been in separate social service appointments in the last 6 years. While this has been fulfilling, we have missed each other’s strengths in ministry.
We do feel immensely privileged to be able to minister here in Lurgan.
Prayer Requests
Our prayers are for our Corps who have managed well without officers for some time; for the post pandemic regathering; for the youth of the Corps; for the divided context of ministry; for our family; for the healing of the divided nation.
Thank You Notes
Here are a couple of the Thank You notes from our international personnel upon receiving the TMF Easter Gifts:
Thank you very much for your encouraging Easter letter. This sentiment was also shared with Salvationists on the weekend. Deborah and I were guests at the Harare Central Division Easter Congress where 1,500 Salvationists gathered for 4 days to commemorate the spirit of passion and the blessings of Resurrection Sunday. Easter Congresses are held at all of our 23 Divisions, with an average of 1000 Salvationists gathering in each location. It is quite a sight to behold, and the anticipation is electrifying. We are tired from the weekend but revived spiritually. They will repeat it once again in August and September each year. Christian fellowship and worship is highly valued in Zimbabwe. Thank you for notification of the Easter gift from the Territorial Missionary Fellowship. It is quite generous and deeply appreciated.
Wayne Bungay, Commissioner
Thank you for your beautiful and pastoral Easter greeting. We enjoyed something of a ‘resurrection’ moment yesterday as the SA Italy National Council members met with lawyer and notary to ratify a statute to create a branch within the existing SA association. This was a long work in progress (it seems considered, started and stopped a number of times in the past) which will allow TSA to continue to receive government funding for social ministry (since the laws to do so had changed). That is my lay person’s account of what was accomplished, anyways! So, we celebrated making a bit of history. Thank you also for the kind and generous gift from the Territorial Missionary Fellowship. We count on the prayerful support of those who commit to pray. In ongoing and new matters that arise we recognize acutely and daily our need of the Lord’s guidance, wisdom, protection and love over all, so we covet the prayers of any who bring us before the Father.
Darlene Morgan, Lt.-Colonel
International Personnel – September 2023
ALLEN, Major Brenda ALLEN, Major David Learning Pathways Coordinator Secretary for Leader Development INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
BAIN, Majors Colin and Maureen Lurgan Corps, Northern Ireland Division UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND TERRITORY
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
IHQ Chaplain & City of London Liaison
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
MCMILLAN, Commissioner Susan
IHQ Head of Finance (UK Operations)
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
MORGAN, Lt.-Colonel Andrew
Territorial Commander
MORGAN, Lt.-Colonel Darlene
Territorial President of Women’s
Ministries & Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development
ITALY & GREECE TERRITORY
NELSON, Lt.-Colonel Elizabeth
Territorial Commander BANGLADESH TERRITORY
SENTER, Major Royal
International Audit & Finance Specialist – Training & Deployment Officer
INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
SWAN, Colonels Ian
International Social Justice Commission –Director
SWAN, Colonel Wendy International Social Justice CommissionDirector
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
Mailing Addresses – September 2023
Majors Brenda & David Allen
4 Tara Court
6 Court Downs Road
Beckenham
BR3 6TG UNITED KINGDOM
Lieutenants April Barthau & Marco
Herrera
Angau Drive, Boroko, PO 1323
Port Moresby, NCD
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Commissioners Wayne & Deborah Bungay (Personal)
PO Box 14
Harare ZIMBABWE
Lt. Colonels Grant & Lauren Effer
20 Manor Road West Wickham
BR4 9PS UNITED KINGDOM
Lieut.-Colonels Andrew & Darlene Morgan
Esercito della Salvezza
Via degli Apuli, 41 00185 Roma
ITALY
Colonels Ian & Wendy Swan
Apt 3B - 60 West 57th Street
New York NY 10019-3953
U.S.A.
Major Colin & Maureen Bain 14 Cherryhill
Waringstown
Craigavon
Northern Ireland
BT66 7UG UNITED KINGDOM
Colonels David & Marsha-Jean Bowles
Fregestrasse 13-14 12159
Berlin GERMANY
Captains Chad & Lisa Cole 15 Ondella Way
Sydenham, VIC 3037 AUSTRALIA
Commissioner Susan McMillan 10 Silverwood Close
Beckenham, Kent, BR3 1RN
UNITED KINGDOM
Lt. Colonel Elizabeth Nelson House 365/2, Lane 6 (West) DOHS
Baridhara
Dhaka, 1206, Bangladesh
Colonels Eddie & Genevera Vincent 23 Coral Tree Lane
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
U.S.A.