SAconnects, Volume 11, Number 5, 2025

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WHO WE ARE

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Programs A meal is more than a meal at The Salvation Army in Burlington, Vt.

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People Major Gilbert Parkhurst says hearts can be changed through the power of ministry.

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History Since 1887, the New York Staff Band has spread the gospel with brass.

FEATURE

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No Place to Call Home

When you are homeless, worry and suffering live in your heart and mind, rent free.

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Thrift Store Finds Layer up with hoodies and sweatshirts from your Army thrift store.

LIVING

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Spiritual Life Development

Finding a sense of balance in our busy lives.

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Testimony Jessica Williams is rebuilding her life and connections with her family.

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Editors’ Picks Reasons to scroll less and read more.

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Health Learn about RSV and how you can stay protected.

| 32 | Volunteer Spotlight

A ministry that Anavanessa Robles can call her own.

Faith in Action

Brendy Best has not let a second cancer diagnosis get her down.

FOUNDER William Booth

GENERAL Lyndon Buckingham

TERRITORIAL LEADERS

Commissioner Ralph Bukiewicz

Commissioner Susan Bukiewicz

CHIEF SECRETARY Colonel Ivan K. Rock

DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

Joseph Pritchard

EDITOR IN CHIEF / DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS

Warren L. Maye

MANAGING EDITOR Robert Mitchell

EDITOR / HISPANIC CORRESPONDENT Hugo Bravo

COPY EDITOR / PROOFREADER Donna L. Ng

ART DIRECTOR Reginald Raines

PUBLICATION CONTENT

MANAGER AND DESIGNER

Lea La Notte Greene

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Dave Hulteen Jr., Joe Marino, Karena Lin

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Lu Lu Rivera

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, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

“To make a home for the homeless, yes, it must be a good thing, whatever the world may say, it cannot be wrong.”

—Vincent van Gogh, in a letter to his brother Theo

USA. Postmaster: Send all address changes to: SAconnects, 440 West Nyack Road, West Nyack, NY 10994–1739. SAconnects accepts advertising. Copyright © 2025 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.

My first experience engaging with people experiencing homelessness came at The Salvation Army’s Booth House II in 1977. Assigned to sketch their faces and write their life stories, I learned profound lessons about resilience. Their situations resulted from factors including a lack of affordable housing, poverty, mental health issues, and systemic bias. Solutions were needed, even then. Today, people like you and me must stand with the Army and fight homelessness.

That was my first freelance job with the Army. I brought my pad and pencils. After Major John Edeen let me in, I focused on each person before me and worked to capture the deep folds in their sometimes red, rough, bearded faces. I listened to every raspy word they spoke. These men, made invisible by society, slowly revealed their innermost selves to me.

Having long been a portrait artist, I thought I’d be the creative person in the room. Instead, I was absorbing stories about surviving tough times as they shared how their new faith in God kept them alive.

One of their greatest desires, a place to call home, often costs too much for people with low or no income. Rising rents, stagnant wages, and long waitlists for public housing are hard to navigate for anyone dealing with financial, emotional, or physical struggles. Homelessness isn’t caused by just one issue; it’s a complex mix. A onesize­fits­all approach doesn’t cut it.

In this issue of SA connects, you’ll see how creative the Army has been over the years and hear from experts who agree that no single person or agency can handle this alone (p. 21).

Where does God want you to serve Him? I hope the stories throughout this magazine will inspire you to see the answer clearly and draw your own conclusion.

WARREN L. MAYE Editor in Chief

THE SALVATION ARMY’S OTHERS PROGRAM OFFERS PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES MORE ACCESS TO FLEXIBLE JOBS, FAIR WAGES, AND DECENT EMPLOYMENT. THROUGH YOUR PURCHASES, WE PROVIDE LIFE–CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES TO OVER 1200 ARTISANS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD WHO PRODUCE QUALITY HANDMADE PRODUCTS. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MISSION, VISIT

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WHO WE ARE

October 1 is recognized as World Vegetarian Day.

Salvation Army founders William and Catherine Booth were strict vegetarians. The Booth family believed that a plant-based diet is crucial to better health and avoids cruelty toward animals.

DONOR CORNER

For the past three years, Fleur de Lis Floral Design & Gifts in South Portland, Maine, has donated over 5,000 roses to the Portland Salvation Army’s Tools for Life program. These flowers are taken to Crossroads, a 28­day residential program in Portland for mothers receiving treatment for substance use disorders.

Rachael Brown, the owner of Fleur de Lis Floral Design & Gifts, believes in giving back to the community. Many local nonprofits have benefited from her kindness and generosity.

“Rachael and her staff donated over 100 roses for each of the special bimonthly Tools for Life classes at Crossroads, which include classes on budgeting, social services, and workforce training programs to assist the ladies in moving forward in their lives and recovery,” says Mary Irace, the Tools for Life director in Greater Portland.

“The roses remind the ladies that they are loved and cared for during their recovery journey as they rebuild their lives and heal.”

Did you know?

William Booth had an automobile painted white, making it stand out at a time when automobiles were black. Anyone who saw the white car coming would know it was Booth’s, and with the soft top folded back, he could preach at any time from the vehicle (shown in 1904). Booth recognized the benefits of technology and used it to spread the Word of God.

In Victorian England, the prominent Baptist minister Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Salvation Army Founder William Booth were acquaintances. Spurgeon, pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, once praised Booth for “stirring the masses of London.”

“Holiness is not some lofty experience, unattainable except to those who can leap the stars, but it is rather a lowly experience, which lowly people in the lowly walks of life can share with Jesus, by letting His mind be in them.”

—Commissioner

Samuel Logan Brengle

“All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”

—ISAIAH 54:13

In August, TD Garden, the home of the Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins, hosted its 14th annual Back­to­School Celebration. The event is a joint project between TD Garden, the city of Boston, and The Salvation Army.

Smiles flashed as over 3,000 backpacks filled with school supplies and ready for the first day of school were given to families with children.

Grace Chapel in Cambridge, a nondenominational Christian church that has worked with The Salvation Army in the past, provided new winter coats to go along with the backpacks.

A barber from the Waltham area volunteered his time to give backto ­ school haircuts. The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services in Boston supplied snacks and beverages for attendees, and local organizations set up tables to inform families about services available to them in their community.

Major Elijah Kahn, general secretary for The Salvation Army Massachusetts Division, says, “We’re so grateful to the TD Garden and all of the partners who make this annual event possible. Providing basic supplies like notebooks and pencils may seem small, but for the families we serve, they’re powerful tools that help children thrive in school.”

Dignity Is Served

by HUGO BRAVO

The Salvation Army in Burlington, Vt., has a bathroom open to individuals who are living on the street. It can be expensive to maintain a clean, functional public bathroom, but the service is appreciated.

“I’ve had to call plumbers to come in because needles were being flushed in the toilet,” says Envoy Stacy Liskey, who is in charge of the Burlington Corps Community Center. “So, I put a case to dispose of them safely. I was scolded for it, because some thought that I was encouraging drug use. But I wasn’t. I was looking out for the safety of the people who use the facility while trying to keep it running.”

One man who used the bathroom told her that he was grateful to have somewhere to safely dispose of his diabetes medicine and needles.

“I’ve seen the needles and other sanitary issues of cities with a large homeless population,” says Liskey. “Giving someone privacy is giving them back some dignity they feel like they’ve lost living on the streets.”

That dignity carries over to another Salvation Army ministry in Burlington: the Friendly Kitchen, a feeding program that serves a meal for the community six days a week. Almost 100 people come to enjoy dinner with salad, dessert, coffee, and more. During the summer months, the numbers of attendees can double.

“When I arrived at this corps in July of 2024,” says Liskey, “this program was already running. We kept its name but took it from five nights a week to six, Monday through Saturday. Dinner is important for this community, because there are a lot of places that serve breakfast and lunch, but none that serve dinner as often as we do.”

Outside of the Burlington Corps, a line of people wait to enter the Friendly Kitchen each afternoon by 6 p.m. Some patrons are

The Friendly Kitchen’s Apple Crisp (serves 220)

INGREDIENTS:

• Apples (peeled, sliced): 70 lb.

• Brown sugar: 15 lb.

• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to taste

• Vanilla extract or lemon juice, optional

• Rolled oats: 15 lb.

• Flour: 10 lb.

• Butter or margarine: 12 lb.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix apples with sugar, spices, salt, and optional vanilla or lemon juice. Combine oats, flour, and butter for topping. Layer in full-size hotel pans (about 12–14 pans total). Bake at 350° F for 45–60 minutes.

experiencing homelessness. There are also immigrant families and individuals going through financial hardships and hoping to save some money. Liskey encourages anyone from the community, whether they have a place to live or not, to keep coming to The Salvation Army for a meal, so they can use what money they have for other things they need.

“Burlington is closer to Canada and the Empire Division of The Salvation Army than to most other Northern New England corps,” she says. “I used to serve in Maine and thought that the cost of living was high there, but I think everything is somehow more expensive here. My phone is always ringing, asking about rental assistance and utility help.”

Burlington is a mission corps, which means it depends on other corps for assistance. Despite the corps’ limits, Liskey says that God has filled her eyes and her heart with ways they can grow, not just through funds but through support and volunteers for its programs such as the Friendly Kitchen. The city of Burlington is a college town, and the corps welcomes volunteers from the colleges and high schools who are eager to accumulate required community service hours.

“People have said to me that serving in a state like Vermont can make it hard to talk about Jesus, and if we do so, we might not get the help or funding we need,” she says. “But that doesn’t matter to me. Christ is always at the forefront of what we do. He’s asking us to love and serve people, and we do the best that we can.

“In every conversation that we have with someone we serve, we encourage them to spend more time with us through prayer, Sunday services, or any of our other ministries. All the work done here is in the name of God. I want Him to shine His light on Burlington.”

Feeding Souls, Changing Hearts

Interview by HUGO BRAVO

Major Gilbert Parkhurst, corps officer in Danbury, Conn., talks about breaking the ice with baseball at ground zero, being introduced to disaster services as a teen, and why sometimes all it takes to change hearts and minds is a ministry of presence.

When I was serving at ground zero after 9/11, I saw a welldressed man working for the FBI. I could tell he was tired, stressed, and beside himself from overseeing his own team. I said a quick prayer, asking God what I could say to this man who was clearly bothered and in pain. God responded, “Tell him you’re a Red Sox fan.” I was in New York. Was that really the best thing to say right now? Again, “Tell him you’re a Red Sox fan.” I went up to the FBI agent and said, “What would you say if I told you I’m a Red Sox fan?” He started to laugh and said he was a Mets fan. It broke the ice immediately. Every night, the FBI agent would show up and ask, “Where’s that Boston guy?” We would eat together, talk about sports, and take a needed break from our respective roles.

group

The ministry of presence can change hearts. I was corps officer in the nowclosed West Pittston Corps in Pennsylvania. There, we knew a local lawyer who for his own reasons did not like The Salvation Army. One day, the corps responded to a fire at a building used to store paper medical records. We served there all week, and for a month afterwards, we got calls asking if we could bring meals to the responders doing the cleanup. When the lawyer saw us there, he asked if he could pay to provide the meal to feed the Salvation Army team that night. He changed his own perspective. Sometimes all it takes is seeing work done in the name of God.

there was a young man called Bernie. I learned through Bernie’s friends that he was well known as a drug dealer in the area. Despite that, he was still active in our youth group, even coming with us to do ministry in Massachusetts. As I worked with Bernie, I learned why he was involved in drugs. It wasn’t because he needed the money; his parents were both very successful. Selling drugs and getting into trouble with the law, Bernie said, was the only way that his parents, or anyone else, would pay attention to him. But being at The Salvation Army, he experienced a life change. He just wanted to be with people who loved him, and he found them at our corps.

I grew up as a Salvation Army soldier in Haverhill, Mass., just north of Boston. One night, during a Salvationist meeting for teenagers, the corps officer got a call that there was a fire downtown. The corps sergeant major said to me that I needed to come with him. We didn’t have canteens back then, so we made coffee, gathered snacks, and stopped to get donuts for the firemen. When we arrived, it was so cold that the water from the hose was turning to ice on the ground. The firemen were coming to us tired, cold, and with their heads down, but they perked up when we served them. That was the first time that I saw how important Emergency Disaster Services is, and today it’s my passion.

An advisory board member once asked me, “With all the work The Salvation Army does, why do you bother to feed people for free who are being paid to work?” To answer him, I brought him along to an EDS tornado response. He watched us and asked, “How do you know who just needs food and who needs an extra something, or a person to talk to?” I explained how I watch their hands, their facial expressions, and if they’re fidgety. From there, I know who to pull aside. From that day on, that board member understood why we do this. He became one of our best, most dedicated fundraisers.

At our youth

in West Pittston,

A MEAL ON WHEELS

Major Gilbert Parkhurst with the Danbury Corps’ canteen truck.

AND THE NEW YORK STAFF BAND PLAYS ON

Worshiping God through music since 1887

Imagine you are sitting in a Salvation Army sanctuary or a public auditorium—perhaps even an Adult Rehabilitation Center chapel. The emcee announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the members of the New York Staff Band!” Jubilant applause greets the band as they take their place on the platform, turned out in their sublime red festival tunics and polished black shoes. The bandmaster acknowledges the audience, gives a Salvation Army salute (because it’s all for the Glory of God), seats the band, and lowers his baton with the downbeat of the first note.

Over the next hour or so you are transported—by the thrill of a well­played technical festival piece, the soaring emotion of a band devotional incorporating a familiar hymn tune, the punchiness of a classic Salvation Army march. There is nothing quite like hearing the New York Staff Band (NYSB) live in concert.

Instrumental

For 138 years, the NYSB has served as the musical cornerstone of The Salvation Army in the United States. It predates the official formation of the USA Eastern Territory by over 30 years. How did such an amazing group of talented players get started all those years ago? The leader of The Salvation Army in the U.S. in 1887, Commissioner Ballington Booth (known as the “Marshal”) decided to organize a “staff band” at headquarters, then located at 111 Reade Street in New York City. Noted band historian Ronald W. Holz writes how the Marshal wanted the newly formed staff band to achieve three

by ROB JEFFERY

things: (1) to attract more public notice of his troops’ evangelistic efforts and provide a morale boost for his recently reorganized Army; (2) to be a model of good musicmaking for developing bands across the nation; and (3) to supply an effective, mobile backup force for major public appearances and fundraising campaigns.

In a War Cry magazine article from this time, Marshal Booth offered a description of the newly formed band: “A large staff band has been started at our center in New York with a sure prospect of success. All the bandsmen are saved. They are commissioned and will wear a special white uniform helmet. Cheer up, you silent corps; with so many instrumentalists at headquarters you will soon have a boom.”

The band’s first performance took place in Brooklyn at the Lyceum theater on June 18, 1887, in celebration of the Army’s seventh anniversary in America.

Evangeline’s band

Think of what the group has been through in its century­plus history. When the band started, the light bulb was only 8 years old. The band traveled mostly by train; automobiles and planes would come in due time. They endured all sorts of societal changes and changes within The Salvation Army, coming to prominence under the leadership of Evangeline Booth, who featured the band heavily in her many evangelical campaigns during her time as national commander (1904–1934). She was the most musical of all Salvation Army leaders, so it was fitting that she saw the NYSB as “her” band.

When the Centennial Memorial Temple was dedicated in 1930, as part of the new National Headquarters for The Salvation Army, the NYSB played there nearly every Friday and Sunday evening in worship meetings known as Friday/Sunday Evening at the Temple (FETs and SETs, as some will remember). This was in some respects the glory days of the NYSB, when they were guest conducted by amazing composers such as Eric Ball, Erik Leidzén, and even John Philip Sousa—America’s “March King.” They were the musical accompaniment for every commissioning, every congress, and nearly every Old Orchard Beach camp meeting.

Band members had to be musically skilled and, perhaps even more important, committed to the utmost. Even today, they must attend weekly rehearsals at Territorial Headquarters and be available for at least one duty weekend per month.

Sustained notes

From its very first radio recording in 1922 to its most recent album in 2024 (The Invitation), the NYSB has used every form of media to convey its musical message. Innovative pieces like “The Creation Story,” which premiered at Old Orchard Beach a few years ago, have used video and audio alongside the band’s live performance, resulting in a fresh experience. The NYSB always seeks to engage its presentday listeners with styles and compositions that are contemporary and recognizable. Besides brass music the NYSB is also known for its chorus. In 1889 the band,

THE BANDMASTERS

with just 15 members, formed a singing brigade. A War Cry article from 1907 said “staff bandsmen not only know how to play but to pray, but we must add a third qualification which is by no means least for they can also sing!” For years the Male Chorus delighted its listeners with superb singing. When women joined the NYSB in 1986 (after nearly a century­long hiatus), it became known as the Band Chorus. A wonderful tradition now is to end each NYSB performance with the band singing William Bearchell’s stunning arrangement of “Rock of Ages.” Notable chorus leaders have included Major Thomas Mack, Gordon Ward, and Dr. Dorothy Gates.

The band has faced its share of obstacles, which Holz explores in The Proclaimers, his history of the NYSB: everything from the events of the Great Depression and two world wars to conflict between Army leaders and bandmasters to the changing whims of society. Fortunately, the faith in Jesus Christ that all players must joyfully profess builds a spirit of unity and

camaraderie among band members past and present. They are not just colleagues— they are truly family, supporting one another through the triumphs and the pitfalls of life.

The NYSB is the oldest Salvation Army staff band in continuous existence. In 2025 it is still going strong, attracting new members who want to offer service to God through the divine gift of music. Its web page notes: “The NYSB is just as comfortable playing at an Adult Rehabilitation Center or local SA community center as giving sacred concerts in some of the world’s finest venues. … Their music making serves as an arm of The Salvation Army’s compassionate ministry while keeping true to the highest purposes of sacred music— giving praise and glory to God.”

If you haven’t heard the NYSB live in concert, don’t miss the opportunity to do so. You may just become a lifelong fan.

Rob Jeffery is director of the USA Eastern Territory’s Heritage Museum.

Whether their tenure lasted just a few months or more than a decade, the leaders of the NYSB have always reflected the highest standards of musicality and excellence.

BM Keep, 1887

Major Wray, 1887–1888

Charles Miles, 1888–1890

Walter Duncan, 1890–1892

William Bridgen, 1892

Edward Trumble, 1892–1896

Charles Anderson, 1897–1898, 1898–1907

Charles Straubel, 1898

Robert Griffith, 1907–1912

George Darby, 1912–1931

J. Stanley Sheppard, 1931–1932

William Broughton, 1932–1935

George Granger, 1935–1945

William Bearchell, 1945–1951

William Slater, 1951–1955

Richard E. Holz, 1955–1963

Vernon Post, 1963–1972

Derek Smith, 1972–1986

Brian A. Bowen, 1986–1992

Ronald Waiksnoris, 1992–2016

Derek Lance, 2016 to present

BLOW THE HORN AND BEAT THE DRUM The New York Staff Band posing with Bandmaster Robert Griffith, center, holding his baton, circa 1907–1912.

“ Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

—Matthew 17:20

Cancer Can’t Stop Her

Brendy Best refuses to let a second cancer diagnosis keep her from helping people in Brooklyn, N.Y.

by ROBERT MITCHELL photographsby CURTIS PAN

Twice, Brendy Best has heard the devastating words, “You have cancer.”

While the disease has sometimes knocked her down, the optimistic woman from the Caribbean island of Grenada keeps showing up to work in the soup kitchen four days a week at The Salvation Army in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, N.Y.

“I believe that something is going to work out and I always think that way— positive thinking,” Brendy says. “I don’t allow negative thoughts. I pray every day, and my faith is very strong. One day at a time. I thank God every day that I get to see a new day, which I think is a blessing.”

Brendy was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. The cancer returned last year, and she is following a similar treatment path once again.

Tiredness and fatigue, the unfortunate side effects of her treatment, caused Brendy to take off several months in late 2024, but sitting at home didn’t suit someone accustomed to being so active. She asked her doctor if she could return and was back at work in March. Her chemo treatments were reduced to once a month instead of weekly.

“It’s hard sometimes, but when I think about it, I love what I do,” Brendy says. “I love to cook, and I love to feed people. It’s not always easy. Sometimes I’m tired and I want to sit because I don’t have the

energy, but I love what I am doing here.

“When I see the smile on the people’s faces, especially the homeless people, it makes me feel good. They always come back and say, ‘thank you.’ That means the world to me. They were all happy to see me return. I love helping others and showing love.”

Keeping up the fight

Undergoing chemotherapy is arduous, but Brendy, a single mother, faithfully marches on to provide for her 18­year­old daughter, Megan, who is a college student.

“I didn’t want to get out of bed some days,” she says. “It’s painful. I would go to work on Monday and then lose energy the rest of the week.”

Not only did the treatment cause fatigue, but all food tasted like soap to Brendy, and she suffered discolored nails and blood clots that required surgery.

Brendy’s first cancer diagnosis came after she, normally an energetic person, experienced sudden bouts of lethargy.

“I was a bit tired,” she says. “I knew something was wrong.”

Doctors ran tests but found nothing. Then Brendy discovered a lump in her breast during a self­ check. She went back to the doctor, and further tests confirmed the worst.

Brendy, 51, says the same symptoms reappeared in 2024. Doctors confirmed the cancer had returned 16 years after going into remission.

“I just put everything in God’s hands,” she says. “I worry sometimes, but other times I try not to think about it. If God lets me see today, He’s going to let me see tomorrow. If He wants me to be here, He’s going to keep me around. If He doesn’t want me here, He’s going to call my number. That’s how I go about it.”

SERVICE WITH A SMILE Brendy Best, a native of Grenada, packs up lunches at the Bushwick Corps in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Eternity on her mind

In a Facebook post earlier this year about her work in Bushwick, Brendy said, “You just gotta keep on fighting. Some days are better than other days, but honestly I’m just grateful. I’m grateful to be alive, and I’m happy that I can serve food to people who really need it. Being here helps take my mind off of everything, too, which is amazing. I love being a part of this community. Everyone has been so encouraging and supportive during this time.”

Brendy, a Seventh­ day Adventist who came to the United States at age 23, says she reads her Bible and prays daily while doing devotions in the morning and evening. She also is often at the corps on Wednesday night for Bible study and sometimes helps with youth programming.

As she fights cancer a second time, Brendy admits she does sometimes think about eternity and how, even if she dies, she will be in the presence of God.

“I try to block it out of my mind,” she says. “I think, ‘I’m here and I’m going to get better.’ I think positive thoughts and that I’m going to be around to see my daughter finish college, get a job, and start her life. That’s what I ask God for every day.”

Holding up her arms

Throughout her journey, Brendy has received prayer, love, and support from everyone at the Bushwick Salvation Army, including Lieutenants Arren and Nastassja Boyd, the pastors in charge.

“I can truly feel the love,” Brendy says.

The Boyds say the church came alongside Brendy after her diagnosis, even helping her sort through insurance issues.

“We did a lot of calling and praying with her,” Lieutenant Arren says. “She was surrounded by a lot of prayer.”

The Boyds never considered hiring another employee in Brendy’s absence because of her commitment and strong

work ethic. Brendy often comes in early to prep the kitchen.

Lieutenant Nastassja calls her “a big light to the community and the culture” at Bushwick. “She’s always volunteering, even outside her regular work,” she says.

Her positive attitude has impressed the Boyds and others around the church. Lieutenant Arren remembers when Brendy told him, “I have to fight this, so I can get back to serving the people.”

He says, “She’s a big presence in our community. Seeing the smiles she put on people’s faces when she came back, and how much people love her cooking, was really inspiring. She’s a warrior. She came back and just continues to do the Lord’s work in feeding people and really embodying what The Salvation Army is all about.”

Seeing Christ in her

Captain Clifford Douglas, who was the pastor at Bushwick before the Boyds,

FAMILY MEALS Megan Bishop (right), Brendy Best’s daughter, packs lunch with fellow volunteer Anita Naggy.

calls Brendy a “very valuable asset” to the church. While Brendy is an employee and was not technically a member of his congregation, Douglas still called to see if she needed anything as her medical bills took a toll financially.

“I didn’t see the people who worked there only as employees,” Douglas says. “They are people and an extension of the people we minister to. I saw her as my congregation as well, so I would check in on her. I would call her, pray with her, and share any encouragement.”

Douglas was struck by how positive Brendy was—she even showed up to help with Christmas ministries when it wasn’t part of her job.

“I never saw her come into the workplace unhappy, frustrated, or mad,” he says. “You would never know what she was going through until you had a conversation with her, and she shared. She always had

this smile and warmth regardless of what she was going through. That in itself tells of her faith in God because no one can go through the struggles and the trials and have such joy.

“You don’t hear her questioning. She just keeps serving and doing what she has to do and that’s amazing to see. She has a heart for people and giving back.”

Lieutenant Arren says, “One thing Brendy always says is, ‘God is good.’ That’s an inspiration to all of us.”

Still going strong

As she recovers and regains her strength, Brendy shows no signs at all of slowing down. She is even taking classes through the online University of the People to earn her associate degree in business administration.

She also believes and takes strength from the words of 2 Corinthians 1:3–4,

which says that God comforts us in our trials so that we can comfort others in their trials with the same comfort we received from God. Brendy often shares her journey with the people who come into the soup kitchen and offers advice like seeing a doctor, following their guidance, and making healthy lifestyle choices.

Her main message is to never give up on God, and she leans on such inspirational Bible verses as Philippians 4:13, Jeremiah 29:11, and Isaiah 41:10.

“I know it’s very hard sometimes, but I would tell them to put their faith and trust in God and have hope that it will work out,” Brendy says. “If you have faith like a mustard seed, you can make it through.

“Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we react to it. There is always hope beyond what you see. It’s possible not just to survive but to thrive and to live a healthy, wonderful life again.”

HEARTY HELPING Brendy Best cooks beef stew at The Salvation Army’s Bushwick Corps in Brooklyn, N.Y., where she loves to serve those in need.

Painting

a Brighter Future

A new art program in Pottsville, Pa., is teaching Christian values and bringing children to a Salvation Army church

by ROBERT MITCHELL

photographsby JEFF BRUCE

Nevaeh Haney is only 14 years old, but she displays a spiritual maturity well beyond her years, especially when she has a paintbrush in her hand.

“I sometimes don’t have any ideas of what to paint,” she said. “I just pick what colors I’m going to use, and I pick up a brush and dip it in the paint and just let God flow the direction of the brush. I feel like my spirit is free and I can paint what I want and let the creativeness come to me.”

The soft­spoken Nevaeh (Heaven spelled backward) sits quietly in front of an easel and canvas as she paints in the basement of The Salvation Army in Pottsville, Pa., where she and other children from age 6 to high schoolers come every Thursday to learn about art and the love of Jesus Christ.

Nevaeh has even painted during the

PICTURE THIS Shelby Van Cleef (standing at top right) instructs a room full of budding artists at The Salvation Army in Pottsville, Pa. It all started after a chance meeting at a Pennsylvania street fair.

І

“The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”

—Francis Schaeffer

Sunday morning service as a form of worship. The ninth grader recently painted a cross on top of rocks with a sunset in the background while others sang and listened to the sermon.

“Sometimes I don’t know how to worship, and then when I knew I could do it through art, it was easier,” said Nevaeh, whose family came to The Salvation Army through the soup kitchen.

A chance meeting

Leaders Shelby Van Cleef, an artist and the church’s youth program coordinator, and her husband, David Simon, blend Christian faith into the art program as smoothly as one mixes paint. Many of the kids come from traumatic backgrounds, and Van Cleef

often refers to the program, which started last October, as art therapy.

Captains BettyEllen and Derek Barrett met Van Cleef last year. They saw her painting at a street fair in nearby Tamaqua, Pa. A painter herself, Captain BettyEllen said she and Van Cleef hit it off. Van Cleef soon agreed to head up the church’s youth programs.

Simon believes the street fair meeting was divinely inspired. “It was like God leading us here to find a place to serve,” he said. “We’ve never been happier.”

On a recent night, about 20 attentive students sat quietly and painted the Eiffel Tower amid a Paris street scene. Van Cleef led them through a step ­by­step process from mixing paint to applying it on a canvas with controlled, even brushstrokes.

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL Paintings from the young artists on display at the Pottsville Corps. Opposite: Nevaeh Haney, intent on her latest creation.

“Our God is a creator, so I feel our therapy really works because we’re acting in God’s image when we’re creating,” Van Cleef said. “The kids have a lot of feelings. It’s hard growing up. They can express themselves through art and find an outlet here. It’s pretty much endless how you can connect the arts to Christianity.

“The symbolism in the Bible is very, very rich. I would say it inspires all of literature and art and everything we do. There are so many images just from reading through the Bible that you can extract and see how they are interrelated. The more kids read the Word of God, the more these ideas come to them. It’s not something you can force. Sometimes I’ll lead by example and show them something I’m working on.”

Colors and connection

One of the students who appreciates connecting the artistic and spiritual is Asynnia Baker, 13, a seventh grader who comes to paint and get help with her homework.

“I like how we can express ourselves through painting and drawing,” she said. “People who don’t know about God can learn about Him here while we’re painting.”

Van Cleef and her husband are there all week to impart Christian values right after school. Tuesday is for dance; Wednesday is free time and a teen Bible study; Thursday’s routine is painting, dinner, and music. The after­school program draws 30 to 40 kids each night.

Children who don’t want to paint can have a snack and play basketball, gaga, or video games. There’s an area where kids can look up biblical advice for various issues they might face. Or, they know they can ask Simon, a Messianic Jew who mingles freely and answers questions.

“I love talking to the kids and guiding them when it comes to their daily schoolwork and what’s going on,” Simon said. “They go through a lot at school. There’s bullying and fighting. A lot of these kids have never even opened a Bible, so it’s nice to be

“Sometimes I don’t know how to worship, and then when I knew I could do it through art, it was easier.”

—Nevaeh Haney, 14

“I pick up a brush and dip it in the paint and just let God flow the direction.”

І

able to share with them the way Jesus would handle things. We don’t have to fight back. We can turn the other cheek and be nice to people and shock people with our kindness and show them the love of Jesus.”

A port in the storm

Simon, who was raised in a strict Jewish home and became a Christian after studying Isaiah 53 and 40, said 15 kids have come to the mercy seat to become Christians since the program started.

“I’ve never experienced more joy than having kids come to Christ. God’s really working here,” said Simon, who also teaches Bible studies at the church. He said many of the kids come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Their backpacks may be ripped, or their clothes don’t fit well. The church is right next to a large housing complex.

“Most of the kids come from low­income housing. Most of them walk here,” said Captain Derek. “The school system offers an after­school program, but many of the kids choose to come here. We offer them a safe place to play, paint, and listen to the gospel.”

Captain BettyEllen, who paints alongside the students, said every child gets a free Bible and someone follows up to make sure they learn the gospel. The program has grown under Van Cleef and Simon as more and more kids invite their friends. Some are even coming to church on Sunday morning.

“From the first day, the kids were just

naturally drawn to her,” Captain BettyEllen said of Van Cleef. “She has a genuine concern for kids. She and David are very evangelistic. The kids are hearing the truth every time they come in. It’s not unusual to hear once a week that one of the kids has accepted the Lord.”

Guiding young hearts

The area is plagued by mental health issues, Captain BettyEllen said, as well as drug and alcohol addiction and homelessness. A shooting recently occurred nearby. As much as possible, she tries to emphasize to people that The Salvation Army is a church.

“We want to be here for our neighbors,” she said. “I don’t often think of them as poor. They’re just our neighbors. They happen to be young, and we get to minister to them.”

Many of the kids are not disciplined at home and often act out at The Salvation Army, Captain BettyEllen said. “The parents work a lot. We step in and build relationships for kids with a rough home life. We sit and listen to them. I may not always have the answers, but I can at least listen. It’s about listening to them and letting them know someone loves them.”

One of the students, Aubrey Weaver, 14, told Van Cleef and Simon that she wanted to know more about God, and they answered all her questions and helped her understand the Bible more.

“I’m grateful that Shelby and David were able to help me find that in my heart,” said Aubrey, an eighth grader who comes from a single ­parent home. “Painting allows us to emphasize your feelings and everything and that God loves you and won’t give up on you.”

Aubrey’s mother works two jobs. Aubrey has enough to eat, but she knows many of her friends have nothing at home. She calls The Salvation Army a safe haven.

The church fills a similar role for Jade Perales, 6, a shy first grader who said she learned about Jesus dying on the Cross for her sins during the painting class.

“I come to paint every week and it’s so fun,” Jade said. “I love all the colors we have. I love all the people in here, and they keep us safe.”

Visible Faith

Upon entering The Salvation Army in Pottsville, Pa., one of the first things you see is a 6½-by-11-foot acrylic painting of the Nativity. It’s as impressive as the story behind it.

Captain BettyEllen Barrett said one of the church’s soup kitchen volunteers, Patty Lord-Heffner, heard about the painting while volunteering at the Pottsville Historical Society. She wondered if The Salvation Army would want to display the 1940s-era artwork, a salvaged mural, and that’s how it ended up there.

It turned out that a different painting by the same local artist, Anthony J. Koury, had hung at The Salvation Army’s former location in downtown Pottsville. That painting, known as Our Lord, was of the head and shoulders of Jesus Christ.

Hanging the Nativity painting in the main hallway near the church office and in view of those coming to the soup kitchen was intentional, even though the piece has cracks and damage. Captain BettyEllen said, “It’s just a way to let the community know we’re a church and we love Jesus.”

Not long after the painting went up, Rebecca Wood, the director of marketing and programs for the Schuylkill United Way, was in the building for a meeting. The painting looked familiar to her. Koury (Arabic for “priest,” especially a Christian priest) was her great-uncle, whose parents had immigrated from Syria. She recognized the style of the artist, who once operated an art studio in Pottsville.

Wood is overjoyed that the painting lives on at The Salvation Army.

“I think it is absolutely perfect,” Wood said. “I think he’d be so proud to have it there. I think his parents would be proud to have it there. They were very faithful Christians, and I think they’d be thrilled.”

IN THE MIX Captain BettyEllen Barrett helps the kids paint and sometimes joins in.

Millions of Americans are experiencing homelessness. Addressing the crisis takes compassion and collaborative solutions

by WARREN L. MAYE

An eye-opening experience at a McDonald’s put a memorable face on the complicated topic of homelessness for me. On my way to some camp meetings in Maine hosted by The Salvation Army, I decided to grab a quick bite near the border of the Bronx and Westchester County. I was waiting for my order at the counter when a woman who was perhaps in her early 80s came in, using a cane. She ordered and stood just a few feet away from me. We locked eyes and shared smiles, and I could tell there was something

special about her; she had a warm look and spoke softly.

As I reached out for my order, she noticed my wedding ring and said hers looked just like it. She then raised her hand to show me but suddenly exclaimed, “Oh no, where is it?

I think I’ve lost my ring!” Over the next few minutes, I tried to comfort her. Though she seemed worried, she reassured me with the words: “It’s OK. You know the Lord knows.”

Something clicked inside me at that moment. Maybe it was the emotional transparency and vulnerability I could see in her face and hear in her voice that moved me. But without really thinking about it, I handed her $20 toward buying a new ring. I’d never done anything like that before. But

Walking her back to her car, an old, retrostyled Chevy HHR, I realized something: As she opened the door and got in, she barely fit because of the clothes piled high on one side. A glance through the passenger windows revealed only clutter, stuff crammed everywhere. I thought, No wonder she couldn’t find her ring! It became clear to me that maybe this lovely lady lived out of that car, which hinted at her possible homelessness.

I immediately felt that she’d trusted me with the knowledge of her personal pain and struggle without saying a word about it. Surrounded by every item of clothing she probably owned, she was showing a form of nakedness that was far more revealing than even physical exposure. The inside of

“ FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME FOOD, I WAS THIRSTY AND YOU GAVE ME DRINK, I WAS A STRANGER AND YOU WELCOMED ME.”

when she said, “the Lord knows,” it made all the difference to me. She was grateful but left still clearly upset about losing her ring.

After I’d been eating alone for a few minutes, she came back beaming with joy.

“I found it!” she said.

To my surprise, when she showed me her ring—silver outside with gold trim—it looked so much like mine. What blew me away even more was that her ring had a Bible verse engraved inside from Galatians 5:22: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, and peace.” Just like mine. I thought I was the only person in the world with a ring like that! When I asked if she was a Christian, she shared her faith with me along with other scriptures.

She asked me where I was headed next. When I mentioned going to Old Orchard Beach for ministry work at the Salvation Army camp meetings, she took five minutes praying earnestly for me and everyone who would be touched during events at the pier, chapel, and Seaside Pavilion.

—MATTHEW 25:35 ( ESV )

that car had become her sacred space, and I felt she was testing me to see if I could handle this moment of truth.

Such honesty coming from someone who seemed as if she’d been through many tough times made me ask what name belonged to such an amazing person.

“Elizabeth,” she said warmly.

It struck me how strangely, yet how beautifully God had linked us together through a shared scripture and the ministry of presence. Elizabeth’s heartfelt prayer stayed with me throughout my five ­hour drive to Old Orchard Beach—and I still feel spiritually connected every time I think of this incredible woman.

Homelessness: the big picture

Robert G. Marbut was the founding president and CEO of Haven for Hope, an antihomelessness organization that helps people transition into normal life. He’s served as executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and as a consultant

across the nation from California to Florida. At a recent National Advisory Board Conference for The Salvation Army, he shared his extensive knowledge of the problem in the United States.

“Around 1.5 million kids are experiencing homelessness right now. Some advocates believe this number could be even higher,” Marbut said. “That’s just a starting point. For adults, about 1.2 million are homeless too, so when you add those numbers up, we’re looking at almost 3 million people affected overall. You might often hear about this figure being around 560,000—that mainly includes those living on the streets or in places like Salvation Army shelters.”

Homelessness is a complex issue with multiple contributing factors such as the lack of affordable housing, economic hardship, untreated mental illness, and substance abuse, and the homeless population includes working adults, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and women escaping domestic violence. Marbut’s approach focuses on addressing the root causes rather than just providing temporary relief.

“This situation is getting worse every five or six years—it’s a major crisis for both individuals facing homelessness and our communities as a whole,” Marbut said. “Cities like Portland and San Francisco have fines in place because they’re struggling with this issue. Seattle is close behind too. If we don’t address these problems now, just look at what’s happening in San Francisco as a warning sign for other cities across America. Even rural areas are starting to see similar challenges.”

Joining forces

“We really want to change how Americans view homelessness and rethink how we tackle solutions together,” said Marbut. He is the executive producer of the 2025 film No Address, which traces the lives of a group of homeless people who connect over their shared struggles (noaddress movie.com). There’s also a documentary, soundtrack, novelization, and study guide aimed at raising awareness and inspiring action among policymakers, faith communities, and volunteers.

Marbut noted how the faith community played huge roles after events like the Civil War because there were no pensions available for soldiers or support systems for widows, orphans, or disabled people back then. Federal policies have tended to focus on housing affordability rather than substance or alcohol abuse and mental health. Marbut believes we’ve lost sight of what helps people recover and get back on their feet, and faith leaders can play an important role.

“The dangers posed by drugs like fentanyl make things even more critical right now—we need treatment options back on track because they work,” Marbut said. “Just look at programs like Harbor Light run by The Salvation Army. It shows recovery can happen anywhere if given proper support. So let’s rally together. There are plenty of good solutions already out there led by organizations making real differences across communities nationwide. Let’s get back into action mode instead of waiting around while issues pile up further down the road.

“Overall, though? There really is hope

here if everyone pitches in … to help those struggling find their way home again.”

Close to home

“There was a homeless woman on the corner, a block away from where I live,” said Petra DeCaille-Poleon, the USA Eastern Territorial Social Ministries director. “And she set up her little corner like she was living there. She swept the area around her and made sure it was clean. She had an umbrella for when it rained. When it was cold, she had lots of blankets. She had all her things in a bag. During the day, people would stop and chat with her like she was on her front porch, talking as they came through. Then she would put away her things and get something to eat.

“She may have worked during the day but had no place to sleep. And she had to change her clothes, so I know she was doing laundry somewhere. But she had to move when that corner became a construction site.”

Poleon has seen many different cases of homelessness as a Salvation Army social

services executive for more than 35 years.

“Some people won’t tell you their story,” she said. “Many choose not to share their struggles out of pride.”

Listening first

Addressing homelessness requires flexibility. While shelters are vital, it’s critical to understand each person’s unique situation, including their preferences and past experiences. To truly help people without homes, conversations must uncover what individuals actually need.

“The important thing is to ask them what they want instead of guessing at their needs,” Poleon said. “Homeless services might look different depending on what they’re asking for.”

Not everyone looking for help wants a place to sleep; some want the freedom to move around. Some may need hygiene products, a place to shower or do laundry, or simply enough food to get by. Often there are invisible social dynamics at play.

“They don’t want to ask their friends

[for help] because the friends think they have a place to go,” Poleon said. “So they sleep in cars, sleep on park benches, make their own shelter overnight, and in the morning, pack it all up and hope for a better tomorrow.”

Support systems

Homelessness isn’t just about lacking a roof over one’s head. Mental health challenges, social isolation, and barriers to employment call for effective, collaborative support systems to address the many factors that affect a person’s ability to find stable work and build life skills and relationships.

“We need to see homelessness as a shared problem that requires services to work together,” she said.

Some shelters are independent; others are part of larger programs. Even if they don’t have in­house counselors, they can connect people to the right resources.

Organizations like The Salvation Army provide hot meals, laundry services, and safe spaces in bad weather that can help restore a sense of dignity during difficult times. They also distribute ready­to ­ eat foods. It’s crucial aid for immediate relief,

Sheltering Services in the Eastern Territory

The USA East has 34 emergency and family shelters, 16 residences and homes, 54 houses for the developmentally disabled, two Harbor Light Centers, and many corps-based warming centers. Many of these locations provide wraparound services such as meals; laundry and shower facilities; clothing, job readiness, and housing assistance; recreational and fellowship activities; and coordination with community action groups to connect people with medical and mental health services. The Salvation Army also has drop-in and outreach programs to help people who are without shelter. For more information, contact the Social Ministries Department at useSocialMinistries@ use.salvationarmy.org

but behind every individual or family experiencing homelessness is a deeper story.

“We need to look at both personal experiences and statistics that reveal all the different kinds of support necessary for people dealing with housing instability,” Poleon said. Understanding how the pieces fit together is key to meeting their needs.

One organization may handle a portion of the support, then refer families or individuals to sheltering partners better equipped for their specific needs. The Salvation Army supports this process through a network of trained case managers and social services staff at shelter locations around the country, most of whom deal with people who are homeless on a regular basis.

When we spoke, Poleon had just come from a visit to a facility in Massachusetts that provides space for people to stay indoors during the day. That’s significant because many emergency shelters only offer a bed at night and require everyone to leave in the morning. In some locations, The Salvation Army also follows that model. But in others, the Army offers apartments where individuals and families can stay throughout the day and take care of their daily needs.

A difficult Thursday

Jeremy’s story came to light one Thursday when I walked into another McDonald’s, this time on Route 59 in West Nyack, N.Y. Before I entered the restaurant, I saw him sitting on the stairs in front of the door. What caught my attention was the look he gave me, and his greeting that followed. His poise, his voice, and his demeanor did not match the tattered clothing he wore.

To me, he looked like a person who was suffering from homelessness, maybe someone with a mental challenge. But the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice, and his choice of words all spoke of intelligence, education, and a solid upbringing. I was intrigued.

He asked, “Would you please help me get a breakfast?” And before I could think about it, the words “What do you want?” came out of my mouth. We walked in and stood before the menu screen. As he selected a meal, I saw that he was holding a notebook. The pages were frayed, but there

was plenty of cursive writing on them.

His hair was partially braided but in other areas disheveled. I needed to know more about this young man. The question screaming in my mind was What happened to you? As we had breakfast together, he told me about his rocky upbringing, his separation from divorced parents, his adoption by a well­to­do family in West Nyack, his attendance at a prestigious high school, and his acceptance at Brown University.

But then his story got muddled. It was hard to understand how such a seemingly brilliant young man ended up begging for breakfast at a McDonald’s. I sensed that he had been through a lot of traumas, although he described none of them in any real detail. But the fact that he was affected by them was unmistakable, even while I also sensed a deep kindness that seemed ingrained in his personality.

Then he opened his notebook, removed a crumpled page, and said, “This is what I wrote for today. I entitled it, ‘Difficult Thursdays.’ I want you to have it.”

I’m trying,

I’m trying.

I’m not lying.

I’m honestly trying.

I’m promising and styling.

I don’t understand everything, but I do understand certain things.

I don’t want diamond rings.

I do want a wedding ring.

We together get through Thursday. We as a people hurt this way,

We together get through the hurting days.

We as people can work this way.

We aren’t always happy,

We aren’t always, sadly.

We once we are gladly.

We that are happy.

Jeremy’s poem talked about his struggles that day, and he expressed how important it is to understand each other in relationships. While we might chase after material things, what really matters are our emotional bonds. We all go through ups and downs, but in the end, it’s about facing these challenges as a team: “We together.”

Go to sastores.org to locate a Salvation Army family thrift store near you.

by HUGO BRAVO

Get cozy this fall in a hoodie from your Salvation Army thrift store

As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, you may want to prepare for sweater weather with an extra layer on hand. The racks at your local Salvation Army thrift store are full of sweatshirts and hoodies with fun designs and logos from popular fashion brands or your favorite sports teams. Whether you’re out enjoying the fall colors or staying indoors to play games, read a book, or hold a bingewatch session, The Salvation Army has you covered.

Every purchase you make at a Salvation Army thrift store helps fund local Adult Rehabilitation Centers, where people who are struggling from a variety of social and spiritual problems can find help and hope. Visit SArehab.org to learn more.

It’s a Balancing Act

Where can we find a sense of stability and rest in our busy lives?

by MAJOR LAUREN HODGSON

“We are blessed with these inner rhythms that tell us where we are, and where we are going. No matter, then, our fifty- and sixty-hour work weeks, the refusing to stop for lunch, the bypassing sleep and working deep into the darkness. If we stop, if we return to rest, our natural state reasserts itself. Our natural wisdom and balance come to our aid, and we can find our way to what is good, necessary, and true.”

—Wayne Muller, Sabbath

There is an old circus act known as plate spinning. The performer has numerous stationary, upright dowel rods and begins to spin plates precariously positioned on top of each rod. The audience is amazed as they wonder how many plates the performer can keep spinning simultaneously. He often has to return to refresh the spinning speed of previous plates. Eventually, eight, 10, or more plates are spinning at the same time. It is a whirlwind to watch.

Maybe you sometimes feel like that plate spinner, trying to keep all your plates (aka responsibilities) upright and moving. Life is a balancing act: pack school lunches, walk the dog, battle traffic going to and from work, tick off your to ­ do list, make dinner—you get the idea. You may feel worn out, frustrated, or even angry at needing to respond to work, family, church, and community concerns. And yet, amid all of this, your body, mind, and emotions beckon you to take time for self­care.

Is there any magic equation for work and rest? We are people of rhythms—words and silence, community and solitude, filling and fasting. We want to live purposeful lives and infuse meaning into all we do, but we can lose sight of who we are during our service of doing.

We are tri­part beings. We are spirit, have a soul (comprising our mind, will, and emotions), and inhabit a body.

Every aspect of our being is important to God, and that is evident in the fact that God became a man and experienced life as we do: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).

Where do we begin?

It is essential to recognize that God loves us just as we are, but He does not leave us that way. He desires for us to be just like Jesus. Now, there’s a daunting task! Where do we begin? Let’s take small steps toward the whole picture.

Your physical health

It’s essential to appreciate your body’s remarkable capabilities. When we push the boundaries of what we can do, our body gives us warning signs long before our brain realizes we’ve gone beyond what is reasonable. Is your body trying to tell you something you’ve overdone or neglected?

Stay hydrated. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

Eat mindfully. This doesn’t mean you can never have a juicy burger or bowl of ice cream, but moderation is the key. Eat small meals, opt for nutrient­ dense foods, and limit your caffeine and sugar intake. Sleep. To the best of your ability, get the

needed amount of sleep (six to eight hours). If you can’t get it in one night, let it be cumulative with a nap.

Your mental/emotional health

Reflect on your actions. Review your day and ask: “When did I sense God speaking to me? When did I respond? When did I resist?”

Consider setting reasonable boundaries. Decrease stress. Intentionally stepping back, breathing deeply, and waiting a few moments before reentering a stressful situation can be life­changing.

Your spiritual health

What do you want? This may feel like a selfserving question, but consider that there were times in the Bible when Jesus would ask someone, “What do you want me to do for you?” What would be your answer?

Schedule quiet time with the Lord. Be in touch with your spiritual center by taking time to quiet your body and mind from outer distractions. This takes time and practice. Give yourself grace as you practice this rhythm.

Be open to inspiration. God will break through in natural, everyday situations and conversations.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life— your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” —Romans 12:1 ( MSG)

Major Lauren Hodgson is the head writer for the Spiritual Life Development Department at The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory Headquarters.

Resources

Health and wholeness don’t just “happen.” It takes careful thought and intentionality. If you are interested in taking steps toward a more balanced lifestyle, consider the following resources suggested by the Spiritual Life Development Department. When the information in these resources is incorporated into your daily rhythms, you may experience new heights of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Download or request a printed copy today by going to sld.saconnects.org

• Self-Care Check List

A survey designed to help you understand your self-care needs and identify steps to achieve a more balanced life.

• The Prayer of Examen This practice can help you become more aware of the Holy Spirit’s guidance in your daily life.

• Silence and Solitude Learn how to temporarily step away from the world’s competing demands to rediscover who you are in God’s presence.

• Go Take a Hike Connect with your body and soul through an intentional walk with God.

The Spiritual Life Development Department website offers all these resources, in English and Spanish, as well as many more.

Time Served, Love Earned

Jessica Williams came out of jail free from addiction and eager to rebuild her life. The first step was reaching out to her oldest daughter, Kylie, who’d been forced to grow up fast in her absence

by HUGO BRAVO

Prisons are meant to punish, rehabilitate, and offer people who are incarcerated an opportunity to move past the crimes they’ve committed. One may come out of prison with a new view of life and freedom, ready to make amends and reenter society. But prisons don’t always involve a lengthy sentence behind bars and fences topped with barbed wire, away from loved ones. A prison can also be a situation where you feel abandoned or trapped in a responsibility that takes over your whole life.

As a teen, Jessica Williams saw her father go to jail. A year later, she met Paul,* with whom she would start an 11­year relationship. During that time, the couple used drugs and alcohol heavily, often shoplifting to pay for their addiction. They also had four children: Kylie, Kaylee, Carlee, and Daniel, the youngest, who was born a day after their father was arrested for his years of crimes and sent to jail.

“That was when my addiction was at its worst. By the grace of God, Daniel was born healthy,” says Jessica. She was also arrested less than a year later.

As Jessica served time in prison, Kylie, just 11 years old at the time, was “imprisoned” in her own way, left caring for her

*Name has been changed.

siblings and elderly family members. Being responsible for them caused her to lose years of her childhood, and she admits it still leaves a mark on her today.

“I’m not sure I ever felt like a kid,” says Kylie, now 16.

Jessica says, “I wanted to be with my family and be the role model that my children needed. But I know that, if I would not have gone to jail, or if I had been released sooner than I was, I would still be an addict. Because of this, my daughter Kylie had to become the mom in our family.”

Paying the price

Jessica had known Paul since she was 15, and when he started using drugs, Jessica did anything she could to make him happy,

including becoming an addict like him. They shoplifted to help pay for their addiction, building a lengthy criminal record that would eventually catch up with them.

At home after giving birth, Jessica tried to get clean. But a neighbor she befriended while recovering also used drugs, and Jessica started using once again.

“If I met someone today who tried to take me down that path, I would let them go. But back then, I wasn’t strong enough. I could have said no at any time, and I didn’t,” says Jessica.

Jessica Williams was arrested on April 23, 2019, after a long night of partying and drinking. She remembers thanking the police officer driving her to jail.

“He thought I was thanking him due to

HARRY ACOSTA

being on drugs or alcohol,” says Jessica. “But I said ‘No, I’m serious. Thank you for this. Because it’s finally over.’”

In September 2019, Jessica was sentenced to prison. Determined to change, she entered a program called the Horizon Prison Initiative, focused on rehabilitation and reentry into society. Jessica was honest with her caseworker about everything she’d done.

“I needed to do this for myself first, because I didn’t love myself. And if I can’t love myself, I can’t truly love anyone else either.”

Horizon was also faith­based; participants could learn about and follow a faith if they chose. Along with taking courses on parenting, employment, and behavior modi fication, Jessica began reading the

Bible, praying daily, and attending church.

“A lot of addicts call out to God when they’re using. I wasn’t like that,” admits Jessica, now clean and a soldier at The Salvation Army Columbus East Main Corps in Ohio. “I didn’t call out to Him once when I was on the streets. But now, I needed Jesus, because I thought to myself, with Him, maybe this time will be different.”

A burden to bear

Kylie Williams was just 8 years old when she began to see that her parents had problems with alcohol and drugs, particularly her mother.

“You can see when someone is in addiction. They let themselves go, and they lose a lot of weight,” says Kylie. She slowly began taking on more responsibilities in the home as Jessica’s addiction grew. It started with simple things like doing her sisters’ hair in the morning.

“At first, I saw it as me doing a favor for my mom,” says Kylie. “But then I would see her come home after drinking or using drugs, stay for a bit, and just leave without saying anything as we all cried. It came to the point that I would just ask myself why I was even doing this. Why was I cooking, cleaning, and taking care of everyone? Other families didn’t live like this.”

When Jessica was arrested, Kylie had to step up even more, taking responsibility for her three younger siblings, as well as her grandmother, grandfather, and greatgrandmother, who all shared a house. After Kylie’s grandmother suffered a stroke and needed extra care, Kylie began missing school to help at home.

“No one else I knew had these issues,” says Kylie. “I couldn’t relate to anyone my age, yet I dreaded being home. I felt like a ‘yes man’ for my own family.”

A new future

On September 15, 2022, after three and a half years in prison, Jessica was released.

The very first place she visited was Kylie’s school. She had to explain who she was and why she was there before she was able to see Kylie. It had been so long since she saw her mother that Kylie thought

Jessica was a new teacher at the school.

“I did not want to go back into class after seeing her. How could I?” asks Kylie.

“Daniel was a year old when I went to jail, and he was 4 when I came out,” remembers Jessica. “By that time, he was calling my mother ‘Mom.’ This made me so upset, but I told myself, ‘Jessica, you did this. Your actions led to this, and you must accept that, and then fix it.’”

Jessica reconnected with an old acquaintance who introduced her to The Salvation Army. She began attending the Columbus East Main Corps, eventually becoming a soldier with the guidance of its corps officers at the time, Captains Dustin and Junie Fitch. Through the corps’ Pathway of Hope program, Jessica and her family have also moved into a larger apartment.

Kylie would like to be a soldier someday, too, but wants her connection with God and her family to heal more before taking such a step.

“Even when my mom returned and I saw the change in her, I could feel these old abandonment issues creep up,” says Kylie. “I wondered if she would leave again, and it made me depressed. In a way, I even felt like she had come to take my place in the family. I now had nothing to do. I had to make friends again.

“In a few years, I’ll be done with school. But I don’t want that. I want to be a kid again. And I still ask God: Why was I put through that? Why did I have to grow up so fast?”

Only He can answer such questions, but both Jessica and Kylie came out of their experiences as changed people. Life tends to repeat itself, and like Jessica, Kylie saw her father being arrested. She is determined to break the chain.

“I could never bring myself to do what my mother did regarding drugs and alcohol,” says Kylie. “I’ve also accepted that my father is not ready to make the same changes that my mother did, not even for his children.”

Jessica says, “I can’t make up for that lost time, but I can work to change the future, assure my children they are loved and I’m here now. They need a role model in their life, and I’m going to do everything I can to be that for them.”

LOOKING AHEAD Soldier

Jessica Williams, at right, and her daughter Kylie attend the Columbus East Main Corps in Ohio.

Book Talk

Good reads with a Christian perspective

Nailing It: Why Successful Leadership Demands Suffering and Surrender

by Nicole Massie Martin

We must let go of bad habits like ego and perfectionism, says Martin, who serves on The Salvation Army’s National Advisory Board and as chief impact officer at Christianity Today. She pushes for a leadership style that’s all about sacrifice and humility. Highlighting seven common traps leaders fall into—power, ego, speed, performance, perfection, loyalty, and scale—she connects each one to biblical lessons and her own experiences. These “leadership pitfalls” must be “nailed” to the cross of Christ during the personal process of sanctification. The message encourages leaders to model their approach after Jesus’ example of leading through tough times and helping others, which also speaks to women and leaders of color.

What If Jesus Was Serious About Justice?

by Skye Jethani

Jethani dives into how faith, culture, and personal growth connect. He looks at consumerism in Christianity and encourages folks to strengthen their bond with God. The book highlights justice based on biblical teachings, with relatable stories and thoughts. It’s easy to read and interesting, pushing readers to think about their part in social issues and inspiring them to make real changes through reflection and prayer. A main takeaway is the importance of recognizing our own comfort and involvement in injustice. Among the many actionable questions raised: “Where have I ignored injustice because it was inconvenient? Where do I need to repent—not just personally but communally?”

AI Shepherds and Electric Sheep

by Sean O’Callaghan and Paul A. Hoffman

A look at artificial intelligence (AI) from a Christian viewpoint, this book is meant to help church leaders, educators, and communities figure out how to handle AI in ministry and education without getting too scared or overly excited about it. The authors explore human dignity, purpose, and connections in a tech-heavy world, stressing that AI should complement, not take over, real human interactions. They point out AI’s limits when it comes to spiritual experiences and urge readers to seek wisdom based on the gospel. Hoffman writes: “AI can write a generic three-point sermon, but it cannot replace an authentic encounter between humans and the divine.” O’Callaghan agrees: “In a world of artificial intelligence, the most radical thing we can do is remain deeply human.”

What Is RSV?

Learn about symptoms, treatments, and prevention methods

by HUGO BRAVO

You may have heard about children and adults seeking treatment for COVID-19 or the flu, only to find out they have respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus, or RSV. Since the pandemic, the public has become more familiar with RSV, but it’s a common virus. Most people contract it in childhood.

RSV affects the lungs and respiratory tract. For most people, RSV can feel like a cold, with similar symptoms. But for premature infants, adults 60 and over, and people with heart or lung disease or a weak immune system, RSV can be more severe and even life­threatening.

Like other viruses, RSV spreads through tiny droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing, entering the body through our mouth, nose, or eyes. It is also very contagious; the virus can live on hard surfaces, such as desks or cribs, for many hours.

Keeping children safe

RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization, with an estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children below age 5 hospitalized due to RSV every year in the United States. Unlike adults, infants will almost always show symptoms of RSV. Along with cold­like symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, and coughing, infants might feel irritable, have decreased activity or hunger, and apnea (pauses in breathing for 10 seconds or more).

There are two ways to protect infants from severe RSV: a vaccine during the mother’s third trimester of pregnancy, or an antibody given to the child before they are 8 months old.

Older adults and RSV

About 110,000 to 180,000 adults age 50 and over are hospitalized in the U.S. each year from RSV. Adults with weakened immune systems, with chronic heart or lung disease, or who are living in nursing homes are the most at risk for severe RSV infections. Cases can also develop into pneumonia, or worsen other serious conditions, such as asthma, heart failure, and pulmonary disease.

The CDC recommends an RSV vaccine for adults who are 75 and older, or 50–74 with medical conditions that increase risk.

The tripledemic effect

During the fall and winter of 2022–2023, overlapping waves of the flu, COVID ­19, and RSV created a strain on the health care system in many communities. Health officials called this a “tripledemic.” Influenza, COVID ­19, and RSV are all viral illnesses affecting the respiratory systems that share some symptoms. Their severity can vary by a person’s age, health history, and vaccine status. Children and adults with RSV can also have lower immunity, which can increase their risk of getting COVID ­19, even at the same time.

Sources: Aurora Health Care, mayoclinic.org, www.cdc.gov/rsv

“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

RSV Prevention

 Wash your hands with soap and water.

 Clean any hard surfaces you touch, including cellphones, tables, and counters.

 Avoid close contact; cover your face when you sneeze or cough.

 Don’t share drinks or utensils like forks and spoons.

 Stay home from work or school if you feel sick.

RSV Treatment

 Take over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers.

 Cold medicine can relieve RSV symptoms; consult with a pediatrician before giving it to children.

 Drink fluids to avoid dehydration.

 Use nose drops or a saline nasal spray to help with congestion.

 A humidifier will also ease congestion and reduce coughing.

 If you or a loved one are experiencing serious RSV symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, high fever, or blueish lips or nail beds, seek medical assistance immediately. These are all symptoms of cyanosis, or decreased oxygen levels.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

by HUGO BRAVO

Two years ago, as families were preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving, Anavanessa Robles saw a local TV commercial advertising volunteer opportunities at The Salvation Army for the busy holiday season. As she watched and listened, she thought about a familiar sight around the train station on East 125th Street in Harlem.

“I’ve lived in New York my whole life, but until I moved to Harlem, I had never seen people experiencing homelessness living in groups or camps,” says Anavanessa. “In Brooklyn, where I grew up, the homeless population was much more spread out. Watching that commercial, my mind went right back to the people at my stop in Harlem, huddled together.”

Anavanessa applied to become a Salvation Army volunteer through the web. The next day, she was called to visit the Harlem Temple Corps. Her first assignment was assisting at the corps’ soup kitchen. There, Anavanessa realized that some of the individuals she was serving were also the people she had seen at her stop.

“It was humbling to serve them, and it made me feel so good. I immediately gravitated to the people I was helping, and I think they did to me too,” says Anavanessa. “When you give off positive vibes while volunteering, others can sense those vibes.”

She was surprised to see a chapel inside the corps building.

“It was beautiful to see that in a place where so much work in the community is being done,” she says.

Despite being a full­time single mother to a child with special needs, Anavanessa started coming to the Harlem Temple Corps every day, helping in any way she could while her son, Nico, was in school.

“Keeping a steady job has always been hard when you need to attend school appointments and other responsibilities for your child. And I really have no village to

UPTOWN UPLIFT “New York can be a rough place,” says Anavanessa Robles. “But a little kindness goes a long way. I know that there are good people everywhere. I meet them at The Salvation Army every day.”

help me raise my son. It’s just me and him,” says Anavanessa.

“That’s another reason why I enjoy volunteering. I want to give something to the world and put some good out there. Hopefully, the world will give that good back—not to me, but to Nico. As he grows up, he’s going to need the good of others too.”

That type of good is being done at the Harlem Temple Corps every day, with clients, employees, and volunteers coming in and out from morning to evening.

Captains Jeanne ­Elie and Neekenson Fils­Aime, the corps officers and pastors of Harlem Temple, gave Anavanessa her own office space to work in, doing case intakes for individuals and families.

“The captains are like family to me. They believe in me and help me to do better and better. Last year, I signed up over 250 people from the community for rent assistance,” says Anavanessa. “I’m very proud of that.”

At every corps event or fair, Anavanessa

has her own table with information to raise awareness about autism and resources for parents of children with disabilities.

“I meet so many parents in similar situations to mine,” says Anavanessa. “I hope to one day have my own support group for parents of special needs children, so they know that they’re not alone.”

Anavanessa can empathize with them. The demands of raising children, especially as a single mother, can leave parents feeling isolated or disconnected from their community. But the same love and dedication that Anavanessa shows as a mother has become a part of her volunteer work and, in turn, her own ministry at the Harlem Temple Corps.

“I love being Nico’s mom, but at the same time, I don’t want to feel like I’ve lost a piece of myself and my own identity,” says Anavanessa. “Volunteering is something that I have for me. I found myself by giving my time to The Salvation Army.”

You and Your family caN HAVE

A BETTER fUTURe

The Salvation Army’s Pathway of Hope program is celebrating 10 years of transforming lives through its dedication, innovation, and unwavering support. As a catalyst for change, Pathway of Hope engages in a comprehensive approach that leverages all its resources to meet each aspect of a family’s needs. Together we help navigate an array of challenges, build financial stability, and provide not just short-term relief, but a pathway to lasting success.