SAconnects, Volume 5, Number 8 — October 2019

VOL. 5, NO. 8 • OCTOBER 2019

the magazine

is out there surviving domestic abuse

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OCTOBER

contents VOLUME 5 | NUMBER 8

in every issue 3 from the editor 5 relevents 6 an active army 24 snapshot 28 wholly living

departments 4 LEAD It’s all about winning souls.

7 what’s the digital Learn how women in prison are accessing God’s Word.

26 FAITH in ACTION The Salvation Army’s Missing Persons Program reunites families.

30 testimony

10 A n Open Door

Domestic violence is a huge problem in society and in the Church, but The Salvation Army is there when things take a wrong turn. Learn what help is available in the USA Eastern Territory.

14 On Wings Like Eagles

TBN personality Brenda Crouch shares her story of sexual abuse.

32 20/20 vision highlights Local corps are reaching out to mothers and other women with innovative programs designed to turn their lives around.

Thaddaeus Stanford wondered what his future held.

Then one day, he fell in love with flying. Now he is attending the American Airlines Academy.

20 Faith in Art

Painting Freedom began as Tucker Rodkey’s project to share the Word of God. Today, it has grown into an exciting multimedia ministry, based in Chester, Pa.

Para leer los artículos en español por favor visite SACONNECTS.ORG/ENESPANOL

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NATIONAL ADVISORY ORGANIZATIONS CONFERENCE APRIL 22–25, 2020 | CHICAGO

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION Now until January 1 Early bird pricing at $450

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Ask your leadership about conference scholarships!

General Brian Peddle World Leader, The Salvation Army

Steve & Jackie Green President, Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

BETTERTOGETHER2020.ORG National Conference for Advisory Organizations, EDS, CRD

from the editor your connection to The Salvation Army

USA EASTERN TERRITORY TERRITORIAL LEADERS

Innovation ‘forever’

Commissioner William A. Bamford III Commissioner G. Lorraine Bamford CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Kenneth O. Johnson, Jr. COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY Lt. Colonel Kathleen J. Steele EDITOR IN CHIEF Warren L. Maye MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo KOREAN EDITOR Lt. Colonel Chongwon D. Kim HISPANIC EDITOR Minerva Colon–Pino ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines PUBLICATION MANAGING DESIGNER Lea La Notte Greene GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Keri Johnson, Joe Marino, Mabel Zorzano STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ryan Love PHOTOGRAPHY INTERN Ben Glassman CIRCULATION Doris Marasigan

THE 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.

Member since 2015 Award winner 2016, 2017, 2019

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I’ve always been fascinated by people who, down through the years, have seen problems in society and have come up with solutions that were totally out of the box. In the process, they also changed the world.

For example, do you remember those red–tipped matches we strike at a campfires? Army Founder William Booth invented them during the turn of the 19th century. He helped save the lives of thousands of match factory workers who were being exposed to poisonous yellow phosphorus–tipped matches.

How about those heroic pro bono attorneys who we see helping poor people who can’t afford legal representation in court? They are also an invention of The Salvation Army.

There was also a young kid in England who suffered through a difficult childhood. The one thing that gave him joy every day was to climb a fence into a yard and play with children living at a Salvation Army home for orphans. He couldn’t afford to live there, so every evening he would climb back over the fence and go home.

Years later, he became a famous music star and songwriter. Among his many hits was a heartfelt song about that children’s home.

After being closed for decades, the gates of the home reopened last month. Although the music star, John Lennon, has since passed away, his song, “Strawberry Fields Forever“ remains a legacy to the innovative spirit of The Salvation Army.

In our next issue, we’re going to look at how the Army continues to be a source of innovation, solutions, and world change particularly in the areas of homelessness among single–parent families and veterans.

You’ll have a special interest in hearing what General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle have to say about this and more in an exclusive interview.

Innovation starts with a need and then manifests in the hearts and hands of people who care. You’ll read how this scenario plays out again and again.

SAconnects is published monthly by The Salvation Army USA’s Eastern Territory. Bulk rate is $12.00 per month for 25–100 copies.

Single subscriptions are available. Write to: SAconnects, The Salvation Army, 440 W. Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739.

Vol. 5, No. 8, October Issue 2019. Printed in USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SAconnects, 440 West Nyack Rd., West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SAconnects accepts advertising. Copyright © 2019

— Warren L. Maye, Editor in Chief

by The Salvation Army, USA Eastern Territory. Articles may be reprinted only with written permission. All scripture references are taken from the New International Version (NIV) unless indicated otherwise.

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TRUST GOD

NURTURE

LEAD

RELATIONSHIPS

Soul Purpose

PRAY

LIST EN

DO

SO

H ME T

by Isaiah Allen

With a middle name like Salvation, nothing seems more critical to the Army’s mission than soul–winning. Major Stephen Court acknowledges people’s discomfort with both the words soul and winning, for good reasons (see Go for Souls, his 2019 revamp of Frances Longino’s A Guide for the Salvationist Soul–Winner circa 1960).

Yet, this imperfect term is near the heart of Salvationism—turning people toward Christ, from death to life.

We cherish memories of soul– winners such as Frances Longino (1909–1996), a passionate and energetic evangelist, musician, and Army leader; Lt. Colonel Lyell Rader (1902–1994), with his open–air wagon and intense presence; and Commissioner Andrew S. Miller (1923–2011), who pledged to share the gospel with someone every day.

But, soul–winners are still among the ranks, even though they resist the label.

I asked some Salvationist soul–winners three questions. Here’s what I learned:

What is “soul–winning,” and how is it relevant to today’s Army?

“Soul–winning is a way of life,” says Major Joy Emmons of Belgrade, Maine, “that attracts people to Christ.”

It flows from gratitude for God’s grace in Christ Jesus and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Lieutenant James Harvin of Chattanooga, Tenn., contends, “Soul–winning is our soul–purpose as followers of Jesus.”

“It’s about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and preparing people to bring Him into their life,” asserts Major Dennis Young of Dover, Del., who frequently expresses the peace

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and abundant life that God gives.

Soul–winning is a process.

Lieutenant April Davis of Venice, Fla., explains, “People no longer hang out in the streets as they did in 19th century London. People are now in their homes and online. We must get through to people, break through the screens and actually develop relationships. Soul– winning has everything to do with our Army today. It’s our purpose.”

What one myth would you wish to dispel about soul–winning?

It’s only for the gifted—According to Major Bill Dunigan of Congers, N.Y., “Few people consider themselves soul–winners.” But, Young contends, “We are all called to spread the gospel. Jesus didn’t give the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20) to just those who got the gift.”

It all depends on me—Pressure can be debilitating and unsustainable.

Dunigan reminds us, “We’re not on our own.” Harvin urges, “We must have Jesus at the center of everything.”

Young explains, “Early on, I was a high–pressure salesman. I would lose people, not win them; but you don’t have to sell it, you just have to tell it.”

There’s one right way to do evangelism—There’s no cookie–cutter.

According to Davis, we mistakenly think “that it looks the same for every person. The Bible speaks to a specific people, time, and culture. We ought to do the same.”

You have to say the right things— Soul–winning is about listening as

much as speaking. Emmons is convinced that “We need to listen more than speak to be a soul–winner today.”

Dunigan perceives, “Our part is really not difficult or complicated. Let the Holy Spirit do His part.”

What step can any Salvationist take toward being a soul–winner?

Pray—Specifically, Dunigan says, “Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you and cause Jesus to be seen in you.

Pray for the opportunity to tell your story and allow God to use it.” For Lieutenant Liz Blusiewicz (Huntington, WV), soul– winning is simply cooperating with “what the Holy Spirit is doing.”

Listen—Emmons says soul–winners must “listen to what people who need Jesus are really saying.” Major Sharon Young (Dover, DE) appeals, “Be willing to have a conversation.”

Nurture Relationships—Share life with those who don’t know Christ; be the friend who loves Jesus; and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Dunigan urges, “Stay with them.” Don’t leave newborn Christians without ongoing nurture.

Trust God—Young understands that “People fear rejection;” but, he rea-sons, “We just want them to hear what Christ has done for us.”

Do Something—The Great Commission mandate to “GO” into all the world entails action. Harvin urges, “Serve others. Go to the broken.”

For information, email ismael.correa@use.salvationarmy.org

ING

relevents

Lieutenant Melissa Lewell talks about the presence of the Holy Spirit in Cambodian culture, the story of King Josiah, and the ministry lessons she learned at Camp Sebago. interview by Hugo Bravo

My years at the Salvation Army’s Camp Sebago have deeply influenced my ministry today. I worked there from 1997–2003. After a nine–year break, I came back to work as the Christian education director, followed by two more summers as the camp’s program director. When I lead kids’ groups at my corps, many of our games and songs are ones I learned at Sebago.

Camp Sebago taught me how to focus on a teachable message in ministry. This is helpful working with children and preparing sermons for adults.

I lived in Paraguay for two years, taught at an American high school, and lived with Americans, but I attended a Spanish–speaking Salvation Army corps.

Two of my students were the children of corps officers.

Paraguay’s culture is rooted in kindness and peace; it was there that I received God’s call to be an officer in the States. Before that, I actually thought Paraguay would become my permanent home.

Every year, I revisit the book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller. It is about how he turned his previous memoir Blue Like Jazz into a feature film, and in the process, learned about the concept of story with respect to each of our lives. In A Million Miles, Miller says to look at our lives as a story, but to remember that we are not the main character. The main character is God and we are His supporting characters. Just as the main character works with supporting characters in a movie plot, so God works with each of us to give meaning in our lives. Our trials and difficulties make sense when we see them as important parts of our life’s story that have made us who we are today.

So far, I’ve visited 28 countries. That has taught me to ask about the community and what The Salvation Army can do there to help others. Missions work and traveling gives me a better vision of God; if I am restricted to only seeing my own American community, I will have a narrow idea of who God is. I remember seeing a new side of Him in Cambodia as the people there became Christians. Spirit worship is a big part of Cambodian culture; they have a strong belief in the power of The story of Josiah reminds us that we can turn the world around if we focus the soul. When they accept Jesus on Scripture. Josiah did not grow up in a Godly home. His father and grandfather as their Savior, they immediately were both cruel, unjust kings. But when Josiah, as king, came across the book welcome the Holy Spirit, too. For of the law, he felt so convicted that he changed his own life and leadership style.

Cambodians, it’s simply the next Soon, the culture of Josiah’s kingdom changed to be one that follows God. step. They know the Spirit is real and present in their lives.

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an active army

AFTER–SCHOOL PROGRAMS Growing up in Colombia, Heidy Malaver dreamed of studying music. Although she took voice lessons and sang in a choir, finding teachers who were trained in playing musical instruments was a challenge.

Today, as assistant to the officers at the Salvation Army’s Queens Temple Corps in New York City, Malaver offers young students attending the after– school program something that was missing from her past—an opportunity to develop their talents in art and music.

In addition to doing their homework after school, students also learn to play instruments, study music theory, and take drama classes. “We provide this so they can develop their interests and talents,” says Malaver. “We have some talented kids. For many of them, The Salvation Army is their only access to music education.”

Before going to officer training, Cadet Damaris Porchetti served on the after–school program staff at Queens

FINDING A PROGRAM: • A good program will offer children the chance to have fun and feel safe, as well as be excited about learning. Above all, children should look forward to attending their after–school program.

• It will have recreational and physical activities to channel children’s energy and creativity after a day of sitting in a classroom.

• S ome after–school programs will also offer food for their members, ranging from a small snack to a full meal.

• I t should provide help with homework, time and space for study, and tutoring.

• P rograms with access to sports, music, and art will help children develop self–esteem, explore new interests, strive for personal bests, as well as provide lessons about cooperation and patience.

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Temple. She remembers the attendance growing from only a handful of students to around 30 and having to open the doors earlier than the 4 p.m. start time because some students wanted to be at the corps sooner.

“Children came to do their homework before art and music began.

They were just happy to be off the streets in a safe place,” says Porchetti.

Along with the music activities, the after–school program also offers junior soldier classes to its attendees. They learn more about The Salvation Army and are encouraged to talk to their parents about becoming junior soldiers.

Students who become soldiers get the chance to participate in Star Search, The Salvation Army’s yearly talent exhibition.

“But even if they are not ready to be part of The Salvation Army, we at least want them to see that we’re doing this in God’s name,” says Porchetti.

At the end of each school semester, all the after–school students put

by Hugo Bravo

on a showcase at the corps, and the parents are welcome to attend. “The parents get very emotional at the showcase,” says Malaver. “They tell me that they love seeing their children devoted to something that can enrich their lives.”

The after–school program leaders have also helped develop a ministry beyond Queens Temple. With the help of the corps, they have sponsored a children’s program at the Merliot Corps in El Salvador.

“We don’t just want to create musicians at Queens Temple. We want to help create worshippers of God,” says Malaver, who says working with The Salvation Army has strengthened her connection with the Lord.

“Growing spiritually can come in ways you would not expect, such as in helping a child learn a new instrument,” says Malaver. “This new way to serve God has been one of my favorite things about being part of The Salvation Army.”

As many as 2 million inmates nationwide have access to tablets in prison.

They use them to send email, make video calls, and download a limited selection of games, movies, and books. Now an audio Bible is included.

what’s the Digital

Talking Tablets “ Write the vision; make it plain on tablets ….”

—HABAKKUK 2:2

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by Warren L. Maye

According to the Prison Policy Initiative’s annual report, approximately 204,000 women are living in U.S. local, state, and federal prisons today. But thanks to a women’s ministry called Courage For Life, thousands of them actually experience God through audio and visual technology downloaded onto tablets.

Imagine: an inmate named Susan slides her left hand into a dark cubby under a bottom bunk bed and pulls out a blue plastic bin. She now holds everything she owns. Included is a computer tablet. For the past nine months, it has been her connection to a world outside Cell Block 5.

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When Susan first arrived in this maximum–security prison, she gazed at her cell’s cinderblock walls, pencil–thin mattresses and pillows, press–wood desk, and cried. The next 10 years of her life would be spent in this place—far from her two adorable children.

Susan removes the tablet and climbs to the top bunk. She keeps her head

COURAGE FOR LIFE

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

“We teach incarcerated women and help them develop and deepen their relationship with God,” says Ann White, founder and executive director of Courage For Life, which is based in Marietta, Georgia. “Statistics show that 95 percent of inmates will be coming home to our churches, our neighborhoods, and to our grocery stores.

They are all around us and they are people just like you and me. But by the grace of God, many of us

Courage For Life, now in its fifth year, seeks to overcome the challenges inherent in bridging the gap between incarcerated women and the word of God. “Many of the women don’t read on a high level. That’s a stumbling block for them,” says White. But that’s only the beginning. “If they are listening to an audio Bible to overcome their reading problem, they also hear the word in men’s voices, which for them is a trigger and a distraction because they’ve

“ At least 53,000 inmates will have the opportunity to listen to God’s word through these tablets.”

— Ann White

low to avoid hitting it on the ceiling. She pushes the power button and then loses herself in another world. It’s a world of hope, of possibility, of love, and of God. “She is Strong and Courageous!” reads the Bible study text that appears.

Scripture from the New Living Translation also emerges. When Susan activates the reading of Psalm 23, she hears through earbuds a woman’s voice; a delightful voice that sounds much like her mother’s voice. Gone is the conventional “voice of God.” In Susan’s mind, the older recordings featured a reader who sounded amazingly like the guy who abused her.

Chaos abounds in the holding cell down the hall, but in Susan’s cell, all is quiet. God is speaking, whispering in her ear, inspiring the healing and transformation of her heart, mind, and soul.

She is at peace.

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could have grown up in the same circumstances as they did,” says White.

“We want them to come home—full of God’s word.”

She is Strong and Courageous is a 90–day devotional and is available on the Courage For Life website, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through Christian book distributors. The fact that it is also accessible to women in prison via personalized tablets is a breakthrough in technology, says White. She hopes it will eventually spread throughout the United States, including the Salvation Army’s Eastern Territory.

“Of course, we’re looking to establish connections with members of The Salvation Army. It is our desire to get this into the hands of every woman.

Whether we are in a corps pew or in a prison cell, there are many of us who are in personal ‘prisons,’” White said.

“We all need to hear God’s word.”

been abused by men.”

White says that, quite often these women have been scarred since childhood. They’ve suffered traumatic events that caused them to “really have blinders on when it comes to decision–making; they’re trapped in shame and self–condemnation.”

In order to hide their pain, many times they take and become addicted to drugs. Desperation often leads them into prostitution. For every woman in prison, as many as 1 to 4 children are also affected.

FOCUSING ON CHRIST “Codependency is a big problem, being codependent on someone else in their lives, following that person, doing what that person says. We want them to heal from that codependency and transfer that desire to the Lord,” says White. “We want the Lord to lead them from those

Go to courageforlife.org now and download the first fully female–voiced NLT audio Bible app, free of charge.

broken places and allow Him to be the One whom they follow.”

Kathy Sherwin, ministry director of Courage For Life, is passionate about equipping and ministering to at–risk women through local ministries at crisis pregnancy centers, jails, and battered women’s shelters. She says, “Although they’ve made bad choices, and I don’t make any excuses for that, the women have found themselves with abusive men.”

White says, “We want to remove any distraction from the process of discovering how God’s word can transform lives, heal hearts, and mend the broken. We want to get God’s word into these women.”

To help accomplish this task,

White’s team uses the New Living Translation, which is written in common language. “We also chose 12 professional voice artists who are strong Christian women and who come from different ethnic backgrounds and walks of life.”

The artists are enthusiastic about being involved in the project. “To be included in this ground–breaking experience is a fantastic thing,” says Tangie Ambrose. Daniella Rincon agrees, “I felt honored when I learned about the cause of this project.” Lavetta Canon says, “We all get ‘down’ sometimes; we just need that inspiration from God’s word.”

White says this approach has also resonated with men. “We’re finding that everyone can enjoy imagining their

Ann White, the creator of the Courage for Life outreach program.

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mother, grandmother or friend reading to them. God is opening doors to the prison system. Men and women are really connecting to this nice conglomerate of voices,” says White.

SPREADING THE WORD To date, as many as 12 to 14 states have issued tablets to inmates. “Of course, it is an honor and a privilege to receive one of these and you can lose the privilege,” says White. “But we are in the process of working with the IT department in the state of Georgia. Within the next 60 days at least 53,000 inmates will have the opportunity to listen to God’s word through these tablets.”

The tablets are specially manufactured by the JPay company for the rehabilitation of incarcerated individuals.

Its education program called JPay’s Lantern helps to reduce recidivism.

Developed in conjunction with the Correctional Education Association (CEA) and working with partners such as Ashland University, JPay’s Lantern is a cross–functional program that makes education accessible to inmates through a learning management system, JPay tablets, and inmate kiosks.

“We’re also working in the state of Missouri with Courage For Life curriculum volunteer staff to prepare materials that will take women on a journey of courage to change the course of their lives,” says White. “It requires a huge budget to undertake a lifelong project like this. Financially, we’re halfway there. The money is coming in from our supporters. Every dime raised will go back into this project.”

Currently, several books of the Old Testament are in production (Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Ruth, Esther, and Malachi). IT departments are in the process of uploading the curriculum to these tablets.

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An Open Door

The Salvation Army offers help to people suffering domestic abuse

by Robert Mitchell

P

“ Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”

—COLOSSIANS 3:19

aula and her husband have been married for more than 20 years, but it’s been a struggle for the Jamestown, N.Y., couple. They live on a meager income and have relatives who need help financially.

“We just don’t make enough to survive and most of our arguments are about finances,” she says.

While her husband has never been violent, Paula has been verbally abused and the arguments have escalated to the point she felt unsafe. She has twice left her home to defuse the situation and find solace for a few days at the Salvation Army’s Anew Center in Jamestown.

“They pray with you and ask you what you need and if you need assistance in leaving the situation,” Paula says of the staff. “They’re very nice people.”

Paula, who attends the corps in Jamestown,

interacted with women who had suffered physical abuse.

“It’s bad for women sometimes, but that’s a good place there at the Anew Center,” she said. “It’s connected to the church and they have the resources to help people. It’s a great place—even for people who are homeless, but especially if they face domestic violence.”

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. About 20 people a minute experience physical violence from an intimate partner, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. One in three women and one in four men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner.

While some evangelical churches have been criticized for turning a blind eye to domestic violence, The Salvation Army is an oasis offering help when someone has nowhere else to turn.

The Anew Center is known as a place to empower women who have suffered domestic violence, sexual assault, and rape. Women can find not only a shelter, but crisis intervention and support, including case management and medical and legal advocacy such as assistance in obtaining orders of protection.

Diana Butcher, program director, said the Anew Center is housed in a “big Civil War–era house” (a new facility should open in two to three years) featuring a 13–bed shelter that is dual licensed by the state for homeless and domestic violence survivors. Next door are several programs related to children and families, as well as rape and sexual assault prevention.

COMPREHENSIVE HELP The center also runs a hotline and the staff is trained by the state as rape crisis counselors.

“There’s someone there 24 hours a day for the clients if they have physical needs like food and clothing,” Butcher said. “The staff will multi–task. They are busy watching kids, getting dinner, running educational groups, answering the hotline, and housekeeping.”

Anew also offers educational groups in the evening.

“It can be everything from budgeting to healthy relationship topics,” Butcher said. “We

try to plan topics that interest the people who are there.”

Kristina Near, a case manager at Anew, said a major challenge is getting the women to live in community and follow rules.

“It can be daunting for somebody who is finally brave enough to make that choice to leave that relationship and then to get thrown into this whole new world, ” she said.

Butcher said many of the women come from backgrounds of mental health issues, substance abuse, trauma from past sexual or child abuse, a history of bad relationships, and poverty.

“We try to meet people where they’re at and don’t have those expectations of where we think they should be,” she said.

When the clients need spiritual help, the officers of the Jamestown Corps are available; a similar resource is available at all Salvation Army shelters. Butcher said staffers don’t push their faith unless a client asks. Some women have asked for prayer.

“If they open that door, then we feel that’s a comfortable time to bring that in,” Butcher said.

Linda Wright, director of social services in the Empire State Division, said The Salvation Army also runs a state–licensed domestic violence shelter in Elmira.

“The beauty of what we have in Jamestown is the continuum of the kinds of services and resources that start with going to college campuses and doing public education and prevention around sexual assault, to actually housing people and doing hospital visits and after care,” she said. “I don’t believe you’ll find very many other Salvation Army operations with such a continuum of services, especially at a small corps in a rural area, like Jamestown.”

DISCOVERING CONNECTIONS Wright said a capital project is underway to build a new domestic violence shelter in Elmira.

The Salvation Army’s Empire State Division also operates women and family shelters in Buffalo, Rochester, Schenectady, and Syracuse that sometimes deal with domestic violence.

Wright said her division sometimes sees a connection between domestic violence and human trafficking, something many other

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“ The biggest impediment to women getting out is that the risk of them being murdered increases when they leave.”

— Heather Larocca

Salvation Army shelters confirm.

“There’s a huge intersection. We work with a lot of people who are fleeing domestic violence in human trafficking,” said Heather Larocca, assistant director at The Salvation Army’s New Day Center in Philadelphia.

In Philadelphia, domestic violence survivors are referred to a centralized intake site for the homeless. Many are referred to two Salvation Army long–term emergency shelters: the Red Shield Family Residence, which can house 41 families, and the Eliza Shirley House, which can handle 35.

“They meet with a caseworker and we provide referrals and support to them as they let us know their needs,” says Kelly Devlin, emergency housing director for Red Shield and the case manager supervisor at the Eliza Shirley House.

“It’s all related to poverty. It’s not just that they’re homeless. It’s usually a symptom of many things: domestic violence, drugs, alcohol, and poor mental health. We’re seeing more and more families struggle with drugs and alcohol.”

Devlin said The Salvation Army maintains a great relationship with Women Against Abuse and Women in Transition, two groups that work with domestic violence survivors.

Larocca, who worked for Women Against Abuse before joining The Salvation Army, said getting women to leave toxic relationships is a major challenge.

“The biggest impediment to women getting out is that the risk of them being murdered increases when they leave,” she said.

A 2018 report from the United Nations found that 58 percent of the 87,000 women who were murdered around the world in 2017 were killed by partners or a family member.

Larocca, who has worked as a children’s case manager and domestic violence hotline supervisor, said women are often reluctant to leave their homes and a relationship because when child custody is an issue, the courts often rule that living in a shelter makes one an unfit parent. She said courts also generally don’t take domestic violence into account unless a child is hurt.

“I think these women love their abuser and they want to have a family. They don’t want to break up their family, especially when they have kids together,” she said. “I think that keeps them there, but one of the things that would make them leave is if the kids get hurt or witness violence. That kind of puts them over the edge.”

STAY OR GO? Near said the reasons for a woman staying can be complex. Sometimes the abuser owns the family’s only vehicle. Sometimes the abuser is not the main bread winner or working at all, but provides child care. The desire to provide for family keeps many women home.

“Domestic violence is a major cause of women—single and married—becoming impoverished or homeless,” Near said. “That’s one of the largest factors in single women becoming impoverished is having to leave an abusive relationship. That’s clearly a big struggle.”

Barbara Butler, the program manager for the Zelma George Family Shelter in Cleveland, said the biggest challenge when women finally do flee is getting them to feel safe. Zelma George houses women and men with children and intact families. Last year, the shelter served 134 women and 43 percent reported being a victim of domestic violence.

Butler said she connects survivors with local domestic violence shelters for case management, along with counseling and spiritual help. The next step is to get them to admit they are in a domestic violence situation.

“Next, we attempt to connect them with someone who can help them accept the reality of domestic violence and its impact on them, their children, and their life,” she said.

“Domestic violence knows no age, race or gender.”

Other challenges include retrieving important personal belongings such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, and driver’s licenses. “Unless they have previously made a ‘safety plan,’ getting such documents can be difficult,” said Butler.

Sarah DiMaio, the program director at Marshall House, said, “If a survivor is fleeing

domestic violence in Connecticut and shows up at the Salvation Army’s Marshall House in Hartford, they are referred to the state hotline and go to Interval House, a local domestic violence shelter.

“We do have quite a number of women who have experienced domestic violence in their past,” DiMaio said. “We work with them to ensure the safety of the family.”

At Marshall House, a 27–bed shelter for women and children, residents receive case management as well as a clinician and therapist.

The McKenna House, a Salvation Army shelter in Concord, N.H., recently upgraded its security system to make domestic violence survivors safer.

Jenny Connor–Belcourt, the shelter director, said McKenna House helped 246 women last year, including 51 who reported a domestic violence history and 14 who were actively fleeing. The next step is to contact the state hotline.

“It certainly helps that we’re here because there is very little crisis space in the state of New Hampshire,” she said. “They rely on us to provide safe shelter space for women in need.”

the moment I walked through the shelter door, I was committed to helping the homeless.

“My staff and I feel good about the support and encouragement that we’ve given. We take pride in knowing that we have done all that we could to empower them and help them leave successfully for their new homes.”

Larocca said those women who are “vulnerable and oppressed” are the reason she keeps up the fight.

“Having a Christian faith allows me to show unconditional love and forgiveness and grace,” she said. “It’s sort of a ‘by the grace of God go I’ situation, where the only thing that separates you and me are circumstances. I think that’s all informed by my faith.”

Devlin said she is motivated by the children she sees in the shelters.

“Our children deserve all the best that we can give them. What keeps me going is seeing mom and dad get it all together so that their child has a chance to grow and thrive in Philadelphia” she said. “They’re the hope of the future of Philadelphia.”

A NOBLE CALLING

Butcher, who grew up around domestic violence and is a child abuse survivor, said she used to take her work home with her and internalize each case, but she eventually learned that success is defined differently for each person.

“If the only thing we’ve done is provide three weeks in a shelter where she’s been safe and had a chance to get away from her perpetrator and think about her choices and options, that’s a success,” Butcher said. “If she left and was able to stay out of that rela-tionship for six months, that’s a success. If she went back to her perpetrator, but she has more ways to stay safe emotionally and phys-ically and she has better parenting skills, that’s a success.

“It can be a very messy job sometimes.

For me, it’s knowing that people, if they have a little bit of support, can be successful. We don’t always have to be that broken person or that unsuccessful story. With a little bit of support and guidance, we can be our own success story.”

FINDING PROMISE Belcourt said a recent resident, who was disabled and fleeing domestic violence, was stressed and fearful as she was involved in an upcoming human trafficking case.

“We will sort of wrap our arms around someone like that and just try to provide them with the security and safety that they’re feeling they need,” she said.

As a child, Belcourt saw domestic violence and wants to make sure no one else does.

“I have a special heart for people in that predicament and want to do all I can to help them,” she said. “That’s not just victims of domestic violence, but anyone who feels vulnerable and needs protection. I was born this way and always want to protect those who need extra help.”

Butler said “God’s love for me” motivates her work.

“I have always loved helping others.

Attending The Salvation Army as a child made that easier to do as an adult,” Butler said. “From

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If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, help is out there. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1–800–799–7233 or your local Salvation Army.

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OCTOBER 2019

ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES

by Warren L. Maye

“I really didn’t know what I wanted to do after high school,” remembers Thaddaeus Stanford. Although he’s the son of Salvation Army officers Majors Demetrius and Juanita M. Stanford, his individual destiny was a mystery. “Everybody had set a path for what they wanted to do and where they wanted to go to college and everything, but I had no clue,” he said.

Thad, as his friends like to call him, is a lovable and at times funny kind of guy. They know him for his unconventional catchphrases, his numerous and entertaining stories, and his love of pizza.

One day as a high school senior in Strongsville, Ohio, an offer came along that would change the course of his life. “It kind of all started when we had the Career Shadowing Project,” Thaddaeus remembers. His teacher explained it as an opportunity to be exposed to career possibilities and to see what an employee who holds a

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“ One day, I was on the train. I looked out the window and saw a big Southwest Airlines jet getting ready to land. I gazed at it. I was like, all right, why not go to an airport instead of sitting in school all day?”

particular job does every day.

“We could either decide to stay in school and graduate with the rest of our class and the rest of our friends and everything, or we could decide to ‘career shadow’ anywhere we wanted to, as long as we logged the hours.

We had to have our grades up to par before we could actually qualify for the shadowing project. They also said we got to opt–out of all homework and all classes!”

Teachers encouraged students to use their network to create a job shadowing experience, but Thaddaeus still wondered what kind of job he would shadow. “I have to find something I want to do,” he thought.

Finally, he got a clue.

FIRST SIGHT “One day, I was on the train. I looked out the window and saw a big Southwest Airlines jet getting ready to land. I gazed at it. I was like, all right, why not go to an airport instead of sitting in school all day?

“I didn’t want to be a pilot, but I was like, hey, why not see what airplanes are about because I’ve never been exposed to aviation a day in my life.” Indeed, the closest thing to aviation Thaddaeus had done was to fold and throw paper planes.

A low science grade threatened Thaddaeus’s shadow project even before it got off the ground. “I thought I wasn’t going to be able to do it. So, about a couple weeks passed and my teacher says, ‘You need to get your grade up if you want to do this senior project.’ I thought, “There’s got to be a way to fix it!”

Eventually, Thaddaeus and his teacher worked something out. “I crafted a presentation at home and sent it to the class,” he said. It was on Daniel Bernoulli’s principle, which explains how it is possible for air flowing over and under an airplane wing to cause it to physically lift the plane off the ground.

“After I made my presentation to the class, I got my grade bumped up just a tad and was able to qualify for the senior project,” Thaddaeus said. One of his high school teachers actually lived near Weltzien Skypark, a

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small, privately–owned airport in Wadsworth, Ohio, that offered flight instruction, aircraft rentals, and classes.

Thaddaeus began logging hours at Skypark. His chores included everything from mowing the grass, to towing single–engine Cessna airplanes, to assisting the maintenance and mechanics crews. “They weren’t allowed to pay me in cash, but they put money into a flight account for me,” he said.

FIRST FLIGHT One day, the aviation mechanic needed to fly to another airport to pick up some parts. “He asked if I wanted to come with him. So, I said, ‘Why not?’ I’ve always wanted to fly in a plane. So, I did it. He let me fly. He said, ‘all right, take one turn to the left, and stay on a heading at north and stay at 3,000 feet.’”

Several minutes into the flight, the mechanic recognized Thaddaeus’s passion for flying. “‘You seem like a natural,’” he said. Thad, only 18 years old, followed other instructions from the mechanic and kept going. “That’s when I fell in love with flying. I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life,” he said.

After that, Thaddaeus began flying regularly. He paid for the flight lessons with some of the money he had saved for college. As time went on, he took more lessons. “I started taking it very seriously. I was getting closer to having my private pilot’s license.”

FIRST HAND Last summer, Thaddaeus served on the Salvation Army’s Hands–On mission team to the U.S., Virgin Islands. At the time, his parents were in Cleveland, Ohio, preparing to move to a new appointment in Philadelphia, Pa. On his last day at the house before leaving for the Hands– On mission, he was also supposed to take his private pilot’s license check ride.

The check ride was his opportunity to demonstrate many of the maneuvers he had learned during training. He was to start off on a cross–country; a slow flight, stalls, steep turns, reference the ground, and perform

Thaddaeus (third from left) with some of his classmates at the American Airlines Academy.

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was the happiest day of my life.”

Thaddaeus credits Major Phil Lloyd, then territorial youth secretary, his Hands–On team, and other officer mentors for their support and guidance.

FIRST MEETING

(Top left) Dr. Eugene J. Richardson, Jr., as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen; (top right) Thaddaeus and Richardson meet; (bottom) Thaddaeus and the Hands–On team in the cockpit.

normal short field and soft field takeoffs and landings.

“But it turns out that there was a thunderstorm that day,” remembers Thaddaeus. “I couldn’t even complete it.

“I was so upset. I didn’t know what to do because I had studied my tail off. I was like, I gotta pass this thing.

That’s like—the biggest day of my life! Then another storm comes and there’s nothing for me to do because I leave to go to the Virgin Islands the next day. I was stuck and my family was moving to Philadelphia. There was no way I could go back to Ohio and finish the check ride,” he said.

Thaddaeus made 20 to 30 phone calls to flying facilities in the Virgin Islands to see if he could complete his flight training and earn his license there. After a few days, he finally found a facility where he could conduct the check ride and qualify.

“It was the most intense summer that I’ve ever had,” Thaddaeus said. “I was so focused. I never learned so much about myself, time management, and decision– making as I did while being on the Hands–On mission team.” Indeed, the team spent much of its time helping families recover in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

“On the evening of our very last day on the island, I took my check ride in a Cessna 172 and I passed it. That

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Recently, Thaddaeus got a rare opportunity to meet Dr. Eugene J. Richardson Jr., a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the legendary group of African–American combat and bomber pilots who fought in World War II. Under the motto “Spit Fire!” they formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces from 1941–46.

Richardson, born the son of a minister in 1925 in Cleveland, said that being a pilot was his dream come true. In 1945, he flew the P–40 and P–47 aircraft in training. That same year, the war in Europe ended a few weeks after his graduation, before he had a chance to fly a combat mission. He was discharged in June 1946.

Thanks to Shirley Williams of the Philadelphia Kroc Corps Community Center, Thaddaeus enjoyed the first of many meetings with Dr. Richardson. Williams, who has been a colleague of Richardson, a former principal and administrator in the Philadelphia school system, introduced him to Thaddaeus.

“It was Dr. Richardson who told me about the American Airlines Academy,” said Thaddaeus, “So, without him, I wouldn’t even be where I am right now.

Ms. Shirley from the Philadelphia Kroc Center gave me his number, so I called him, and he told me to put in an application with the American Airlines Academy.

“That day, I got off the phone and realized I had actually talked to a Tuskegee Airman,” said Thaddaeus. “I stayed up all night filling out that long application.”

Submitting the application led to a video interview and then to a face–to–face one in Dallas, Texas. That encounter led to Thaddaeus taking a 3 1/2–hour pilot aptitude test. At the time, he was among 8,000 applicants under consideration. In the final analysis, he and a handful of others were selected to join the Academy’s latest cohort (see group photo).

FIRST ‘GOODBYE’ Prior to leaving for the Academy, several of Thad’s friends in Philadelphia paid tribute to him one evening. They treated him to a fun night out, complete with games, karaoke, and food. “We will surely miss Thaddaeus so much,” wrote one friend, “We can never thank him enough for the memories he’s blessed us with.”

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OCTOBER 2019

Painting Freedom:

by Hugo Bravo

Painting Freedom began as many ministries do—with a leap of faith. Artist Tucker Rodkey’s plan for art and sharing the gospel required him to believe God over his own senses.

“Throughout the creation of what became Painting Freedom, God was always showing me the next step, but never the final step,” says Rodkey, who brings messages of the Gospel and parables to life through paintings. “It was like shining a flashlight just bright enough to illuminate one foot in front of me.”

Painting Freedom has become a powerful, recognized multimedia ministry.

Rodkey and a group of talented artists combine painting and other forms of multimedia to share their individual testimonies and talk about God’s presence in our lives.

lves as e s r u o e e s ’t “ We don e creative ’r e w , s r e m r perfo rs who communicato iblical truths.” b communicate ey Tucker Rodk —

STREETS OF PHILADELPHIA At age 11, Rodkey remembers thinking, “If everything that I know from the Bible is true, and God is real, my life needs to reflect that.” As a child of missionaries, he had always known the Lord. But as he grew older, other spiritual mentors and guides came into his life. One of these was Ryan Jackson, a high school art teacher and devout Christian. “Ryan was a wild and crazy guy who loved the Lord.

We would spend hours talking about art and God,” says Rodkey. Rodkey became part of a community of young Christian artists who wanted their lives to reflect what they believe.

But when Jackson proposed that they go to a park in Philadelphia and tell people about Jesus through art, Rodkey immediately balked at the idea.

“Philadelphia is not New York City, with its outdoor art culture open to everyone.

Plus, I wasn’t comfortable sharing my faith so openly,” says Rodkey.

Jackson challenged Rodkey, who eventually agreed to be part of the project. At the park, Jackson and the team painted an unconventional interpretation of the stoning of the biblical character Stephen, with the martyr in jeans and a t–shirt. Rodkey’s experience with Ryan Jackson in the park was the beginning of what would become Painting Freedom’s ministry of reaching people through art.

“We didn’t even have to initiate talks; they just came about organically,” says Rodkey. “People asked what the painting was about and why it was important to share. From there, the conversation went to Jesus.”

TAKING THE COAST While attending college in Colorado, Rodkey discovered the words of Jeremiah 8:20: “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.”

“While reading those words I felt the Spirit speak to me. I already had a vision

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to combine art and spoken word with the gospel,” says Rodkey. “It was finally time to focus on the ministry that I wanted to do.”

That summer Rodkey left school to begin what he referred to as “Take the Coast 2014,” a road trip from Florida to New Hampshire. It consisted of creating art and sharing the gospel at beaches and boardwalks. Take the Coast was another leap of faith for the 18–year– old, who slept in his car and spent hours inside coffeeshops on rainy days.

“At times I felt lost in a wilderness, but I also had deeply intimate moments with God. I made connections. I prayed with and for many people,” says Rodkey.

He recalls being in Florida and painting a conceptual portrait of a man. Rodkey intentionally omitted parts of the man’s face. The finished image remarkably resembled an unfinished puzzle. As Rodkey worked, he spoke to onlookers about how at times we can all feel as if something is missing from our lives.

“But Christ is the one who can put all our pieces back together and make us whole,” said the artist.

“A scarred homeless man came up to me and asked what I was doing. He had seen my painting from across the street,” remembers Rodkey. “Then he said to me, ‘I feel like this guy is missing something from his life, just like I’m missing something from mine. I don’t know what can fill that, but I feel you have an answer for me.’” Moments such as that one proved to Rodkey that using art to reach people with the gospel would be a success.

Two years after Rodkey’s summer of taking the coast, he was working jobs as a landscaper and a church employee.

Though he had done paintings at pastoral conferences and at Christian conventions a few times each year, he now decided to make Painting Freedom his full–time service. Having built up years of connections, Rodkey gathered artists who shared his vision, just as art teacher

Ryan Jackson had done.

In 2017, Painting Freedom performed at Creationfest, a Christian music festival. The artists created a gallery’s worth of paintings. The festival organizers and audience welcomed them and their work to the main stage. Since then, Rodkey says God has opened every path for the ministry.

Today, Painting Freedom a lso consists of spoken word poets, musicians, and filmmakers. “When we combine a Christian song or a powerful testimony with a video or a speed painting, it all suddenly comes to life,” says Rodkey. “The presence of the painting is never the side attraction, but rather, another way to promote the message of Scripture.”

IN GALLERIES AND COMMUNITY Painting Freedom is also empowering artists to influence the fine art world.

Despite a common belief that modern art is shut off from Christianity and God, Rodkey says that if artists communicate what they see and live as the truth, the art world relates to it and appreciates it.

“In the art world, everyone wants to have a chat with you about what you are creating,” says Rodkey. “It’s the reason to create art; to share what the meaning of life is, and how we can each have an impact on it while here on earth. An artist is someone who is looking for truth and wants to communicate that truth to others.”

Painting Freedom has also helped bring art to Chester, Pa., the home of many artists in the group. They’ve worked with local art galleries to launch Legacy Arts Club, an after–school art program to mentor young artists and offer projects such as mural painting.

“In addition to the travel that Painting Freedom does, we wanted to serve our own backyard too. Despite Chester being a low–income town, it has a growing art culture. Opportunities keep coming up

for us to combine art with involvement in the community.”

OUTDOOR MINISTRY “As in art, the secret to a successful outdoor ministry is to create something that starts a conversation,” says Rodkey. “Even when you are done creating, people will remain engaged and talking about your creation.

“A spectacle will only bring people that will watch and leave,” says Rodkey.

“But if you create something that starts a discussion, they will stay until that discussion is finished and everyone has had their say.”

Earlier this summer, Painting Freedom made its second appearance at the Salvation Army’s Old Orchard Beach Pier ministry in Maine. Rodkey painted as spoken word artist Abby Robinson shared her powerful testimony with the Pier crowd. Rodkey completed over 20 paintings that week, which were given to attendees.

“I love how The Salvation Army presents the word of God in Maine,” says Rodkey. “It can be easy to overcomplicate the gospel; there is so much packed in there that you can study it into oblivion. But the Army has found ways to make it accessible to everyone.”

ART FOR THE SOUL “Starting Painting Freedom was an enormous risk, but God opened the door and we acted on it,” says Rodkey. “Faith without action is dead, and I have no interest in ever having dead faith.

“If you want to experience God’s love as no one else has, you need to go where no one else has gone,” says Rodkey. “If you’re not taking those brave risks, don’t complain about being bored or burnt out in your faith. There are always new, exciting ways to serve the Lord.”

Rodkey says that despite art’s power, it’s still only a tool to be used for the mission of bringing people to God,

whether it’s for an audience of five people, or a group of thousands. “It’s nice to be in front of a large conference crowd or in a festival. It might look great in a photo, but that’s not more important than the one–on–one conversation about the Lord with someone after the art is done.

“Painting Freedom will never be bigger or more important than a single soul introduced to Christ.”

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“ Painting Freedom wil never be bigger or l m important than a ore sin soul introduced t gle o Christ.”

If you’re interested in booking Painting Freedom for your event visit www.paintingfreedom.com.

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snapshot

REBUILDING LIVES The Salvation Army’s Bahamas hurricane response team went into action even before Hurricane Dorian made landfall on Sept. 1.

International Salvation Army disaster relief personnel and volunteers went to Nassau and Freeport to assist the existing teams, which received help from Barbados and other Caribbean islands, as well as from the USA and Canada. The immediate focus has been to provide food, water, clothing, personal hygiene supplies, and shelter.

The Salvation Army in Freeport had fully restocked its emergency provisions ahead of the Category 5 storm hitting the island, enabling it to provide urgent help immediately. The Salvation Army has agreed to coordinate and manage the response for Rotary International and is also partnering with Norwegian Cruise Line, which has provided about $750,000 in supplies and support.

The Coca–Cola Foundation has also pledged $400,000 to The Salvation Army.

Damaris Frick, deputy coordinator for The Salvation Army’s International Emergency Services, said, “The Salvation Army was here before this disaster, during this disaster, and will remain here well after this disaster. We are here for the long haul—for the recovery and reconstruction of life, infrastructure, and livelihoods.”

To donate, call The Salvation Army at 1–800–SAL–ARMY or go to www.helpsalvationarmy.org.

2019 OCTOBER

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A ministry to the

by Hugo Bravo

missing

In 1959, my 5–year–old daughter Lena* was being watched at my mum’s Liverpool home after school. That day, Lena’s mum, from whom I was divorced, picked her up. That was the last time anyone saw my daughter.

Despite my every effort, I was not able to locate Lena. As time passed, I moved to the United States, but I never stopped thinking about Lena and the years I was missing from her life. Even though I believed I would never see her again, I needed to know I had done everything in my power to find her. Then, during a trip to England, I came across a service that The Salvation Army provides to reunite families.

— John Whittle* (JW)

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Photo by Ben Glassman

FAITH in ACTION

The Salvation Army’s Missing Persons Program began in the 1800s, as heads of households were moving out of rural London to find work, leaving their families behind. As loved ones were losing touch with each other, Catherine Booth, co–founder of The Salvation Army with her husband, William Booth, developed a system to make connections between workers and their families. Today, Booth’s work lives on in Army offices in Europe and Africa. But in the United States, all Missing Persons cases are forwarded to the Salvation Army Eastern Territory Headquarters in West Nyack, N.Y. Missing Persons in the United States is a ministry that helps people reconnect with their loved ones, even after after years of searching for answers.

“This is not a typical service that one would find in many churches. Internally, more awareness of this program should be emphasized,” says Missing Persons Specialist Erika Llanos, of the territory’s Social Services Department. Llanos is able to electronically search and trace dates of births, addresses, and other key information for people who have been missing for years or even decades. She also has access to Booth Hospital records, information from hospitals formerly owned and run by The Salvation Army.

“Originally, these hospitals were homes for young women who could not get medical care,” explains Llanos. “The Army took care of them until they were well and their babies were born, ready to be given a safe place to stay through adoption or otherwise.”

GRIEF AND DUTY JW: I was put in touch with Mrs. Erika Llanos in New York, who would work for a year with offices in England to help me find Lena. They said I was fortunate to still have kept Lena’s birth certificate; it proved to be invaluable in their search.

There were days when I wanted to give

up, thinking that I was only wasting their time. But whenever I needed assurance, Mrs. Llanos would speak life into me, and I felt ready to continue on, no matter if they found Lena or not.

When Llanos took on the role of Missing Persons Specialist two years ago, she hoped to bring families together and bring closure to people whose searches were unsuccessful or ended with tragic results.

“When a person is deceased, their death record becomes accessible for the Missing Persons software. Often, I have to tell someone that their missing loved one is no longer with us,” says Llanos. “When someone is found alive and well, there is always a next step, but even more so when the missing person is deceased.”

For those cases, Llanos reaches out to the Salvation Army corps near the family and informs the corps officers that there is a person in their community that has just received dire news and may need them. “Sometimes, the family is willing to speak to the officers. Other times they just want to speak to me,” says Llanos. “I pray with them over the phone, listen to them, and put them in touch with other Social Services in their area such as mental health services, suicide prevention, Salvation Army officers around them, and make recommendations such as follow ups and encourage them to continue taking necessary steps toward healing.”

When Llanos fears that the found person is alive but in danger, she asks the local law enforcement to do a welfare check. “I feel it’s my duty to do everything I can for someone who has concerns about a loved one,” says Llanos. “When I say I’m from The Salvation Army, it motivates others to be of help in this ministry.

I’ve never had someone from a police department tell me, ‘I’ll check in on your person tomorrow.’ It’s always, ‘I’ll be there in half an hour.’”

PAIN AND CLOSURE JW: One early morning in 2018, I got a phone call from Mrs. Llanos. She said Lena was found living in England, and she was open to reconnecting with me.

After a shocked moment of silence, every emotion built up from a lifetime of searching came out. I was so eager to see Lena and explain everything to her, but afraid that she could not understand after so much time passing. Mrs. Llanos advised me to not stress and just wait until making the first connection. The long search was now over.

In 2013, before Llanos worked in the program, a mother from Flushing, Queens, N.Y., contacted Missing Persons. She was looking for her son who had moved away from the family after he had returned from the military.

“He was found living in upstate New York. He had gotten involved in drugs and said that he did not want to be found by his family. As an adult, that was his choice and the program had to honor it,” says Llanos.

Years later, when the family asked for an update on their son, they discovered that he had died in a care facility. He was suffering from severe memory loss, and unable to inform the facility staff that he had a family.

“Though that search had a heartbreaking ending, finding the son’s care facility was important to the mother because she recovered his body and obtained a proper death certificate,” remembers Llanos. “The care facility administrator also said the son was part of the facility’s Bible study classes. He died surrounded by people who cared and prayed for him.

“The mother had prayed her son would be comforted and rekindle his relationship with Christ no matter where he was. Knowing that God answered her prayers brought her a sense of relief and closure that she did not have before.”

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The Missing Persons Program in the United States is a ministry that helps people reconnect with their loved ones after years of searching for answers.

FINDING ANSWERS JW: The Salvation Army in England and in New York worked together to relay letters and communication from me to Lena until I was able to see her. After so many years of slowly waiting for answers, everything was now moving quickly. Today, I am happy to say that Lena and I are working to make up for lost time. I can reach out to my daughter, hear her voice, visit her, and have her as part of my life again. As it helps so many others, The Salvation Army helped me have a second chance at life.

“Every day of searching is worth it to solve a case like John and Lena’s,” says Llanos. “There is something within a person who is looking for a loved one that always remains hopeful,” says Llanos. “In most cases, no matter how much time has passed, those found are open to reconnecting. Family ties are too strong to just say no.”

Llanos hopes that The Salvation Army will promote the Missing Persons Program as a modern ministry that is able to transform and redeem lives. “All of us, whether we’re searching for someone or not, are looking for answers in our lives. This program helps people find those answers.” *Names have been changed.

If you are looking for a missing person, contact Erika Llanos at 845–620–7695 or email MissingPersons@USE.Salvationarmy.org.

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wholly  living

The Communion of Empty Hands

by Major Kathleen Muir

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Thomas Pettepiece tells the story of a group of political prisoners who gathered on Easter morning to celebrate communion. They had no bread; they had no wine or chalice. They had nothing. But still, they celebrated. The pastor among them broke the “bread” and passed it to the first man in the circle.

“Do this in remembrance of Me,” said the pastor. He blessed the “wine” and then passed it around. The significance to the celebrants was immense, bringing them into the community of those who are broken and poor. Afterward, one man told the pastor that it was a “real experience.” What emerged as a practice came to be known as “The Communion of Empty Hands.”

Empty hands—aren’t they the only way through which we can receive the Kingdom of God? How can you receive anything if you are holding tightly to something else? Isn’t this the point of some of Jesus’ parables?

When the hidden treasure and the pearl (Matthew 13:44–46) are found, everything is sold to acquire them.

What about the rich young ruler? The point of that interaction isn’t that the wealthy cannot be saved; but this young man was holding so tightly to his wealth that he couldn’t receive the Kingdom (Matthew 19:20–22).

Photo by Kira auf der Heide / Unsplash

WHAT IS IN YOUR HANDS? Sometimes we come to the Lord with our good deeds, and our gifts and talents, which are bestowed by God and act as if we are doing God a favor. We sing “All that I am, all I can be,” “My all is on the altar,” “Take my life.” While I love these choruses and the dedication they convey, our own attitude should be: “No, no, nothing do I bring; but by faith, I’m clinging” (Philippians 2:5).

In the book of John, chapter 4, the Samaritan woman came to the well in the heat of the day to draw water.

What was in her hands? In addition to a water jar, she also carried generations of prejudice and a lifetime of poor choices and abuse. When confronted by this Jewish rabbi who offered her the gift of living water, she was shocked into leaving her water jar and with empty hands, ran to tell others of this marvelous gift. As a result, many people received it into their empty hands. “No, no, nothing do I bring…”

It is beautiful to imagine discarded water jars lying around the “well of living water,” but it is incongruous to picture people dying of thirst around the same well because they are too stubborn or prideful to lay down their own “water jars.”

Jesus reminded His disciples that to receive the Kingdom of God they must be like children (Mark 10:15).

Children have an instinctual openness to receiving the Kingdom. They haven’t learned to rely on their own resources but are able to trust in God’s provision.

If you tell them to empty their hands to receive something wonderful, they would quickly obey.

KEEP LIFE SIMPLE It is interesting to note that in our acquisitive culture there is a new trend towards simplification. A quick Google search of “simplifying your life” yields over 51 million results. Books, TV shows, and any number of different methods can teach us how to declutter and streamline our lives.

There is also a spiritual discipline of simplifying. This discipline helps us to learn how to let go. We are taught or perhaps it’s a part of our sinful nature, that we need to have things such as

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possessions, accolades, and power over others to feel good about ourselves.

But the more we come to Jesus and commit ourselves to become Christlike, the greater the desire for simplification.

Some of the benefits of simplifying include freedom and a greater desire to be generous. Adele Ahlberg Calhoun sums up the goal of simplicity as “to uncomplicate and untangle my life so I can focus on what really matters.”

I have often found myself humming the refrain of Elsa’s song from the movie “Frozen;” “Let it go, let it go.”

Why do I hold onto so many things that only cause my life to be more complicated? Am I selfish? Am I scared? Do I think I can’t live without them? If I’m being honest, it’s probably a little of each. It’s not easy to let go of all the things I’ve learned to depend on.

When I let go of the things that I grasp so tightly, my empty hands can take hold of the things that bring eternity into my life; things that are lovely, things that are admirable, things that are true, right, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8).

So, what’s in your hands? Are they full of accomplishments or fears? Are you holding tightly to your abilities, your wealth or your desires? Are you believing that you don’t dare come empty–handed to receive something greater? Are you willing to take part in The Communion of Empty Hands for an experience that is real and authentic; something that has true substance though unseen?

Please pray with me: “Father God, giver of every good gift, help me to come to you with emptied hands. Help me to be brave enough to let go of the false props that I’m sure I need. Show me that You will fill me with more than I can ever imagine. Amen.”

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testimony

ON A JOURNEY

Fight forward

“I came out of a victim identity because of the wounds of childhood sexual abuse,” she says. “Later on, I ended up in very abusive relationships. I survived domestic violence. I ended up at a crossroads in my life. I had a strong faith and was taught in a Christian home to believe that God could do anything, yet here I was, questioning every decision I ever made; questioning where I was on my journey. I said to God, ‘I thought you had a purpose for my life, but I think I’ve ruined it.’”

In sharing her story, she’s helped many women and men face their fears, shed their shame, and courageously acknowledge the pain and humiliation they’ve experienced in the face of sexual and psychological abuse. Crouch’s example has set the bar for more open discussion of these stigmatic issues. In doing so, she has to some extent removed the sting, allowing for deeper and more honest conversations. These talks have led to spiritual and emotional healing.

Surviving sexual abuse

SHEDDING SECRETS

by Warren L. Maye

Brenda Crouch is author of Fight Forward: Reclaim the Real You, a new book designed to bring hope to survivors of sexual abuse. Crouch is a TV host, speaker, author, and singer/ songwriter who shares a dynamic message of healing and restoration.

Her husband is Paul Crouch, Jr., a Christian broadcaster and film producer and son of Paul Crouch, Sr., founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). Brenda feels that the Lord has anointed her to “break the emotional and spiritual chains that hold people hostage and apart from

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their God–given identity and ultimate purpose.” She and Paul live in Southern California.

The openness and transparent manner in which she so fluently describes her darkest moments and her quest for identity in Christ is impressive and inspiring. She articulates her most challenging revelations with boldness and sensitivity. What she says is thoughtful, introspective, and applicable to everyday life. The beautifully written words in her book also express those revelations in detail and with compassion.

“I’m so honored to have created a safe haven for people, be it at a book signing with a stranger, or during a one–on–one with somebody. People are opening up,” she says. “They are needing to get this off their chest. They’ve held their secrets for too long. They’re saying, ‘this happened to me,’ or ‘that happened to me’ or ‘to my daughter’ or ‘to my sister.’

It’s tragic and they are hurting. They are looking for hope that there is still renewing and restoration, rather than just a band–aid. People want to believe that it’s real and true.”

The biggest problem is reaching that tipping point when abused people feel confident enough in their faith to speak up and share their stories with trusted friends and family and ultimately the rest of the world.

Questions abound: How does one do it? When is the right time and place? What are the words spoken to others and to God? “For me, it was a process of trying to unravel all the identity I had built up for myself,” Crouch recalls. “I wanted to feel loved and I wanted to feel special and that I had purpose, but I was going about it in the wrong way.”

The amount of guilt, shame, confusion, and self–blame felt by victims of abuse is typically and grossly underestimated. The long–term effects of such abuse are kin to Post–Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for a returning war veteran.

FIGHTING THE ENEMY “I believe that we all have an enemy of our souls and he is very crafty, and he works very hard to deceive us through our wounds. These wounds twist our identity and they cause us to bite into the lie that we cannot be a counterfeit product because we are sincere about how we go about it. But sometimes, we are sincerely wrong.

“I was projecting a persona of this successful, glamorous person who had made it on a certain level in modeling and in entertainment and all these different things. I was even involved in ministry. So, in that process of unraveling, God peeled the onion back. He said, we’re going to get to the root of who you are and the person you’ve actually hated and rejected.’

“As I stood in that vulnerable place, I looked in the mirror of His glory. That is where I saw my reflection as He loved me—as I really was, all the good, all the bad. I saw that he had given me gifts that had been stripped away.”

TRANSFORMATION, RESTORATION “God showed me that He is a God who restores. So, I had to go through this process, like the butterfly. I went

into the cocoon; I was pulverized for a while; I felt absolutely destroyed.”

She also says, “I then went through more trauma in life. But it was there that He met me. The DNA of His thumbprint began to form me into something new. You know the story of the butterfly—it has to fight its way out of the cocoon. You can’t help the butterfly get out or you’ll actually hurt the process by causing the wings to crystalize and become deformed and the butterfly will die. So, it’s in the fight and the struggle that we are actually born again into a new purpose.”

“Adapting to a new condition can also be a challenging transition.

Nonetheless, the desired outcome, a new life in Christ, free of the burden of abuse and protected by the boundaries of self–esteem and respect, are all worth it,” Crouch says.

BUT, GOD! “I’m intentional about this book helping people. We’re in a ‘Me too’ era and we’re in a sad time on the earth where people are so confused and hurting and really looking for answers. But they don’t know the way out and the way forward.

“My story is a ‘But God’ story. We need answers because people are stuck in the pain and in their shame and in their anger. There was a time when I was very angry.

“So, I want to give a safe place to the reader. I want them to be able to say, ‘I can journey with you. I too can peel back the onion; with God, I can make my way to purpose and destiny.

He really truly loves me, just as I am. I am enough for Him.’ Then the reader can find his or her voice.

“I wrote my book because I believe that when people read my story, they will hardly believe that God could take somebody in that deep of a pit and plant her feet on such solid ground

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Fight Forward: Reclaim the Real You is available now at Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and ChristianBook.com

and bring her together with a man with whom she’s intended to be used for the Kingdom.”

VICTORY THROUGH VULNERABILITY Crouch says such confessions are difficult for people of faith who have portrayed themselves in church as being victorious when in fact their home, work, and church life is in turmoil. “It wasn’t possible until my father was on his deathbed,” Brenda recalls.

“I remember he looked at me with all these people in the room—we were all singing and having a great time, trying to be happy for him. He started to weep, his face was twisting, and he was crying like a little boy. Then he looked at me and said, ‘I am so sorry.’

He confessed to me. I prayed with my father and we had a moment with the Lord that was so beautiful.

“I never would have dreamed that 30, 15, or even 10 years ago I would be sitting here today and telling you and the world my story. I’m saying ‘I know a God who is big enough and that it doesn’t matter what has happened to you. God has a plan that is big enough and don’t you let this destroy you.’”

Beyond the realization and the revelation, Crouch says there must also be a proclamation. “Get honest, whether in the church or outside of the church.

People are craving honesty, truth, and authenticity. They are tired of people who play games. It’s time to take off the masks because you can’t birth anything until you are vulnerable.”

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20/20 vision highlights Women are the focus in two of our four 20/20 Vision highlights this month.

NEW CASTLE, PA WORSHIP AND COMMUNITY CENTER 240 W. GRANT ST.

Call it one corps helping another. The teens from the Columbus, Ohio, East Main Corps, under the direction of leader Kendra Young, took a missions trip in July to the New Castle, Pa., Worship and Community Center and helped renovate a classroom, which is used for ministry.The teens painted walls, refurbished furniture, supplied new furniture, and reorganized the entire room, including the teen space and nursery.

The teens also planned an evangelistic outreach for three area neighborhoods. “We held an open–air and invited children to participate in skits, games, songs, and a Bible lesson,” says Lieutenant Matthew Stacy, the corps officer in New Castle.

BARBERTON, OH, CORPS 560 WOOSTER ROAD W.

The women at the corps are on a journey! Captain Ashley Ferrell said the Women’s Ministry outreach group had “hit a slump,” which led to prayer and community input. The result was a new group called Journey. “This program aims to engage women in everyday skills that can enrich their lives and relationships with the Lord,” Ferrell said. Journey, which meets on Fridays, is working on a six–week Bible journaling initative. The women have also organized crockpot classes, walking groups, and scrapbooking workshops.

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BOUND BROOK, NJ, CORPS 108 HAMILTON ST.

Lieutenant Isabella Porchetti, corps officer, began a weekly evangelistic outreach to the mothers whose children are music program students. “After a few months of coming to our corps building, the mothers are beginning to feel comfortable,” Porchetti said. “As they waited for their children, they would speak to one another.

I began to see a Women’s Ministry program happening right before my eyes.

This is evangelism at its finest. These are mothers who know how to be in community and want to be part of a group where they can share life together.”

CAMDEN, NJ RAY & JOAN KROC CORPS COMMUNITY CENTER 1865 HARRISON AVE.

It’s hard to believe, but the Kroc Center has been open for five years. On July 20 th the corps celebrated its 5th anniversary with a huge community celebration called “KrocFest.” The day began with a festive opening ceremony and was followed by a free, high–value community festival give–back to neighbors and friends. “We hosted 1,224 individuals from the greater Camden community, and we connected, inspired, and celebrated with them,” said Major Terry Wood. “We had so much support from advisory board members, donors, community and faith partners, governmental leaders, volunteers, and members. It was a wonderful time of fellowship over food, faith, and friendship.”

What excites you about ministry at your Corps, Adult Rehabilitation Center or Kroc Center? Tell us about it at saconnects.org.

The storm showed no mercy

but you can.

Donate now to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Efforts.

When disasters strike, The Salvation Army is there, providing emergency assistance to survivors and first responders. The Salvation Army is serving those in need and, with your support, we can stay on the frontlines of any crisis. We are grateful for your support and thank you for helping us help others.

helpsalvationarmy.org The Salvation Army does not place an administrative fee on disaster donations. During emergency disasters, 100 percent of designated gifts are used to support specific relief efforts.

We invite you to join our worship service every Sunday.

To find a corps (church) near you, go to salvationarmyusa.org and enter your zip code or call 845-620-7200.

Each Salvation Army center provides you with a sanctuary from the world.

We also offer programs designed to enrich your life and the lives of your family members. We have music and arts programs for children, food for people in need, Bible studies for others who want to know more about Jesus, and rehabilitation programs for people struggling with addiction.

You are our neighbor; we want to meet you. Join us!