26 July 2014 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION |  July  | Issue  | $.

Planting Seeds of Hope in Tanzania

A Former Bully Tells His Story FIREZONE

EMAIL SCAMS

MAKE YOUR OWN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

BOOK REVIEW: ‘GOD AND THE GAY CHRISTIAN’

WHEN OTHERS MAKE YOU MAD

STOP THE CYBERBULLIES

BICULTURAL AWARENESS

0 WarCry 26 July 2014

Kia ora Are the Sallies too ‘political’?

WAR CRY

The Salvation Army Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji & Tonga Territory FOUNDER William Booth GENERAL André Cox TERRITORIAL COMMANDER Robert Donaldson The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination.

War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR

Major Christina Tyson GRAPHIC DESIGN

Lauren Millington, Amber Wilkinson STAFF WRITERS

Ingrid Barratt, Vanessa Singh CONTRIBUTORS

Kris Singh (music reviewer)

PROOF READING

Major Jill Gainsford OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Phone (04) 4 564 Fax (04) 2 016 Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department Phone (04) 2 040 Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org $5 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT MakeReady | www.makeready.co.nz

PAPER Novatech is an environmentally responsible paper manufactured under environmental management system ISO14001 using FSC Certified, Mixed Source, ECF pulp from well managed and legally harvested forests.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

The New Zealand General Election of 20 September is growing ever closer. The Salvation Army is preparing a series of short election videos designed to help people think about important issues facing all New Zealanders. War Cry will share more information about how you can watch these in our next edition.

It’s interesting that when The Salvation Army speaks out on issues such as poverty, housing needs, and social hazards such as alcohol abuse and problem gambling, we’re sometimes criticised as being too ‘political’. Some of this criticism comes from those outside our ranks, but there’s also ‘friendly fire’ from within.

Does this indicate some are more comfortable with a Salvation Army that confines itself to helping people without questioning what may have caused them to turn to us in the first place? Perhaps we are supposed to keep ourselves to ourselves, satisfying ourselves with encouraging Bible stories of a wonderful Heaven to come and distracting ourselves with a few cheery songs from the plight of those who are in need or facing unjust circumstances?

I recall our founder William Booth’s words: ‘But what is the use of preaching the Gospel to men whose whole attention is concentrated upon a mad, desperate struggle to keep themselves alive?’ Thank God we are not content with mere religious piety, or with being the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff!

Of course, by international policy, The Salvation Army takes an apolitical stance, not aligning itself with any political party. This approach allows us to work with a wide range of governments and organisations around the world. And, of course, among our number you’ll find a wide range of political views represented.

But while The Salvation Army itself is apolitical, that’s not the same as being non-political. And as we continue to speak to people across the political spectrum, we will always be strong and unapologetic advocates for values of justice, compassion and mercy.

Christina Tyson Editor

Publishing for 11 years

1 Hoani :1

salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

salvationarmy.org.nz

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1 John :1 Contemporary English Version

‘If we have all we need and see one of our own people in need, we must have pity on that person, or else we cannot say we love God. ’

Please pass on or recycle this magazine

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BIBLE VERSE

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

ISSN 004-0242, Issue 65

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‘Ko te tangata ia ia ia nei ngā oranga o tēnei ao, ā ka kite e matea ana tētahi mea e tōna teina, nā ka tūtakina iho e ia tōna ngākau aroha ki a ia, e mau pēhea ana te aroha o te Atua i roto i a ia?’

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WISE WORDS

God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supplies.

J. Hudson Taylor

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Let’s Talk | 03

ast month, I received the most intriguing of emails. It was from a ‘Miss Kate Peters’, a computer scientist with the Central Bank of Nigeria. Miss Peters had somehow discovered a file with my name on that was marked ‘X’ and she had taken the time (bless her!) to read this file. Whereupon, she discovered that some funds had not been released to me.

Miss Peters went on to explain how she could help me with this dilemma … Please, this is like a Mafia setting in Nigeria; you may not understand it because you are not a Nigerian. The only thing I will need to release this fund is a special hard disk … I will buy two, recopy your information, destroy the previous one, and punch the computer to reflect in your bank account within 48 banking hours.

The story becomes even more exciting at this stage …

I will clean up the tracer and destroy your file, after which I will run away from Nigeria to meet with you. If you are interested. Wow! And to think that all I had to do was to confirm my banking details ‘so that there won’t be any mistake’.

You’ll be pleased to know that I immediately recognised this communication for what it was: spam.

By now, we hopefully all know that ‘spam’ isn’t only a tinned meat product—it’s also that annoying electronic junk mail that arrives with annoying regularity in our inboxes.

Although most of us are wise to such schemes, enough people fall for them that spammers do make money, even if the figures indicate that spammers only get one response for every 12.5 million emails!

Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not the less computer savvy who are most at risk. A joint university study from the US found that people with high email loads and limited time are prone to rushing through emails and likely to walk into the

spammer’s trap. And then there are those who push common sense aside as greed takes over.

Given the amount of spam we get, it’s easy for our eyes to glaze over whenever we’re asked to give. In The Salvation Army we’re part way through an annual fundraising campaign to raise funds for our work in developing countries. It’s called ‘the Self Denial Appeal’ because the idea is that we ‘deny ourselves’ by not spending money on us, so we can instead send money to those in need elsewhere in the world. The Salvation Army doesn’t ask for funds from the general public; church members are the sole contributors.

Essentially, the idea of the Self Denial Appeal is ‘selfless giving’, and this year we’re aiming to raise one million dollars from around New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. That may sound like an incredible giving goal—and it is—but last year, we got close, raising $981,803. This year, we’re hoping to lift the bar a bit further and do even more to advance The Salvation Army’s social and spiritual work around the world.

Let me reassure you that this particular appeal for our money is most certainly not a scam! The Salvation Army was born in the slums of London, and today we are still at work in some of the world’s poorest places. Most of this work is possible simply because people in wealthier parts of the world are prepared to put others’ needs before their own—and give.

In places with the least resources, the work of the Army goes on simply because people in Salvation Army churches give.

So, when the invitation comes for you to contribute to this year’s Self Denial Appeal, don’t hit the mental ‘delete’ key in your mind. Take this opportunity seriously and do what you can to help others. CHRISTINA TYSON

04 WarCry 26 July 2014

Bookshelf Sexuality Torn Justin Lee This is such a bittersweet book that it can be hard to keep reading at times. So it’s remarkable that this story of Justin Lee, a devoted Christian who faced his worst nightmare when he realised that he was gay, is so compassionate and lacking in bitterness. After years of trying to conform to the Christian model of sexuality, Lee’s story is of learning to reconcile being a gay man with being a godly man. Along the way, he provides intelligent insight into issues such as reparative therapy, biology and theology. Torn has quickly become a classic for those wanting to better understand their gay son, daughter or loved one. (Jericho Books)

Playlist

Emotional Health You Can’t Make Me Angry Dr Paul O. Speaking as an ‘old timer’ within the 12 Steps tradition of Alcoholics Anonymous, Dr. Paul O. explores the lifelong quest for emotional sobriety that may take many more years than the one for physical sobriety. He begins with the premise that no one else is responsible for your emotional health. Paul honestly explores his own struggle with anger, and how he used that to enable his alcoholism. But once sober, he had to face the deeper issues alcoholism helped mask. Married for 62 years, this book is also a testament to marriage, with relationship insights useful to one and all. (Capizon Publishing)

Church History A Treasury of Saints David Self In some church traditions the ‘saints’ of Christianity are held in the highest regard, while other traditions know little about them, or even view them with suspicion.

This is a simple introduction to the saints—the heroes of the church.

With only a page or two given to each saint, A Treasury of Saints provides a quick overview of some remarkable characters and stories.

This is certainly not a theological work, and some statements should be taken with a grain of salt. But the saints’ love for Christ, self-sacrifice, immense wisdom and often remarkable lives can inspire all of us—who are also saints in Christ Jesus. (Lion Books)

Reel News

Alt Country/Indie Gospel Bryan Simpson The Whistles and the Bells Ex-Cadillac Sky frontman Bryan Simpson doesn’t waste a single note or lyric in his debut solo record. The Whistles and the Bells serves as a cathartic exploration of his faith, and as such, it’s a deep record that takes a few listens to appreciate fully. Opening with the barely restrained ‘Mercy Me’, the record twists and turns between genres, fusing elements of southern country, jazz, gospel and indie.

Simpson’s voice is emotive, and his lyrics lay bare his soul in the most satisfyingly poetic way possible.

There’s plenty here for the intrepid listener to explore, and this is one journey they’ll be glad they took.

(Free download: www.noisetrade. com/thewhistlesandthebells/thewhistles-and-the-bells-album)

Soul/R&B Paolo Nutini Caustic Love Caustic Love is Scottish singersongwriter Paolo Nutini’s third record. In a departure from his previous efforts, Nutini takes a focused approach to the soul aspects of his sound, and Caustic Love succeeds spectacularly in fusing elements of the genre together. Dripping with groove, this is an eclectic record. From the bluesy shuffle of ‘One Day’ to the funky quack of ‘Scream (Funk My Life Up)’, Nutini’s powerful voice ebbs and soars, from silky smooth Sinatra to Joe Cocker after a few whiskeys. Shots of horns, organs and choirs give the album real punch, and the track pacing and production is top notch. Highly recommended for soul/funk fans.

GIVEAWAY To win a copy of A Treasury of Saints, tell us your favourite Christian hero of the faith.

War Cry Giveaway, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org. Entries close 11 August.

Table in the Darkness winner is: J. Handyside

Family Animation (3D & 2D) How to Train Your Dragon 2 Dean DeBlois / PG DreamWorks Animation’s sequel to their popular 2010 film sees the more grown-up Hiccup (complete with facial hair!) and his trained dragon Toothless fly into their latest adventure. This is the second in a trilogy loosely based on the popular book by British author Cressida Cowell, and once again the animation is superb and the story spectacular.

It’s been five years since Hiccup and Toothless brought harmony to dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. Hiccup and girlfriend Astrid are still together, their relationship strong and sweetly portrayed. But while Hiccup’s island friends are content to challenge each other to dragon races, he and Toothless prefer to explore new territories, eventually discovering an ice cave that’s home to hundreds of wild dragons.

The youngsters of the first film have matured, so the themes explored in this movie are naturally darker. The emergence of Drago Bludvist—an angry conqueror looking to build a dragon army—could mean the end of the peace that dragons and humans have enjoyed. This is not a dilemma easily solved by our hero, but he is unshaken in his commitment to care for creatures that he has come to love and value for far more than their brute strength and firepower. Where others see weapons of war, Hiccup sees vulnerability and the prospect of friendship.

The animation is top notch—every nuanced expression of the dragons, in particular, is captured with total perfection. The storyline is satisfying, with some wonderful touches of humour. Looking forward to part three!

Borrow from BCM library, p: (04) 528 8628, e: library@nzf.salvationarmy.org

Feature | 05

in Tanzania Eighteen months ago, my wife Liz and I touched down in Dar es Salaam to take up new positions with The Salvation Army in Tanzania. We arrived having led Salvation Army churches in New Zealand and Australia, and from working at divisional headquarters appointments in Christchurch and Wellington.

It’s probably fair to say that we had had a range of experiences serving God within our own comfort zones, but suddenly we were doing something new and often strange.

BY IAN GAINSFORD

06 | WarCry 26 July 2014

I

n our first year, our kids Sophie and Malachi found it hard to fit in. School seemed strange, their few friends all lived an hour’s drive or more away on the other side of the city, and at times they were adamant they wanted to ‘go home’. This year, they’ve been a lot more settled, for which we’re very grateful.

For Liz and I, there have also been plenty of challenges. My role involves oversight of the training of Salvation Army officers (ministers), and in addition to cultural and language differences, there has been the need to deal with the many practical difficulties that come with such a role. Liz began her time here as Education Officer, but this year has added the role of Social Secretary. The sheer scale of her job overseeing a number of the centres here—including schools, homes for trafficked girls, and more—has seen Liz grapple with huge administrative hurdles along with the need to confront corruption head on.

The bottom line is that we have moved from a place where we had everything we need—resources, support, friends, family and a comfortable lifestyle—to a place where ministry and life itself have much more to do with faith in the face of going without. Let me be clear, we have enough to eat and a good roof over our heads, but we’ve gone from the comfortable homes of New Zealand, to a place where none of the doors close quite right and where the water and power doesn’t always work.

We’ve gone from church halls with data projectors and sound systems to concrete boxes or halls thrown together using crooked poles and recycled corrugated iron. We’ve gone from electronic banking and online shopping to a place where earlier this year an officer returning from the bank was shot in the leg during a robbery.

When confronted by the reality of how much of the world actually lives, something has to change, because Western individualism, consumerism and self-interest just don’t cut it anymore.

Someone once said to me that there are places where the gospel —the good news that in Jesus Christ we can encounter forgiveness, life, hope and purpose—makes more sense, because people have nothing else to rely on. When the things you usually rely on aren’t there anymore, you have to ask where your hope is going to be placed—and I think that when the time does come for us to move on from Tanzania, we will live and lead in very different ways.

I love the sense of togetherness that exists here. People live with and for one another, and the idea of unity and mutuality are very important. I love the determined respect people show one another.

The lack of cynicism. The bedrock belief that faith makes a difference and God will make a way. Are there things we struggle with? Of course. But in places where life is more of a struggle, hope takes root.

Marked by hope In February this year, I had the opportunity to spend nine days travelling around the north of Tanzania visiting the cadets (officers in training) as they led small corps (churches) there. It was an incredible opportunity to see things I’ve dreamed of since I was a boy: to stand in the waters of Lake Victoria and cross a distant corner of the Serengeti dotted by herds of zebra and wildebeest, to travel to distant mud huts down tiny pathways in a four wheel drive and experience the beautiful harmony and vibrant dance of African villagers at worship.

A highpoint of this trip was seeing the incredible work of our students. Some were sent to places where they had nowhere to live.

Others arrived to find a house, but no one attending their church.

Some needed to walk for hours to the nearest source of water. But without exception, as a result of the work they were doing, lives had

begun to change. I encountered communities marked by hope.

And for Liz and I? Well, where we perhaps assumed that a simpler lifestyle would mean fewer distractions and a deepening experience of faith, we have found that any relationship worth having requires work, and while at times God has seemed very close, at other times things have been harder. We have found much to admire and much to love about people in Tanzania, but there have been things to confuse or discourage us. The highs have been very high, but the lows are sometimes very low. At times, our journey has been marked by self-doubt and by an awareness of our own frailty and flaws. At times, the road ahead is hard to discern.

Life anywhere has moments when the world seems right, when the sun is shining, when we face the day with a song. And life anywhere has days when we worry, we doubt, we ask: why me?

But even in doubt, hope can grow. Hope that where we are weak, God is strong. Hope that where we don’t see a way forward, God can provide. Hope that despite our frailty, God is able to take what little we have and multiply it beyond any realistic expectation we may have had of ourselves.

Every day, hope breaks into our world—like in those moments when the children from the nursery school run out to hug the white man or the white woman walking to their office, or just to shake our hand and smile the special smile of childhood that’s like the sun breaking through the clouds. Every day, just when we think we might have exhausted the grace of God, there is something, however small, that reminds us that God is still good, that love is still the strongest force on earth, and that the broken things of life can be remade in the hands of the one who longs to set us free.

Lasting change Can I be honest? I know I have some skills. I know there are some things I can do well. And yet, I make a lot of mistakes—most of them entirely of my own making. Sometimes I feel like the city I live in: a sprawling, unplanned, chaotic and often messy hive of all that’s good and all that’s messed up about this world.

But I believe that I can be better, and not because I have some secret reservoir of strength or because of my own inherent nobility. I believe I can be better because God desires to make things right and whole and good. I can be better if I remember to stop trying so hard and just remember that I don’t have to keep looking for love—love came looking for me.

To do this, I need to turn every day to God. I need to put my trust not in what I have or even what I want, but in the God who is able to supply all my needs. I need to stop waiting for things to fall in my lap, and give myself more to prayer, to reading my Bible, to finding grace in small moments, and—as my children would tell you—to developing more patience.

Maybe that’s what will be a lasting change for Liz and me: that we will learn to slow down. People walk slowly here. Last week, we took the cadets to a local trade fair, and half way there I realised that yet again we were a long way ahead of the people following us! So, maybe we can learn to slow down, to wait upon the Lord, to put aside the unimportant and take up the slow and patient way of community.

Maybe we can stop trying to solve every problem, control every situation and right every wrong, and start showing love in the midst of a sometimes indifferent world.

Maybe we can deny ourselves, and live for the God whose love continues to change the world, from the farthest corner of Tanzania to the smallest towns of Aotearoa New Zealand. Maybe we can hope for that.

Feature | 07

Mofa’s Hopeful Future Mofa is a happy, intelligent and vibrant young girl currently in her second year of secondary school in Dar es Salaam.

Mofa was born into a Masai family in northern Tanzania. Her father had been expecting a boy, and was disappointed when presented with a healthy baby girl. In fact, he was more than disappointed; he was ashamed and angry—like many in societies where women and girls are regarded as lesser than men.

Mofa’s father took her out into a field that was known to have many snakes and left her there to be bitten and eventually die. She was bitten, but miraculously survived and was taken to a medical facility where the decision was made to amputate her left leg to save her life. Now, not only was she a female, she was a female with a disability.

Not much is known about what happened in the first few years of Mofa’s life except that she was not accepted by her family. But when she turned seven, she was brought to The Salvation Army’s Matumaini School for Disabled Children.

Matumaini is Swahili for ‘hope’, and it was here that Mofa received a new artificial leg, along with love and support from staff and teachers, seven years of primary school education, friends, confidence, love for God, and a place to call home.

To move on to secondary school in Tanzania requires students to pass a set of exams at the end of standard seven, which Mofa did. This is quite an achievement for any child in Tanzania, let alone one who has faced the hurdles Mofa had already cleared. But because she had no family support Mofa was unsure what her future might look like.

Having been a part of our Salvation Army family for seven years, the Tanzanian Territory decided that this bright and gifted girl could not be sent away from Matumaini with no home and no possibility of continuing her education. We are her family. She is our child.

And so, with the help of our Mbagala home for girls rescued from human trafficking and funds from overseas sponsorship, Mofa now attends a secondary boarding school during the school term and lives at Mbagala during the holidays, where she continues to be a valued part of our family.

As well as paying for all her school fees, personal items and transport costs, The Salvation Army—with the help of local resources and overseas donations—continues to ensure that Mofa is provided with new prosthetic legs as she grows, as well as covering any medical expenses.

The upshot? Mofa’s life has been transformed, and hope has blossomed in the place of rejection and near death. We pray that she will use her gifts and abilities to better the lives of others here in Tanzania as an amazing role model for all those on the margins in this country.

So, does the Self Denial Appeal make a difference in people’s lives? Yes it does!

Without the support of donations from countries like New Zealand, the Tanzania Territory would not be able to run centres like Matumaini or our two homes for girls rescued from human trafficking. Without overseas financial support, girls married off as children, girls as young as seven or eight forced into prostitution, girls left to die in a snake-infested field simply because they are girls—girls like Mofa—would not have a future. LIZ GAINSFORD (from top) Mofa; worship hall at Ng’ereng’ere Corps, where cadets were sent on training; Liz, kids and others enjoying an African lunch.

Go to

salvationarmy.org.nz/selfdenial for more info.

08 | WarCry 26 July 2014

BUDGETING

LIFESTYLE

Making Beautiful Music

A Mid-Winter Christmas

Make your own musical instruments and you’ll be making beautiful —okay, let’s just say, joyful—music together as a family.

I’ve scrounged the WWW for the best musical prototypes! Here are my top five, which vary across age ranges and difficulty. There should be something for everyone.

Delightful drums: I love that these are made using the real principle behind traditional drums—and you can make them using a tin can and some leather. Simply cut a circle of leather to fit over your tin can, and keep it taut by lacing around the circumference and tying it tightly. Then, get creative by painting the tin can in all sorts of funky designs. This is also an amazing gift idea! Go to www.abeautifulmess.com for all the instructions and gorgeousness.

Something people in the top half of the globe already know is that Christmas lights and cheer are a great way to get through the darkest days of winter. Here are some budget ideas for putting on a wintery, Christmassy, warming, family-friendly party.

Tube guitar: This is the same principle as the ‘elastic bands around a shoe box’ string instrument, but takes it to the next level. All it takes is a sturdy cardboard tube, some fishing line, an old tuna can and a piece of wood!

Go to www.bashthetrash.com for instructions and even tutorials for playing your tube guitar.

Get out the Christmas lights and decorations: Yes! Christmas lights actually make sense in the middle of winter, when it gets dark early. This way you don’t have to wait till after your bedtime to enjoy them.

Make your own snowglobes: Aren’t snowglobes just the best? Get a small, watertight jar. Using little figurines and waterproof glue, attach them to the bottom of your jar. Add 2–3 teaspoons of glitter and fill with water.

Tightly screw the lid on to the jar, and turn it upside down to see the snow fall. Pure magic.

Garden xylophone: Before I saw this site I didn’t know it ... but every garden needs an enormous wooden xylophone! The idea is to cut pieces of scrap 2x4 wood into lengths from biggest to smallest. String the wood together using some sturdy rope. Then secure it between two posts or to a fence. Now go crazy with paint and make lots of noisy fun. Take a look at www.childcentralstation.com for full instructions.

Make mulled non-alcoholic apple juice: Boil together 300ml of water, ½ cup sugar and 1 cinnamon stick until all the sugar is dissolved. Now, add 2 sliced lemons, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Pour in 2 litres of apple juice and heat through. You can transfer this to your slow cooker and leave it simmering throughout the day.

Bash station: This same site has an amazingly simple idea of an outdoor bash station, which is essentially to create a space full of old lids and pans, where the kids can make a joyful noise.

Have a snowball fight: Easy peasy, and so much fun. Make lots and lots of ‘snowballs’ out of old newspaper and have an indoor snowball fight.

DIY tap-dancing shoes: Get a metal washer and string it to a loop of elastic. Stretch the elastic over your child’s shoes, so that the washer lays flat under the shoe. Your child will love their new twinkly toes.

Have a wintery secret Santa: All those cheesy gifts come into their own in winter: novelty socks, onesies, hot water bottle cosies and, of course, oversized animal slippers.

Remember the reason: Not only is it a whole lotta fun, but what a wonderful opportunity to remember Jesus in a totally awesome way. After all, who said we can only celebrate his birth once a year?!

Source: www.wonderthrift.com

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store? Dr. Seuss

Good Old Meatloaf The grated vegetables in this loaf add extra flavour and give it a lighter texture than more solid loaves | Serves 6–8 500g minced beef 500g sausage meat 1 large carrot, grated 2 medium zucchini, grated 1 x 45g packet of onion soup mix Optional Glaze Tomato sauce and/or sweet chilli sauce Soy sauce

Turn oven to 180°C, with rack in the middle.

Put everything except the glaze ingredients in a large bowl.

Put your hand in a plastic bag and, using the bag as a glove, ‘squish’ all the ingredients together in the bowl until everything is evenly mixed.

With wet hands, shape mixture into a smooth, oval shape. Stand loaf on baking paper, then brush it with a mixture of the three sauces, in more or less equal proportions. (Save remaining glaze to brush over loaf again when cooked.) If you like, cut smallish, chunky pieces of potato, kumara, pumpkin, etc., shake them in a plastic bag with a little oil to coat them, and arrange around the loaf.

Bake the loaf (and veges) for 50–60 mins. Loaf is cooked when its centre is no longer pink.

By Simon & Alison Holst. www.holst.co.nz

Lifestyle | 09

Q&A Saved by a hug?

Che Cormack reflects on how a hug can lead to healing, inside and out.

I recently met an old woman who told me a story of God in disguise.

She was admitted to hospital after her four-year-old grandson ran to give her a hug. He bumped into her so hard that she lost her balance and fell. As a result, the woman sought treatment at her local hospital.

The doctors said it was a good thing she came to see them when she did, because her bowel was twisted and she needed immediate surgery. They told her that without treatment she probably would have died the very next day.

After hearing the story, I told her the truth: ‘Your life was saved with a hug!’

This is a clear example of God’s way to save a life. His love rushes forward, often knocking us about and revealing the hidden corruption within. But once that inner problem is revealed, it can be healed and our life is saved.

Testify!

After going through hardships and rejection from his family, Ray O’Hara thought he was no good. But God is making something beautiful of his life.

One thing my parents instilled in me from a young age was a strong work ethic. I loved my parents and they did the best they could, but it was an abusive and alcoholic home.

From the age of seven, I had a paper run. I would be at the paper depot, have two paper runs, and be in and out before anyone else turned up. Then I would get home, fill the kerosene heaters, empty ashes from the fireplace, and put the rubbish bins out before school.

I worked hard, and all the money I earned went to my parents. It didn’t bother me because I would do anything for my parents, I loved them so much.

When I was 10, I started going to church and praying for my family to get better and be healed.

But I eventually gave up, because my prayers weren’t fixing my family. I thought I must be bad, and this was was why bad things kept happening to me.

I started an apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer when I was 15 years old. Six months into my apprenticeship, I got home to find my clothes folded at the end of my bed, and everything else gone. My family had moved away to another town and left me. They thought that it would go more smoothly if they didn’t tell me.

That really messed me up. I became a street kid with nowhere to go. I still went to work every day, but I couldn’t always wash and stay clean. I was starving—for weeks at

a time I was only living on a carrot a day, and my body was shutting down.

I dropped all contact with my family for 10 years, but still put $100 in my mother’s letterbox most months.

I had a spiritual yearning, but refused to accept God because he had let me down in the past.

After a while, I got into bikie gangs because they gave me the sense of family I longed for. I was in and out of jail during this time—once more thinking, ‘Yep, it’s cos I’m bad.’

By the age of 20, I had become a successful engineer, and I absorbed myself in Hinduism, transcendental meditation, Theravada and Buddhism. I built up my own company in the seafood industry, with 15 staff. I had everything, but I had nothing.

I battled with God, knowing that I really needed him in my life, but still rejecting him. Finally, I came to a place where I was ready to have God in my life, but I didn’t know how.

That’s when I met the (former) corps officer at Winton, Shane Healey, who walked closely with me daily, helping to heal the wretched soul I was and showing me the way to salvation.

It was 50 years in the making, but I finally gave myself and my life to God and Jesus Christ. They were always with me, but I didn’t know it.

I was recently collecting for the Red Shield Appeal. As a gentleman came up to give a donation, a monarch butterfly landed on my shoulder and stayed there. I gave the man a card with a verse on it, and he gave me a startled look and gave it straight back to me. The card read: ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time …’ (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

God makes the lowly caterpillar a beautiful butterfly, and I believe he is making something beautiful of me.

I became a street kid with nowhere to go

Our God heals!

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3) Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. (Psalm 107:19-20) He was wounded and crushed because of our sins; by taking our punishment, he made us completely well. (Isaiah 53:5, CEV) You, Lord, are the one I praise. So heal me and rescue me! Then I will be completely well and perfectly safe. (Jeremiah 17:14, CEV) Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’

(Mark 5:34)

JUST ACTION 2014

Let’s Talk

Be inspired and challenged by our guest speaker from the UK, Russell Rook, along with locals who are making a difference.

I would like: to explore what it means to follow Jesus information about Salvation Army worship and activities prayer for the following needs:

in Our Backyard DUNEDIN @ 575 Princes St Thursday 21 August CHRISTCHURCH @ 250 Colombo St Saturday 23 August WELLINGTON @ 92 Vivian St Tuesday 26 August AUCKLAND @ 18 Allright Place, Mt Wgtn Thursday 28 August

Registrations are now open at salvationarmy.org.nz/justaction

NAME: ADDRESS:

Please post to: War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wgtn 6141 or email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

10 | WarCry 26 July 2014

SUDOKU

1

Difficulty Easy

2

   5 1 6   6 2   5  2 1   4 6   2   6 5    6 1

Can your family drive you crazy? According to Dr Paul O., the answer is simply: ‘No’. That’s because we are responsible for our own emotional independence.

Each Sudoku number puzzle has a unique solution that can be worked out logically (not mathematically). The numbers  to  appear once in every row, column and x square.

ANSWERS BELOW  1 2 4   5 6 

4 6 1 5     2

5 2  6  1  4 

   2 4  6 1 5

Answers:  Lymph glands,  Dame Lynley Dodd,  Boston (since 1),  In or beside a fireplace,  Song of Solomon (:6).



 5 4  1 6  2 



  6  2 5 4  1



2   1 5 4   6



Which glands in the body make white blood cells?

Who wrote the children’s stories about Hairy Maclary?

Which city hosts the world’s oldest marathon race?

Where in a house would you find an ‘inglenook’?

Which book in the Bible compares the power of jealousy to the power of the grave?

1 4 5  6  2  



6     2 1 5 4

LET’S GET QUIZZICAL

When Others Make You Mad

‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent,’ said Eleanor Roosevelt, famously. She was referring, of course, to not giving other people power over how you see yourself. Dr Paul O.—a medical doctor who belongs to Alcoholics Anonymous—calls this ‘emotional independence’.

It means ‘not allowing others to control our emotions, by not, for instance, allowing them to make us angry.

‘The first step is to remain aware that we have a choice,’ he writes. ‘The other person can make us angry only if we agree. If he or she wants to argue, and we realise that arguing with them is a waste of time, we do not have to argue. They cannot make us argue. We, not the other person, are in charge of our emotional state. Our emotional choices are our responsibility, not the responsibility of that person or that situation.’ He continues, ‘It is normal to have emotions, to feel, for example, appropriate anger.

But it’s not necessary to let anger control you.’

Emotional independence doesn’t mean we become robots—we have feelings and they can be hurt. Neither does it mean that we deny our feelings and needs. However, it does mean that we take responsibility for our attitudes and our actions.

Dr Paul gives some helpful tips for how we can put emotional independence into practice: 1. Reframe: We can control our

Go to salvationarmy.org.nz/MASIC for resources to help you engage with the MORAL, SOCIAL and ETHICAL ISSUES facing our world today.

emotions by reframing the situation. Instead of instantly reacting to the first thoughts that come to your head—such

as ‘He can’t do that!’ or ‘I won’t stand for it!’—look at the situation from another perspective. Ask, ‘Is this really worth getting upset over?

Is it all that important?’ As I ask questions like this, the situation doesn’t change, but I change.

2. Don’t join them: Sometimes

we become like magnets, joining in with someone else’s negative outlook. But nothing is gained by doubling the number of people in a bad mood. Don’t let others dictate what your mood should be.

3. Don’t walk out: If your partner

insists on talking at a time when you can’t listen calmly, don’t get angry and walk out.

Briefly state your feelings, then make an appointment to talk later.

4. Have no expectations: We often

become distressed because we expect too much from someone else, and don’t get it. Or we don’t expect enough, and get that. Write down five things you would like from your partner (eg, kindness, courtesy)—give them your list, but make sure you do these things yourself. You may be surprised at the difference —especially in yourself.

5. Beware the trivial: Beware the

tyranny of trivia: when we sit in endless judgement of people that keep us annoyed, when it’s really none of our business.

Source: You Can’t Make Me Angry,

by Dr Paul O. (Capizon Publishing)

Isn’t it interesting that the same letters spell both ‘silent’ and ‘listen’? Dr Paul O.

Close Up | 11

God and the Gay Christian Opening the pages of Matthew Vines’ defence of gay Christianity.

BY HAROLD HILL The response of churches to lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people is a hotly debated subject, both within and without church communities. In the churches, opinion is somewhat polarised between those accepting of people in same-sex relationships and those opposed. The dividing line between or sometimes within churches is often drawn between those who take a conservative view of scripture and theology, and those of a more liberal persuasion.

The former usually point to certain texts in both Old and New Testaments as prohibiting same-sex relationships, while the latter are sometimes more likely to regard such prohibitions as irrelevant to modern life, like the Levitical rule against eating shellfish.

What is distinctive about Matthew Vines’ defence of gay Christianity, God and the Gay Christian (published by Convergent Books), is that it is written by a gay Christian who is also a conservative evangelical with a high view of Scripture. His claim is that Christians who affirm the full authority of Scripture can also affirm committed, monogamous same-sex relationships.

There are six passages in the Bible that are taken as referring to homosexual behaviour, three from the Old Testament and three from the New: Genesis 19:5, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9 and 1 Timothy 1:10. Vines sets each in context and brings to bear upon them the consensus of scholarship.

His conclusion is that none of them addresses the phenomenon of ‘committed monogamous same-sex relationships’ as understood today. He supports this with an examination of the ways in which sexual relations were viewed over the centuries. In fact, Vines claims that the Bible does not address, or condemn, same-sex orientation, which was not actually recognised as an issue until the 20th century.

Naturally, not everyone will be happy with Vines’ conclusions. It might be argued that he is just selectively defending his own preference from Scripture and history. Quite apart from the fact that the same accusation could equally well be levelled at people taking the opposite position, it also has to be said that this writer is able to examine and critique unsustainable claims made by some sharing his own views.

Others will suggest that regardless of the scholarship he brings to bear upon the particular biblical passages in question, Vines misses the whole drift of Scripture that would lead to different conclusions. He, of course, argues precisely the opposite. The reader must judge.

Vines’ introductory chapter sets his arguments in the context

of the experience of young gay people growing up in conservative churches and trying to find their way, often with unhappy consequences as they often lose their faith and sometimes their lives.

Those most willing to examine his arguments may be their friends and families, whose pain no one should minimise. Claims to ‘love the sinner while hating the sin’ can sound a little hollow when real people are involved. Vines’ own parents, who did not at first accept his position, came in due course to support him, even though it eventually meant leaving their church community for another.

Vines also suggests that we learn to adopt more eirenical language in our debates. He suggests that rather than ‘pro-gay’ and ‘anti-gay’ or ‘homophobic’, or other such expressions, all parties might adopt terms like ‘affirming’ and ‘non-affirming’. This might help temper attitudes on both sides of the debate with a modicum of mutual respect.

Claims to ‘love the sinner while hating the sin’ can sound a little hollow when real people are involved.

This is a divisive topic for many church fellowships. Salvationists have the options of ignoring it and hoping it will go away, or of seeking to inform themselves as to the arguments and their implications. Recently, the New Zealand Moral and Social Issues Council conducted a survey of Salvationist attitudes towards samesex relationships, the Tri-Territorial ‘Thought Matters’ theological conference in August is about ‘a Christian view of sexuality’ and may therefore be expected to discuss this matter, and there is an unofficial ‘Salvos for a More Inclusive Church’ Facebook group on the web [Ed—email the editor for more information]. All of these suggest that some are paying attention to this subject.

Salvationists ought to be well-informed, and it would be a good thing if we were able to discuss the issues—about which inevitably there will be differences of opinion—without the painful and personal divisions encountered in some other places. Matthew Vines’ God and the Gay Christian is a book that could be recommended to conservative Christians who want to work out a balanced view of the matter and are prepared to consider respectfully and dispassionately views and arguments with which they may not agree.

1 | WarCry 26 July 2014

Darren Elkington examines stories from the New Testament gospels and finds there is no formula for faith—only a powerful God. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son.

He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.’

Jesus said, ‘You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.’ Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, ‘Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?’

‘You don’t have enough faith,’ Jesus told them. ‘I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible’ (Matthew 17:14-20).

How much faith?

‘You don’t have enough faith,’ Jesus tells his disciples. These are tough words, there is no denying this. It would have been a tough message for the disciples to hear. And it continues to be a tough message for some today. ‘If a little bit of faith can move a mountain,’ they reason, ‘and your faith has provided nothing, you obviously don’t have enough faith.’ But I don’t believe that is what Jesus was saying here.

Prior to this encounter, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out in pairs. And in pairs, they were to heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8).

Judging by the reaction of these disciples, you get the impression that—up to this point—everything Jesus said they could do, they did! They must have felt like world-beaters. Nothing, it appeared, was too hard for them, and nothing could stop them.

But then something did. And I want to suggest that it wasn’t the demon, but their attitude toward the demon. No wonder Jesus pulls them into line. He speaks sternly because they had overlooked this one simple truth: ‘It’s not the size of your faith that will move the mountain, but what God can do with the smallest of faith.’

Tom Wright, a renowned New Testament scholar and author, explains it this way: ‘Imagine if one night you wanted to see the moon. And you wanted to see the moon from inside your house, not outside. Now, the easiest way to do that would be to look out a window. But the size of the window that you are looking through doesn’t matter. What matters is that the window is facing in the right direction. Big, small, medium—it makes no difference, but look through any window regardless of its size, if it’s facing the wrong way—despite how hard you try—you’ll never see the moon.’

I want to suggest that faith is like that. When we point ourselves (or align ourselves) in the direction of God, it’s not the amount of faith that’s important, but the size and power of our God.

God is moved by us Here’s a wonderful story that’s found in Luke’s gospel: Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her.

‘Young man,’ he said, ‘I tell you, get up.’ Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother (Luke 7:11-15).

What an incredible scene! Without her son (or a husband, for that matter), the widow had no way of providing for herself. Death had struck deeply. And then along comes Jesus, and moved by compassion, he offers to her new life.

And so, despite our faith or lack thereof, I believe that Jesus reaches out to each of us as well. He may not say or do what you expect (after all, you cannot control God), but he reaches out nonetheless, offering hope, healing, restoration and new life.

And so, despite our faith or lack thereof, I believe that Jesus reaches out to each of us.

The dilly-dally approach Occasionally when I speak (or write) and I present what I believe is a watertight argument, I have people come to me with a counter argument. And sometimes they present their side of the argument with scriptural backing. This happened once at an event where I was speaking. After boldly declaring that the widow of Nain story teaches us that God in his mercy can respond to our despair, even in the absence of faith, it was suggested that I stop talking and turn to Hebrews chapter 11, verse 6, which I was told said, ‘And it is impossible to please God without faith.’

This verse brings with it many challenges. Read in its entirety, it says: And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

What I believe the author of Hebrews is addressing here is the one who is yet to commit to a relationship with God, or is looking to commit, or is unsure whether they should commit or not. And so the writer is quite succinct, ‘Get on with it’, he’s saying, ‘make your commitment to God, because then—and only then—will you discover what it means to be relationship with God.’ This dilly-dally approach (I’m in … I’m out) will never please God.

When we doubt For those of us already in relationship with God, there will be times when we doubt. We will sometimes doubt whether God will or can act on our behalf (and that’s only natural). And sometimes our faith will be shaken. We experience an unexpected or unwelcome change to our circumstances, and it throws us or leads us to a crisis of faith where

Soul Food | 13

we perhaps ask, ‘Is God really there?’ Sometimes it’s not faith that we lack, but the courage or desire to move forward ‘in faith’.

But regardless of the size of our faith, whether we have great faith or a struggling faith, the point is this: the size of our God never changes. Whether we are people of great faith or little faith, God’s love, God’s care, God’s grace, God’s forgiveness will always be there.

In short, God will always be there.

Surprising faith Prior to entering the village of Nain, Jesus was in Capernaum (about a 10-hour walk from Nain). And while there, he was approached by some well-respected Jewish elders who wanted Jesus to go with them to the home of a Roman soldier.

They wanted Jesus to go with them because a highly valued slave of the soldier was very sick and near death. So they earnestly beg Jesus to help the man. They want Jesus to help him because of the Roman’s love for the Jewish people. Luke informs us that this soldier had even built a synagogue for them. ‘If anyone deserves your help’, the Jewish elders say to Jesus, ‘he does.’ So Jesus goes with them.

But before he arrives at the house, the soldier sends some friends to meet with Jesus and to say to him: Lord, don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honour. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, ‘I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!’ And when the officer’s friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed’ (Luke 7:1-10).

What I love about this story is that throughout the gospels Jesus does and says things that surprise people, but this is one of the few places where Jesus is surprised. Where the soldier got his faith from, we do not know. But his belief in Jesus is very simple and clear: he sees Jesus as a military officer, one with much authority. When Jesus commands that something is to be done, it will be done. No wonder then that Jesus is surprised. There’s no denying that this man has much faith.

But here’s the thing. Jesus responds to the Roman soldier long before learning of his incredible faith. Right from the outset, Jesus was going to heal the soldier’s servant.

If faith was a recipe So it’s not like we have to somehow try and impress God, or try and convince God to move on our behalf. After all, if faith was a recipe and the recipe was dependent on one key ingredient, then the size of your faith isn’t the key ingredient: the key ingredient (or the active ingredient) is the God in whom you believe.

The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Corinth puts it this

way: …we are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

(2 Corinthians 4:7) When the father presented his son to the disciples for healing, perhaps they thought they had the power in themselves, or maybe they thought they could do it without bothering God too much.

Maybe that’s why Jesus says to them, I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. But even so, Jesus was not suggesting that we try harder, but that we rely boldly on God. * Bible quotes from the New Living Translation Major Darren Elkington is Corps Officer (pastor) of Whangarei Salvation Army

Ponder This A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son.’ What events or experiences have led you to trust in Jesus?

‘You don’t have enough faith,’ Jesus told them. Why do you think Jesus was upset by His disciples’ lack of faith? On the matter of faith, do you think there have been times when God has been upset with you? What about now? What causes you to waver in your faith?

‘Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate.’ Has ‘death’ struck deeply? Or are there areas in your life where ‘death’ has a grip on you? In what ways does Jesus offer ‘life’ to you?

‘I tell you, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel!’ In what areas of your life do you find it difficult to believe and trust in God? What are some examples from your life of trusting God? In what areas of your life do you want to rely more on God’s strength and power, rather than your own?

Don’t tell God how Big your storm is, tell the storm how big your God is.

Anonymous

14 WarCry 26 July 2014

Music Features as Cambridge Corps Celebrates 125 Years

One hundred and twenty-five years ago, on 18 June, Captain Wood came to Cambridge to start The Salvation Army. In his time as the corps officer—just under 12 months—he enrolled 24 soldiers. What a great start to The Salvation Army’s ministry in this place!

Over the weekend of 14–15 June, Cambridge Corps celebrated its 125th anniversary, with the territorial vocal group SpiritSong coming to town. Former officers Majors Trish and Ray Pinkteron were the weekend’s guest speakers.

Under the leadership of musical director Maree Downey, SpiritSong brought many blessings when they sang at two local aged care homes in Cambridge where Salvationists reside. On Saturday afternoon, the group performed to Salvationists and friends at Churchills Café, which is in the building where Te Awamutu Corps used to be located. People were able to listen to great music and catch up with old friends and past corps officers. They could also read the history of Te Awamutu Corps as part of a display set up in the café.

The highlight of the anniversary weekend was undoubtedly

(l-r) Robyn Todd, Jenny Mahaffey and Envoy Jillian Smith the wonderful singing of SpiritSong, who performed in a Saturday evening concert with the Cambridge Town Band at the Baptist church. The audience was greeted at the door by Salvationists wearing old-style Salvation Army uniforms, and a photographic history of Cambridge and Te Awamutu Corps was on display. By the time the concert got started, there was a full hall.

On Sunday morning, the Cambridge Corps hall was also full.

Everyone was inspired by worship and testimonies led by SpiritSong and the group’s executive officer, Captain Tracy Robinson. A challenging message was preached by Major Ray Pinkerton.

Envoys Jillian and Geoffry Smith are full of praise for the many people at Cambridge Corps who helped plan and support the anniversary celebrations, and want to thank those who visited to celebrate 125 years of The Salvation Army’s ministry in town.

Envoy Jillian Smith (Corps Officer, Cambridge Corps)

Changes Announced for Centre for Leadership Development On 4 July, a new structure of operations came into effect at Booth College of Mission’s (BCM) Centre for Leadership Development (CLD). The changes have been implemented in response to a number of developments within the Territory.

First amongst these has been the ongoing need to develop what has become known as the Education Training Framework (ETF), which seeks to formalise the wide range of training and educational development needs within the territory and to develop clear patterns of training and development for those working in the movement. It is anticipated the framework will be completed in 18 months and will become the driver to much of CLD’s work.

Envoy Caroline Jewkes, who headed the Centre for Leadership programme for nearly nine years, will undertake a new role as a project manager that will take advantage of her many skills and knowledge of the education and training sector to establish the framework. Caroline’s service was gratefully acknowledged in a recognition service at Booth College of Mission on Friday 4 July.

After a well deserved period of leave, Caroline will assume her new responsibilities in early November from Hamilton.

Other developments have given impetus to the changes at CLD. The recent addition of leadership development as a key imperative within the Territorial Strategic Mission Plan has been notable, as has the increasing awareness of the needs of the nearly 3000 employees who serve within The Salvation Army. For some time, Booth College of Mission has been exploring the expansion of learning programmes through e-learning and block courses and has been promoting (in conjunction with the work of the Tri-Territorial Theological Forum) theological research papers and dialogues that have become increasingly popular. The needs of Salvationists who are engaging with tertiary level study have also become apparent, as has the

growth in collaborative arrangements and partnerships with other organisations and providers.

Four project manager positions have been created to meet these needs and to cover the areas of operation CLD already manages: Project Manager, Workforce Development: Phil Daly assumes this role from his former responsibility as CLD trainer. His remit includes ETF priorities such as employee induction, volunteer and youth worker development, course development and programming for courses affecting employees.

Project Manager, School for Bible and Mission: Envoy Malcolm Irwin was formerly Training Support, CLD. Malcolm will assume responsibility for external students studying at BCM, the development of e-learning and block course programmes to the wider territory, student support networking and promotion of theological dialogues.

Project Manager, Officer Development: An officer appointment will be made effective from January 2015. The appointee will be involved with the Personnel Department in the officer review programme, Brengle Institutes, post-commissioning officer and envoy/auxiliary captain training, and the Further Education for Officers programmes.

Project Manager, Education and Training Framework: Caroline Jewkes will develop ETF in close association with stakeholders, with immediate priority given to succession and induction issues.

Oversight of all CLD operations is the responsibility of Lieutenant Bryant Richards. He assumes responsibility as Director in addition to his other appointments at Booth College of Mission.

David Noakes (Principal, Booth College of Mission)

Our Community | 15

Joy in Belonging and Serving at Aranui Over three Sundays in May, Corps Officer Captain Charles Prattley of Aranui Corps had the privilege of enrolling 12 people as adherents of The Salvation Army.

Geoffrey Butler, Angie Douglas, Mary Henderson, Mark Hooper, Keri Kelly, Robert and Joy Mather, Gloria Savage and Pam Williams were enrolled on 18 May. David Harrison and Catherine Nalder were enrolled on 25 May, and Margaret Adcock was enrolled 8 June.

Those who become adherents in The Salvation Army state that they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and will seek to follow and be like him, that they will participate in the worship, fellowship, service and support of their local Salvation Army congregation, and that they identify with the mission of The Salvation Army: caring for people, transforming lives, and reforming society, by God’s power.

The congregation clapped loudly as each new adherent returned to their seat. ‘What a joy it was to see these people so happy and sincere in the step they have made!’ said Captain Susanne Prattley.

Those at Aranui are also finding ample opportunities to serve.

Its volunteers are of great value, working in the Family Store, and assisting with gardening, rubbish disposal trips, recycling runs, pick-ups and deliveries. ‘The women in the Family Store love their work and are so good with the public,’ said Susanne. ‘Each of them have their “special customers” who come when their favourite shopkeeper is on duty. All of them have a compassionate listening ear and feel it is a privilege working amongst the folk of Aranui.’

Aranui Corps also supports ‘Operation Cover Up’, with the Family Store providing wool to keen knitter Lorraine Kerry, who knits warm garments for overseas orphanages. The corps recently provided 10 boxes of knitted hats, gloves, slippers, blankets and more for overseas shipment this month.

back (l-r): Geoffrey Butler, Alois Kafer (holding flag), Mark Hooper, Robert Mather, Joy Mather, Mary Henderson, Keri Kelly, Capt Charles Prattley; middle: Gloria Savage, Pam Williams; front: Angie Douglas Operation Cover Up (l-r): Gwen Smith, Jean Lewis, Lorraine Kerry (the knitter) Jannie O’Loughlin and Kayla Campbell.

Who is Your Best Friend?

On 6 June, 117 young people from around the Tonga Region came together to fellowship and worship at Fua’amotu Corps.

Lieutenant Toa Ulamoleka (Regional Youth Officer) and the regional youth team had given the youth leaders and young people of Fua’amotu Corps the opportunity to organise, lead and host the year’s second youth rally. They came up with the theme of ‘Who is your best friend?’ and planned to include a ‘Dinner Date’ where everyone had to wear Tongan clothes and come with a friend as their ‘date’ for the night.

The evening started with dinner, during which Filipe Saafi (Regional Youth Intern) interviewed Captains Fredrick and Ana Vaea (Corps Officers, Vaini Corps) about their love life before they got married. Questions included: What kind of person did you want to marry to when you grew up? How did you guys meet each other? And what kind of dates or communication did you have before you got married? The purpose of the interview was to help the young people think about the importance of a good foundation for their dating relationships and what to look for when considering the right person to marry.

The worship team from Fua’amotu Corps then led worship before Suli Akoteu from Youth with a Mission preached an awesome Bible message. He talked about how God created Adam and they became best friends. However, God saw that it wasn’t good for Adam to be alone and created Eve to help Adam. As a result of the evening and Suli’s message, 14 young people either give their lives to God or recommitted themselves to following Jesus.

At the end of the evening, prizes were given to the youth of Fua’amotu Corps as winners of the haka competition held during this year’s ANZAC Day regional sports day.

GAZETTE Auxiliary Captains Appointed Effective 7 July: Eric and Julie Turner have been warranted as auxiliary captains and appointed Directors, Community Ministries Hornby. We pray God’s blessing on the Turners as they commence their ministry.

Conclusion of Envoy Service Caroline Jewkes concluded her service as an envoy on 4 July, having been warranted on 1 December 2010. Caroline has also concluded her appointment as Director of the Centre for Leadership Development (CLD), Booth College of Mission. We thank Caroline for her excellent service as CLD director and pray God’s blessing on her for the future.

Centre for Leadership Restructure The Territorial Commander has approved a new operational structure for the Centre for Leadership Development (CLD), Booth College of Mission [Ed–see facing page for details]. Effective 4 July: Lt Bryant Richards, CLD Director (additional appointment); Phil Daly, Project Manager, Workforce Development; Envoy Malcolm Irwin, Project Manager, School for Bible and Mission. Effective 3 Nov: Caroline Jewkes, Project Manager, Education and Training Framework; Effective 8 Jan 2015: To be announced, Project Manager, Officer Development.

16 WarCry 26 July 2014

Founders’ Day Celebrated as Salvation Army Enters 150th Year

Howard Dalziel, IHQ Schools Coordinator, UK, and Major John Murray, IHQ Communications and Literary Secretary, are all smiles at the IHQ Founders’ Day celebration.

A social media ‘Thunderclap’ and coffee morning marked Founders’ Day celebrations at The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters (IHQ) in London. On 2 July 1865, 149 years ago, the Rev. William Booth and his wife Catherine began the ministry in poverty-stricken east London that would become today’s Salvation Army, with its presence in 126 countries.

A coffee morning was held

at IHQ to mark this special day —and that it is now less than a year until the Army’s 150th birthday. The event raised funds for the Mind the Gap campaign to allow delegates from developing countries to attend the international congress, Boundless: The Whole World Redeeming, in London next July.

General André Cox paid tribute to General Booth’s passion and tenderness, but also his wholehearted seeking

after ‘genuine fire’ from God’s altar. He said he could sense the excitement mounting ahead of next year’s 150th anniversary celebrations, but added the challenge: ‘If The Salvation Army is to go on serving after 150 years it will be because we serve with a passion and with an undivided heart.’

Comparing today’s Salvation Army to the men of Israel (as recorded in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy) who were told to go home if they were not fully committed to the battle, General Cox said, ‘We need to be a people who will serve wholeheartedly.’ He gave the assurance that, in his travels, he has seen that ‘the fire of the Holy Spirit still burns brightly within this Army,’ but concluded with a challenge worthy of the Founder himself: ‘It’s all or nothing if we want to win this war!’

The event began with an introduction from Lieut-Colonel Eddie Hobgood (International Congress Coordinator), dressed as early-day Salvationist Joe the Turk. Before presenting a new video about the history of international congresses, the colonel promised that, at Boundless 2015, ‘we’re going to celebrate in great style’.

The colonel was not the only person wearing unusual clothes. A number of IHQ staff and officers marked Founders’ Day—and celebrated The Salvation Army’s internationalism—by wearing national dress or their national uniform.

Music was provided by the IHQ Lunchtime Gospel Choir, which includes personnel from IHQ alongside workers from nearby businesses. The group concluded its presentation with a version of the Founder’s Song, ‘O Boundless Salvation’, to the tune of John Denver’s ‘Annie’s Song’. The gathering then concluded with everyone joining to sing the song to its more-familiar, traditional tune.

As well as the physical gathering for Founders’ Day, IHQ had set up an online ‘Thunderclap’ to mark the occasion, asking Salvationists and friends from around the world to join in through their social media platforms. The result was a resounding success, with the Thunderclap going off just after noon, sharing a message about The Salvation Army’s 149th birthday with more than 800,000 people.

What If? Being a Neighbour—Questions Posed from Rolleston Corps Plant There is no corps building in Rolleston for The Salvation Army to work from. This is not an issue; it’s an advantage. All we have is a house in a community and a handful of people—all of whom have houses in communities. Because of this we have to ask the questions: What if The Salvation Army in Rolleston is known more for who our people are and what impact they have on their own communities, than for being a service? What would happen if we all treated our streets in the same way we treat our Salvation Army buildings—as mission spaces? What would happen if we truly embraced what it means to be a neighbour?

These questions have brought more questions (as all good questions do). As a result, much thought and prayer has gone into what being a neighbour actually might look like, and here are some concepts we’ve been tossing around: Simplicity in evangelism: We don’t have a building from which to run programmes. Instead, we encourage all of our people to get involved in the things they enjoy doing in their own communities, and to make friends with other people that like to do the same things.

One of our people has joined a local airsoft club. Another soldier of the corps is in a local big band. One has joined a local women’s group. A few of our people are involved in horse riding. Another hosts a mums and kids group at different homes in their community.

None of these are ‘corps programmes’. None of them cost the corps any money. None of them leave dents in the walls or dirty the corps toilets. But all of them put Salvationists in relationships with like-minded people (that William Booth, in Orders and Regulations for Soldiers, points out as the best evangelical target of a soldier is someone like them).

Our people are encouraged to meet people in existing community-based groups for the purposes of making friends and improving the community.

Hospitality: The next step is being encouraged to open our homes to those we meet. It is one thing to go to meetings and groups and school halls and community centres. It is another thing altogether to have people come into your home. In Rolleston, we encourage and teach the art of hospitality. We did not, however, want to limit this to an evening dinner. It’s more about sharing life than food. But food does seem to connect people better than almost anything else. It makes community a lot more personal.

Community—in, of and for: Finally, we encourage our people to take ownership of the community that God has placed them in. In the past, I’ve lived in various communities but without showing any real care for them. I’ve treated a community like a hotel: I sleep there, and sometimes eat there, and sometimes I go swim in its pool. I don’t, however, care about it for anything more than its ability to meet my desire for comforts. I want it ‘good enough for me’, but that’s it.

But a home is different. A home should be a place of peace and love and rest and joy. A home should be a place that’s not just good for me, but also for my family and friends. As a Christian, I want a home to be a place where God resides. I must start treating my community more like a home and less like a hotel.

What would happen if The Salvation Army was known less for its buildings, services, stores or programmes, and more for its people being neighbours and improving the world—one community at a time?

Nathan Holt (Corps Officer, Rolleston Corps Plant)

Noticeboard | 17

New Zealand Christian Writers Guild

CALENDAR

If you are a writer at any level of experience, or you’d like to write but are not sure how to start, the New Zealand Christian Writers Guild is for you.

JULY : Young Adults Event / Central Division : Local Leaders Training / Tonga Region : Youth & Children’s Leaders Spiritual Retreat / Northern Division –: Tri-Territorial Planned Giving Conference / Melbourne : Blaze Youth Event / Central Division : School for Officer Training Spiritual Day / Fiji

AUGUST : Regional Lunch (Auckland City & Auckland South) / Northern Division –: National Youth Band at Christchurch City Corps / Southern Division –: Territorial Young Adult’s Retreat / Waikanae –: Brengle for Officers / Booth College of Mission : School for Officer Training Spiritual Day / New Zealand –: Kids Camp / Central Division –: Youth Councils / Northern Division : Home League Sunday / Fiji Division : Family Stores Quality Improvement Working Party / Northern Division : Regional Lunch (Auckland West & Auckland North) / Northern Division –: Women’s Camp / Tonga Region –: Children’s Camp / Midland Division : Officers Development Day / Northern Division : Men’s Ministry Sunday / Fiji Division

The Guild offers many writing resources, including a 32-page bi-monthly magazine—each issue a mine of fresh writing topics including how to develop your writing skills. The magazine is open to submissions and includes a writing competition in each edition.

The Guild has a postal writing library, offers writing workshops and holds a bi-annual retreat. Members include writers of children’s stories, church publications, biographies, devotional readings and hymns.

For more info, go to www.nzchristianwritersguild.co.nz

Words of Life: Latest Edition Out Now! September to December 

Daily devotional messages to bring the power and wisdom of God’s Word into your everyday life.

Concluding 2014’s ‘Love’ series, Major Beverly Ivany takes ‘Amazing Love’ as the theme for this edition.

What love we see in the Old Testament! It shines through Ezekiel’s visions; we see God’s works of love in the lives of the minor prophets Joel, Jonah, Habukkuk and Malachi; and in the New Testament we witness God’s love in Paul’s letters to the Philippians and Timothy, as well as in the letters from Peter and John to God’s people. The year closes with Jesus’ magnificent Revelation, before a glimpse into the Christmas story.

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Robert (Territorial Commander) and Janine Donaldson (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) – July: International Conference of Leaders, Singapore  August: Brengle Holiness Institute – August: Palmerston North Corps - August: Opening of Mt. Wellington complex  August: Southern Division Review  August: Just Action Conference, Dunedin (TPWM)  August: Retirement Service of Cols Graeme and Wynne Reddish

Order today from Salvationist Resources. Phone: (04) 382 0768, email: mailorder@ nzf.salvationarmy.org.

Book Wanted A War Cry reader is looking for a copy of Chosen to be a Soldier—Orders and Regulations for Soldiers of The Salvation Army. If you can help, please email John on holyjoe@yahoo.co.nz

Colonels Graeme (Chief Secretary) and Wynne Reddish (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) – August: Fiji Divisional Review  August: Retirement Service

Subscribe today!

War Cry … DIRECT to your door

PRAYER FOCUS Please pray for: Rotorua, Savusavu, Saweni, Sigatoka, Suva Central and Sydenham Corps, Central Divisional Headquarters officers and staff, The Salvation Army Papua New Guinea Territory.

Annual subscription (including p&p) $5 (within NZ). To subscribe, contact Salvationist Resources, p: (04) 2 040, e: mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org

R E G I S T R AT I O N S N O W O P E N

18 WarCry 26 July 2014

LEADERSHIP LINKS

We are different ... important ... interdependent.

As a young university student, I studied physiology and developed a keen interest in the structure and function of the human body. I was fascinated by the difference between the various parts and systems of the body: structure, function, position, strengths and vulnerabilities. Each part and system of the body had an important function to fulfil; whether part of the digestive or cardiovascular systems, or an eye or a taste bud.

On top of the difference and importance of each part of the body, is the incredible level of interdependence of systems and functions. For example, the interdependence of the muscular skeletal system and the cardiovascular system.

The New Testament writer Paul uses the illustration of the body to describe the Church. Paul writes that a group of Christians is ‘the body of Christ’. In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul argues that the different parts of the body are all necessary for life and therefore no more one part is more important than another. Some are visible and some are hidden. Some are delicate and weak, whilst others are robust and strong. All have a part to play in the healthy functioning of the body and all are dependent on each other.

Paul emphasises the unity of the body with each part needing to support and protect the other parts—all parts being honoured when one part is honoured, and all parts suffering when one part suffers.

The Salvation Army is an expression of the Body of Christ.

Each soldier, employee or volunteer contributes his or her unique gifts and skills, passion and personality to our mission of ‘caring for people, transforming lives, reforming society, through God, in Christ, by the Holy Spirit’s power’.

Each contribution is unique and important. Each is necessary to our mission success. Some contributions are more up front, whilst others are more behind the scenes in nature.

Some contributions are loud and strong, whilst others are quiet and supportive. But all are equally important. Thank you for your contribution!

It is also important to acknowledge our interdependence.

None of us can do God’s mission alone. We all need each other, and none of us are more important than anyone else.

God created us to live in community, and our expression of working together in unity is an expression of our worship and love for God. When we are united, we are a testimony to God’s love. Therefore, it is important that we protect, encourage and strengthen each other. Let us also celebrate with those parts that are being honoured and suffer when others are suffering.

Thanks for all that you are doing. I so appreciate your contribution to The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. God bless you!

Commissioner Robert Donaldson Territorial Commander

Building Bicultural Awareness Central Division workshop focuses on prioritising relationships with Māori

BY CHRISTINA TYSON Close to 70 people attended a bicultural workshop hosted by the Central Division at Upper Hutt Corps from 26–27 June. Divisional Commander Lieut-Colonel Ian Hutson said the workshop was honest recognition that a largely Pākehā Salvation Army needs to be more cognisant of Māori culture.

‘Biculturalism is much deeper than a haka and a waiata,’ he said.

‘We want to experience the gospel with Māori.’

Ian’s passion for increasing the Army’s bicultural awareness came from seeing how many Māori come into the Army’s care through its social services. ‘But our lack of understanding means they don’t always feel welcome,’ he admitted. Neither did he want Māori Salvationists to feel that they needed to live in two worlds: the Christian world and the Māori world.

The workshop facilitator was Graham Cameron, of Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Ngāti Hinerangi descent.

Graham was previously part of the Stillwaters Anglican community and then served with Urban Vision. For the past five years, he has been general manager of Merivale Community Inc., a community development organisation in a lower socioeconomic neighbourhood in Tauranga. Graham studied Māori Studies and Sociology at university, recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology, and is currently studying for a Masters in Theology.

Although of Māori and Pākeha (Scottish) ancestry, Graham didn’t grow up with any real awareness of being Māori, and it wasn’t until he’d almost finished high school that he was first thrown into a Māori setting. ‘It was like this hole opened up in me. Until then, I’d had no awareness that this was who I was.’

Graham started learning te reo Māori and reconnected with his whakapapa. ‘It was like a call,’ he said, describing himself as a ‘born-again Māori’. ‘I want to be Māori and Christian, [so I’m interested in] how you hold those things together with integrity.

I don’t think the church in New Zealand wants to be a church that strips people of their cultural identity.’

Graham cautioned against having an ‘unachievable utopian vision’ of biculturalism, but also stressed that biculturalism

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is a justice issue. The Bible had a clear preference for the poor, he said, and this was very relevant in relation to the impoverishment experienced by Māori in New Zealand. ‘This is the gift from faith to culture,’ he said, ‘to look beyond ourselves—to look out.’

On the first day of the two-day workshop, Graham covered the topics of identity, faith and culture, and protocol. He introduced the idea of the ‘thin place’, a concept from Celtic theology that describes ‘sacred places where the spiritual world is close to this world’. There were many thin places in Māori culture. They could be found in individuals, in the environment, and in communal settings, such as on the marae. Sometimes, a ‘thin place’ was where a Salvation Army advocate was present alongside someone in a WINZ office.

In exploring the concept of kawa as values underpinning Māori cultural processes of tikanga, Graham drew on Pa Henare Tate’s Foundations of a Systematic Māori Theology. He emphasised that the Māori worldview aspires to recognise every person’s inherent dignity, to look after others and to enhance people’s self worth.

I don’t think the church in New Zealand wants to be a church that strips people of their cultural identity.

Relationships were central to Māori and it was essential for Pākehā to appreciate this in their bicultural interactions. A practical example of the priority of relationships in Māori thinking was the idea of ‘Māori time’, said Graham. ‘Māori time is often because people are doing relationship. It’s not necessarily that “the clock is not my master”, but that relationship is key.’ This presented a challenge for the church and for social workers, because many of their activities were time-bound.

When addressing the broader topic of the cultural traditions of Māori tikanga, Graham pointed out that there was tikanga around everything from mealtimes to the marae, but the intention was always to help people move through activities in a way that strengthened relationships.

Most of the workshop’s second day was set aside to review a timeline of significant events in Māori history, from the first Pākehā missions to Māori in 1814, through to the 2007 Terrorism Suppression Act raids at Ruatoria.

Graham emphasised that although the missionaries were the people who took the Christian gospel to Māori, the evangelism of Māori was by Māori to Māori, who already had a strong sense of spirituality. That Māori shared and explained the Bible to one another should encourage the church today, he said.

Other aspects highlighted in the historical timeline included the

signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, confiscation of Māori land, and the move to a pan-Māori tribal movement with a Māori king (a body with sufficient mana to have a conversation with the British). Māori continued to petition the Crown to honour the Treaty, but by the early 20th century, Māori had been dispossessed—removed from their land, their resources and one another. With the urbanisation of Māori from the 1960s, increasing numbers of Māori lost connection with their iwi and their home. Māori were diminished as a people.

When interacting with Māori, particularly when assisting Māori clients seeking help from The Salvation Army, it was important to see each person in the light of the timeline of Māori since the arrival of Pākehā. This history had shaped the Māori of today and caused them to face considerable challenges. For example: • 60,000 (27%) of Māori children live below the poverty line • Māori children are more than five times more likely to go to hospital for bronchial conditions, and 28 times more likely for rheumatic fever • 25% of working-age Māori are on a benefit • 30% of Māori leave school with no qualifications • 42% of arrests are of Māori, and 50% of the prison population is Māori (60% for women).

‘These are still the same people with the same skills, courage and innovation as when Māori arrived, but their capacity has been taken from them,’ said Graham. The challenge for New Zealand today was not for Māori to ‘get over [their history]’, but for Pākehā ‘to face the reality of what they had created’—and for everyone to find a way to move forward together.

The conference concluded with tips for building relationships with Māori: by visiting the marae regularly, offering to help and serve, and by involving Māori people in what the church was doing.

‘Don’t just go to a tangi,’ said Graham, ‘get involved by having a cup of tea and drying dishes. And always take food!’ Similarly, when attending a pōwhiri, realise that a pōwhiri is essentially a process for building respectful relationships. ‘You can’t rush relationships, and a pōwhiri is a good analogy for that,’ Graham explained.

He ended his presentation by emphasising just how remarkable New Zealand’s bicultural makeup is. ‘A sovereign nation made an arrangement with another sovereign nation about how to be together in one place. This is the basis on which we’re all here. It hasn’t always worked—there have been bumps and cracks along the way—but at its heart, it is a gracious agreement.’

For any church with a commitment to healthy bicultural practice, the important thing was not to focus on having a ministry to Māori, but to focus on interacting with Māori and learning from them. ‘We need to look after our relationships first, and they will look after us,’ said Graham.

TESTIMONY

AS TOLD TO INGRID BARRATT

When Karl Millington was bullied at school, he fought back and became the bully.

It led him into a life of violence, until God called him home.

It’s possible you might already know Karl Millington—for his clipboards (at the Amplify Creative Arts Camp), sassily tucked-in shirts, or as The Salvation Army’s youth programme coordinator. But, here, Karl shares how God’s love transformed him from an angry neo-Nazi, into a soldier in God’s Army …

Kiwi kid I was a typical Kiwi kid—except that my parents were Salvation Army officers. It meant we moved from place to place, but that gave me the ability to make friends easily. I was fairly confident, into sports and generally happy-go-lucky.

We made a move to Christchurch where I began intermediate school, and that’s when things changed. That’s when the bullying started. I was physically abused, like being pushed over and kicked by several kids while I was down. I was also emotionally abused —they knew I was the Christian kid, so the bullies would force me to swear, or pin me to the wall and force me to kiss girls. It was really shaming stuff.

One time, I was shooting hoops by myself and the bullies decided to give me a hiding. I was late for class, and got in trouble for not returning the basketball on time.

I tried my best to be a ‘good Christian’—I followed my Salvation Army junior soldier promise to the letter—but I was so ostracised that I withdrew and didn’t really have any friends. Eventually I told my parents what was going on, and they spoke to the principal, but it became my word against theirs. The school put me in a social etiquette class to ‘help me make friends’, but they didn’t sort out the bullies.

By this time, I had withdrawn completely.

I couldn’t make eye contact with others, I hated myself and I couldn’t understand why people didn’t like me.

Fighting back Eventually, I stuck up for myself. I learnt a bit of boxing, and in a playground fight I put the main bully on the floor. After that, the bullying stopped. I still didn’t have friends, but I was left alone.

I was so angry at God. I decided I didn’t want to know God anymore, because I felt like he didn’t step in to help me. I thought the only thing that helped me was my own fists. So I learnt that the only way to get respect was to use physical force.

When I started high school I got into three fights within the first couple of weeks, just

to stamp my mark. I thought, ‘I’m going to show everyone that they can’t mess with me.’

I almost faced suspension and was put in a class with ‘at risk’ kids.

A caged animal My parents were appointed to South Africa for missionary service a year after apartheid ended. At my new school in South Africa, I made sure I got into some scraps just to make my mark.

At school, I faced discrimination and anger from some non-white students, due to their hurts from apartheid. But as a 16-year-old who was already angry and insecure, it was just another group of people bullying me.

By this stage, I had become so volatile and insecure that anything could set me off—if

26 JULY 2014 | 21

FIREZONE.CO.NZ

someone looked at me wrong, I would take that as a sign of disrespect and lash out at them. I got into drinking, dope and promiscuity.

Looking back, I would say that I was traumatised by my experience of bullying. I was like a caged animal—I was so frightened that I would lash out at anyone and everyone.

I wasn’t tough, I was frightened, and the only way I knew how to deal with it was through violence.

At about 16, I got caught up in a neo-Nazi gang. I excelled in rugby and did well in school, and I was told it was because I was the ‘superior race’. They told me I was worth something. I started reading racist rhetoric, and life became very violent and full of rage. The anger had become so big it was consuming me. I can’t recall loving anything, and even attacked those closest to me. I would say that most days I was borderline suicidal.

Back home We came back to New Zealand when I had just turned 18, and moved to Whangarei. In this predominantly Māori community, I became more distanced from the racism. Instead, I became your typical Kiwi bloke—drinking, playing rugby, getting in plenty of fights, and being a bit of a loudmouth. I was unhappy, but I covered it up with bravado.

Then, when I was 22, a friend took me to

‘I wasn’t tough, I was frightened, and the only way I knew how to deal with it was through violence.’ a youth service at their church. I thought, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve seen all this before.’ But as I sat there, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, which I had never felt before. Then the speaker said, ‘There’s someone here who feels less than worthless and you’re sick of the anger, and sick of the emptiness and God is calling you out.’ I felt this overwhelming surge from the Holy Spirit. I knew that God was speaking directly to me and that he was calling me home.

I had done such horrific things that I thought I was beyond redemption, and I didn’t think I could go before God. But I went to the front of the service and it was a powerful experience.

All at once I felt warmth. I felt love again overflowing my body, I could breathe, and the haze was lifted away. I could see there was hope for me and I could change.

The journey back God called me home, as he does all his prodigal children. But it was a journey. I went through a long process of counselling and deliverance ministry. I had to re-wire all my

thinking and reverse my thought patterns. I had to learn that everything wasn’t a personal attack, and that I didn’t need to use my fists to get people’s attention. I learnt that I was a child of God, and I had to learn to love myself.

I was so terribly afraid of what people thought of me, and it stopped me doing a lot of things. I had to pray through a lot of rejection, and I felt a real sense of release.

I began to see humanity in a different light, and I started to love people, regardless of who were, the colour of their skin and where they came from. I’d been there and done it all, so I had no room to point the finger.

The final part of my journey back was returning to The Salvation Army. I felt God was calling me back and that there was work that God had prepared for me to do in the Army, that hadn’t been done yet. So I came home.

Change didn’t happen overnight. It takes time, and things are revealed to us at different times and at our own pace—but God has a redemptive plan for all of us. Even today, I am still working through some things.

Paul talked about the ‘thorn in his side’ (2 Corinthians 12:5-10)—there are some things I will always battle with, and this keeps me close to God. My story is of the utmost redemption—I am the worst of sinners, but God brought me home through his saving grace.

FIREZONE.CO.NZ

up for someone else. You can even do this anonymously by taking a screenshot of the bullying, and telling a trusted adult. And you can private message the person being bullied, offering your support—they’ll really appreciate a friend.

THE BULLIES YOU DON’T SEE

What can I do?

Most teens who have overcome online bullying say that one simple thing helped the most: telling someone. If you’re being bullied, there is no shame in telling your parents or a trusted adult. Online, there is no one to protect you, but when you tell someone in real life, they can do something. When things get tough, don’t try to go it alone.

BY INGRID BARRATT

If you’ve ever got nasty text messages or had mean things said to you online, you have been cyber-bullied. But you’re not alone—it happens to one in five New Zealand teens.

When we asked you guys on the Firezone Facebook page whether you had experienced online bullying, you said, ‘Yes!’ One brave dude said that he was bullied (physically, as well as verbally) through high school: ‘I closed up and became depressed.

I’m not blaming them (the bullies) but that was the darkest time for me.’ He used alcohol, drugs and tobacco to deal with the bullying, but he still felt an empty void. ‘I got through it all by asking God into my life again, repenting and trying to acknowledge him as my Lord and Saviour every day. I’ve been smoke and drink-free for a while now and finished soldiership classes!’

Good on ya, mate, and thanks for sharing your story of overcoming some serious bullying!

It’s serious Cyber-bullying is serious emotional abuse, and can lead to real issues of depression and isolation. Sometimes cyber-bullying feels even worse than physical bullying because you can’t get away from it. And it can be more dangerous because people can bully you anonymously, without anyone else knowing it.

Youth workers in The Salvation Army say that they regularly see the effects of online bullying.

Says one, ‘All you need to do is tag someone’s name and all your friends can see it—and often “friends of friends”. So you can sit in the comfort of your own home and say horrible things thinking there are no immediate consequences—but there are.

LIFE TIPS | 22

‘You have to be really, really careful about what pages you like, what photos you post, and what you say online because it gets spread really easily.’

Bully or bullied?

Cyber-bulling happens in all sorts of ways, it might be: harassment—repeatedly sending horrible messages denigration—posting things that are insulting, untrue and that put you down, or sending digitally altered images flaming—online fighting using angry and nasty language impersonation—breaking into another person’s online account and sending nasty or embarrassing messages and photos, pretending to be them outing—sharing someone’s secrets, or tricking them into saying something embarrassing and then spreading it stalking—repeatedly sending intimidating or threatening messages that make others feel afraid.

Cyber-bullying is so common that lots of us don’t even realise it’s happening. We may even be a bully, without realising we’re doing it. Maybe someone has made you feel angry, hurt or betrayed, and you’re just showing them how it feels. That’s when you need to ask yourself whether you’re dealing with things in the best way.

And for every bully, there are usually lots of others who know it’s going on, who have had the nasty posts passed on to them, or who have seen the embarrassing pics. But they don’t want to get involved. They might even worry about what will happen to them if they try and stop it.

Be that person who is brave enough to stick

If you are being bullied via text or online, don’t ever reply to the bully. Save screenshots, so you can show it to an adult. And make sure you block the bully from your messages—it is not something you have to put up with!

God loves us all deeply, and only ever has nice things to say to us. Don’t listen to the voices of the bullies. Listen to God’s voice —who tells you that you’re unique, special, important, and that you have a special place in this world.

‘If you’re being bullied, there is no shame in telling your parents or a trusted adult.’

STOP THE BULLIES! Netsafe gives these helpful tips to prevent cyber or text bullying: be careful who you give your mobile number to, and don’t ever pass on friends’ numbers without asking them first don’t respond to texts from people you don’t know—some people just send random texts, looking for someone to bully don’t post revealing pictures of yourself or others online—they may get sent on and used to bully you keep your online identity safe— create strong passwords, and pick difficult questions for you ‘secret question’ on your accounts, so that people can’t guess them don’t share your password with anyone—even your friends.

HOW MANY CIRCLES ARE INSIDE THE SQUARE?

Fun4Kids | 3

SCAVENGER HUNT AT HOME Try this scavenger hunt game at home. Ask someone to time how quickly you can find everything on our list. The only rule is that you must find all of these things INSIDE your house: Something that grows in the garden Something with an awful smell Something that doesn’t fit anymore Something that belongs to someone else Something you wear on your foot

MATCH THE GUMBOOTS WITH THEIR SHADOW

Something that makes music Something you enjoy doing Something you DON’T enjoy doing Something that comes from an animal Something you wear on your head Something you’d need to make a cake One of the first things you see in the morning When you’re finished, let someone else have a go. Maybe you could find out if Mum or Dad is faster that you? Be creative and have fun.

Answers: 10 circles; 1 & 12, 2 & , 5 & 10, 6 & ,  & , 8 & 11.

READ IT

Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me John 15:4, CEV

LET’S PRAY Dear Jesus, help me to stay close to you every day.

Thanks so much for growing great things out of my life.

I love you. Amen.

LET’S TALK Jesus tells us to stay joined to him—the way grapes and kiwifruit do on a vine. What Jesus means is that we should stay close to him every day.

When we stay close to Jesus, good fruit comes out of our lives. The fruit Jesus helps us to grow are things like kindness, gentleness, peace and patience (see Galatians 5:22). All of these make our lives better and also make the lives of people around us better, too.

Some great ways to stay connected to Jesus are: reading your Bible during the week praying often going to church spending time with Christians who help you live for Jesus It’s easy to want to stay close to Jesus because Jesus is our friend—and everyone enjoys spending time with their friends!

General William Booth launched the first Self Denial Appeal in 1886.

Since 1969 Salvationists have been challenged to give one week’s salary to support the appeal. Please give generously.