Revive (July-September 2018)

VOL 10 NO 3 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018

Facing up to the global challenges of

modern slavery ANNUAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING 23 SEPTEMBER 2018 E Q U I P P I N G

W O M E N

F O R

M I N I S T R Y

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M I S S I O N

inside

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13

Facing up to

Modern Slavery

04 Bringing hope to modern slaves 08

A visit that brought hope

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2018

revive@salvationarmy.org

10 Pray, speak out and act BIBLE STUDY 16 Taking off the mask MY STORY 18 Making a difference

20 A shared ministry of love HEART CUSHIONS MINISTRY

04

COLUMNS

IN EVERY ISSUE

13 The elephant in the room – Human trafficking SOCIAL ISSUES

03

Editorial

21

The Prayer House

19

22

Book review

Turning people into trees

08

LEADERSHIP

Front cover: Anti-Human Trafficking illustration by Berni Georges Back cover: Isaiah 61:1 in Kiswahili and English, illustration by Berni Georges All Bible quotations throughout this edition of Revive are from the New International Version 2011 unless stated otherwise TM – The Message, GW – God’s Word, NASB – New American Standard Bible, NKSV – New King James Version, KJV – King James Version, GNB – Good News Bible, NLT – New Living Translation, SASB – The Song Book of The Salvation Army

Articles on any subject of interest to women in ministry are welcomed by the editor. To send an article, write to revive@salvationarmy.org

A RESOURCE MAGAZINE FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY AND MISSION Publisher: Commissioner Silvia Cox, World President of Women’s Ministries Editor: Commissioner Janine Donaldson Editorial assistance: Major Jane Kimberley, Paul Mortlock Designer: Berni Georges © André Cox, General of The Salvation Army, 2018 Founders of The Salvation Army: William and Catherine Booth Printed in the UK by Lamport Gilbert Printers Ltd

CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS: revive@salvationarmy.org

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THE SALVATION ARMY International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street London EC4V 4EH United Kingdom

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from the editor

Restoring hope and dignity Commissioner Janine Donaldson EDITOR

I

t is great to greet you again through this latest edition of Revive.

Thank you for taking the time to read it.

The Salvation Army has always played a significant role in raising awareness on matters relating to women and continues to draw attention to issues that they face in today’s world, particularly those things that are hard to speak about and share. We have dedicated this issue to women who want you to know their story and who need your help in bringing restoration and hope.

Some face violence within the family which most often is about the abuse of power, the more powerful member abusing the less powerful.

Domestic violence occurs in every socio-economic group and, while more frequently attributed to men, it is sometimes carried out by women as well.

The global problems of human trafficking and domestic violence are often inextricably linked. In this issue, we share harrowing stories of those who have experienced both. In Albania, a woman left her abusive husband for another man in the hope that he would care for her, but she was treated like a sex slave. She was then trafficked to the UK and forced into sex work. Managing to escape, she was referred to The Salvation Army and taken to a safe house where she started to rebuild her life.

This ministry of hope is reflected in many places, including the Philippines where the hardest challenges in the fight against human trafficking are lack of education and the absence of an alternative solution. For the past 13 years the Army has developed a ministry among sex workers in a red-light district. Through the House of Hope, victims can start to leave their dark experiences behind.

The Bible teaches that all people are of equal value to God and should be treated with respect

and dignity. Ephesians 5:21 says: ‘Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ’.

Every instance of domestic violence and misuse of power is contrary to this teaching and is unacceptable. ‘Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger’ we read in Ephesians 4:31-32, ‘Be kind and tenderhearted to one another’.

As part of the Christian Church, we are motivated by the mission of Jesus to lead people who suffer to experiences of healing.

‘The global problems of human trafficking and domestic violence are often inextricably linked’

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feature

BRINGING to modern Diane Payne

H

ow is it that in the UK so many people can be working as slaves? – on farms and building sites and in factories, nail bars, car washes, restaurants and hotels? Lieut-Colonel Diane Payne is often faced with this question from people who find it hard to believe that within their communities there is modern slavery and that people are being forced to work in such places. As a member of the Anti-trafficking and Modern Slavery team at THQ, Diane sees how people are being duped, exploited and abused by traffickers.

Although people often associate sexual exploitation with trafficking and slavery, the gambit is far wider than that. Someone might be brought into the country as a domestic help but then be treated as a slave, which means they do not get paid or have time off and they are not allowed to go out on their own or to socialise.

Criminal activities associated with trafficking and modern slavery include cannabis farms and children used as drug mules or for theft.

The criminals will send a slave out with a stolen debit or credit card to withdraw money from a cash machine and then if anybody gets caught, it’s the slave. Some people are enslaved to work on building sites or farms and although they might have a bank account opened in

‘Although people often associate sexual exploitation with trafficking and slavery, THE GAMBIT IS FAR WIDER THAN THAT’ 4 Revive

feature

HOPE

slaves

their name, only the trafficker will have access to the money paid in.

For six years The Salvation Army has operated the UK Government’s Victim Care Coordination contract within England and Wales. The Army has played a key role in helping victims of trafficking who are rescued by the police, healthcare workers, nongovernmental organisations or members of the public, as well as those who have escaped from their captors. The service has a 24/7 referral phone line to its victim care contract office and following a needs assessment, the victim will proceed to a safe house where they can be best supported. ‘We have our own safe houses,’ explains Diane, ‘but we also subcontract out to 12 other agencies with safe houses. When a person is rescued they will be moved well away from the area where the perpetrators are.’

The Salvation Army not only runs its own safe houses, but also coordinates where people go and keeps a check on the standard of all safe houses. Salvation Army volunteer drivers and chaperones play a key role in transporting people to safe houses. There is a database of volunteers who, when they receive a phone call, are prepared to go to a location to collect somebody and take them to a place of safety.

The locations of the safe houses are safeguarded and those who are taken to them are told not to bring anybody back and not to mention the safe house to others. There have been situations where perpetrators have tried to get hold of people through their mobile phones and caseworkers advise clients to change their sim cards or even to get Revive 5

feature

a new phone. In some instances police authorities issue them with replacement phones when they are rescued.

While in the safe houses, each person has a caseworker who tailors their support according to their needs and may help them to find work and accommodation so that they can move on, as well as arranging for translators, counsellors and legal assistance. Although those who are EU (European Union) citizens have a right to remain in the UK, as with others from mainland Europe, if they want to return home, they are helped to move back safely to their home country. Non-EU citizens who want to stay are helped into the asylum process and linked up with legal representation, but if they want to return home, the caseworker would seek to ensure that this happens safely. Those who are unable to speak English may be assisted to enrol on an English language course and children are found places in schools.

The team works to help raise public awareness to ‘spot the signs’ of trafficking. Diane explains ‘It’s all about keeping your eyes open and not being afraid to contact someone if things don’t seem quite right. If you go to a car wash, look to see if the workers are wearing the right clothing for the job, do they appear to be tired or malnourished, do they seem intimidated as if someone is standing over them? Does the person doing your nails at the nail bar avoid eye contact, do they speak to you or remain silent, is there somebody standing over them watching and dealing with the financial transactions? In the street where you live, is there a house in which the curtains are always drawn and where in the morning a van pulls up to collect several men who then return in the evening? Is there somebody living with a family to provide domestic help and who is treated differently to the other members, are they subdued and not allowed to speak to anyone or to make friends?

‘I recently spoke about raising awareness at a conference. During the lunch break, a police officer who was there had returned to his station to find a woman and child sitting on the step. Having just come from the conference, he asked the woman some questions and

‘During 2017 the service supported 2,589 people from 93 different countries, the highest number came from Albania, followed by Vietnam and then Nigeria’

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feature

‘He tried to run away but was beaten and told that his parents would be harmed if he did not comply’

discovered a modern slavery situation. The woman and her child were offered the help they needed.’

On another occasion Diane was approached by a doctor who told her how a few weeks earlier a well-dressed woman had come into his surgery with her 18 month-old child and a girl of 13 in traditional dress who was very subdued and carried the bags. He went back to his surgery to find out who this person was because he felt that the girl was possibly a victim of domestic servitude.

At present the team is developing post-exit hubs in six corps because once people leave the service and move on to independent living, it can be tough if their English is poor and they are living in a new area. The hubs are a way of helping to keep people safe by providing added support. Some of those who have been helped in this way have come to faith and found their spiritual home at the Army. In some places corps members make up gift bags for children and adults who are rescued to let them know that they are welcome and someone cares.

During 2017 the service supported 2,589 people from 93 different countries, the highest number came from Albania, followed by Vietnam and then Nigeria. There is an international arm running projects in various countries including Nigeria, Nepal, the Philippines, Tanzania, Malawi and Poland. The work in these countries is varied and focuses on raising awareness and sometimes rescue and reintegration into the community. In Nepal women are learning beauty treatments so that they can earn a living and in Poland job applicants are being encouraged to look carefully at their applications.

All of these efforts aim to prevent people being entrapped.

In 2004 the Army’s international leaders pledged that within their territories they would work to raise awareness of trafficking and modern slavery and, if they had capacity, to do something about it. Fourteen years later, with raised awareness of the problem of trafficking and modern slavery, the work increases and out of tragic stories there are some heart-warming outcomes.

Lieut-Colonel Diane Payne PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT OFFICER ANTI-TRAFFICKING AND MODERN SLAVERY UNIT UNITED KINGDOM TERRITORY WITH THE REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Lieut-Colonel Diane Payne spoke to Major Jane Kimberley Revive 7

testimony

LEFT: Artwork

by Lisa Barnes

I

want to be brave, love Jesus and help others to do the same, but things could have been very different. My birth mother was an alcoholic, a drug addict and a sex worker. By the time I was 15 I had lived in more than 35 different foster homes. I failed my way through school, only passing my classes when teachers no longer wanted to deal with me any more. My earliest memories of planning for my future mostly involved creative ideas on how not to go to prison, while still doing what I wanted.

Living a life of cursing, lying and stealing, I felt absolutely hopeless until one day there was a knock at the door. I had found that a knock you were not expecting almost always brought bad news, but on that day it brought something very different. I hesitantly opened the door and saw an old woman holding a box full of food. She introduced herself as ‘Grandma Gene’. She was not my grandma and I did not know if she was someone else’s grandma, but she was old enough to be. She told me she was from The Salvation Army and was there to drop off a box of food. I invited 8 Revive

Lisa Barnes

A visit that brought HOPE

her in and we placed the box on the table. As I looked into the box I could see more food than our kitchen had seen in weeks. My first thoughts were ‘we won’t have to steal to eat’ and ‘maybe mum will stay home for a few nights instead of working the streets’.

Grandma Gene started talking to my mother. Unlike others, she seemed to see her as a person and not just a commodity.

They chatted and laughed for nearly half an hour and as Grandma Gene was leaving, she asked me if I would like to go to youth group at The Salvation Army. I was afraid the kids would not like or accept me, and that they would make fun of me if they found out where I lived or what my mother did.

However, I desperately wanted to belong and so I accepted her invitation. As Grandma Gene left she said ‘The van will be here to pick you up on Friday.’ The van arrived on Friday and soon it would be there on Sunday

testimony

LEFT: Lisa visiting Melbourne

BELOW: Ministry through song

‘My birth mother was an alcoholic, a drug addict and a sex worker. By the time I was 15 I had lived in more than 35 DIFFERENT FOSTER HOMES’ and Wednesday as well. Although the folk at the Army knew where I lived and what my mother did, they loved me anyway and their kindness was to lead me into the Kingdom.

After going to the Army for a few months, I accepted Jesus and never looked back, but things at home were not great. I ended up living with the corps officers for about two and a half years until I was 18. When I was 20 I met the man who would become my husband and we were married eight months after that. That was incredibly fast and I would not recommend it as statistically speaking, it usually does not end well, but we have been married for 14 years and are more in love now then ever. Two years later we entered the College for Officer Training and have been officers for 10 years. We have two children who we call Little and Hurricane but their actual names are Anthony (aged 13) and Leilah (6).

Even on the hardest days, I love being a Salvation Army officer with my whole heart.

I cannot imagine doing anything else and having the same amount of purpose and joy.

I love preaching, hanging out with kids and talking about how great Jesus is, discipling the people we journey through life with, and all the other things that go along with officership – except for completing reports, but we take the good with the bad!

The greatest part of ministry is having the opportunity to do the things I feel passionate about, including writing a book called Love To A Whore’s Daughter; Life and Faith Through The Lens of Grace and Redemption.

A free download is available from FrontierPress.org I think that one of the best things I have been involved with is BRAVE, a movement which is part of an empowerment project to help girls in foster care. I encourage other

officers and leaders to go out of their way for these girls because many are vulnerable to being exploited or forgotten.

Church can also make a difference. I am so glad for the people who loved me, showed me Jesus, and who gave me hope. It is because of them that my life is different to that of my mother, who died in March 2017. Had it not been for the people who loved me at my worst, I might have followed in her footsteps rather than the footsteps of Jesus

Captain Lisa Barnes CORPS OFFICER SEATTLE WHITE CENTER USA WESTERN TERRITORY

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bible study

Pray, speak out and Knowing that we are of value to God

T

he Bible helps us to understand that God created every human being in his own likeness, and therefore people are to be treated with care and respect. Exodus 33:11 describes how God spoke to Moses face-to-face, as to a friend. We can see our relationship with God is that of a friend not a slave.

Every life is of great value to God. He created us in his likeness (Genesis 1:27) and he blessed his creation (v 28) and saw that ‘it was very good’ (v 31).

God teaches us in the Ten Commandments to show love and respect for our neighbour (Exodus 20:16-17). Jesus summed up the Law and the Prophets by

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emphasising the importance of our treatment of others: ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you’ (Matthew 7:12). That treatment also includes speaking up for others (Proverbs 31:8-9): ‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy’. These principles apply to those who are hurting through the actions of others, including people who are trafficked.

There is possibly no greater scriptural condemnation of human trafficking than what the Bible says about human creation. In Genesis 1:26-27 we read that men and women have been created in God’s image, which speaks of our value to him. A person is not a commodity to be bought and sold, or used and discarded, because we are each an imagebearer of God and as such we are important

bible study

‘Many victims of abuse suffer in silence due to the SHAME AND FAILURE OF THE CHURCH to address domestic violence’

to him. That importance is lovingly reflected in his gift of Jesus to be our Saviour from sin and to bring us back into a right relationship with our Creator.

be someone who will speak out and help to provide justice for those without a voice and victims of trafficking? ●●

How can we help those who are trafficked?

We need to pray for those caught up in trafficking. James 5:16 urges us to pray for one another. In exercising the power of prayer, we bring our concerns to God for those who suffer. ●●

We need to speak out. We cannot remain silent (Proverbs 31:8-9). People in our communities and at corps are sometimes unaware of the evil of human trafficking and wonder how they can make a difference. Perhaps God is calling you to

We must act to help those in bondage and there are various things we can do. We might volunteer in an antitrafficking programme, support such efforts financially or raise awareness of trafficking in the communities where we live.

Human trafficking is a gross indignity against men, women and children who have been created in God’s image. As followers of Christ, we have a responsibility to pray and to speak out against human trafficking and modern slavery in order to bring about change.

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bible study

What about domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse within a dating, cohabiting or marriage relationship is evidenced when one partner uses power and control over the other. This control may be apparent in various forms of abuse that affect a person’s physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, financial and spiritual well-being. All forms of domestic abuse are harmful and will often have a long-term impact on survivors, even after they escape the situation.

It is hard to come to terms with the reality that domestic abuse can happen in our churches at the hands of fellow Christians and church leaders. Many victims of abuse suffer in silence due to the shame and failure of the Church to address domestic violence.

The main perpetrators of abuse are husbands and boyfriends, although it is important to note that men can also be victims of abuse by a partner. Whenever an individual is abused, it is a serious violation of God-given personhood and the human rights of freedom and justice. As such, it is critical for corps to break the silence on domestic abuse and advocate for the end of such violence.

to keep silent about their experiences of domestic violence, to stay with an abusive partner and even to justify abuse.

The Bible views all forms of domestic violence including verbal abuse (Colossians 3:8) as sin. God’s heart is to protect the abused (Psalm 5:11), to provide refuge (Psalm 7:1), to hear the cry of the afflicted (Psalm 10:17), and to rescue (Psalm 140:1-2). In Colossians 3:19 husbands are called to love their wives, by providing for their physical and emotional needs with sensitivity and gentleness and by encouraging them to become what God created them to be. Any form of abuse is unacceptable and defies God’s calling for Christ’s followers to relate to each other in love.

What does the Bible say?

The teaching and example of Jesus

In the Bible, especially the Old Testament, there are stories of violence, rape, slavery and war.

In 2 Samuel Chapter 13 we read about the abuse of Tamar. Sometimes women are urged

In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus tells a parable to reveal how a vulnerable person (a widow) was almost denied justice but for her persistence.

John 8:1-11 records the encounter of Jesus with the woman who was caught in adultery and who, according to the Jewish Law, would be stoned to death. When all her accusers had left, Jesus told her: ‘Go and leave your life of sin.’ Other occasions when Jesus showed compassion and brought healing and restoration to women include Luke 8:43 and John 4:6-42.

Through the life and death of Jesus we see God’s stance against all forms evil including violence, oppression, and abuse.

Major Janet Diah LEAGUE OF MERCY SECRETARY

Major Satta Boweh JUNIOR HOME LEAGUE/YOUNG WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP SECRETARY

Captain Dehmon Collins TRADE SECRETARY/RECEPTIONIST LIBERIA COMMAND

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social issues

The elephant in the room HUMAN TRAFFICKING

‘But this is a people plundered and looted, all of them trapped in pits or hidden away in prisons. They have become plunder, with no one to rescue them; they have been made loot, with no one to say “Send them back’’’ (Isaiah 42:22).

Elsa Oalang

H

uman trafficking is a monstrous giant that has crept in and weakened the spiritual, moral, cultural and political fabric of society. It is ironic to find that in many places around the world people trafficking thrives in the guise that slavery may be the shortest and only path to freedom and prosperity.

Historical and cultural context

In the Philippines – as in many other countries – poverty plays a major role in the

problem of slavery, particularly for families who are vulnerable and often oppressed.

Kapit sa patalim (hold on to the sharp edge of a knife) is an idiom used when a person is in a dangerous or desperate situation and will do anything to survive. The sharp edge of a knife may refer to borrowing money with an unreasonable amount of interest; agreeing to a sexual relationship or surrendering one’s dignity and principles in return for a favour.

Culturally, somebody in the family would take on the role of a hero in order to save the other members from poverty and oppression.

This scenario gave rise to the middle-man or recruiter. If, for example, someone in the community needed a house helper, the recruiter would assist with the recruitment and also be responsible to the person’s family for the safety

of their loved one. For many years this role was a positive influence in the community.

From Manila to other countries

To many Filipinos who lived in the provinces, our capital city, Manila, was a haven. A ‘promised land’ where the sights and sounds reverberated with hope and freedom. Over the years there have been changes, including government projects to urbanise rural areas – several municipalities across the country were upgraded to city status. Geographically and politically, a bigger and more progressive Metro Manila was established, but the problem of poverty was not addressed. The living conditions of the poorest people were aggravated by rapid population growth, the rise of corruption in sectors of government, Revive 13

social issues

‘Like an elephant in the room, THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME TOO BIG, too scary to even mention and much too dangerous to address’

people displacement due to disasters and the worsening problem of insurgencies in several places.

Against this background, when other countries opened their doors to overseas workers, millions of Filipinos seized the opportunity. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (April 2017) there were 2.2 million Filipino overseas contract workers.

The elephant in the room

What used to be a simple negotiation between a family and a well-intentioned recruiter developed into organised crime that has grown to an disproportionate scale. Like an elephant in the room, the problem has become too big, too scary to even mention and much too dangerous to address. Human trafficking has branched into other horrific crimes such as sexual exploitation, smuggling of human organs and mail-order brides.

Sadly, in places where the practice of human trafficking is rampant, it seems invisible. Parents sell their children for sexual exploitation, local officials receive bribes or are engaged in trafficking, those who should be rescuing the victims are pushing them into slavery and they become part of the problem rather than the solution.

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Serving suffering humanity

The hardest challenges in the fight against human trafficking are the lack of education on the issue and the absence of an alternative solution. In 2005, the Philippines Territory started a ministry among sex workers in a red-light district which set the course for the Salvation Army approach in the ongoing battle against human trafficking. The Army’s role is one of prevention, advocacy and rehabilitation. The perpetrators of trafficking are well organised and dangerous and a special action force such as the military engages in the rescue of victims.

The Army initially chose to focus on Mindanao Island and the Sulu Archipelago with the aim of reaching out to other parts of the territory in the years ahead.

On Mindanao, Balay Paglaum (House of Hope) was opened in 2012 offering temporary accommodation to victims of trafficking and to help them make the transition from their dark experiences towards safe living.

The mission of Balay Paglaum was enhanced by the Combat and Care programme that offered a wider scope of service and advocacy. Officers and volunteers received training so they could educate people about human trafficking and, in 2017,

social issues

‘The battle is enormous. Our advocacy and rehabilitation programmes are MAKING A GREAT IMPACT

the Community Awareness and Recovery (CAR) project began. A well-organised advocacy programme included partnerships with the community, schools, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Field workers were assigned in different areas to lead and facilitate the advocacy programmes.

The first national Salvation Army conference with the theme Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery: Collaborative Working, Sharing and Lobbying as a Pathway for Change, was held in Davao City. Spearheaded by CAR Project Manager Paska Moore and CAR Coordinator Captain Merlinda Boone, the conference had speakers from the Department of Justice, Provincial Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, International Justice Mission and partners from NGOs. The conference confirmed The Salvation Army as an active advocate against human trafficking and strengthened its network and partnership with government and other organisations.

The CAR programme is making a big impact on local government units with the creation of a task force in different places.

A memorandum of agreement signed by local government officials indicated their commitment to the mission of CAR. Law

enforcement officers and military personnel confirmed their support and a radio station aired an interview about the objectives of CAR. After four months of implementation, 22 survivors of trafficking had been served through the CAR programme, and advocacy campaigns were conducted in 48 communities and 24 schools.

The battle is enormous. Our advocacy and rehabilitation programmes are making a great impact and empowering the communities to defend themselves. The Salvation Army is one with God in his mission: ‘He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight’ (Psalm 72:12-14).

Lieut-Colonel Elsa Oalang SECRETARY FOR PERSONNEL THE PHILIPPINES TERRITORY

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my story

Taking off the I discovered special moments with God

A

s a teenager I always felt jealous of girls and boys who had experienced a special moment when they found Jesus for themselves. They were able to share this with others and everyone was very happy for them. As for me, I grew up as a pastor’s child and believing in God was in my blood. I couldn’t speak about a special moment or situation when I was saved because I just took on the beliefs taught by my parents. I read the Bible, went to Sunday school, said my prayers and tried to live my life according to what I believed to be true.

Despite this, I still felt there was something missing. Where was the life-changing experience that would turn my world around?

Where was the fire that compelled my friends to tell their stories? What were people experiencing at big events when they went forward to the stage to be blessed and prayed for?

As a pastor’s child, I felt I should not be asking these questions because I was supposed to inspire others to join the Church.

I was meant to be a shining example of behaviour and belief, never questioning and never being unsure. To be fair, my parents had never asked me to be like this, but I felt

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MASK Mirijam Zöllner

pressure from outside and within myself. For years, I played my role by putting on a mask to go to church and even invented a story about a special moment just so I could fit in and be what I was supposed to be.

Later, I came into contact with people from different churches and backgrounds and found that trying to wear a mask no longer worked.

I was tired of playing a role and wanted to just be myself, which put me into a quandary. If you have always defined yourself by the role you play and then you stop playing it, who are you? This was hard for me because I had relied on people telling me what I was supposed to do or be and now I had to find my own way.

On one occasion, at a Bible study, I was asked for my opinion and simply repeated what I had learnt and never questioned. When asked for an explanation, I couldn’t give one.

A simple ‘because my pastor said so’ no longer worked. Imagine living your life as a ‘good Christian’ for 20 years and suddenly realising you have to start again.

I tried to be my own person and fit into my new church where I joined the youth group, Sunday school, Bible study group, worship band, helped in the café, led Sunday meetings and worked with other churches at youth events. I was at the church almost

my story

every other day and thought this was the way to live life with my newfound freedom, but I was so wrong.

Doing everything I could for God was not the answer and resulted in a bout of depression which, with God’s, help I fought my way through. I was aided by a Christian psychotherapist and the people around me, who accepted that I could no longer do all those things at the church. I asked myself: ‘So who am I, if not the sum of the working hours I put in for God?’ Questioning what you have always been sure about and then finding out that there are other ways can be discouraging. I reflected on different issues, such as whether the Bible is the Word of God or God-inspired human words, and the role of women in the Church, but I knew that I needed to go even deeper and ask myself: ‘Who am I as a Christian and how should I behave towards my neighbour?’

Having treated God like an answering machine for years made it difficult to find answers. I was not used to listening and needed to find ways of allowing him to speak. As he spoke to me, one special moment after another followed. He showed me where I was wrong, and things that I did not know before. I went to God over and over again as I built up a relationship with him and with this came the fire that I had longed for as a teenager.

I began to experience what it meant to be a child of God by living the way he wanted, out of personal conviction and not outside pressures. The verses in Mark 12:29-33 became important to me as I realised that I needed to love the homeless person at the street corner, to accept myself, even on bad days and to keep loving the Lord even if my life does not always go the way I want it to.

‘For years, I played my role by PUTTING ON A MASK to go to church and even invented a story about a special moment just so I could fit in’

Mirijam Zöllner EXECUTIVE SECRETARY GERMANY, LITHUANIA AND POLAND TERRITORY

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testmony

Abia Mugeni

I

was born into a nominally Christian family but, although we attended church, none of us had received Jesus as Saviour. My parents held on to cultural practices in their lives and earned a living by brewing and selling alcohol. While at school I remember a man coming to speak to us about the acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23). I listened to his every word as he told us about John 1:12 ‘Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God’. By the power of the Holy Spirit, I felt convicted about the kind of life I was living and decided to receive Jesus Christ as my Saviour and become a child of God.

‘I want my life as a child of God to BRING FLAVOUR to the world by making a difference to others’ 18 Revive

When I started my new life with Jesus, I faced battles with friends and siblings and punishment from my family. This new life also meant that I would no longer participate in traditional and cultural acts and the brewing of alcohol. My parents decided to stop paying school fees for me because the brewing was their only source of income.

Despite all that happened, I did not turn back to my old life because I knew that through Christ I had been set free.

Since then I have tried to live a life that portrays holy living. I praise God that with his help I was able to respond to my opponents with words of grace. It was not easy but today most of my family and friends have been won for Christ.

The teaching of Jesus in Matthew 5:13 is important to me: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?’ Salt is a small ingredient that can make a difference in many ways. It is used to purify and preserve and also to enhance the flavour of food.

I want my life as a child of God to bring

flavour to the world by making a difference to others. I believe that showing my faith in daily living speaks far louder than all the preaching from a pulpit because, whether at home or elsewhere, many people see the way I am and how I live. I want, with God’s help, to lead a life that honours him and never loses its saltiness.

I understand that I am responsible to God for my family and for looking after the home.

I am committed to making my Christian home a place in which love and respect for all reigns and where my aim is to lead my family to Christ. My prayer is that God will help me to do this.

Major Abia Mugeni TERRITORIAL TRADE SECRETARY/ COMMUNITY CARE MINISTRIES SECRETARY UGANDA TERRITORY

leadership

M

y family and I have spent many wonderful holidays in the Kakamega rainforest of western Kenya. The forest is famed for its hiking trails and is popular with birdwatchers, with more than 300 different kinds in its environs. For butterfly lovers, the forest never disappoints – with more than 400 species. Fans of snakes can catch a glimpse of both the black and the green mamba, the rock python and other types of related reptiles. Animals in the forest include bush pigs, bush bucks, tree pangolins and colobus monkeys.

But despite all this, it is the memory of the 150 distinct species of trees in the forest that has helped to transform my leadership.

Whenever we hiked, our guide would point them out and describe how each was used by local tribes. I marvelled at how he could distinguish between them, as no two trees looked alike. Some grew straight and tall, while others were bent over, some had thin trunks and others thick. The foliage intertwined as if the trees were hugging one another.

I was saddened to see the trees that had fallen, but one guide pointed out that felled trees are important too. They open the forest

TURNING PEOPLE INTO TREES

‘When I STOP JUDGING, and I become curious as to why we are the way we are, I am more engaged and I listen better’ canopy providing shelter for small animals, and serve as a food source for other animals that eat tree bark. More than that, as fallen trees break down their remains fertilise the ground, benefitting forest growth. The guide taught me to even appreciate trees that appear to be broken and fruitless.

Psalm 139:14 says that we are all God’s unique creation, and that he has arranged even the smallest details of our being with excellence.

His works are always perfect. As a leader, I want to turn people into trees, to appreciate the uniqueness of all God’s children. When I stop judging, and I become curious as to why we are the way we are, I am more engaged and I listen better. I ask questions and have deeper, more meaningful conversations and I am better able to empower others to be what God created them to be, encouraging them to use their experiences as testimonies to God’s grace.

Perhaps we should all spend more time with trees – admiring them, with their curves, edges and imperfections. Then we can go back to our ministries, psychologically turn each other into trees, and then truly praise God for his remarkable handiwork.

Columnist for 2018 Commissioner Jolene Hodder TERRITORIAL PRESIDENT OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES USA WESTERN TERRITORY

Revive 19

feature

Roxana Dinardi

A shared ministry of love

E

very year home league and league of mercy members of the South America East Territory make cushions to distribute to patients in major hospitals as part of the International Day of Breast Cancer Awareness. The heart-shaped cushions are specifically made in a structure and texture designed to mitigate the discomfort felt by women who have recently undergone surgery for breast cancer.

Many women throughout Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay have benefitted from receiving these cushions, but a further opportunity arose when Women’s Ministries members were invited to speak about the heart cushions at the Buenos Aires Advisory

‘Many women throughout Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay have benefitted from receiving these cushions’ 20 Revive

Board meeting. In the same meeting were representatives of the Ministry of Justice who not only discussed accommodation for women leaving prison, but also were interested in the heart cushions. They said that they had a large work area at the prison and would be willing for the women prisoners to make the cushions.

The following week groups of officers from the division went to the prison intending to discuss the project and encourage prisoners to get involved, but when they arrived they found women already making the cushions. In another workshop material had been printed containing words of hope and love. The prisoners produced 100 heart cushions for distribution at the Marie Curie Cancer Hospital in Buenos Aires.

Through contact with the advisory board other organisations also added their contributions. Students of the Julio Bocca Foundation Dancing School prepared a flash mob that popped up on every floor of the hospital during the awareness day. Racing

Solidarity Foundation Football Club brought greetings and words of encouragement from famous footballers and others went along to sign autographs. Television stars recorded videos that were played to the outpatients.

The following week a group of officers visited the prison taking videos, photos and drawings prepared by the recipients of the heart cushions.

We thank God for the doors that he opens to bring people together for common good.

It reminds us that he is still in control, and that human hearts are tender towards the suffering of fellow human beings.

Major Roxana Dinardi DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OF WOMEN’S MINISTRIES, BUENOS AIRES DIVISION SOUTH AMERICA EAST TERRITORY

THE

prayer

HOUSE

Postures for prayer

‘They all joined together constantly in prayer’ (Acts 1:14)

Lauren Hodgson

A Prayer Experience from Spiritual Life Development

Posture Lying face down with eyes averted or closed This is the traditional posture for begging favours from a king when the favours are great and the petitioner is either desperate or has no standing before the king, even in the literal sense. It became the traditional posture for desperate, penitential or intercessory prayer and is still used in eastern churches, which have plenty of room because they don’t have pews.

‘Then [Jesus] said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (Matthew 26:38-39).

Action ●●

●●

●●

●● ●●

Get into a position on the floor that will allow you to be horizontal and face down.

This is not meant to be a comfortable, sleeping position, but one of desperate penitence.

Stay in the position until any sense of awkwardness has passed.

Anticipate the Holy Spirit’s presence.

Bring to the Lord your desperate need for cleansing. Be specific.

Reflection ●●

●●

●●

What did the Lord bring to mind as you anticipated his message to you?

Did your prostrate position help you to listen to the Lord’s voice?

What was the outcome of your time with him?

Prayer Holy One, thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing to me anything that needed to be brought to light. Thank you that your Spirit convicts but does not condemn. I lay down my body in response to laying down my will to you.

Thank you for never giving up on me.

Amen.

Major Lauren Hodgson RETIRED OFFICER USA EASTERN TERRITORY

Revive 21

review LIFE WIDE OPEN

by Sheryn Adamson Life Wide Open is an exciting memoir by New Zealander Sheryn Adamson who with honesty, insight and a tremendous sense of fun, shows how faith in God can be lived out in the real world.

The daughter of retired Salvation Army territorial leaders, Sheryn tells how her parents’ faith and love shaped the moral foundation of her life. She recalls chasing her dream of becoming a police officer, despite being laughed at by a recruiting sergeant who thought her too small and too pretty. She writes about the loves in her life: her first kiss (clutching cornet case in one hand and tambourine case in the other), the day she met future husband Brad (also a cop) and what it was like to finally meet her two longed-for daughters after years of infertility.

Sheryn’s writing style is warm and engaging, as if unburdening herself to a close friend. Some of her stories, particularly from her time with the police, are harrowing.

So too is her honesty about the difficult journey of IVF and countless seemingly unanswered prayers. But there are also tales of deep happiness, including celebrating Brad’s decision to follow Christ, relishing the joys of motherhood, and embracing a new career as a style consultant after years of male police officers asking what they should wear on dates.

Her exposure to the harder side of life qualifies Sheryn to offer her opinion on some difficult questions: ‘What are we to do with pain and injustice, with grief and loss, with the apparent contradiction between belief in a loving God and the suffering experienced by so many people?’

Sheryn has a heart for those who don’t yet know Jesus, and they’ve been central to her thinking as she’s written her story. As a result, this is one book that can be given with confidence and without cringing to a non-Christian, but it’s also packed full of encouragement for Christians who may feel a little jaded and in need of encouragement to look for God’s work in their own lives.

22 Revive

Review by Major Christina Tyson PROGRAMME AND CANDIDATES SECRETARY, CENTRAL DIVISION NEW ZEALAND, FIJI AND TONGA TERRITORY

Life Wide Open is available from the publisher WestBow Press, from Amazon or Book Depository. It is also available as an e-book and on Amazon Kindle

‘You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know’ WILLIAM WILBERFORCE

‘I am only one but still I am one. I cannot do everything but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do’ HELEN KELLER

‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter’ MARTIN LUTHER KING, JNR

‘It is by standing up for the rights of girls and women that we truly measure up as men’ ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU

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BIND UP THE BROKEN-HEARTED

Roho ya Bwana Mungu I juu jangu; kwa sababu Bwana amenitia mafuta, niwahubiri wanyenyekevu habari njema; amenituma ili kuwaganga waliovunjika moyo, kuwatangazia mateka uhuru wao, na hao waliofungwa habai i za kufunguliwa kwao

Isaya 61:1

Kiswahili translation

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners ISAIAH 61:1