Priority! Summer 2013 by The Salvation Army: SAconnects

Summer 2013

L I FE STO R I E S

G O D’S PEO PL E

R.A. Dickey Second Chances From God

‘Little Mermaid’ Sings for His Glory Filling Big Shoes In Cleveland ‘Hummer’ of a Gift in South Bend

Our Twin Priorities Priority: From the word “prior,” meaning that which must come first.

consider it a privilege to write these introductory words to this edition of what has become a unique publication within the Salvation Army. As a member of and leader within this organization, I feel very

strongly about the issue of priorities. Among all the matters competing for our attention, which should come first? We are guided by our Christian ethos derived from Scripture. We find particular direction in Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 22, verses 36–40. A religious expert asked Jesus: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’ (NKJV) So, for us, these twin priorities come first, before all else, and the content of this magazine reflects that commitment. You will find inspiring true stories of people who love both God and their neighbor in remarkable ways. We can call these “Great Commandment” stories. They illustrate how people from diverse backgrounds have found ways to prioritize life by putting God and others first. Among them, you will meet a professional baseball player, a chief information officer, a recording artist, and a Salvation Army officer/pastor. Each one exhibits a life marked by clear priorities. I suggest it would be helpful for each of us to examine whether our behavior matches our stated priorities. Remembering that actions do speak louder than words, we are constantly signaling to family and friends what our true priorities really are. Read, think, and enjoy.

Commissioner Barry C. Swanson Territorial Commander USA Eastern Territory

Looking for more is what this book is all about—a massive jump into a boundless ocean of love. TAKE THE PLUNGE! Boundless: Living life in overflow, by Salvation Army officers Stephen Court and Danielle Strickland, is based on a song by Salvation Army Founder William Booth: “O boundless salvation.” In seven verses, Booth develops a story of a person who grows from a limited, stunted existence to a boundless life. Boundless is also designed to spark an evangelistic campaign that will reach thousands.

The idea is simple. If you don’t experience this boundless salvation, then read and pray through the book. If you do, then think of some friends who don’t. ~ Pray for them daily for a month. ~ Present them with a copy of the book. ~ And then follow up with them two weeks later. Simple ... Easy ... But the effects could be boundless.

NOW AVAILABLE ON

SUMMER 2013

COVER STORY

FEATURES

Volume 15 No. 2

Pitcher Lives ‘In the Moment’ R.A. Dickey, 20–game winner for the New York Mets last season, found strength in Jesus as he overcame childhood sexual abuse and a devastating diagnosis about his pitching arm. Off the field, he is passionate about the fight against human trafficking.

‘Little Mermaid’ Uses Her Gifts for His Glory Jodi Benson may not be a familiar face, but listen to her voice and you’ll hear Ariel, the “Little Mermaid.” Jodi, an ardent Christian, says she is nothing without the Lord.

Filling Big Shoes, Big Needs Beau Hill, director of the Salvation Army’s Cleveland Harbor Light, operates every day with the directive: “See a need, fill a need.”

From Cornet to Kroc Center When Deb Cafiero reconnected with The Salvation Army, she helped to secure the final $1 million needed to build a Ray & Joan Kroc

Cover photo by Inset photo by

Corps Community Center in South Bend, Ind.

Cover photo © Sports Illustrated/Getty Images Photo above courtesy Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club

DEPARTMENTS 5 Upfront

Constant Trust Salvation Army Major Debbie Sjogren looks back in faith at the days when her husband, Rand, struggled with and succumbed to cancer.

7 Who’s News 38 MyTake 47 Prayer Power 48 70 Years Ago C

ng 15 Years! i t a r eleb

RITY! PRIO

Cicadas and Locusts

ne morning when I opened my local newspaper, I found myself staring into the bulging red eyes of a cicada. These bugs that had

been spending the last 17 years underground were about to return, in force. They would be hard to miss. For one thing, a cicada is huge, about the length of an adult’s thumb. For another, they swarm by the thousands—even

millions. And they make a lot of noise. The male’s nighttime mating song is one of the loudest of all insect sounds. When all the males sing at once, the chorus can be deafening. When early Christian settlers came to North America, they called the cicadas locusts because they supposed these insects were the same kind as those sent as a plague upon Egypt when Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelites go. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of the destruction locusts bring. They come in swarms so thick that they are impossible to count. And when they come, they eat everything in sight, stripping the land of all vegetation. But locusts also figure in one of God’s great promises, which came to the people

…promoting prayer, holiness, and evangelism through the life stories of God’s people

THE SALVATION ARMY Territorial Leaders USA Eastern Territory Commissioner Barry C. Swanson Commissioner Sue Swanson

Chief Secretary Colonel William Carlson

Editor Linda D. Johnson

Art Director Keri Johnson

Senior Designer Saoul Vanderpool

Contributing Editors

through the prophet Joel. The people had been invaded, their land stripped as if by locusts. Joel prophesied that the fearful “day of the Lord” was coming. He said it would be “a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,” a day when devouring fire would sweep across the land like invading locusts. (Joel 2:2–3, ESV) But, God said, if His people would “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning,” He would drive the horde away. Then He said, “I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.”

Warren L. Maye, Robert Mitchell

Contributing Writers Katie Ballah, Daniel DeCastro, Margaret Fisher, Pauline Hylton, Daryl Lach, JoAnn Shade, Anne Urban, Crystal D. Wylie

Graphic Designers Joe Marino, Reginald Raines

Circulation Deloris Hansen

Marketing

(Joel 2:12, 20, 25, ESV) Have you been plagued by “locusts” in your life? Perhaps you’ve gone through years of darkness and pain that you feel will never end. Perhaps it has been a time when your finances or your health has been ravaged. Or perhaps you’re in a marriage that seems to have died years ago, or you are estranged from your children. The Lord has a promise for you: If you will return to Him, He will “restore the years the locusts have eaten.” If you hear the cicadas this summer, be reminded of this powerful promise. And if it has already come true in your life, be like a cicada and make a joyful noise to let the world know: My God has done it!

Editor

Christine Webb

SALVATION ARMY MISSION STATEMENT The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. Priority! is published quarterly by The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory. Subscriptions are $8.95 per year; bulk rates available. Write to: Priority!, The Salvation Army, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. Volume 15, No. 2, Summer 2013. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: Priority!, 440 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. Priority! accepts advertising. Copyright ©2013 by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission.

USA National website: www.SalvationArmyUSA.org

EVANGELICAL EVANGELICAL

PRESS ASSOCIATION

Upfront: After the Twister Salvation Army on the Scene in Moore Her husband, Lieutenant John Autry, was already serving as part of The Salvation Army’s

How you can help

planned tornado response. Mobile canteens from Oklahoma and Arkansas have been deployed across a wide region affected by the tornado. Other Lieutenant John Autry

practical help included providing kits containing brooms, mops, buckets, and other cleaning supplies. Major Steve Morris, the Sal-

Gearing up to serve

vation Army’s Arkansas–Oklahoma divisional commander, says, ‘The Salvation Army is honored to serve and provide sustenance to first responders involved in search and rescue, coordination efforts and more. And, of course, all survivors

will be provided spiritual and he Salvation Army

immediately, on the spot, at a

was on the ground in

time of need.”

Moore, Okla., right after

Oklahoma City Salvation

emotional care. “Many of these impacted communities will take months

a huge tornado wiped out most

Army officer Lieutenant Sharon

or even years to recover. The

of the town.

Autry was at home with her

Salvation Army is committed to

children in Moore when the

being there with them through-

tornado struck.

out and providing aid wherever

Oklahoma’s Gov. Mary Fallin expressed gratitude to Salvation Army officers, volunteers,

“We got in our minivan and

it’s needed. We are calling on

and donors for their effective

outran it,” Autry says. “We saw

everyone to pray for all of those

response. She remarked, “The

it headed for us as we left the

impacted by these devastating

Salvation Army will be there

driveway—indescribable!’

tornadoes.”

www.armyconnections.org

Donating money to the relief effort is the best way to help.

$10

Food for one day for one person To donate $10, text STORM to 80888. Confirm with “YES.”

$30

Box of food for family of four

$100

Snacks and drinks for 125 for one day

$250

One hot meal for 100

$500

Keeps mobile canteen operating for one day Phone: 1–800–SAL–ARMY Web:

www.salvationarmy.org

Letters to the editor Blessed Cover to Cover Just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed the most recent issue of Priority! It was hope–filled from the beginning to the end and in a beautiful way illustrated how The Salvation Army is touching people at their point of need. I was so encouraged as I read the articles on recovery and how people have been made whole once again through the power of Christ. The issue was fun, challenging, sobering and a few more adjectives if I thought about it for a little longer. All I know is that I

was incredibly blessed from cover to cover. Lt. Colonel Mark Tillsley Tillsley, personnel secretary in the USA Eastern Territory, became chief secretary (second in command) of the Canada and Bermuda Territory on June 1, with a promotion to the rank of colonel.

Enjoying Livingston Back in either 2002 or 2003, my wife Lyn and I were holidaying down on the Norfolk coast in the UK in a small place called Cromer. During that week we saw the New

York Salvation Army [Staff] Band were playing in a small village near there and we went along. We were truly blessed by the whole evening but especially by the singing of Raymond Jay Livingston, who sang a song called “Be Strong and Take Courage.” The arrangement and the power of Raymond’s voice was truly amazing and after the concert, we spoke to him. After a while Lyn contacted Raymond and we ended up buying a CD called “Safe Inside.” I decided to go on the web to see if he had

THIS END UP F U R N I T U R E

C O M P A N Y

Proudly serving the Salvation Army for over 20 years (800) 979-4579

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some new CDs available, and we were totally surprised and saddened to learn he had died in 2008. … Anyway, I see that a CD was brought out posthumously called “I Will Rejoice” and wondered if this was available for purchase. (Priority!, Summer 2012) Jack Robertson Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom ‘I Will Rejoice’ can be purchased through the Salvation Army USA East Trade Store: 888–488–4882.

Who’s News

Success Academy in a Soup Kitchen by Crystal D. Wylie

orking in a soup kitchen is not something 16–year–old Addie Williams pictured herself doing. However, since volunteering with The Salvation Army, she has learned the value of helping others, she says. Tabitha Barrett, 17, says the experience “helps you learn what real life is like” through talking with the clients who visit. “You get more out of volunteering than you think,” says Tabitha, who has made friends during her time in the kitchen and has learned how to work well with others. Over the past four years, students

www.prioritypeople.org

from Madison Central High School in Virginia have been volunteering at local charity organizations through the Success Academy. The Academy is a branch of Focus to Finish, a program geared toward students who are struggling academically, have behavioral issues, or are simply disenchanted with school. The academy develops students’ basic work–readiness skills, said Lynn Petrey, teacher and job coach. Every Monday and Friday, between six and eight students travel by bus to The Salvation Army on East Main Street in Richmond, Va., to help out

in the kitchen by cooking, plating the food, and cleaning up. Each student is required to attain a food handler’s card, which can be used for employment at any restaurant, says Libby Edmonson, a paraprofessional and job coach with the academy. The volunteer work also is something the students can put on their resumés and the experience “has been a real eye–opener for some of [them],” Edmonson says. In the past, students have volunteered at God’s Outreach, Light of Christ Ministry, and Open Concern. Some students also have worked in 7

Who’s News

’19 Kids’ Stars Have Hearts for Ministry

the cafeteria and linen room at Baptist Health in Richmond. by Pauline Hylton This is the first year the Academy has partnered with The Salvation Army, Petrey says. Having the students in the kitchen has been good for the clients “but it’s been good for the students too,” says Sandy Bonar, a coordinator at the soup kitchen through the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary. The Success Academy students are very helpful with kitchen duties, she says, and she hopes they will “develop a service mentality” that will continue through adulthood. “We truly serve those in need,” Bonar says of the 30 to 50 people who use hte soup kitchen. “There is more poverty in The Duggar family (musicians) in front of an old farmhouse in northwest Arkansas. Madison County than people realize.” ou may have heard of the Duggar the Duggars is that they have a love for family of Tontitown, Ark. They star Christ and a heart for ministry. In fact, in “19 Kids and Counting,” a reality it’s the center of their family values, show on TLC. Michelle and Jim Bob which include home–schooling the have actually had 21 children—“19 on children and observing strict codes of Earth and two in heaven,” says Michelle. conduct in behavior and dress. The TV show chronicles the lives of The Duggars believe their core values Jim Bob and Michelle and their nine are the same as those of The Salvation boys and 10 girls, including two sets of Army. fraternal twins. The program originally “I definitely feel that The Salvation began as “17 Kids and Counting,” but Army reaches out to people with the the title had to be changed as first one, Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that gives then two more children joined the famus hope,” says Michelle. “We all have ily. The oldest son, Josh, now married, needs, and the Army ministers to people has brought two grandchildren into the when they are at the lowest point of mix; a third is due in June. their lives; and they share the love of What many people don’t know about Jesus Christ.”

www.prioritypeople.org

Michelle learned about the Army from her father, Garrett Ruark. “My daddy always shared stories with us about The Salvation Army. His father died when [Garrett] was 4 years old. His mother, a young widow with four children, couldn’t find a way to feed [them] since it was during the Depression. She made the difficult decision to put all four children in a children’s home. The home provided them with three meals a day and a roof over their heads. But there was nothing extra. “Dad told us … about how at Christmastime, someone from The Salvation Army would show up with a gift for each of the children in the home. He said the Army always made each child feel special. He never forgot that.” After Garrett married and shipped overseas during World War 2, The Salvation Army provided baby clothes and other needs for his pregnant wife— Michelle’s mother. Today, the Duggar family supports the Army through its Angel Tree program, which helps children who may not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. The Duggars also support the Army by shopping at its thrift stores. “Our motto is ‘Buy used and save the difference,’ ” Michelle says. More essential to Michelle than a good deal, though, is her relationship to her Lord. “My relationship to Jesus is the most important thing in my life. My family comes next. My ministry is to encourage them in their walk with the Lord.”

www.prioritypeople.org

High–End Boutique In Thrift Store by Margaret Fisher

hen Paige Wright joined the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary in Kinston, N.C., in 2005, she knew she had what it took to make the Army thrift store’s boutique a success. “When I went to the Auxiliary,” she says, “I knew I could help.” The owner of The Blythe House, a women’s apparel shop formerly in Kinston, Paige has brought her fashion experience to the store. She hand–picks the clothes donated to The Salvation Army that meet high standards in cleanliness, quality, and

style to place in a section of the thrift store called “Ruth’s Boutique.” She tags the garments with prices, sorts them according to size, displays them on new hangars, and helps customers make their selections. All proceeds from the boutique support community youth efforts, such as scholarships, after–school programs, summer camp for needy children, and buying playground equipment as well as furnishings for the Salvation Army’s office and chapel, says Margaret Perry, a member of the Women’s Auxiliary. “This is our main money–making 9

Who’s News

‘Grandma T’ Cultivates Troubled Teens by Daniel DeCastro

project, and Paige Wright has given numerous hours to it,” she says, adding that Paige is the “backbone of the boutique.” Ruth’s Boutique, open since 1993, was named for Ruth Guthrie, who founded the Women’s Auxiliary in 1989 and was its first president. Over the years, the boutique had become less of an eye–catcher until Paige stepped in with her zeal and charm. “She comes in like a whirlwind,” says Major Milton Wood of New Bern, manager of the thrift store. Paige says the staff call her the “Energizer Bunny.” Jeanne White, a volunteer from Kinston, says Paige is a “terrific lady.” “She is the best person that’s happened to this store,” says White, “because she knows what she’s doing [and] does a good job with the knowledge she has.” In recent years, there had been fewer donors to the program. “That’s why I go that extra step to help them,” Paige says about the Auxiliary, “because it’s personal satisfaction and passion, because I enjoy doing it.” This article, adapted for Priority!, first appeared in the Kinston Free Press in Kinston, N.C. 10

he Hawaiian culture uses kupuna (elders) to teach the younger generation. That’s what Antoinette “Toni” Granito does as a volunteer at the Salvation Army’s Emergency Shelter for teens in Hilo, Hawai‘i (the Big Island). The kids at the shelter gravitate toward “Grandma T,” as they fondly call her, to soak in her mana‘o (knowledge). “Similar to the concept of requiring a village to raise a child, the Hawaiian style of raising a kid is having an ‘aunty’ or an ‘uncle’ around who can help provide the necessary support for our troubled kids,” says Warren Walker,

Family Services Intervention (FIS) program coordinator. “These kids want love and a sense of belonging, and we’re grateful that Grandma T is there to support them,” Walker says. Toni, 67, has four children, six grandchildren, and one great–granddaughter. For 12 years, she was a foster grandparent. She was also a VISTA volunteer for six years, through which she helped start the Hawai‘i Island Food Bank. She loved a former job as a therapeutic aide working with children with disabilities, some of whom were former kids at the Salvation

Grandma T nourishes kids with love and a sense of belonging.

www.prioritypeople.org

Army Safe Home program. In addition to volunteering at the FIS shelter, she is looking forward to starting a partnership with a hydroponics program to help girls at the Honaka‘a Girls Home, another safe house program. Toni, who is a Christian, firmly believes that if she can teach gardening to children who have had a troubled past, it will take their minds off their problems and help them transition more easily into a balanced life. So Grandma T can’t help but smile as she surveys the flourishing vegetable patch that she and her young helpers have been tending. In her eyes, the healthy plants represent what the troubled teens could become if they are properly nourished with love and guidance. She uses her passion for gardening to spark their interest and open their eyes to what they could accomplish, despite their troubled lives. “I start by inviting them to help plant seeds in the garden,” Grandma T says. “Believe it or not, because I have worked with children who have had the same problems, they start opening up and talking.” She finds that for the teens, it’s all about inclusion and the concept of

Help for Teens On Big Island

going back to “family” that makes them have a sense of belonging. During the short time that they spend time with her, they learn that they can be something or someone they want to be. Grandma T shows the kids how vegetables are properly grown. Ghost peppers and taro (a plant from which the Hawaiian dish “poi” is made) are the newest additions. The teens have planted tomatoes, corn, green onions, Chinese parsley, basil, lettuce, bok choy, sweet potato, carrots, eggplant, and variety of hot peppers. At harvest time, Grandma T teaches

mission is to provide youth with skills for a healthy lifestyle, and instill purpose, hope, and vision in them he Family Intervention Serand their families. It provides opporvices (FIS) is a program of The tunities to achieve academic success Salvation Army that provides and personal resiliency. residential, prevention, and intervenThe Emergency Shelter for Youth, tion services to at–risk adolescents one of the program of FIS, provides on the Big Island of Hawai‘i. Its a sanctuary to youth ages 12 to 17

www.prioritypeople.org

the kids how to use the produce to make food to eat at the shelter. This gives the teens a sense that they are contributing. “We get to use all this stuff for dinner, and that’s pretty cool.” Everyone gets to meet Grandma T, says Walker. “I recall a couple of young men sitting around pulling weeds and having a conversation with Grandma T,” says Walker. “You can see the light bulbs going and their eyes are lighting up with the knowledge that they are receiving. Her approach is non–threatening, it’s working, and she’s winning them over.”

for up to 90 days of residence. The children are usually court–referred for youth–related violations. They learn life skills, including cooking, communication skills, personal hygiene, and socialization skills. While the young people are there, shelter officials monitor their behavior and academic performance. 11

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All That I Am

‘Little Mermaid’ Uses Her Gifts For His Glory Photos courtesy Jodi Benson © Disney

by Robert Mitchell

www.prioritypeople.org

All That I Am

will perform on the evening of Aug. 9 at the Salvation Army’s Old Orchard Beach Camp Meetings in Maine. “If there’s anything in me, any giftedness, any talents, any ability to communicate with song—any gifts are because of Him. “I do know that especially with the gift of singing and being able to use my gifts for His glory, He makes it very clear to me that I am nothing apart from Him. So I do have to stay connected to the vine and when I line that up and have my priorities straight, my ministry is stronger that way.

Jodi Benson is the voice of Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’ (top) and Tour Guide Barbie in ‘Toy Story 2’ and ‘Toy Story 3’ (bottom).

‘it’s not me’

rincess Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” sings that she is someone “who has everything … treasures untold.” That song might apply to Jodi Benson, who became an international celebrity as the voice of Ariel. However, the Disney singer and voice actress says that far from having

everything, she is “nothing” without Jesus. She clings daily to the words of John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” “I mean, anything that is good inside of me is because of Jesus,” says Jodi, who

“He’s really shown that to me through the years. I don’t take credit for anything that I do. I learned that lesson a long time ago—that it’s not me.” That includes her selection as the voice of Ariel. Her demo was chosen from several hundred other reel–to–reel tapes and she believes the selection was “God–ordained.” “There’s no other way to really explain it because I’m sure there were a lot of talented ladies that could have been a part of it, and my tape was selected,” Jodi says. “It’s just a pretty unbelievable blessing. “It really was a perfect match made in heaven that I was involved in this particular project.” Jodi has lent her voice to a host of other movie, television, and media projects since “The Little Mermaid” (1989), including the title character in “Thumbelina” (1994), Tour Guide www.prioritypeople.org

Barbie in “Toy Story 2” (1999) and “Toy Story 3” (2010). Jodi, a native of Rockford, Ill., was a stage actress and Broadway performer before being chosen as Ariel. “The Little Mermaid” was her first voiceover gig, though she had been singing since age 5.

turning point “I just started singing on my own when I was little, and my sister taught me how to play the guitar, and I sort of accompanied myself that way,” Jodi says. “Again, it was definitely a gift that God gave me. It wasn’t something that I was really trained in and when I got to college, I kind of didn’t know if I had what it took.” The turning point in her life came at age 18 when her future husband, Ray, told her she could have a personal relationship with Jesus. Raised Roman Catholic, Jodi was unaware of such a possibility, but as Ariel sings in “The Little Mermaid,” she wanted to be a part of that world. “I was like, ‘I want that.’ That’s what I’m looking for,” Jodi recalls. “It’s been unbelievable. I’m so grateful to Ray for bringing me to that relationship and I’ve grown from that point on ever since.” Despite a busy schedule that calls for concerts, several projects with Disney, and home–schooling her two children, Jodi says her family and team of prayer warriors are critical to her spiritual growth, along with a strong devotional life. “If I’m staying connected to the Word www.prioritypeople.org

All That I Am

and I’m in the Scriptures every day, I’ve got a great group of people I can do life with who hold me accountable,” she says.

Home schooling “I try to live it. I try to be Jesus with skin on wherever I go. I try to keep that in my mind constantly and to be sensitive to divine appointments—whatever God has in me—whether I’m at the soccer field, the grocery store, standing on stage in front of 20,000 people, or I’m teaching my kids.” Jodi says by home–schooling her children, she is able to “delve into the Word in devotion every day” at the family’s home in Lake Lanier, Ga. She is the primary home–school teacher for son McKinley, a ninth grader, and daughter Delaney, a sixth grader. “It works for our family,” Jodi says. “It’s our 11th year of home schooling. “It’s so great as a family for the kids and I to be able to pore [over] the Word of God together and to discuss it and to really live it, not just kind of talk about it.” When the family lived in Los Angeles several years ago, McKinley attended nursery school, but Jodi and her husband didn’t feel he was being challenged because he already knew how to read and was extremely verbal.

at–home studio “We pulled him out and brought him home and it’s kind of been that way ever since,” she says. “I started teaching him, and we have had a great time. We 16

can be together as a family and travel together and meet their needs academically.” Jodi said her kids get socialization from soccer, piano lessons, and church.

“It’s just kind of been something that we feel like God has really called us to do in this particular season,” she says. “Right now we just take it one year at a time.” Ray, who is Jodi’s manager and runs the business end of her career, fills in as Jodi’s “substitute teacher” when she has to travel and the kids can’t join her. The couple married in 1984. Jodi’s routine is to teach in the morning and record her projects in her home studio later in the day. Disney also has a sister studio in nearby Atlanta that she can use.

Besides concerts, Jodi provides the voice of Ariel and other characters for several ancillary products such as Disney’s talking dolls, talking mirrors, singing necklaces, books on tape, and Wii and Xbox games.

A moral compass Jodi says she has “always been passionate about kids” and it goes far beyond starring in some of the world’s most recognizable children’s movies. As a teen, she loved to babysit, and she has enjoyed working in her church nursery and teaching AWANA or Sunday school throughout the years. “I’ve always been a lover of kids,” she says. “I guess God just knew that was part of the package and why He selected me to be part of this family of children’s entertainment. He had already given me that heart for it. It’s a good package. It’s www.prioritypeople.org

a good mix for me. It’s not something I have to create; it’s just how He made me.” Jodi says her reputation in show business is pretty well–established and everyone knows she is a Christian.

“Who I am from the core is a follower of Christ and someone who loves Jesus, and that’s going to come out,” she says. “I want to be one person combined. I don’t want to be, ‘Oh, that’s the Jodi on stage’ and ‘That’s the other one.’ I want

Jodi and her husband, Ray, with their kids

She doesn’t even get presented with questionable scripts that might call for her to compromise her values and disappoint children who look up to her. “Pretty much everybody knows where my moral compass stands and what I’m comfortable with,” she says. “I’ve been in the business long enough now [that] I don’t have to put myself in those situations. You do have to establish that pretty much right off the bat.”

Salt and light Jodi says she doesn’t want to present two different images to the world. www.prioritypeople.org

to make sure they’re all the same person. All of that falls under ‘I’m a follower of Christ.’ That’s my identity. “I’m going to be the same person throughout because I’m a child of the King and I want to be able to be Jesus here on Earth.” Jodi says that is why she feels blessed to be part of family–friendly entertainment. “Obviously there’s enough to choose from that’s going to steer us away from the Lord,” she says. “I like being part of something that’s going to point people closer to Christ.”

While her signature character Ariel is a bit rebellious, especially where her father is concerned, Jodi says she strives to be obedient to the Holy Spirit’s voice. “I wake up and I say, ‘OK, Holy Spirit, what’s up? What do you have in store for me today? Let me be Jesus today. Let me give a word of encouragement. Let me be light and salt,’ ” Jodi says.

‘She loved Jesus’ Jodi says her family’s prayer each day is “Let us be light and salt today, this day, whatever it holds.” “I don’t know how many days I have here on Earth, so I certainly want to make the most of today with my family and however we’re supposed to make an impact in our community and with the folks around us,” Jodi says. “That’s my driving force when I wake up: ‘Let me love well today.’ Jesus tells us to love each other, love your neighbor, and love the Lord God with all your heart, mind, soul, body, and spirit. I try to keep it as simple as I can to focus on that when I first wake up. I give it to Him and I’m excited to see what He has in store.” Jodi says most people don’t consider how temporal this life is, which she called “just a blip on the radar screen” in comparison to eternity. “While I’m here in my Earth suit, I want to make the most of it,” she says. “You only get one shot. I want to live well and I want to leave a legacy behind that says, ‘She loved Jesus; she obeyed Him; and she did what He said to do.’ That would be my goal.” 17

On the Job

Filling Big Shoes, Big Needs Photos ÂŠ Jeffrey Sauger / Getty Images

by JoAnn Shade

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“W

hat can we do today to help the person walking through the front door, so that they get a little better every day?” That’s a question Beau Hill often asks his staff at the Salvation Army’s Cleveland Harbor Light Complex, a facility that helps homeless people, addicts, and those coming out of prison. Whether advocating for needed changes in the wide realm of corrections in Ohio or getting a backpack for one of the children in the family shelter, Beau works daily with the direction: “See a need, fill a need.” Says Hill, “The Lord honors effort, and I pray every day that the Lord will honor my effort and the effort of all those who work at the Harbor Light.” When Arthur B. (Beau) Hill III came to the Harbor Light, he already knew what it meant to fill big shoes. As the third in a line of Arthur B. Hills, he has a rich heritage of Salvation Army service in Ohio. His grandparents were long–time Salvation Army officers, and his parents, Art and Judy Hill, both recently retired from overseeing the finances for The Salvation Army in its Northeast Ohio Division.

Legendary leader Following graduation from Youngstown State University, Beau was primed to follow in the financial footsteps of his parents, and did so for a few years after college, working in the finance department of the Harbor Light. When the position of executive director opened up, Beau was selected, at age 29, to assume www.prioritypeople.org

On the Job

the leadership of that historic beacon of hope. As he did, he knew he would be serving in the shadow of long–time Harbor Light iconic leader Major Ed Dimond. Arriving at his first (and last) Salvation Army assignment in 1949, Dimond had plunged into the world of drug and alcohol detox and rehabilitation, community corrections, prison pre–release programs, and more. As he and his wife, Dot, ministered together for 35 years, their vision and hard work took the 10–bed residential program for homeless alcoholic men from Eagle Avenue to the nine–floor facility on the corner of 18th and Prospect, and from a rescue mission to an exemplary corrections and addictions program. After the Dimonds’ retirement, Majors Charles and Maria Williams gave leadership to the Harbor Light, followed

by John Ansborough, but in 2004, a new director was needed, and Beau was tapped for that position. With a deep love for family, a belief in the redemptive power of Christ, and a faith rooted in Scripture and expressed in Salvation Army worship and service, Beau walks faithfully in the footsteps of the past. But as valued as his heritage is, Beau is also a firm believer in the possibilities of the future, and steps forward to lead the way on the path of Christ’s redemptive power for those whose lives have been broken through the pain of loss and incarceration.

‘Show Up, Work Hard, Be Nice’ When Beau took the reins of the operation, it was a challenge to be sure, but

he recognized that he had inherited an excellent staff, and he has let them do their jobs. However, he makes sure to articulate his expectations: “I expect each staff member to show up every day, show up on time, work hard, and be nice.” They are words of advice that Beau strives to model as he moves throughout the Harbor Light each day. The longevity of the staff members at the Harbor Light reflects their acceptance of that work ethic, and witnesses to their commitment to its mission: to be a beacon of hope and help to the most disenfranchised members of society. Even with the support of a veteran staff, the responsibility of running the complex is huge. With a budget over

Beau (standing, right) with parents Art and Mary and brother, Lin.

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$8.5 million and a daily population of more than 400 residents, the Harbor Light’s logistical details can be overwhelming. How do you operate a building day in and day out, a facility that hasn’t shut down—even for a day—since 1949? It’s a facility that serves more meals per day than most restaurants, (nearly 1,000), provides 142,000 nights of service each year, and is on the cutting edge of ministry to the homeless, addicted, and incarcerated. In any kind of corrections or rehabilitation work, recidivism is a large concern. Unlike the big downtown hotels in Cleveland, where the goal is to draw people back, the Harbor Light is a place Beau says he doesn’t want residents to return to unless they are coming back to give back to others in recovery. His goal is that the families in the shelter can find permanent lodging, and that those in the pre–release program are able to successfully transition back to the community. Beau is especially proud that at the three–year mark after leaving the Community Corrections program, 84 percent have not returned to incarceration, a percentage regularly above the statewide average rate.

Operating in God’s Strength Operating a residential facility for more than 400 people who struggle with the effects of poverty, criminal history, addictions, and/or mental illness can be stressful, and Beau is quick to tell anyone who will listen that he does what he does in God’s strength, not his own. www.prioritypeople.org

‘Major Mom’

orothy Lykes officially retired from full–time Salvation Army ministry in 1996, but there’s no rocking chair waiting for her on her front porch. She’s been too busy seeking out ministry opportunities in the city of Cleveland to get much porch time. She’s provided post– retirement service in a variety of Salvation Army settings, and now is the resident ‘Major Mom’ at the Harbor Light Complex, providing chaplaincy services along with leadership for the worship services and Bible studies held weekly at the center. She’s known Beau Hill for many years, remembering his days as a volunteer at the Cleveland (Superior Avenue) Salvation Army center, but now the tables are turned, and she reports to him. She says that he’s always had his head on straight, and she appreciates his sensitivity to the needs of those who enter the Harbor Light. Lykes knows firsthand the pain a life of addiction can bring to a family; her own husband (who passed away) struggled with alcoholism for many years. She admits that her preferred part of Salvation Army work is found at the Harbor Light, because it’s changing lives every day.

One of Lykes’ favorite duties is serving as the official welcome wagon greeter to new residents of the center. Her New Hope Harbor Light congregation provides each new resident with a robe, slippers, towel, and other needed toiletries as a welcome gift; they are sometimes the only personal belongings a resident will have. She tells the recipients that while the robes may be ‘one size fits all,’ the services and support they will find at the Harbor Light Complex are designed to make sure each person gets what he or she needs to succeed in life outside its walls. When asked the key to her longevity in ministry, Dorothy ‘Major Mom’ Lykes claims it is simple: she admits to God each day: ‘I can’t, but You can.’ It’s a lesson she models daily as she moves among the people at the Cleveland Harbor Light.

On the Job

“How do people without faith make it in the world?” he asks. “I couldn’t do what I do day after day without the presence of God in my life.” According to Dorothy Lykes, the matriarch of the Harbor Light who serves in a chaplaincy role at the facility (see sidebar on p. 21), Hill’s leadership is marked by personal humility and by a deep respect for everyone in the house—staff, volunteers, and clients. As he spends time talking with folks in the program, many have no idea that he’s the executive director—they just know he’s someone who is sensitive to their needs and knows their names.

Twinkle in the eye When the difficult days come, Beau can always turn to humor, a gift inherited from his mother, to break up a tense situation. When a storm brought power outages to downtown Cleveland, he told an insurance company representative that the air conditioning in the facility wasn’t working—was there anything they could do about that? Those observing the conversation could see the dollar signs ringing up in the eyes of the insurance representative, but also the twinkle in Beau’s eye. What he failed to disclose was that the air conditioning wasn’t working before the storm either—because there isn’t any air conditioning in the building. One of the hallmarks of Beau’s wise leadership is that he places appropriate boundaries around the management of his time, something he has been clear 22

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about from the beginning. He may be at the facility at 6 a.m. or playing Christmas carols at the train station for early–morning commuters while collecting at the Christmas kettle, but he’s out the door at the end of the day so that he can be home by 5:30 every evening.

Mission: Family While he is called to the mission of The Salvation Army and is committed to the work at the Harbor Light, Beau is quick to affirm that his first mission in life is to his family: his wife, Kris, and sons

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Caden, Liam, and Paxton. Evenings, he can be found painting Pinewood Derby cars as a Cub Scout den leader, and he continues to be a long–suffering Cleveland Browns fan, sure that this year is going to be the Browns’ year. As a lifelong member of The Salvation Army, Beau and family can be found on Sundays in the Cleveland West Park congregation, where he shares his love for music as part of the worship team and the brass band. Whether expressed through the sweet notes of his cornet, his integrity

in leadership at the Harbor Light, or in his testimony of faith, it is clear to those who know him that Beau Hill stands solidly upon the strong shoulders of a family heritage of faith and the decades of visionary Harbor Light leadership. But it is just as clear that Beau forges ahead daily in his commitment to fulfill the scriptural commands to feed the hungry, to invite the stranger in, and to set the prisoner free. “ ‘Truly,’ Jesus said, ‘whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ”

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OVERSEAS

Graham, 5 years old, walks home from school in K ibera, Africa’s largest slum. He is fortunate. Most of the children in his school are AIDS orphans. Graham’s mom is HIV–positive, but she is healthy. She is grateful that The Salvation Army helps with Graham’s school fees. You can help children like Graham all around the world through Overseas Child Sponsorship. Call Today!

Northeast: (845) 620–7237 | South: (404) 728–1366 | Central U.S.: (847) 294–2065 | West: (562) 491–8301

On the Job

Pitcher Lives ‘In the Moment’

‘

I really try to be a man after God’s own heart.

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’

Photos courtesy R.A. Dickey and the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club

by Robert Mitchell

On the Job

Photo © Getty Images

R.A. Dickey’s knuckleball made him a 20–game winner for the Mets last season.

nuckleball pitcher R.A. Dickey reached lofty heights last year by winning 20 games for the New York Mets. As he closed in on the feat few pitchers ever attain, R.A. says he simply tried to “stay in the moment.” It’s something he practices off the field too. “If I just concentrate on living the next five minutes well, then I’ll be able to sleep at night,” R.A. says. “I don’t really project out. I just let the results be what they’re going to be as long as I’m committed to the moment.” R.A. writes in his memoir, Wherever I Wind Up: My Quest for Truth, Authenticity, and the Perfect Knuckleball, that he learned to live this way after nearly drowning as he tried to swim across the dangerous Missouri River. Battling a powerful undertow and raging currents, R.A. turned back about halfway and emerged from the water a humbled but changed man on and off the field. “I jumped in the water thinking I was in charge,” he writes. “I found out [God] was in charge.” R.A. writes that he didn’t have an epiphany later that day at the ballpark— he was in the minors at the time—but he realized he would never be the same. He considers the experience a turning point in his life. “God has already given me a second chance as a husband and father,” he writes. “He’s already given me a second chance as a pitcher. Now he has given me a second chance as a human being.” R.A., a devout Christian whose full

name is Robert Allen Dickey, has reached the pinnacle of baseball success.

Scaling kilimanjaro But that height is nothing compared to the one R.A. reached two years ago when he scaled Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness and money for the battle against human trafficking. “I got to really enjoy God’s handiwork,” R.A. says. “To see the world from the highest point in Africa was a pretty incredible experience. I remember never feeling so grateful to be so small.” R.A. says the 40–mile uphill trip was grueling. He blogged “God is good” once he reached the summit. “It was a real interesting feeling to be on top of the peak and look out and see countless miles below you … and the mountains in the distance, and just thinking to myself, just for a moment, that I was the only person on earth,” R.A. says. “That was pretty neat.”

Opening a deep wound In deciding to scale the mountain, R.A. risked injury and the possible voiding of his contract with the Mets. But he made the trip because he wanted to raise money for Bombay Teen Challenge, a Christian organization engaged in the war on human trafficking. The human trafficking issue hits close to home for Dickey, whose memoir is not your typical sports book. In it, R.A. describes two ugly episodes of sexual abuse he suffered as a child growing up in Nashville, Tenn., where he spent time with both of his divorced www.prioritypeople.org

Staying Connnected, Accountable

ast season was a particularly hectic one for R.A. Dickey, who gained a national following as his win total climbed to 20 and his book and story of sexual abuse garnered headlines. The media coverage was intense, yet R.A. says he found time to maintain his devotional life even while traveling and getting ready for his next pitching assignments. ‘It’s not something that I really feel like I have to check off a list. It’s something I look forward to doing. I think that’s part of my relationship with Him. I feel that it’s something to look forward to. It’s not a chore or something I feel obligated to do; it just really comes naturally. It helps me stay grounded because that’s something very important to me. ‘A lot of it, for me, has to do with being still,’ R.A. says. ‘Buying time and being intentional about taking the time to get away and be still and have those intimate

conversations with a living God is a pretty awesome thing.’ On road trips, R.A. brings along a collection of Christian books, including one of daily readings from author C.S. Lewis. He also has a weekly phone conversation with his pastor back in Nashville, where he lives in the off–season. ‘We talk about all sorts of things, [such as] books we’re reading together, or we just pray together, or what have you,’ R.A. says. ‘I’m not saying I’m ritualistic with it, like I have to sit down at this certain time or this certain hour, but it is a consistent force in my life.’ R.A. also leans on his wife Anne, Christian teammates, and others to help him along the way. ‘In an effort to make [my walk] consistent, I ask for help,’ Dickey says. ‘I have people call me. I have a network of friends at home that I really pour into and they pour into me.’

parents. Upon learning about the human trafficking issue and talking to some of the victims, R.A. thought of his own girls, Gabriel, 12, and Lila, 10. “The thought of them being subjected to the things that these girls are subjected to from age 8 on is just … it almost felt criminal not to do some-

thing. “Personally, having been sexually abused myself, it was just something that just kind of organically fit as far as my support of that ministry. It impacted me deeply because my scars are deep … and I just felt a connection immediately [to the issue].” R.A. says he didn’t know what to 27

On the Job

Dickey will be playing for the Toronto Blue Jays this season.

expect when the book was released. “I had to come to the place that I needed to be OK with however it was received, whether negatively or positively,” R.A. says. “I wrote the book because I wanted to be obedient to a calling I felt like I had on my life, and also it became a real point of catharsis for me. “The book has gotten a fantastic 28

response as far as the people it has connected with and that was my real hope. I wanted to create a forum that would free people up to talk about things that are hard to talk about and I feel like, in that regard, it’s been an incredible success.”

devastating diagnosis R.A. kept his sexual abuse as a child a

secret for years. The baseball diamond was where he found peace; he became a star pitcher at the University of Tennessee and was a No. 1 draft pick of the Texas Rangers in 1996. Then doctors discovered he had no ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm. R.A. saw his proposed payday as a “bonus baby” pitcher reduced from $810,000 to $75,000. R.A. bounced around the minor leagues for 14 seasons with mediocre results. He got called up to the majors a few times, but never stuck. His real break came in 2005 when the Rangers insisted he either go to the minors and learn to throw the knuckleball—a pitch he had toyed around with in the past— or retire. R.A. worked hard for years to develop the pitch, which, unlike others, floats toward the batter with little or no spin. Today, he is the only full–time knuckleball pitcher in the majors. After years of struggling to find himself as a pitcher, he posted a 20–6 record and led the National League in strikeouts while making his first All– Star team. R.A., who turned 38 in the off– season, won the coveted Cy Young Award, given to the league’s best pitcher. He also won the Branch Rickey Award, given annually to a strong role model, for a project in which he helped get baseball equipment and medical supplies to the poor in Central and South America. During the off–season, the struggling Mets traded the popular pitcher to the www.prioritypeople.org

Toronto Blue Jays for a package of young prospects. That did not stop R.A. from keeping up the fight against human trafficking. To raise awareness about the issue, he went to India with his daughters to work in the red–light district in Mumbai (formerly Bombay).

Giving his girls ‘heart for humanity’ “I want to give my children a heart for humanity,” R.A. told the New York Daily News. “The only way to really do that is to get them outside of the bubble that they live in, and expose them in very measured ways to what real life is to a lot of people. They’ve responded beautifully.” As for baseball, when R.A. looks back on the fairy tale that was the 2012

season, he knows where his power came from. “I’m humbled by it, by God’s imagination. I really am,” R.A. says. “I’m just along for the ride and this is where His narrative has taken me. I’m trying to just be faithful in that.” R.A. then quotes Ephesians 3:20, which not coincidentally is his life verse: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us … ” “[Last] season [was], for me, a manifestation of that,” R.A. says. “I really have tried to commit my life and recommit it over and over after multiple mistakes, and I’ll continue to make mistakes, but I really try to be a man after God’s own heart.”

R.A. and his daughters (front row and center back) visit with young women in Mumbai, India.

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Salvation Army Battles Human Trafficking

itcher R.A. Dickey has something in common with The Salvation Army: a passion to fight human trafficking. The Army, formed in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth, was involved from its inception in fighting sex trafficking of women and children. In its early days, the Army opened more than 100 homes for exploited women and girls and was instrumental in raising the age of consent from 13 to 16 in England. In the late 1990s, the Army revived its anti–human trafficking efforts, including the formation of its International Social Justice Commission, based in New York City. There are also many local efforts, such as the Central Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition. That program, says director Trish Smouse, helps victims of forced labor and sex trafficking, most often women caught up in the sex trade. One such woman, Michelle Clark, spent a harrowing 20 years as a prostitute. Involved in drugs and alcohol and with a past involving incest, rape, and domestic violence, Clark became suicidal. She took refuge in a domestic violence shelter, which referred her to The Salvation Army, where she found love and acceptance. ‘I found freedom in Christ and a new beginning,’ Clark says.

see

smell

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” —Psalm 139:14 (NIV)

Be come alive and

taste

hear

touch

www.womensministries-tsa.org Commissioners Barry C. & Sue Swanson Territorial Leaders

The Advisors

From Cornet to Kroc Center Who knew that a used cornet could lead to a million dollar donation?

(continued on p. 33)

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Photos ÂŠ Jessica Koscielniak / Getty Images

by Pauline Hylton

The Advisors

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hat’s just what happened at the The Salvation Army’s Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in South Bend, Ind.—with the help of Deb Cafiero and a reconnection to The Salvation Army of her youth. Born the 10th of 11 children, Debbie grew up in South Bend. Her life revolved around the Salvation Army corps (church). “We practically lived at The Salvation Army. It provided our social activities on a daily basis,” Deb says. “We attended meetings at the Army every night except Saturday.” And of course, there was worship. “On Sunday morning, my dad would begin playing religious music early in the morning to let us know it was time to wake up and prepare for church,” Deb says. Each week, she listened to the sermon by the corps officer (pastor), Lieutenant Ray Wert, and often went to the front of the sanctuary to pray. She says her faith began there and continues to this day. A life–changing day in Deb’s life had to do with an old cornet. “The day I received a loaner cornet was pretty remarkable. I had waited for my front teeth to grow in before I could start playing, and then there was no stopping me. It seemed to give me purpose, and it was something I was good at. “When other girls were going on dates and having parties, I would find comfort in practicing my music. I sincerely believe that music is what kept me grounded during my teenage years.” www.prioritypeople.org

The Advisors

Deb joined the band at school and quickly earned first chair. Her band director often entered her in contests and recommended her for a scholarship.

From Typist to CIO She attended college, then took a part–time job as a clerk–typist with AM General, which produces the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles, better known as the military’s Humvee. In 1999, AM General and General Motors teamed up to produce the Hummer, dubbed “the world’s most serious 4x4.” Deb’s experience with computers

began when a PC was delivered to the office and no one knew how to use it. She took the manual home and was soon writing programs; the first one she designed printed “build tickets” for vehicles. That was in 1978. As her expertise with technology grew, she earned promotions. Over her 34–year career, Deb rose from clerk–typist all the way to vice president and chief information officer (CIO). In that position, she managed a department of 52 technical employees who supported the system that kept AM General “humming.” She earned an MBA from Notre Dame University, and

was also the first and only female officer in AM General’s history. Deb, who retired two years ago, says, “I loved working and always just wanted to do my best every day. I was moved to just about every area of the business before I finally ended up in the IT department. What better place to share your faith than to be in a position where you support almost every person in the company.”

Reconnecting with Army Recently, Deb reconnected with The Salvation Army at a Dr. Martin Luther King event, where she noticed an Army (continued on p. 36)

Deb and her husband, Paul, in front of their home

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Above: The sign in the Cafieros’ dining room (before remodeling). Left: Deb and grandkids

Bubbling Over

he table for 12, fresh flowers in the center, is set with antique Italian dishes and silverware. Debbie Cafiero and her family are gathering for a special meal at their home in Granger, Ind. Deb’s husband, Paul, is the cook, and chicken scallopini is the entrée. When the extended family gets together, the grandchildren sing a simple song of grace, ‘Jesus’ love is bubbling over.’ Above the massive table is a phrase in Italian that reads, ‘Che

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C’era Era Buono.’ (See photos above right.) It translates, ‘What there was … was good.’ When Paul was growing up, his father spoke those words after each family meal on Sundays. Paul’s family knew that food shared with family is always good—no matter how much, or how little, you have. Time spent around the dinner table is important to the Cafieros. They realize they are blessed. They also realize many people don’t have what they do. So when Paul Cafiero discov-

ered there would be a food pantry at the Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in South Bend, Ind., he donated the needed money. He knew that Deb’s father, Walter Meyer, had delivered meals for The Salvation Army to those less fortunate, even though he and his wife, Leona, had very little themselves. The Walter A. Meyer Food Pantry opened at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center on Jan. 7, 2012. And it’s a blessing.

The Advisors

Deb in her Hummer

officer and approached him. As they reminisced, Deb mentioned the Wert family. Amazingly, the officer—retired Commissioner Dennis Phillips—had served under Lieutenant Wert at the South Bend Corps. Not only that, but Phillips had also directed a singing group at that time, and Deb’s sister had sung in that group. After catching up, Deb asked how she could be involved with the Army again. She wanted to give back, not only to the organization that shaped her growing up years but also to the community. That was music to Commissioner Phillips’s ears. Deb now serves in many capacities within the Army. She’s on the advisory board, helps during the Christmas effort, and solicits donations for the food pantry. But the highlight of her service to the Army has been the opening of the Kroc Center in South Bend. When McDonald’s heiress Joan Kroc 36

died, she gave The Salvation Army $1.5 billion to build community centers around the nation. But for each center, the local community has to raise money both to help build and to maintain the center.

One more million In South Bend, $52 million was available from Kroc funds. The community needed to raise $9 million as a good faith effort in order to break ground. The people of South Bend had raised $8 million, but the last million just wasn’t coming in. Deb approached the CEO of AM General. “This is an opportunity to bring a $60 million project to this community, and we can’t raise the final $1 million,” she said to him. “He asked me to share my story with the owners, then they assured me they would help in any way they could.”

Deb got the answer she was hoping for. “What a remarkable day of my life when my boss let me deliver the message of a million–dollar donation to The Salvation Army because that meant we could start digging.” Today, the South Bend Kroc Center stands as a tribute to people like Deb Cafiero who wanted to make a difference in their communities. There is a gymnasium and aquatic center. You can take a reading class or attend a worship service. And that’s just the beginning. One program called Band Link hooks up music students from Notre Dame with kids in the community. Local children who come from poverty get a vision of what it’s like to attend a university like Notre Dame (Deb’s own alma mater). Or they get a taste of being a band teacher. Or they might even dream of being the CIO of a company. That dream sounds really familiar. www.prioritypeople.org

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MyTake

Being There In Boston by Katie Ballah

Katie Ballah took this shot at 2:48 p.m., just two minutes before the first bomb went off.

enjoy running, and I live in Boston, so naturally one of my favorite pastimes is the yearly Boston Marathon hosted by the Boston Athletic Association. I have a friend who works for the BAA, and this year I agreed to volunteer to assist her with hosting VIP guests of the marathon and sponsors. Although I had spent the majority of my time at the VIP party, I was very much looking forward to cheering on my friend and role model Jen Forster, who was running for The Salvation Army to raise funds for Camp Wonderland in Massachusetts.

Blast 30 feet away I made it to the bleachers at the finish line at about 2:30 p.m. and eagerly awaited Jen’s triumphal finish—I had my camera ready to get a good shot to share with our friends on social networks. As I watched the runners finishing, I reflected on the effort, determination, and support that had contributed to each individual’s success in the race, and 38

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I was truly moved. It was rather surreal, but my serenity quickly changed with the first blast that went off about 30 feet across the street from where I was sitting. Runners continued to race; there wasn’t much panic until seconds later when a second blast came. Being on the bleachers became a challenge as hundreds of people attempted to escape the danger. I was midway up, so I had to squeeze through the narrow seats (and I was pregnant!) and jump down to run to safety. My friend and I stayed together and eventually made it far enough to a place where it was safe.

to the peace that I’ve found with Jesus Christ as Lord of my life. This experience has brought to light for me the reality of the frailty of life and the urgent need for the Gospel to be lived, as well as preached, in these uncertain times. I’m privileged to have the opportunity to share the hope I’ve found in God through my work with The Salvation Army of Massachusetts. I am determined not to allow this seemingly negative experience to deter my love for running, as well as for the great city I live in. I am planning to run the B.A.A. distance medley (5k, 10k, half marathon) next year and will likely volunteer at the 2014 Boston Marathon as well.

guiding others It was apparent that there were many, many individuals, families, and children who were confused and scared as they stood among the exhausted runners. I was grateful to be familiar enough with the city that I could guide www.prioritypeople.org

some to safer areas as well as to alternate transportation to get home. I attribute my ability to stay calm and composed throughout the ordeal

The writer (pictured above) is a Southeastern Massachusetts field representative, based at the Salvation Army’s Divisional Headquarters in Canton, Mass. 39

Looking Back in Faith

Constant Trust

On a breezy September day in 1973, two carefree, spirited sisters in their late teens, Debbie and Jan Garrington, stared out the window of their parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Chicago Wrigleyville apartment. The sisters laughed and giggled as they caught sight of tall, strapping, blond identical twin brothers jumping out of a van.

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by Daryl Lach

Looking Back in Faith

andall and Russell Sjogren of Minnesota were arriving at The Salvation Army College for Officer Training to begin a two–year in–residence course of study as cadets in the “Soldiers of the Cross” session. Debbie and Jan’s parents were captains on staff at the college.

an information resource for the federal government. She sat on committees with representatives from other nonprofits such as Catholic Charities and World Vision. “We weren’t lobbyists,” Debbie says. “We were there to answer questions and share our insights into how legislation could impact the lives of America’s most vulnerable citizens.”

SUDDEN SHOCK

Rand, Debbie, Jan, and Russ Sjogren

Right then and there, the two determined sisters set out to marry the brothers. Once the duo collaborated and put their master plan in motion, the brothers—who didn’t know what hit them—had “no more a chance of resisting us,” chuckles Debbie, “than a snowball’s chance of surviving at the equator.” Eventually the sisters became Salvation Army officers too. Jan married Russell and Debbie married Randall. Neither couple’s love or commitment as Salvation Army officers ever wavered. In 2009, Majors Rand and Debbie were stationed at National Headquarters in Alexandria, Va. Rand, as international auditor, flew to all six continents where the Army serves. Debbie, as national liaison to the White House, was 42

With daughters Erika and Evie in 1986

Debbie says that as the summer of 2009 ended, she and Rand couldn’t have felt more fulfilled. They had just spent vacation time in the Chicago area with their one–year–old granddaughter, Ellie Polsley. The Sjogrens’ two daughters were both happily married: Evie, a media specialist with Chicago’s Loyola

University Health Systems, to Dr. Kevin Polsley, a primary care physician; and Erika Seiler, an actress, to Bryan, a successful lawyer. Both daughters and their husbands loved the Lord and were active Salvationists. On Labor Day, Rand and Debbie were headed back home and had spent the night at a motel in Indiana. When Rand got out of bed the next morning, his right upper arm audibly cracked. He was in writhing pain. At the local ER he was X–rayed, diagnosed as having a “spontaneous break,” and given pain medication and a sling. The Sjogrens’ son–in–law, Dr. Kevin Polsley, encouraged Debbie to return to Chicago, but she decided to continue home. Rand had an appointment with an orthopedist the next day. “I now know Kevin was thinking of cancer but didn’t want to scare us with the word,” says Debbie. In Virginia, bone and PET scans were taken. Strangely, neither revealed anything. The next ten weeks, Debbie says, were like living in a medical no–man’s– land. She went to work while Rand remained home, barely lucid on pain medication, waiting for his swollen, splinted arm to heal. He then developed back pain and was given an MRI to rule out kidney stones. On Nov. 23, Rand received a phone call from a callous–sounding physician telling him that he was “full of cancer” and needed to see a G.I. specialist. That afternoon the numbed couple found out that Rand had two large tumors www.prioritypeople.org

Deb and Rand Sjogren

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Looking Back in Faith

on his adrenal glands, and that he had esophageal cancer. The cells had traveled throughout his body, which meant a stage four diagnosis.

HELD UP IN THE ABYSS It wasn’t until morning that the full horror of the situation engulfed Debbie. In the shower, sobbing and overwhelmed with grief, she cried out to God, “I’m falling into an abyss. Please catch me. I have nothing else.” Miraculously, she experienced the presence of God holding her up. She sensed at that moment that whatever happened, she could carry on. “I don’t know how anyone gets through anything like this without faith in God, and I don’t envy anyone who finds a lesser substitute,” Debbie says. While preparing to return to Chicago, the Sjogrens spent one last evening at their favorite local attraction, Mount Vernon. Sitting on the historic porch, they quietly pondered the future. Rand never once asked, “Why me?” Debbie remembers. His question that evening was actually his answer, “Why not me? Illness can happen to anyone—and I know where I’m going.” His greatest joy, he told Debbie, was that his daughters loved Jesus. Rand’s favorite words of comfort came from the last verse of Herbert Booth’s song, “Christ Is All,” and prayerfully, while the two gazed out over the Potomac, he repeated it: And where I cannot see I’ll trust My Christ is all in all. 44

More than ever, Debbie needed to hear him utter those words.

2010 ROLLERCOASTER With Rand’s prognosis of only six months to live, the Sjogrens moved back to Chicago. Rand received chemotherapy, through a port in his chest, at Loyola’s Cancer Center. He was frustrated by his constant fatigue. All he ever needed was four to five hours’ sleep but now wanted to sleep all the time. He lost his hair and still couldn’t use his broken arm. Also, the Sjogrens opted for early retirement (Rand was 56), which thwarted their aspirations to remain active officers for the next 10 years. Surprisingly, Rand responded well to chemotherapy; after six months he appeared to be cancer–free. So, between July and December, he went on a “chemo holiday.” Though his arm never fully healed, both his energy and appetite returned. The Sjogrens both wondered, Could he have beaten the disease? But just after Thanksgiving, Rand took ill again. When a scan revealed lesions on his brain, uncertainty returned. Doctors hoped the cancer would be kept at bay with a month of radiation treatments.

DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE By the end of February 2011, Rand was in high enough spirits to go on a once– in–a–lifetime tour of the Holy Land with 40 Salvationists, including his two brothers and six other family members.

Visibly moved at many sites, Rand found one in particular that held special meaning—the River Jordan, where Jesus was baptized and the Hebrew commander Naaman was healed of leprosy. While Rand and Debbie prayed, Rand’s brother and sister–in–law, Lt. Colonels Dan and Becky Sjogren, anointed his head with river water. Debbie says that the act wasn’t a demand for a magical healing but rather signified a hunger for the deep mystery of faith and a reconsecration to God’s will, whatever it might be. After coming home, Rand took a turn for the worse and was admitted to Loyola. That weekend the doctors informed the family that the cancer had spread to his liver. At best, they said, only comfort measures could be taken along with transfusions to minimize blood clots and prolong his life a few extra days. In the conference room, as the family embraced, Debbie told everyone, “I guess now is when we act like what we believe. Rand’s body has failed him, but there’s a new one waiting for him in Heaven. Why should my selfishness keep him from that?” When she entered Rand’s room and sat on the bed, his first words were, “How long do I have?” “Maybe a week,” Debbie whispered. Rand squeezed her hand. Tenderly, he said, “I love you, Deb. I’ll be waiting for you at the gate.” Monday evening, after the last family member left the hospital, Rand and Debbie prayed. (See sidebar.) Around 10:30 p.m., Rand developed breathing www.prioritypeople.org

difficulties and was given morphine to relax. His breathing returned to normal. At 12:06 a.m. on Tuesday, March 22, his eyes opened wide and his face seemed to glow. Debbie says it was as if he had seen someone special waiting for him in the distance or a new world opening up. He took his last breath. The story does not end there. Today Major Debbie continues on her journey of faith. And she is convinced that one day upon her own eternal homecoming, Rand will be there, as promised, waiting for her at the gate of Heaven.

Regifting

n August 2011, a Jesuit priest led 150 students at Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine in prayer. That morning in the laboratory, they were to begin their study of gross anatomy on the 18 covered cadavers that lay before them. The priest reminded them of the sacredness of the moment. ‘Each body represents a person who lived, loved, breathed, laughed, and worked,’ he told them. Upon ending his blessing, he introduced Major Deborah Sjogren, in the full blue uniform and hat of a Salvation Army officer. Debbie, who expected to be speaking in a classroom, says she was a bit anxious. Basing her short

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homily on Psalms 139:14 (‘I will praise you for we are fearfully and wonderfully made … ’), she said: ‘My husband is under one of those sheets. He wanted to be among the next generation’s patients. His prayer was that his life would always bring glory to God. As the end drew near he told me, “and now I want my death to.” ‘Rand felt passionately that there was always sacrifice associated with bringing glory to God. As a result, he donated his remains. Before dying, he prayed for every medical student who would learn from his body and every patient who would heal from the knowledge you receive.’ Debbie then informed the students that together she and Rand had prayed that each of them

would know there is a loving, personal Creator and that their future patients would also come to know Him. ‘It was important to my husband that you all understand that he was happy to leave his body for your education because he now has a new [body] in Heaven. He also hopes to meet you all there one day. All Satan has to offer is the death of this body. God offers eternal life through Jesus Christ, and Rand is experiencing that right now. Thank you for accepting this gift of my husband’s body.’ There was hardly a dry eye in the place as faculty members and students alike walked up to Debbie to hug her and thank her for the sacred gift Rand had left them. 45

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Prayer Power

‘Obey and Pray’ Becomes Lifeline by Anne Urban

oung Charles first learned how to really pray—beyond his nightly petition of “Now I lay me down to sleep”—at age 9. That’s when he began attending Sunday school at a small– town church in Wisconsin. “I can still clearly see the words my teacher put on the flannel graph one Sunday morning: ‘Obey and Pray!’ ” says Major Charles Moffitt. “And, after spending the majority of my life as a Salvation Army officer [pastor], I still cling to the truth of those two simple, but profound words.” For the last 18 years, Charles has spent three days a week hooked up to a dialysis machine for four and a half hours at a time. He had struggled with frequent bouts of kidney stones while he and his wife, Major Florence “Mitzi” Moffitt, served in corps (churches) and administrative appointments. Then, in 1996, both kidneys failed and were removed. “After the operation, I was deeply depressed for several days until an old

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friend, Lt. Colonel Ruth Brewer, and my wife helped to snap me out of it,” says Charles. “ ‘It’s not the end of the war; God still has much more for you to do,’ they scolded me! Realizing I needed to make those empty hours during dialysis count for something, I asked God for inspiration on what I should do rather than keeping myself entertained with a book or television. Suddenly, the words on that old flannel graph popped into my mind!” During his hours of dialysis, he began to pray.

Praying over directory In addition to monitoring lists of corps prayer requests, Charles began bringing along a copy of the personnel directory for the Salvation Army’s USA Central Territory so he could pray for leaders, department heads, staff members, corps officers, camp directors, and leaders and beneficiaries of adult rehabilitation centers and social service centers throughout the territory’s 11 Midwestern states. Sometimes he’d follow up with a phone call. Requests for prayer began to trickle, then pour, in. The Moffitts retired in 1998 after more than four decades of full–time service. But they continued to “soldier on.” After moving to Rockford, Ill., Mitzi kept busy volunteering at the Rockford Temple Corps and working at

Territorial Headquarters while Charles continued his prayer ministry. He soon met a fellow dialysis patient who was a vibrant Christian, and they began praying each morning for other patients and the clinic’s staff.

Grateful for answers This faithful prayer warrior is particularly gratified when he receives a note or hears how God has answered his prayers. Not long ago a father contacted Charles because he was worried sick about his wayward adult son. An artist, the son had estranged himself from the entire family and had embarked on a lifestyle the father believed was sure to end in death. An accomplished artist himself, Charles felt particularly moved as he prayed for this prodigal, yet kindred, soul. Charles was delighted when he heard from the father that the son’s life had turned around and that he’d reconnected with his family. Not long after, Charles received an invitation to a gallery exhibit of the son’s latest work. “I count it such a privilege when I’ve been asked to pray,” says Charles, who can’t even begin to estimate how many people he’s prayed for. “I have a new lease on life, and focusing on others helps me not think about my problems. My spiritual life is at an all–time high, and each answer increases my faith. Although I’ve had several near–death experiences over the last 18 years, God has seen fit to keep me here!” 47

70 Years Ago

A Female Bonhoeffer by Daryl Lach

Major Marie Ozanne

any Christians are familiar with the heroics of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor who fought against the Third Reich. He was imprisoned and hanged three weeks before the end of World War II. Yet few know of The Salvation Army’s own “Bonhoeffer,” Major Marie Ozanne. Ozanne was a native of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, which were occupied by the German Army from June 30, 1940 to May 1945. Because the islands’ value was more a propaganda triumph for Hitler than a strategic one, the people were (except for severe food rationing) treated fairly well compared to most conquered Europeans—as long as they remained compliant. Ozanne was transferred to Guernsey from Belgium at the outset of hostili48

ties so that she could be near her aging parents. In 1941, The Salvation Army was banned from the island. But Major Ozanne continued to preach in the streets, even after her uniform was confiscated. The Nazi Command at first ignored her and, as Occupation documents show, labeled her a frustrated, crazy religious fanatic. However, her ministry became even more prophetic when she illegally offered food and comfort to the “sub– human” Jewish and Slavic slave laborers who were transported from Eastern Europe to build fortifications. The laborers wore rags around their feet for shoes and subsisted on watery soup. Marie boldly preached against their ill treatment and directly protested to the Nazi commandant. Later, when Hitler ordered 2,000 (mostly British) residents not born on the Islands deported to Germany, she protested again. Twice, she volunteered to replace islanders selected to be shot, but was turned down. Several Salvationists thought Marie should “shut up.” They reasoned that nothing much could be done for the slave laborers until after the occupation, and with one armed German soldier for every two unarmed islanders, innocent people might get hurt. Yet she refused to be silent. In the summer of 1942, she was

imprisoned and tortured until she took ill and was released to a hospital. On Feb. 25, 1943, at the age of 37, she died from peritonitis. In 1947 Major Marie Ozanne was posthumously admitted to the Order of the Founder, the Salvation Army’s highest honor. Her award cites her for maintaining “an outstandingly brave witness for God and for Salvation Army principles” and a “self–sacrificing concern for men’s freedom to serve God.” Today a section at the Island German Occupation Museum is devoted to her life’s work. This year in February, on the 70th anniversary of her Promotion to Glory, a historical marker was placed on her childhood home. It reads: “A resistor to oppression lived here.”

The Ozanne family

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