Others talks to Chief Secretary Colonel Winsome Merrett about her passion for the mission of The Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army Australia is a Christian movement dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus. We do this by:
Caring for people
Creating faith pathways
Building healthy communities
Working for justice
Others: What excites you about our mission?
Winsome: The stories of transformation in people’s lives as a result of the work of our personnel – the positive impact that has on the trajectory of their lives. I get energised when I hear about people who access our services connecting to communities of faith and taking steps, however small, on a pathway to faith.
Why do you think mission is important for an organisation?
It describes our purpose, why we exist and how we intend fulfilling our vision. Mission keeps us focused on why we do what we do – it unites us in one common purpose across The Salvation Army.
How does our mission inform your day-to-day work?
It is a lens through which strategic decisions are informed or recommended to the [Territory] Board. It underpins every decision and much of my communication. It is interwoven into my ministry and thinking in a way that is difficult to articulate.
How would you explain our mission to someone who has just joined the Army?
Sharing the love of Jesus is the underpinning purpose of The Salvation Army – the ways we specifically demonstrate that commitment to finding practical ways to demonstrate and speak the love of Jesus is through caring for people, creating faith pathways, building healthy communities and working for justice.
What scriptures do you think best inform our mission?
There are many: there is the Great Commission in Matthew 28:20, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” There is Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.” And then there are Jesus’ words in Matthew 22: 37-39, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind ... this is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; love your neighbour as yourself.”
The mission statement starts with our commitment to share the love of Jesus, and the vision statement concludes with the impact of that: transforming Australia, one life at a time, with the love of Jesus. The love of Jesus bookends our mission and vision. It is essential to the way in which the Army serves and ministers. Our mission tells us what our purpose is. Our vision points us to a picture of where we want to be – all intertwined with practical expressions of sharing the love of Jesus in such a way that individuals’ lives are transformed, and by doing so, transforming communities and, along the way, transforming unjust systems and processes.
Our recent whirlwind trip around WA was a joy. We visited so many corps and mission expressions, and met many dedicated officers, volunteers and staff who are implementing the mission of The Salvation Army.
We saw health, life and growth in corps where there was a deep level of genuine collaboration with other local Salvos services. We also saw positive change where the singular emphasis is moving from ‘just Sunday’ to groups happening in the week with a distinct prayer, discipleship and fellowship focus.
The absolute commitment of volunteers inspired us –whether from corps or community – who give their time and effort cheerfully and willingly. People are volunteering, coming to faith and becoming leaders.
We could tell so many wonderful stories – like these!
We visited several youth services where the staff’s commitment to vulnerable young people was amazing. They are living out the mission of caring for people and mentoring and nurturing them. Their genuine love for these young people was beautiful to see.
Albany Corps has seen a remarkable turnaround. The officers arrived with a congregation of just seven people, a Family Store and a very transactional Emergency Relief program. They now have a Salvos Store, ER that links directly into their regular community meal, also craft and sewing groups. As a result of volunteers running ER, the Doorways manager is able to focus on casework. All activities have prayer, discipleship and fellowship as integral elements, and the Sunday congregation has grown to 28.
There is energy and synergy where local mission delivery is implemented well, and corps explore different forms of church. Where that combination is happening, we are seeing lives changed and a new and lively expression of the Army.
“We are just scratching the surface and trying to get around all the little places that have been overlooked,” says Major Bev Kingston, Team Leader, Northern Rivers Flood Recovery.
Months after the last major flood event in northern NSW, Bev and her team are still meeting many people accessing support for the first time. She said these people are often so traumatised and in survival mode that they haven’t sought help or even known what was available.
“We see the difference we make, which is so uplifting,” Bev said. “They come to us with the weight of the world on their shoulders but leave with a smile.”
Many comment to the team that they don’t like asking for help, but they are desperate.
The team was recently in Tumbulgum. Many two-storey homes experienced flooding to the top floor for the first time. Families affected are living in temporary accommodation, or camping in their driveways or inside the house, even though it has been completely gutted. Most can’t afford to rent, and very few rentals are available anyway.
Bev said she feels for the people in their 80s trying to rebuild their lives. She also said it was particularly tough on young families struggling to maintain a stable life for their children. They often live in temporary accommodation many kilometres from their homes but want to keep the children attending their regular school. So they drive long distances, placing a strain on finances.
According to Bev, many insurance claims have been rejected, and the government grants are ceasing, so any help makes a difference. Bev’s team distributes goods and vouchers donated to the Salvos’ appeals and through government grants.
“We are always told they are so happy we came into their communities, Bev said. “They say ‘everyone else has gone, but the Salvos are still here’.
“I think everyone I have spoken to this week has spoken about their fear of more rain and flooding. I try to speak hope into their lives, empower them to do what they can –to be prepared but not alarmed.”
Volunteers are still needed because there are many isolated places they haven’t even visited yet.
“The interactions can be fleeting but can make a massive difference,” Bev said. “We just try to slow down and focus on the person in front of us, who is made in the image of God.”
As the new Schools Engagement Representative for The Salvation Army in Perth, Liam Swainson is known for his extroverted and goofy presence. Every day, he engages kids with the realities of homelessness and poverty through presentations and work experience – and when students want to help, he is their connection to the local corps.
In many ways, Liam is like the new kid at school – making new connections with the wider Salvation Army and his community daily. But don’t let the tenure of his role fool you – Liam’s journey with the Salvos and God has been anything but brief.
“I first encountered the Salvos back when I was still in primary school. My older sister, Laura, attended youth group on two evenings out of the week and would constantly talk about all the fun she had. As soon as I started attending high school, I started attending youth group too,” he recalls.
“I was shocked when on the first night, the topic of Jesus came up, and we spent some time doing a basic Bible study session. I remember thinking to myself, ‘I didn’t sign up for this.’ I still stuck around, though, and it wasn’t until an Easter camp run by the Salvos that I gave my heart to Christ.”
As first-generation Christians in their family, Liam and his two sisters went against the grain by finding faith. And for Liam, the decision to truly commit to Jesus was a roundabout journey that inevitably led him right back to The Salvation Army. But not without a few bumps in the road.
“Being first-generation was a very big challenge. I had to [learn how to live from] a brand-new standpoint. This resulted in a warped perspective of simply trying to be the stereotypical Christian – doing good deeds for my fellow man. I found myself constantly burning myself out by trying to do the ‘right thing’ by God and being swept up in normal teenage life.”
Leaving the Church, Liam still believed in Jesus – but he was exhausted by “trying to be right”. The turning point came when he realised something was missing from his life. Reconnecting with friends from the local Salvation Army, he experienced a grace that made Christ more real to him than ever before.
“I remember being surprised at the enthusiasm and acceptance I was welcomed back with – despite me still being a bit of a goose and not knowing myself,” he says. “All of this led to my faith being shaped more around getting to know a relational God.”
Coincidentally, one of those friends was School Engagement Manager Peter Vernon, his new boss. And after years spent as peers in youth worker roles, their new partnership is crucial to the success of the Salvos Schools program in Western Australia.
“My role with the Salvos really helps me to live out my faith by getting to drive forward the Salvo mission, which aligns with my values – bringing hope to those who have none. I’ve really found a lot of enjoyment in being able to highlight to students that no deed is too small and that every little bit of good they do can and does make a massive difference,” Liam shares.
Oh, and with Liam now in the office, Light Saber Fridays are regular occurrences, and in his off time, he is busy making music for his sweet dog Ruby. Sounds like a paw-fect combination!
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Salvation Jane is the common name used in South Australia for the weed Echium plantagineum. In other areas of Australia, it is called Paterson’s Curse, Lady Campbell Weed, Blueweed or Riverina Bluebell. The plant was introduced to Australia in the 1840s. Although beautiful to observe in full bloom, it costs the livestock industry $250 million annually due to loss of pastures, control costs and wool contamination. This has led to legislation and biological controls to eradicate the plant.
There are many modern myths about the naming of the plant; I have identified three main stories linked to The Salvation Army.
One story states that a Salvation Army officer named Jane planted the flower in her garden at each appointment. This caused the plant to spread quickly. The second story connected the spread of The Salvation Army to the outbreak of the plant; neither could be eradicated. The third story claimed the name was due to the flower looking like a purple Salvation Army bonnet. All the stories have merit, although they are not all fully supported by primary sources.
In 1907, the Evening Journal of Adelaide stated, “in the northern areas it has been christened ‘Salvation Jane’ because it bears some resemblance to the poke bonnet which is worn or was worn not long ago by The Salvation Army lasses”. Similar ideas appeared in several newspapers throughout the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. It would appear the name Salvation Jane originated north of Adelaide before 1907 and was linked to the Army.
In 1889, there was a severe outbreak of the weed near Port Pirie, South Australia. There were plenty of women Salvationists in Port Pirie, as in 1896 the corps had a lasses band. We could leave the story there if not for a well-known cricketer, Wally Edwards, nicknamed ‘Snooks’.
Snooks called the weed ‘Salvation Jane’ at a cricket match in 1912. He was asked, “Why?” Snooks, plucking one of the flowers, replied, “You know the Jane in the Army at Pirie, she looks like this flower in her bonnet.” Jane was described as “a sweet and petite little thing”.
Salvation Jane (Echium plantagineum) pen drawing by C.A. Gardner – (A) General appearance of the plant, (B) Leaf and inflorescence, (C) Flower, (D) Fruit showing nutlets. From Western Mail, (4 May 1950).
One potential ‘Jane’ may have been Mary Jane Pillar, who married Charles Malone in 1900. There may have also been other female Salvationists at Port Pirie named Jane. Nevertheless, there is a clear story that a female Salvationist from Port Pirie, who looked like the flower when wearing her bonnet, influenced the name of the flower, Salvation Jane.
The name may have remained a local novelty; however, the Quorn Mercury identified that Snooks also helped spread the weed’s name, Salvation Jane. What Snooks had uttered was repeated in newspapers throughout South Australia. The name, like the weed, continued to spread.
Salvation Jane has influenced Australian music, including INXS, Chloe and Jason Roweth, Courtney Murphy and James Montgomery. All these artists have sung about Salvation Jane, a flower whose name was influenced by a petite Salvationist in her bonnet from Port Pirie.
Garth R. Hentzschel is a Salvationist living in Brisbane, a freelance historian and the executive editor of the Australasian Journal of Salvation Army history.
Elie Wiesel is one of my heroes. Born on 30 September 1928, he was a Nobel Peace Prize-winning survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp in World War Two.
He wrote of his experience in his memoir, Night, and in his Nobel Lecture in 1986, he said: “Just as man cannot live without dreams, he cannot live without hope. If dreams reflect the past, hope summons the future.”
Elie went on to describe the sensation that God had abandoned the universe: “Night after night, seemingly endless processions vanished into the flames, lighting up the sky. Fear dominated the universe. Indeed, this was another universe; the very laws of nature had been transformed. Children looked like old men; old men whimpered like children. Men and women from every corner of Europe were suddenly reduced to nameless and faceless creatures desperate for the same ration of bread or soup, dreading the same end.”
When the war ended, the horror of the depths to which humanity had fallen was too much for the world to bear. For many years, the world didn’t want to look, didn’t want to take on board what had happened, and didn’t want to acknowledge the injustice because it was too shameful.
Except Elie and other survivors couldn’t forget. How could they? Elie’s parents and little sister had been killed, and he was left alone after the war. He had survived the holocaust, but now the whole world had sunk into silent denial. This was a greater cause for hopelessness than any that had come before.
The holocaust could be written off as the absolute evil of a particular man, party, nation, philosophy or ideology. The holocaust could be understood as an evil injustice perpetrated by people against the will of God. But when the whole world sunk into denial, it felt as though all of humanity became complicit in the actions of the Nazis. No longer did it feel like evil people had perpetrated this injustice against the will of God; it felt as though God himself had abandoned humanity.
Jewish historian Shimon Dubnov, in the ghettos of the Latvian capital Riga, encouraged all the Jews to “write it all
down”, and they did. There are writings all over Europe and the world from countless chroniclers, from the ghettos and concentration camps.
For Elie, the writings formed the basis of his book, Night, which was the most powerful picture of the holocaust. It was his book and others who stood up that told the story in all its horror and forced the world to slowly take notice, recognise, accept and mourn. It was his book and others that drew out the humanity, pain, regret and shame.
At the same time, for those who told, wrote, painted and presented their stories, hope began to return as the world listened as people saw, read and cried.
The truth is, hope begins to build when people are willing to listen, hear the stories, and acknowledge abuse, pain and suffering.
We, as The Salvation Army, are called to supply hope where it’s needed most by hearing the lost and hurting.
And, backed by our love for God, we are ultimately called to offer these people our acceptance and attention above and beyond simply caring for their physical needs – and introduce them to the source of all hope, Jesus Christ.
Creating faith pathways is an essential element of our holistic mission. Linda Bond, a former General of The Salvation Army, suggested that wherever there is a Salvo Red Shield on the door, a pathway to faith is accessible and affirmed.
We appreciate that not everyone who works for The Salvation Army identifies as Christian. At the same time, there is an expectation that everyone who works with The Salvation Army will respect and support our mission. This includes our mission to create faith pathways. We seek to do this in culturally appropriate ways that encourage exploration of the Christian faith without coercion, force or manipulation.
Members of corps and our faith communities have a wealth of opportunities to reach out and share the love of Jesus with people. Our Doorways, homelessness, addiction, family violence and youth services are spaces where our people are welcome to meet with and build safe and caring relationships with people. This may involve sharing a conversation over a cup of coffee, a meal or holding a chapel service or small group discussion.
One way we share the love of Jesus is by helping people develop their spiritual life, or to use the language in our statement, create a faith pathway. The idea of being on a pathway with and towards God is not new and is found in the Bible:
“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways” (Proverbs 4:26).
“Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16).
“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28).
A pathway is a means of getting from one place to another. Some pathways are straight, direct and smooth. Others are circuitous and difficult. Moving along that pathway involves a series of steps as we put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. At times, we venture on paths that simply stop and take us nowhere. Other times we have stopped because there was an obstacle or hurdle that was too difficult for us to navigate. These are the challenges of John Bunyan’s classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress
The Bible encourages us to take care in our life journey and seek pathways leading to a full and flourishing life. The Christian faith sees this in following Jesus, who said he had come to bring life and bring it to the full (John 10:10).
This is a lifelong process of transformation for all that includes growing in maturity, service and love for others. This process of holistic transformation is integral to all that we do.
At the Helensburgh Salvos Store (NSW), members of the local faith community meet weekly to discuss life and questions of God with community members. At Bendigo, Townsville and Darwin Alcohol and Other Drugs services, chaplains work with local corps members to create spaces for people to explore faith. At our aged care centres, our chaplains hold services and meet with people to pray, sing and share Bible passages that provide hope and reminders of God’s love and presence.
Our corps and faith communities provide a range of opportunities for people to explore the Christian faith, come to know Jesus and go on to grow in maturity and holiness. These include ‘soft entry’ opportunities to welcome and connect with community members such as community meals, English as a Second Language classes, or Kids in the Kitchen programs.
After the meal at Long Jetty Corps (NSW), members of the corps offer seeker-friendly interest groups such as Bible studies, an ‘Experiencing God’ group, men’s and women’s groups, Junior Soldier classes, a book club, and Positive Lifestyle Program.
Four corps in Sydney – Bankstown, Campsie, Burwood and Hurstville – have collaborated to train 26 people in the
Brisbane, a men’s breakfast was held to hear Fijian rugby international Albert Vulivuli speak about the Christian faith.
At Noarlunga (SA), Bayside (Qld), Glenorchy (Tas.) and Launceston (Tas.) corps, co-located mission expressions collaborate to build meaningful relationships with community members and intentionally seek to create faith pathways.
How are you and your faith community creating faith pathways for people?
Rod Yule is The Salvation Army General Manager Local Mission Delivery and Resources
Top: Cafe 360 volunteer barista at work.
Middle: AuxiliaryLieutenant Bernie Muendel promoting Café 360
Bottom: ‘Mainly music’ families catch up at the cafe in the playground.
By Cliff WorthingA 21-year plan came to fruition for Eastlakes Corps earlier this year when it established a thriving community cafe ministry.
When the corps moved into its current building in the Newcastle southern suburb of Belmont more than two decades ago, plans included a community cafe. Several attempts were made over the years to get a cafe up and running, but nothing eventuated – until this year.
In mid-January, the corps prayer group gathered in a space they called ‘The War Room’ to specifically pray about the cafe concept.
A group member mentioned a local woman who might be interested in helping and invited her to be part of their plans.
The next day, the local woman, Rani, rocked up to the corps to discuss how she might assist. Rani had experience running a cafe and was keen to bring her skills to support the corps mission. Café 360 was born and now provides a welcoming place for the community to gather, as well as good coffee and food.
“Rani was very much about bringing people together,” said Auxiliary-Lieutenant Terri Muendel, Eastlakes Corps Officer. “She loves Jesus, justice and our community.”
Rani even brought a whole team of volunteers with her, and now some of them attend Sunday meetings.
Café 360 operates three days a week, catering to various groups – parents and children who come to the corps for ‘mainly music’, community members who access SalvoConnect and the community pantry, and people with disabilities.
Terri spoke with two women recently who said they had never felt anything like the atmosphere at Cafe 360. They were surprised it was a church, but Terri explained that church is people, not stained-glass windows. They assured Terri they would come back and bring their friends.
“360 is our street number. It also represents a holistic mission,” Terri said. “We want to be champions of justice and hospitality, just as William and Catherine Booth were known. God is going to do good stuff here.”
To survive, a chameleon changes the colour of its skin, but whatever its skin colour, the chameleon is still a chameleon.
The above metaphor has informed the rationale for major changes to how Toowoomba Corps goes about its mission. A comprehensive consultation and planning process with corps members and Salvation Army leadership recently resulted in the redevelopment of the corps property to create a complex called Lighthouse of Hope.
The corps strategy was designed to maximise God’s resources, create space where change can happen and strengthen connection and engagement with the community.
“As a ‘lighthouse of hope’, we believe it is God’s will for our church to be a place where people who are heading towards, or are already in, a dangerous and/or challenging situation of life to be guided towards the hope that can be found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” explains Major Dale Murray, Toowoomba Corps Officer.
The project involved consolidating the Family Store, Emergency Relief service, Moneycare, the Supported Accommodation Service and Salvos Housing onto the West Street property, which since 1994 had operated solely as a corps building. Research showed that the building was underutilised but presented major opportunities for collaboration between the various Salvo services in Toowoomba to maximise financial resources and expand engagement with the local community.
“Hundreds of people visit the Family Store daily, so now we are easily accessible to respond to other needs they may bring up during their visit,” says Major Darlene Murray, Toowoomba Corps Officer. “We can just pop across for a chat or refer them down the hall to one of the other services they require.”
The Family Store is now operating from the main hall. Moneycare has an office with its own entrance. The second hall is now a worship and activity space. Negotiations are in place to incorporate Salvos Housing and the Supported Accommodation Service. Construction also included a shower with disability access.
A new training room provides computer and internet access. It enables people, particularly the disadvantaged
and marginalised, to be trained in computer and other life skills. The room will also have video-conferencing capabilities to connect with and support people living in remote and rural areas of South-West Queensland.
Refurbishment of the corps kitchen to full commercial cafe standard provides good quality coffee at an affordable price, as well as cakes and slices. As a commercial cafe, it can be used as a training venue for people to obtain kitchen and hospitality skills.
As part of the relocation of the Family Store to the corps complex, a new storage shed was built as a ‘sorting and storage’ area for the store’s operations. It also houses the new Emergency Services trailer and supplies.
In a major change, embraced by the corps, the Sunday service has moved from 9am to 4pm. “Most church services are on Sunday mornings, so we wanted to create a new time for those who can’t attend morning services,” Darlene said. “We have already seen this new time bear fruit with new people attending.”
The corps makes space available for other Salvation Army mission expressions, not based in Toowoomba, to provide their service to the community during the week. This also includes access to other like-minded organisations in Toowoomba.
“We are committed to working with and developing a united missional focus here in Toowoomba,” Dale said. “We believe The Salvation Army Toowoomba will not only survive but will thrive and be both the church and organisation God wants it to be, now, and into the future,” Dale said.
Returning to school after the disruptions of COVID-19 has been challenging for many students. In Geelong, this transition has been made a little easier with the help of some four-hoofed friends.
The Geelong Corps has provided 10 students across two local schools with access to equine therapy through its Life Engaged Program. And the results have been amazing.
“Coming out of COVID-19 and social isolation, kids have found it hard to refocus at school and relate to their peers and parents,” says Life Engaged Coordinator and Social Worker Rachel Morris. “By partnering with an equine therapist through Life Engaged, a short-term program is actually having a long-term effect, strengthening families and assisting them to flourish in the community.”
The corps has been running the Life Engaged Program since 2020 with a mission to increase the mental wellbeing of households. Life Engaged includes a youth group, empowerment programs and school workshops. But the fourth avenue of care is the busiest – connecting students and their families to practitioners, giving them free counselling, adventure therapy, play therapy and family therapy. And, of course, equine therapy, which has been shown to help people experiencing a lack of confidence, anxiety, social insecurities, learning difficulties and neurodivergent traits.
“Equine therapy is an incredibly beneficial and transformative modality, particularly [for] children and teens as they often find it hard to talk about problems,” says equine therapist Sarah Stares, who has been linked to the Life Engaged Program since 2021 through her business Equi-Tribe Equine Assisted Learning and Counselling.
Over eight one-hour sessions, she and the horses respond to each client’s unique needs – and it truly is a group effort. Extroverted gelding Kit is joined by the shy Arabian mare Lily, who is expecting in December. And we can’t forget Astrid or Roisin, the small but intuitive ponies who dote on children. A session will involve building and leading a horse through an obstacle course, grooming, and going for a walk or meditation. “Watching the horses interact with one another can help support clients to reflect on their own relationships. With children, this is particularly helpful when there are
challenging relationships they wish to talk about and work through, such as bullying,” says Sarah.
“I have seen the ponies laying down peacefully with a client with self-esteem challenges. This display of trust shown by the horses helped him to feel like he was a trustworthy and kind friend and supported him to grow in his capacity for self-love and trust.”
As the Life Engaged Program moves forward, families across the Geelong region experience the tangible love of God. And in its simplest form, that means The Salvation Army is connecting people to the support and dignity they deserve, one life at a time.
“When I look at the life of Jesus, his message about the Kingdom of God was about connecting with people who had lack of access in society, and we see that these are schools that are working with families who are doing it tough,” says Rachel. “The people that need these services the most are the people who can’t access them. We are excited to continue to partner and learn from these schools.”
Catching up over a cuppa has long been a way for Salvos to connect with the community. And in Ulverstone, in Tasmania’s north-west, the re-emergence of their Lifetime ministry has quickly become a safe place for people looking to belong.
“Lifetime had been running at Ulverstone Corps for many years,” explains Corps Officer Lieutenant Andrew Webb. “Before COVID-19, it was for lunch, but for many reasons, it is now better for us to run it as a morning tea.
“We aim to provide a safe and friendly space for people in our community to connect and share with each other. We care for people just as they are, with dignity and compassion. We have a short devotional to encourage people to consider God in a positive way.”
The beauty of Lifetime is that it is open to everyone – you don’t have to be a Salvo or a believer to have a seat at the table. Instead, every two weeks, the small team at Ulverstone opens its doors on Victoria Street and displays an enticing range of slices, cakes and coffee to guests. They also provide speakers, musical performances and trivia to keep things interesting. Topics range from healthy living to understanding computer scams.
With up to 30 people attending each time, the message is clear: people are ready to re-engage with the community after the COVID-19 lockdowns and hunger for companionship.
“As with many things, restarting after COVID was carefully considered. We knew many people had lost their regular social activities and were becoming a bit isolated,” says Andrew. “Community is very important in Ulverstone, so we sought to fill that need. We often have attendees contributing jokes, poems and even a solo or two.”
Partnering with other corps and mission expressions across the state’s north-west, the team at Ulverstone sees God at work in their community. They are passionate about working with their local Thrift Shop, Bridge AOD service, community services and home care. And, naturally, they are happy to extend invitations to Lifetime morning tea to community members who come through those streams. In fact, they have already seen fruit from the ministry.
“We believe God’s Spirit is active in the broader community of Ulverstone, and we simply partner in the work,” says Andrew. “Already we have seen people curious to explore faith conversations and participate in other corps gatherings.”
“It’s in the little things that they know they can trust the Salvos,” said Helen Adamczyk, Berri Salvos Stores Manager, referring to their engagement with Pacific Island seasonal workers in the Riverland region of South Australia.
“It’s hard for them because family is such an important part of their culture,” Helen explained. “So, we like to be supportive and present with them. They are often homesick so having a friendly face is nice for them.”
When it rains, up to 10 busloads of seasonal workers turn up to the Salvos Stores outlet at Berri. Often workers combine their purchases into a shipping container to send home. They mainly buy winter clothing for themselves and summer clothing to send to their families. Helen said she often sees workers using their phones to show items to their spouses back home.
“They are earning good money here, so they can buy a lot of cheap clothing from us,” Helen said.
Helen’s team helps with baby packages because the workers can’t access Medicare. They also help workers understand their rights, how to read payslips, learn English, how to shop, how to use a fridge and what is expected of them living in Australia.
“We try to break down cultural barriers,” Helen said. “For example, they stick together when they come to town, so we help them understand that a large group of Pacific Islander men may be intimidating to locals.”
One of the real joys locals experience is the outward expressions of faith shown by many workers, especially Tongans, who pray before and after work, and spontaneously break into song. They organise their own worship services and invite local churches to attend. The Salvos often provide a sausage sizzle at their worship service.
“It’s just extraordinary to hear 50-100 men singing without any mod cons,” enthused Helen.
At a recent Pacific Islander sports day, the Salvos set up a pop-up stall. A group of female workers from Timor Leste had arrived the day before and descended enthusiastically on the stall to buy clothing and blankets.
Helen’s team is following up on the connection built with the Timor Leste women in preparation for Christmas this year. Helen said that when they can connect at the personal level, they build trust, and the women feel comfortable talking about other issues.
“Life is particularly hard on women seasonal workers because they often come from close-knit families, so we are putting a special focus on them this year,” Helen said.
The Salvos are demonstrating they are also an organisation that employers can trust. They have written to employers to enquire about Christmas plans, how many workers they have and offering a small gift.
“We are open to where God leads us in this space,” Helen said.
Many high school students struggle to thrive in a traditional schooling environment. For some, finding alternative education feels impossible as they battle life stresses such as family and domestic violence, mental health illness, housing challenges or a lack of resources.
Now, in partnership with the Department of Education and The Salvation Army Youth Services in Western Australia, Swan View Corps has hired two youth workers to assist young people on the road to employment. Not just driving them to appointments but giving them valuable tools they need to live life on their terms – and it has become a community effort.
“God made a way for this program to commence through the support of the Department of Education WA, the local Member for Parliament, Lotteries West, the Western Australian Division of The Salvation Army, two great youth workers and a team of dedicated volunteers at the Swan View Corps,” says Corps Officer Major Naava Brooks.
The partnership began in December 2020 when Bernie, a Participation Coordinator for the Department of Education, approached Swan View Corps asking for volunteers to take young people to their placements.
“As a participation coordinator, Bernie helps to connect high school students who are disengaging from mainstream education to engage in other training and learning pathways,” explains Naava.
The team at Swan View saw the opportunity for a more collaborative approach. And after attending a series of consultation meetings with The Salvation Army Youth Services, local groups and council members, they realised that trained youth workers were needed to fully support young people seeking employment, so a pilot project was formed.
In April 2021, the local Member of Parliament, Michelle Roberts, agreed to donate a bus – fondly known as the ‘Jedi Bus’, so the youth workers could transport teens safely. And when Lottery West granted funding to employ two parttime youth workers for 12 months, the rubber hit the road.
The workers were hired in January, and the Western Australia Division agreed to help with ancillary resources.
In addition, the corps uses Red Shield Appeal funds for the program, with volunteers preparing hand-packed lunches for every participant. The program formally began in February and has already supported more than 25 teens through transport, mentoring, referral support and meals.
“The youth workers travel around the local district in the ‘Jedi Bus’, collecting young people who have been referred to the program by participation coordinators from the Department of Education,” Naava says. “They take the time to meet the family and provide material assistance and referrals as needed. They have [also] been able to deliver food parcels to many of these families and helped them to connect with Doorways for further assistance.”
Some days the workers help teens with tasks like applying for a Tax File Number. On other days, they provide referrals for crisis accommodation, co-case collaboration and advocacy. And then there are the social benefits of the program, where young people are given a safe space to talk, socialise through holiday activities, and are empowered to become appearance-ready for work.
“The youth workers have become part of a trusted network that these young people turn to. The project only has funding until December 2022, and The Salvation Army Youth Services WA are currently working to source further funding so that we can continue to build an evidence base for this important work,” says Naava. “We pray that we can keep this awesome work going next year!”
My name is Chantal, and I’m 34 years old. I was born in the Netherlands and moved to Australia when I was 14. I have two wonderful children, Isabella (10) and Alexander (6).
I grew up in a family that had no religious background, but when we moved to Australia, I quickly made friends with a girl who was a Christian. I went to Bible studies, church, youth camps and joined a Salvation Army youth group at The Shed in Cranbourne (Melbourne).
But the first couple of years in Australia were very challenging, and I rebelled. When I was about 16, I was kicked out of home, and I ended up living with another family. But I didn’t live there long because I got mixed in with the wrong people.
By the time I was 18, I was getting into trouble with the police and had a strong drug addiction. At this time, I met the father of my kids. For the next 10 years, I lived through a terrible situation of domestic violence fuelled by drug use. It broke me.
Just after I turned 30, I ended up in jail with the potential of a very long prison term and the possibility of deportation back to the Netherlands. This was the lowest point of my life. But I knew deep down that I was a good person.
It was in prison that I reconnected with Jesus. Tuesday was Bible study night, and I remember learning about the parable of the lost sheep. I felt a huge sense of relief. There was hope – God hadn’t given up on me, and if he hadn’t, then I shouldn’t either.
Little by little, I started to change. And I began to pray. The day came when I went to court, and against all odds, the judge sent me to the Salvos Windana Residential Rehab in St Kilda, a minimum 12-month program. I couldn’t believe it!
On the way down from the courtroom, the guard turned to me and said, “Do you believe in God?” “Yes!’ I replied to her, and she told me, “I asked that because I do, and what I saw in there was incredible – I truly saw God at work in that courtroom.” This moment confirmed to me without a doubt that God had his hand on my life.
Over the next two years, I worked hard on my recovery at Windana. In June last year, my children came to live with me permanently. When I moved into my own home, I started connecting more with my community at Berwick Salvation Army and even joined the worship band.
I now work there as an AOD community support worker. Coming from where I was to now being able to use my life experience to help other people get their lives back, it was more than I could have ever asked for.