AROUND THE WORLD
14 NEW FRONTIER CHRONICLE • JULY/AUGUST 2023 Korea Territory celebrates 115 years
Led by international leaders, General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle, and Korea territorial leaders Commissioners ManHee and Stephanie Chang—USA Western Territory officers serving abroad—the Korea Territory held a rally for its 115th anniversary this spring with the theme, “Come and See.” A meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, celebrated the 11th anniversary of The Salvation Army’s mission in Cambodia, which is part of the Korea Territory. Peddle enrolled 122 young peo-
ple as Salvation Army soldiers, and the Changs led Cambodia’s first commissioning of officers with eight members of the Reflectors of Holiness Session. During a united meeting at the Korea Baptist Theological University and Seminary, Peddle emphasized that God calls his people to heal the earth and do his ministry. The event included a youth flag dance performance and participation by the Gideon 300 Songsters. NFC
Twilight Zoo Festival celebrates cultural diversity A record 3,000 people attended The Salvation Army’s third annual Twilight Zoo Festival in Adelaide, Australia. Notably, roughly 84 percent of attendees had no prior connection to The Salvation Army. The evening event included Shieldy, The Salvation Army mascot, plus dancing and singing groups from the Ukrainian and Bhutanese-Kirat communities as well as a faith community whose members are from
Burundi, Congo and Ethiopia. “This is a community-focused missional event that enabled The Salvation Army in South Australia to connect with people from all walks of life,” said Liv Hateley, Divisional Events Coordinator. Attendees received a magnet with a QR code leading to more information about local corps programs, and some 480 families indicated they wanted to know more about local opportunities. NFC
EDS responds to Kenya drought Extreme drought in Kenya has affected nearly 5 million people with food shortages and severe malnutrition for some 900,000 children. The Salvation Army responded with food parcels containing corn, beans and oil to more than 4,000 households within 83 communities, and helped implement a program to provide five nutritious meals a day to nearly 12,000 school children. Water tanks were also employed in the severely affected areas of Kaeris, Kaikor, Lokitaun and Turkana. “For those of us who have never witnessed it, it can be hard to imagine the scale of human suffering caused by the lack of such a basic human need as water,” said Damaris Frick, Director of The Salvation Army International Emergency Services. “I am grateful to everyone who enabled The Salvation Army to
respond with compassion to the most vulnerable in Kenya during this humanitarian crisis.” NFC
In Iowa, EDS responds to Davenport apartment collapse
The Salvation Army of the Quad Cities Area, Iowa, assisted search and rescue teams after the collapse of an apartment complex in Davenport over Memorial Day weekend. As of June 2, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services began serving 240 meals a day through breakfast, lunch and dinner. For continued support, The Salvation Army is working with local social services and government agencies through the Multi-Agency Relief Center (MARC) to make it easier for residents to access services and seek new housing. NFC
In West Phoenix, local youth benefit from powerful partnership with police ers from more than 15 churches gather in prayer in the area’s “hot zones”—areas There’s power in numbers in West that have a high volume of crime. “We Phoenix, Arizona, where Captain Joseph want blessings for this area,” Hicks said. Cisneros from the Phoenix Maryvale “We hope they will have a change of heart, Salvation Army Corps co-chairs an imeven those involved in the crimes.” portant initiative alongside other faith The Salvation Army provides numerleaders in the community. The Faith and ous “extreme heat relief” stations for Justice Project (FJP), which works to “recommunity members (and their leashed build community relationships through pets) across Arizona whenever an extrusted servant leadership,” is helping to cessive heat warning is issued by the support local youth and families through National Weather Service. Mobile hypartnership with the Phoenix Police Dedration units are also dispatched to tarpartment. get additional portions of metro PhoeThe effort started on the west side of nix, and nearly 1,500 bottles of water Phoenix eight years ago, where a highare provided per day during excessive er concentration of youth are carrying heat warnings. weapons and are more prone to using The cold water, ice and air-conditioned them. Cisneros and his FJP co-chair, spaces make a big difference when temPastor Ellis Ogles from the Prayer Asperatures begin to reach more than 100 sembly Church of God in Christ, work degrees in the spring each year, and the together with the police precinct comleaders of FJP hope their prayer groups mander to spread awareness on public are just the beginning of making in-roads safety concerns. with those experiencing homelessness, |PHOTO COURTESY PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT PUBLIC AFFAIRS BUREAU Delayed by the pandemic, a recent forum helped bring everyone back together them to know they’re our friends, not our community partnerships are a priority, substance use or violence in the city’s even during staff shortages and changes most vulnerable areas. as a diverse group of speakers covered enemies.” “We’re working on bringing schools in, Other concerns that are top of mind in leadership. “We make sure this is tendtopics currently impacting teens, from as well as more churches and communifor the leaders of FJP include bullying, ed to and maintained, because genuine mental health to drugs and gun violence. ty involvement in the future,” Cisneros The PPD precinct commander and second sex trafficking, racism and suicide. “I relationships have been built,” said Niksaid. “We would have not only a bigger in command shared the dangers they’re was touched by mental health concerns ki Hicks, community affairs specialist for response, but we could also share the encountering and how many youth have when I learned that a 7 year old had a the police department. “Captain Cisnerdied from overdose. More than 75 youth plan to take his own life,” Cisneros said. os has provided so much support in his needs and help each other.” Still, that help has already been felt. “By the age of 14, one out of every sev- leadership role. I’m so thankful that he’s and their parents participated. “The community loves Captain Cisneros “I’m one of three Hispanic pastors in- en children have already thought about able to participate.” She added that in the summer, Cisner- and his wife and his children,” she said. volved,” Cisneros said. “One of our goals taking their own lives because of the pressure on them.” os “always makes sure to provide the heat “It's quite meaningful to have his supis to help youth feel more open-minded As for the Phoenix Police Department, relief we need” when the group of lead- port.” NFC and receptive to the police. We want BY KRISTIN MARGUERITE DOIDGE