6 May 2017 NZFT War cry

FAITH IN ACTION  06 MAY 2017 | Issue 6666 | $1.50

On the Spot with Jaquie Brown

EASTER CAMPS 2017 Tips for Blended Families

Off to the Movies with Gabi Gardner Salvation Army Values:

WALK THE TALK International Staff Songsters Visit NZ

WORKING TOGETHER TO

FIGHT POVERTY

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

Te Ope Whakaora New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Andy & Yvonne Westrupp | GENERAL André Cox | FOUNDERS William

& Catherine Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR Major Christina Tyson | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Tanesha Dahya | STAFF WRITERS Ingrid Barratt, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford | COVER Some of the Porirua Community

Ministries team, Photography: Robin Raymond

OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box

6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Fax (04) 382 0716, Email warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org, www.salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@nzf.salvationarmy.org, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz PAPER Sumo Offset is an environmentally responsible

paper produced using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) FSC® certified Mixed Source pulp from responsible sources and manufactured under the strict ISO14001 Environmental Management System.

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

Chapter and verse The books of the Bible are divided into chapters and verses, making the Bible easier to navigate. Chapters were added in the 13th century, and verses in the 16th century. However, some of these divisions disrupt the flow and meaning of a passage. In fact, when looking to interpret the Bible, it’s a good idea to ignore these arbitrary breaks altogether.

One passage I always read without chapter division is Romans one and Romans two. Romans one talks about the sinfulness of humanity—a particularly stark passage. But if we read this without reading on to Romans two we overlook that the author’s larger point is a caution against judging others. We must never lose sight of God’s endless patience with us. God’s judgement is fairer than ours, and at the end of time, some who consider themselves religious may be surprised by the wideness of God’s mercy and grace—at who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’.

A couple of verses that need to be read together to capture the ministry of The Salvation Army are Hebrews 13:15–16. Verse 15 says: Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. Stop there and it might sound like the Christian’s primary occupation is to hold an endless me-and-Jesus praise party.

But read on to verse 16: But don’t forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God. In other words, our faith must be turned into practical caring actions.

Such holistic ‘body and soul’ ministry is typified by the work of The Salvation Army in Porirua, as you’ll see by this week’s feature article. What a joy it is when the miracle of new life we’ve found through Jesus affects our way of living every day!

Christina Tyson Editor

salvationarmynzftwarcry

A faith that moves mountains is a faith that expands horizons, it does not bring us into a smaller world full of easy answers, but into a larger one where there is room for wonder.

@salvationarmynz

Rich Mullins

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

Publishing for 133 years | Issue 6666 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

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2 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

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Psalm 28:7

Common English Bible

The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts him …

Ngā Waiata 28:7 Ko Ihowā tōku kaha, tōku whakangungu rākau; i whakawhirinaki tōku ngakau ki ā ia, a āwhinatia ana ahau …

T

he other night I went with a group of people to do a cliff jump into a bay of water. It wouldn’t have been my first jump, and when I got there I realised it wouldn’t be my highest.

But when I looked down I knew I couldn’t do it. Because in the dark of the night I could not make out where the cliff ended and the water began. Does the cliff stick out at the bottom? Are there rocks where the water first begins? Do I have to jump a certain distance to hit a safe zone in the water? What if I didn’t jump far enough?

And even though I saw people jump in one after another, I couldn’t reconcile my doubt in that dark edge. Maybe I have heard too many horror stories and watched too much Failarmy to justify the risk of the leap.

I don’t regret not jumping; I feel I made the safe decision. But what I do regret is not going into the water at the bottom, swimming into the edge where I could not see and exploring the dark myself.

Maybe then, once I explored my doubt in the dark, I would have the confidence to jump from the top.

It made me wonder: do we explore doubt enough? As pastors, leaders and influencers of people: do we encourage others to explore their uncertainty?

Not just give permission to doubt, but encourage it?

So often I think many believe doubt is the opposite of faith, that when we doubt we are somehow failing in our faith in God. That doubt

means there is something we are lacking or that something is wrong with our character.

But the more I look into the Bible, the more I see our holy text is full of people who doubted. A third of the Psalms is unresolved doubt.

Lamentations is an entire book devoted to the nation of Israel’s questioning God’s goodness in the midst of the darkness of injustice and suffering.

Jesus’ closest friends doubted him, even after he rose from the dead! The Bible doesn’t just reveal who God is, but it lets us explore humanity and how regular people like you and me have tried and even struggled to understand our God. If we are honest, we have all cried out to God, calling out for him to prove his existence or even questioning his goodness. And I think God wants us to know that this doubt we feel, the uncertainty we have in the dark, is incredibly human. I imagine some of us asking God to remove this doubt from our lives, when Jesus is really saying, ‘Head into that uncertainty … and there you will find me even more.’

A mature faith doesn’t ignore the doubt, but acknowledges its reality and steps into its uncertainty. It’s only when we go into the dark of our doubt ourselves and explore what is there that we have the courage and faith to make the jump.

BY ALEX ESCOBAR

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 3

GOODSTUFF

We reckon Kiwi musicians are some of the best lyricists in the world. To celebrate New Zealand Music Month, tell us the three artists who wrote these lyrics and get a chocolate fish!

1. ‘Well, there’s a small boat made of china / It’s going nowhere on the mantelpiece …’

2. ‘Speak to me in the light of the dawn / Mercy comes with the morning / I will sigh and with all creation groan as I wait for hope to come for me …’

3. ‘There’s a woman with her hands trembling / And she sings with a mountain’s memory …’

A pre-schooler requires their mum's attention around 210 times a day.

EMAIL | warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org.nz

Letter to My Son

It’s Mother’s Day on Sunday (you’ve still got a day to get a gift!). One woman writes what it means to be called ‘Mum’: My dear child, You won’t believe this, but I wasn’t always your mum. I was a writer, magazine editor, traveller, fashionista. I lived with six girls, where there was always a dance party. But none of that matters now because I get to be your mum.

When your friends want my attention, they tug on my sleeve and say, ‘Jakie’s Mum, Jakie’s Mum!’ Because that’s my name, of course.

You’ve stripped away all the superfluous parts of my identity, and given me the one title that will live on after I am gone. You’ve taken my disposable income, and given me abundance. You’ve taken my swag and given me soul. You’ve crashed your way through my privacy with a love that can’t be constrained by a bathroom lock.

Netflix/TV Series 13 Reasons Why (RP18) Joseph Incaprera

13 Reasons Why is the latest Netflix original series. It tells the fictional story of a teenager who commits suicide, leaving behind cassette tapes explaining her decision. It’s highly controversial because of the extremely graphic content, but also because it does not shy away from topics such as suicide, rape, consent, domestic violence and bullying. The teens in your household may already be watching this, so parents may want to at least talk about the issues raised—and perhaps even choose to watch with them, rather than leave their children to watch in a vacuum. Crucial conversations could be shared around the show’s content and its very mixed messages, with hope the most vital ingredient for such conversations. The teenager in 13 Reasons Why chose silence, not conversation.

No one knew until it was too late. (Reviewed by Shar Davis)

4 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

You’ve taken my foreign film finesse, and given me an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Disney-Pixar universe.

You’ve taken my personal grooming (and hygiene), but told me that I’m the cutest mum you’ve ever had.

You’ve taken my sleep and at times my sanity, and you’ve shown me that the highest joy is only discovered within the deepest sacrifices.

I will always remember when I got to teach you about Jesus, and how he died and came back to life. You looked at me, wide-eyed, and said, ‘Mummy, is that true, is that really, really true?’ Then you ran to your dad, and said, ‘Daddy, Daddy, Jesus died and came alive again—it’s really, really true!’ And I thought that it was me, teaching you about faith.

Your light shines in every corner of my life.

Thank you for giving me the name Mum.

XX

QUIKQUIZ 1 What street cat

helped a heroin addict turn his life around?

2 Who is lead

guitarist for the band U2?

3 Which town is

ONTHESPOT Jaquie Brown TV personality Jaquie had a hit with her humorous take on motherhood in Keep Calm and Carry On. Being a mum is still her greatest role.

Secret indulgence: I love a hot bath, getting into some clean PJs and watching something on TV with my husband. I’m a simple creature.

What I’m watching/reading: I’m watching my kids grow up too fast in front of my eyes! I’m reading David Walliams’ books and whatever else they want me to read.

the Steampunk capital of NZ?

4 Which prime number follows 71?

5 What insect

invasion made the Egyptian ground black?

Answers on page 22

Open Chicken Lasagne with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil Pesto Dinnertime Goodness, the third cookbook from Nadia Lim and My Food Bag, offers up this simple but delicious modern lasagne.

600g boneless, skinless chicken breasts 2 punnets of cherry tomatoes, halved 2 tsp brown sugar 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

One thing I hate: Being woken up by a foot to the face.

4 handfuls of baby spinach

Something you love most about being a mum: The cuddles and being told how much I’m loved to a million trillion infinity million billion.

350g fresh pasta sheets ½ cup basil pesto ¾ cup finely grated or shaved Parmesan

Something surprising about motherhood: When you long for them to be asleep.

But when they are, you think, ‘I can’t wait for you to wake up again.’

Spirituality Twenty-One Elephants Scottie Reeve

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and slice into 1.5cm-wide strips. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large fry-pan on high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook for about 2 mins each side, until browned and just cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and cook cherry tomatoes for 2–3 mins, until soft. Stir in sugar and vinegar, return chicken to pan with spinach and toss to coat until spinach is wilted. Remove pan from heat.

Separate pasta sheets and cut into squares (8cm x 8cm). Cook in pot of boiling water for 3 mins, or according to packet instructions, until al dente.

Drain and toss with drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Place a square of pasta onto each plate.

Evenly top with about half the chicken and tomato mixture, a drizzle of pesto and a sprinkle of parmesan. Repeat.

½ cup basil leaves, torn

Garnish with toasted pine nuts, basil and freshly ground black pepper.

Scottie Reeve is indelibly linked to youth trust Zeal, which under his leadership grew from a small community of outsiders, to a national charity helping young people realise their potential. This book is about a deep grappling with faith, with stories, personal reflection and vulnerability. As a middle-class Christian teen, Scottie found himself working alongside hurt and addicted youth, discovering that the real Jesus is hidden in these dark corners. Scottie provides a Kiwi voice to a growing movement calling us away from consumerist Christianity, away from entertainment and towards hospitality, away from individualism and towards community. (Buy from 21elephants.co)

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.

Mark Twain

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 5

OPENING THE DOOR TO A

BETTER

LIFE

Ahead of this year’s Red Shield Appeal, Robin Raymond went behind the scenes at a busy Community Ministries centre to see how the Army helps fight poverty.

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

H

alf-past nine on a Wednesday morning, the staff at Porirua Community Ministries is discussing a rubber chicken. The chicken is awarded each weekly staff meeting to a staff member who did something silly. This week there are no suggestions, so social worker Grant offers to take it, giving it

a loud squeak.

It’s a light-hearted break from discussions on how to deal with clients who turned up stoned, and the work to get their three new emergency houses ready to open this month. ‘The good news is, they didn’t get broken into yesterday,’ says centre manager Geoff.

The team of eight paid staff and six volunteers work in the heart of Cannons Creek—an area known historically for gangs and poverty. It’s improving and is a very welcoming community, Geoff insists. Almost no one sleeps rough because people open their homes, he adds. ‘A few weeks ago we found a threebedroom house with 15 people living in it, including a new-born baby and another with 18 people.’

But there’s no shortage of need. According to the latest census, over half the households in Cannons Creek (54.7 per cent) earned $20,000 or less a year, and 20 per cent of people were unemployed.

Last year, the Porirua Community Ministries team helped 953 people and their families. ‘It’s sad at times, it’s frustrating at times, but it’s very satisfying,’ Geoff says. ‘There’re always more clients, but we make a significant difference with individuals. It can be frustrating, but it’s also very rewarding and by the time they’re finished, they’re much better off.’

Geoff is a former deputy principal, whose last job was with the Ministry of Education. ‘It’s a contrast with teaching, because there you deal with the kids —here you can help the whole family. There’s one young man down the road who was sitting on his backside doing nothing. We got him doing carpentry at Whitirea [Polytechnic]. It’s having a spin-off that he’s now out there working and his mum’s now got a job as well. It’s lovely when that happens.’

But it can be hard work for his staff, who ‘do everything a Community Ministries can’ to best help their clients.

Our conversation is paused as the centre van comes free and Geoff’s off to buy and install curtain rails in the new emergency houses. Also on his list is to trim all the doors to fit over new, thicker carpet they’ve been given—sometime when he’s free. With Geoff gone, it’s back downstairs to see how everything works for the clients.

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 7

Through the front door At reception is Jade—the journey through Community Ministries starts with her. Jade is one of about half the team who live in the area. It helps when clients see a face they know.

‘We make it as friendly as possible, so everyone starts out with a good experience,’ she says.

Jade directs clients to the right person. Like the man she’s just sent to a back office to be interviewed by Elizabeth for a food parcel. It’s one of about 75 parcels Liz will give out this month—a third to first-time visitors. ‘The foodbank is not about food parcels. There’s always an issue behind the need for a food parcel, and when I do the interview I’m listening for that.’

This man is her second client of the morning after an elderly couple. ‘She was in a wheelchair and he was using two walking sticks. They were on superannuation, but couldn’t afford more groceries and didn’t know if there were other benefits they qualified for. If they’ve run out of food, they’ve run out of food—and if they don’t go to a foodbank they don’t eat. Sometimes they’re upset at asking for help and I say, “It’s okay, we’re here to help you.” ’ Liz, who is also a member of the Salvation Army church, has been at Porirua Community Ministries for 10 years, first as a social work student, then in the foodbank. Her day starts at 8 am picking up donated supplies, packing shelves and preparing to interview clients at 9:30. ‘Once the assessments are finished we do a check on how much food we have got, which today is almost nothing. We’re so lucky though that we get what we get.’

A few minutes later a truck arrives from Countdown with a delivery of items donated through The Salvation Army’s online foodbank, The Foodbank Project (foodbank.org.nz). Liz also works with other foodbanks and support agencies in the Wellington area, securing and sharing supplies.

On Mondays, the Salvation Army church has a ‘grace meal’, where anyone can eat for a koha. Community Ministries is in the same building, inviting people and providing food and volunteers to feed the about 100 people who come.

Building self-sufficiency Budgeting is a key part of Porirua’s service. The budgeting team is so busy they have a waiting list. Like many of his colleagues, although he’s officially part-time, budget team leader Damien goes above and beyond, even visiting clients in the evening, 8 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

Geoff says. Damien also looks after the Community Finance Scheme (salvationarmy.org.nz/loans), where clients can get a low- or no-interest loan to help get essential items without taking on unsustainable debt. The loans have been popular and work well, but are only part of the effort to address long-term issues. ‘It’s about self-sufficiency,’ Geoff says.

Enthusiastic social worker Grant is a key stop for housing clients. Grant works with them to make a plan to use Community Ministries programmes and other providers to address problems they’re facing and build on their strengths.

Grant works closely with other staff and meets regularly with clients to make sure their plan is working, advocates with WINZ, and has helped some into study or with job interviews.

Grant is bubbling with success stories. ‘One lady was living with her daughter, and her daughter’s partner was intimidating and violent. We helped her into our emergency housing with some of the grandchildren and I rang CYF, who worked with the daughter. Since being with us, she said her self-esteem has improved 100 per cent. The housing gave her the head space to carry on studying Māori, and she's now teaching it. She said, “Thank you for restoring my faith in God.” ’

IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING, BUT IT’S ALSO VERY REWARDING. Community Ministries programmes broadly fit into two categories: those that help a person heal—counselling, social work, life skills and a new mentoring programme for housing clients; and those that build skills for the future—budgeting, parenting, life skills again, plus referrals for alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation or living with violence programmes.

Wendy runs the Step Up Lifeskills course and mentoring.

The longest-serving team member, Wendy started as a counsellor just before Liz. When she’s not running a course or mentoring, she’s designing the next eight- or nine-week lifeskills course, talking with the other staff about clients' needs so she can mix basic skills with things specific for them.

This term she’s teaching sewing; last term was gardening and cooking. Wendy lights up talking about the vegetable garden she set up five years ago to use for courses. ‘This term we made tomato chutney with tomatoes from the garden. In the winter we always try to make soup.’

It’s more than just practical skills, though. ‘We’ve done a lot in building self-esteem and self-awareness, on grief and loss, parenting and relationships.

A lot of clients go on to the work force or use it as a stepping stone to more education.’

It’s clear Wendy loves the work and she neatly sums up what other staff say about it. ‘It’s where my passion and God’s calling come together. It’s empowering, it’s helping the community and working with people on the margins, which is what I feel the church is called to do. It’s not always obvious, but on an individual level people’s lives are totally changed.’

Confronting homelessness Emergency Housing is where it all comes together. Clients facing homelessness come in for eight to 12 weeks on the agreement they also engage with a wraparound of Community Ministries services. The aim is to make sure the issues that got them there doesn’t recur and they leave with confidence, housing coordinator Sarah says.

Sarah and Grant interview clients before they arrive and connect them with the others as needed: Susan for counselling, Damien for budgeting, Wendy for mentoring or a life-skills programme. Sarah also works with other agencies that help accommodate people when the Army can’t.

Sarah is responsible for the maintenance of the houses and client support. ‘It’s relationships really; building relationships is a big part of my job. When they have issues they will call me up and I go down and work out how we can help. It’s a parttime role, but I get texts at nine o’clock at night, weekends.’

When clients are ready to leave, Sarah and Grant help them set up their new homes and visit to check how they’re going.

Some come back for additional support, others as volunteers, many just to say hi, Sarah says. ‘Often it’s the relationship they’re coming back for. Sometimes they don’t have that in their family and everyone needs a family.’

The combination of practical services and ready support offered at Porirua Community Ministries is a powerful mix. ‘It can be life-changing,’ says Sarah. ‘Sometimes it’s small changes, learning to manage money, going to counselling to talk about issues and get some healing. For some people, that feeling of unconditional support is something they’ve never had before— that can make a big difference.’

How it all comes together When Malia* first contacted Porirua Community Ministries her husband was about to kick her out of their house in Christchurch, leaving her and their three young children homeless. ‘From that time. I started praying for somewhere to go. I found The Salvation Army online and I phoned them.’

After an interview with Sarah and Grant, Malia was offered a place in an emergency house. ‘In Christchurch I felt alone,’ she says. ‘I didn’t have any family or know anyone. The Salvation Army helped us not feel alone.’

Liz made sure the family had food. Grant and Sarah helped Malia get on a benefit, a grant to help the kids get school uniforms and stationery, and secure a Housing New Zealand house. Through the Salvation Army Family Store, they got Malia a cot and beds.

She also did a budgeting course and Damien helped her get a no-interest loan for a lawn mower to meet Housing NZ requirements to look after the property.

Having paid off that loan, they’re discussing a lowinterest loan for a car to help her get a job.

Susan provided her with counselling and Wendy took her on a Positive Lifeskills Programme. ‘I really enjoyed that. I really liked sharing with the other women, their experiences. It was really helpful.’

The children are thriving at school, Malia says, proudly pointing at the living room walls covered in certificates of their achievements. The care they received is a big part of helping them all settle so well, she says. ‘The Salvation Army is my family now. I know they have a heart for me and my kids and I feel that.’

Malia’s is paying forward what she’s received. ‘My door is always open, if people need bread or water I will give it to them, like The Salvation Army did for me.’ *Not her real name

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 9

Blended Families It all looked so easy in The Brady Bunch. Sure, the entire family went through some heartache when Jan got braces—but by and large life in the Brady household went swimmingly. However, the reality of blended families isn’t so easy to navigate.

In The Essential Guide to Children and Separation, Jennifer Croly says just as it can take a long while for children to adjust to the fact that their parents have separated, so the introduction of a new partner can be a real issue. This is partly because it throws children back to the same emotions, worries and feelings of guilt they had at the time of the divorce.

A real challenge for parents is that in the all-absorbing excitement of a new relationship, they naturally want to spend time together. But it’s important to also continue spending time with their own children and those of their new partner. Make sure children know their new step-parent hasn’t taken their parent’s love away.

For a blended family to function well, it’s important that all the children are treated equally. Children have a strong sense of fairness, says Croly. This means fairness in terms of time, attention and financial support.

TIPS FOR NEW FAMILIES

It’s also important for children to know their step-parent isn’t there to replace their father or mother. It can help the child if the step-parent can explain that their role is an ‘adult friend, not a substitute parent,’ says Croly. ‘It is a different sort of relationship, especially when the child already has good and ongoing contact with their birth mother or father.’

Parents still need one-on-one time with their child

For step-parents, Croly’s advice is simple: as well as taking the time to build a relationship with your new spouse, take time to build a friendly relationship with their children—find out what they like and dislike doing, and what activities they would appreciate you being part of.

Even if a child’s parent has died, a step-parent can never replace the parent that is lost. How much more so when that parent is still alive and active in their child’s life? Mum or Dad will always have a claim on their children’s time, love, energies and special moments. And how you speak about and relate to that parent will have a profound effect on the child’s relationship with you. Even if some of your more critical observations of your partner’s ex may be true, children are defensive of the parents they love—despite their faults—and are sensitive to tensions between their parents.

Discipline can be a challenge for any parent, but for stepparents even more so. This is because their authority comes from the child’s parent. As a rule of thumb, it’s wise to back up what your partner has said, rather than siding with the child.

Introduce the new parent gradually

Make sure children know their step-parent has not taken their parent’s love away Treat all children equally and fairly Inform and involve children in all household changes Speak about and relate to the child’s parent civilly Always back the child’s parent when disciplining Christians can get caught up in dwelling on what might have been. Yet, living in a land of dreams is not helpful. Life is better when we embrace what is and enjoy our fun, messy, funny, chaotic, and beautiful blended families.

A blended family is a gift from God. The best thing that you and I can do is to lay aside guilt, embrace what is, and enjoy our God-given, blended families to the fullest!

Jed and Jenny Jurchenki

10 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

TESTIFY! Leaso’s life had been one of trauma and loss—but God has given her the strength to rise again.

I was born into a Christian family in Samoa. In 1995, when I was 21, my husband and I moved to New Zealand with our 11-month-old baby. Before we moved, my father said to me, ‘Leaso, you won’t survive without God.’ But like most young people I thought, ‘Don’t tell me what to do.’

We settled in the North Shore, Auckland, and had four more children. In 2004, my beautiful life was shattered when my husband died of cancer. I had a stroke at the same time due to stress.

Three months after my husband died, my oldest son, who has rheumatic heart disease, had a series of heart attacks.

As he was being rushed to Starship Hospital I promised God that if he saved my son’s life I would give him back to God. That promise has never been broken. My son is a youth leader and worship team leader at his church, serving the Lord faithfully.

I remarried, but we had difficulties.

I first met The Salvation Army in 2009 when I was a couple of days away from giving birth to our second child. My husband had been arrested and was at Waitakere Police Station. I couldn’t drive due to complications with the pregnancy. I had a small child with me and no money for food or a taxi.

I remember thinking, ‘I’m sure there’s a Salvation Army around here somewhere.’ I started walking and found myself at The Faith Factory (Waitakere Central Corps).

The people were so welcoming and I immediately felt a sense of love and acceptance. The receptionist prayed with me and someone dropped me home. I remained a client for three months and started attending church there.

EVERYTHING I’VE FACED, THE MORE THINGS I FACE, THE STRONGER I BECOME. I needed a fresh start. I had been through so much. I heard a woman speak one Sunday about things she had been through and how God had helped her. This opened up a space in my heart to face what had happened in my own life, including being raped by a policeman when I was just 17. I’d never told anyone about this, but God helped me to let it all out. In my heart, I forgave the man who did it and told my husband about what had happened as well.

I decided to become a senior soldier (member) of The Salvation Army. It was a big decision, but I knew God had always been there for me and that my job for God was not finished. Signing my soldier’s covenant was an agreement between me and God. I was reminded of what my father had told me: I couldn’t do life without giving God control.

Every day of my life, even when I’m still going through problems, there is freedom in every decision God gives me.

Even if life feels uncertain sometimes, I feel a real peace from God and know his grace is with me.

Life has been hard for me, but I feel so blessed to be alive. After I was in a car accident, I had something similar to a pacemaker fitted. I used to be so depressed that I tried to kill myself several times over the years, but each time God saved me. Everything I’ve faced, the more things I face, the stronger I become.

Being a part of The Salvation Army has opened so many doors and opportunities. I work each day as a volunteer in the Foodbank. I’m also involved with a women’s rugby club. I want to make sure they don’t go through the things I’ve been through. I want to be a safe person for them to turn to.

The strength I have for each day comes from the Lord. It’s God’s strength in me. No matter what I face, I praise God and remember that I’m not done yet.

Visit the Salvation Army in Waitakere | salvationarmy.org.nz/waitakere 06 MAY 2017 WarCry 11

We’re blown away by the blogging talent on our Salvation Army youth website this year.

Here’s a couple of film-related blogs …

BY GABI GARDNER

BEHIND THE SCENES OF MARY POPPINS I’m an old-school classic Disney girl. I grew up with Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Pollyanna and Mary Poppins (thanks to my parents for making sure these were part of my childhood). These are still some of my favourite movies, but recently I saw Saving Mr Banks —and this Disney movie definitely got me thinking.

If you’ve never seen it, stop reading now and watch it before coming back. (And if you haven’t seen Mary Poppins, I’d suggest watching that first, because it’s a glorious film!) But in short, Saving Mr. Banks is about how Mary Poppins went from page to screen and how Mary Poppins came into the author’s life.

In the movie, Walt Disney and his team find it very difficult to get P. L. Travers (the author) to sign over the film rights of her book. As they discuss how the film will go, she disputes every decision. They slowly begin to dislike working with her more and more as she refuses to compromise on even the smallest detail.

As the movie flicks between book and film discussions and when Travers was a little girl, we begin to get a picture of how she grew up. Disney knows nothing of this past, not understanding that there is a reason why she clutches on to the seemingly insignificant details they try to change.

12 firezone.co.nz 06 MAY 2017

Disney had no idea the character of Mary Poppins was based on a woman in Travers’ life who arrived when everything was going wrong, to make everything right. No idea Mr Banks was an image of her father, and that was why she refused to compromise on how he should look. Disney’s lack of understanding for Travers was due to a lack of knowledge.

How often do we get annoyed at how someone reacts to a situation or towards people? How often do we get annoyed even though we, like Walt Disney, have a lack of knowledge on their circumstances?

Understanding comes from knowledge.

As an example, if I asked you to calculate the electromotive force (EMF) through a region of space enclosed by a wire loop, you would first need knowledge of electromagnetic induction to even understand what I was asking you to do. The same can be said about people. Someone is adamant on a certain decision—to understand why that person made that decision you would first need knowledge of the circumstances of the decision and also the sort of person they are.

How do you do that? Get the knowledge of who people are by talking to them. Plain and simple. It’s pretty easy, strike up a conversation and actually listen to them. If you’re doing it in person, put your phone down and give them your whole attention. The sky will not fall if you don’t look at your phone for five minutes.

You’ll be surprised by how much you learn.

But people aren’t always going to tell you everything that’s happening in their lives, so you aren’t always going to have the knowledge you need to completely understand why they may be doing something or reacting a certain way. But even just remembering that maybe you don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes could change the way you perceive things from the outside.

Understanding comes from knowledge.

WHO NAMES A KID HICCUP? I love How to Train your Dragon, but as things go, naming a child ‘Hiccup’ is just a bit silly. I’d rate that pretty high on the unrealistic scale on this movie—you know, other than the dragons.

Recently, I watched the sequel. (Warning: Spoilers!)

Hiccup’s mother has been missing since he was a baby.

She was kidnapped by a dragon and presumed dead, although she is alive and living in a dragon sanctuary.

Hiccup’s mother pleaded that dragons were different to what the villagers thought, but believing they wouldn’t change their minds, chose to stay away.

In the first movie, Hiccup reached the same opinion as his mother. But when he showed what dragons were truly like (good, not bad), people changed their minds, leading to dragons and Vikings living in harmony.

As Christians, we’re mostly surrounded by nonChristians—at school, uni or work. Trying to grow God’s kingdom in those sorts of environments can be challenging, as it can seem like it’s us against the world. Hiccup and his mother were in the same situation, but handled it completely differently.

What can we learn from this?

association was when dragons burnt down the village!

Showing people the love of God and trying to live like Jesus is much more effective for starting conversations than telling them that God is great when all they see in the world are negative things.

3. A last key thing to think about …

While out there trying to grow God’s kingdom, we need to show respect—for others and for ourselves.

Respecting other’s beliefs, whether they are the same or different to ours, goes a long way in showing God’s love to other people. Making sure we respect ourselves while we go about God’s work—looking after ourselves and our relationship with God—is also top priority. We can’t spread God’s love if we’re not feeling it ourselves.

Now, go and be Hiccups for God! ENJOY OTHER YOUTH BLOGGERS | firezone.co.nz (This week’s page 3 article by Alex Escobar is another Firezone blog)

1. It's easier to change something when we're part of it.

Hiccup’s mother left the village, losing any ability she would have had to affect their opinion of dragons.

As Christians, we have to be part of people’s lives to be able to talk to them about things such as spirituality. Discussions about religion are not always the most comfortable experiences. People are not likely to have uncomfortable discussions with strangers. But they will open up to friends.

2. When people are shown evidence they have an easier time believing.

Hiccup showed everyone the good side of dragons, which made it much easier for them to believe that dragons were not so terrible. Their only previous 06 MAY 2017 WarCry 13

HOLY CHAOS at Midland and Northern Divisions Hit Pause

BY PHIL COPE

Kia Kaha. Kia Maia. Kia Manawanui. Be Strong. Be Steadfast. Be Willing. This was the catch cry for Easter weekend during worship.

It applied to the 380 youth and leaders who joined the 4800 others at the Northern Baptist Youth Ministries Easter Camp.

The after effects of Cyclone Cook delayed the start of camp, and continued to provide complimentary free showers throughout the weekend. Despite this, on Friday morning, the masses descended on Mystery Creek, ready to spend the weekend reflecting on Easter, to worship and create a bit of holy chaos.

The theme for the camp was ‘Pause’, a reminder to stop during our days and spend reflective moments with God. This was quite a challenge given there were just over 5000 hyped-up teens and leaders in attendance. However, each speaker shared their own ‘pause’ moment, when they stopped and recognised God for who he is and what he did for us through Christ on that cross.

Our wristbands this year had the symbol for ‘pause’ lasercut into the leather. These were made by The Loyal Workshop, a company committed to rescuing woman from sex slavery in India.

Micah Bournes shared his poetry with us and reminded us about the amazing multiculturalism of New Zealand. Other leaders from around the country spoke, including Josh Sandford, Aaron Hardy and Jo Robertson. Together they reminded us all that ‘A Dead Man Walked’, that we are a multicultural nation, and that it is important to embrace the awkward and commit to pausing and spending time with God, seeking his direction for our lives.

14 firezone.co.nz 06 MAY 2017

The Northern and Midland youth teams, under the guidance of our Divisional Youth Secretaries Mat Badger and Rob Cope, set up an amazing space for the Sallies to come together during free times. Games, food, framed Salvation Army related memes (ask your young people), and a photographic history wall celebrating the past 10 years of Easter Camps. We even had our own Pallet Chapel, complete with mercy seat! This was an oasis in the middle of the chaos to commit to our own ‘pause’ moment.

THE THEME WAS ‘PAUSE’, A REMINDER TO STOP AND SPEND REFLECTIVE MOMENTS WITH GOD. So, well done to everyone who survived the chaos of the mud-pit volleyball, the dance party, the foam fight, and the giant waterslide!

Also, a real highlight from this year was that a couple of lads from our group followed in the footsteps of the 2016 talent quest winners East City’s band ‘Minimal Silence’ to take out the much coveted talent quest title. To Izayah Mareko and Ethan Ah Mai from the Faith Factory who took out the final live on stage in front of 5000 people—well done! You guys rocked. Literally!

Here’s to looking forward to Easter Camp 2018!

2017 Easter Camps

AND WELL DONE TO TALENT QUEST WINNERS IZAYAH MAREKO AND ETHAN AH MAI!

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 15

Central Youth Say Yes to Jesus

BY SARAH THOMSON

Ah yes, Easter Camp: another weekend of pure fun, utter craziness and God moments. Life wouldn’t be the same without it.

We had two Aussies (we love ‘em, don’t we?) join us again this year: Hemi Time and Jeremy Clarke. Both of these guys are youth workers and they passionately shared God’s Word with us, centring around accepting Jesus into our lives.

So, what were God’s messages for Central youth? On Friday night, Hemi spoke about saying YES to Jesus. He compared Jesus to Barabbas, who Hemi portrayed as our sin, whereas Jesus is our freedom, our self-worth and our hope. Hemi explained that there is a cost to taking up our cross and following Jesus, but our YES to Jesus is only as good as our NO to the world.

Jeremy’s Saturday night message was ‘The Walking Dead’ (no, not the show!). He used Peter as an example of how we can think we’re better than we really are, then went on to discuss how we must die to ourselves to discover God’s calling for our lives—much like Peter did. Jeremy focused on three key points:

1 We realise life is about others and not ourselves.

2 We are free to live fully in Christ’s image.

3 And we do not have to return to our sin.

On Sunday, Hemi challenged us to think about the fears in our life that control us. If we let fear stop us from responding to God’s call, we will miss it altogether, he said. Hemi used the analogy of pregnancy to explain how we shouldn’t fear God’s promises. Someone who is pregnant trusts the process their body is going through is exactly what their baby needs. In the same way, we trust that the process God is putting us through is his plan for our lives. It’s important to escape from fear so we can serve God. In the final session of camp, Jeremy talked about how the journey we go through with God is not a short one; rather, it’s a long, windy and hilly—but TOTALLY worth it in the end. Again, he gave us three key points to help us along the way: turn our doubts into desires, remember who we are (I need to stress that The Lion King was an excellent reference point. Best movie ever!), and know that God isn’t finished with us.

God Encounters for Southern Campers

BY SARAH WALKER

Easter Camp was everything it was hyped up to be and more. (With most of that ‘more’ being ‘mud’.) It was a fantastic weekend that took us through the journey of Easter in a way that allowed us to revisit the wellknown story in a new and personal way.

The quality of speakers and worship facilitated a space where many encounters with God were to take place. A personal highlight for me was the times in between sessions where one was free to roam the village, fling some mud, eat doughnuts and have a chance to talk with, and enjoy the company of old friends and new. The verse reads: ‘Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I will be’ certainly held true for the 4000 people who were at Spencer Park in Christchurch this Easter.

BY BRIDGET McLAY

After a break of 10 years since my last Easter camp, let’s just say I was as excited as the three young ladies I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with.

Boy, have things changed in 10 years! The last Easter camp I went to didn’t have a Ferris wheel, didn’t have a hurricane ride, marshmallow egg toastie pies for supper, or barista-made coffee. These changes I embraced and enjoyed … sometimes a little too much. Some changes I didn’t like so much, like the really long queues for the bathroom, the really loud music, and my bed on the floor of a tent.

Some things hadn’t changed: the friendships made, the laughter, the tiredness, and for some the loss of voices. The thing I am extra glad stayed the same is the power of God. I had put God in a box, especially during the worship times, thinking he wouldn’t be able to reach

anyone with the loud music, flashing lights and all the hype, but guess who he reached on more than one night? You guessed it—it was me!

Just a gentle, comforting feeling reminding me that God is in control, he’s never going to leave me—and is no way going to stay in a box! I know God moved in other people’s lives too.

He spoke to the young ladies I had along for the ride. A journey has started for them, and I’m glad I’m a part of it.

Will I be back next year? Well, since I now have a shopping list on my office whiteboard labelled EC18, I guess I will be!

BY HAYDEN MUNDY & GEORGINA GALL

Southern Easter Camp was amazing! We took out 10 of our ‘SLAM Fam’ (Linwood Corps Community Youth Group) and two leaders. We were a little unsure how this would go, as we had only run two SLAM nights, so had only met some youth for a couple of hours going into camp! Although the rain poured down and the mud was thick, everyone had an awesome time.

None of our young people went into camp having a relationship with God, and three said they were atheists. It was such a blessing seeing God at work in their hearts and their views change over camp! We had young people tell us their beliefs about Christians had changed so much, some saying that they had seen too many coincidences for God not to be real. One young person was even healed of scars from self-harming!

There were responses to opportunity for prayer, chances to share testimonies, and plenty of heart-to-heart conversations.

We have some of our SLAM Fam writing about what Easter camp meant to them, some works of art and even a poem that have come out of our time away. Please continue to join us in praying for the SLAM Fam as we journey with them. Thank you!

Photography: Midland & Northern: Max O’Byrne.

Central: Connor Hayman. Southern: Megan Allott.

The Territorial Youth Department is offering one-off scholarship grants of up to $1000 for experienced Salvation Army youth workers. The aim is to retain and develop some of our key experienced youth workers, who bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to The Salvation Army and our young people.

To be eligible, applicants: • Will have been involved in youth work in a Salvation Army corps/centre for at least three years • Will be enrolled or looking to enrol in a recognised programme of study with a youth focus or component • Will provide relevant documentation (with corps officer/ centre manager endorsement) to support their application Applications on the youth website www.firezone.co.nz or contact the Territorial Youth Team youth_mission_team@nzf.salvationarmy.org

APPLICATIONS CLOSE 12 MAY 06 MAY 2017 WarCry 17

International Staff Songsters Visit The International Staff Songsters (ISS), the top Salvation Army choir in the United Kingdom, was in New Zealand for two concerts last month as part of an Australia and New Zealand Tour. The tour had an Easter focus, with ISS Executive Officer Lieut-Colonel Paul Main saying, ‘We pray that the message of Christ shines through all that we do on tour.’

Having already performed in Perth and Brisbane, the ISS’s time in New Zealand began on Thursday 6 April with a pōwhiri at Auckland City Corps, beautifully crafted by Lieutenants Tau and Trish Mataki (National Māori Ministry Leaders) and Lieutenant Sandy Galvin (Assistant Corps Officer, Auckland City Corps).

The ISS’s tour blog says, ‘As we walked into the hall there was an atmosphere of warmth, love, sincerity and peace. The welcome was a spiritual experience where each songster took part in the Māori traditional greeting. The ceremony culminated in the ISS receiving hongi—pressing the nose and forehead to the leaders of the Auckland City Corps and community. The Salvation Army is described as “The Army that brings life”— we come as one in Christ, regardless of who we are.’

Following the pōwhiri, the ISS shared a meal with past and present Auckland City Corps musicians and partners. The evening was planned as an informal ‘At Home with the ISS’ and included a workshop. Laughter and fellowship were overlaid with a sense of God’s presence as ISS Leader Dorothy Nancekievill rehearsed the combined songsters.

The evening culminated with Richard Phillips playing ‘It is Well with My Soul’, followed by a short devotional meditation by Lieut-Colonel Main. The ISS brought the evening to a conclusion with ‘Via Dolorosa’. This segment was a moment in time of rich blessing and spiritual renewal.

On Friday, the ISS enjoyed sightseeing around the Auckland waterfront. Lieut-Colonel Main and Dorothy Nancekeivill were interviewed by Radio Rhema and Shine TV on the mission of the ISS and the place of music in Salvation Army ministry and outreach.

Five founding ISS members visited retired officers Colonels Ken and Doreen Bridge. Colonel Ken Bridge, now 92, was the 18 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

first executive officer of the ISS when it was formed in 1980.

For Susan Turner, Ruth Unwin, Kevin Sandford, Christine Thomas and Kelvin Mercer, this was an opportunity to reminisce on the early days of the ISS and its mission to sing ‘heart songs’, which remains the group’s focus to this day.

There was palpable excitement at the start of Friday evening’s concert, with many people having travelled long distances to enjoy the renowned international group. The songsters opened with the final movement of ‘Anastasis’, and the auditorium was filled with praise to God as the ISS sang the Easter words ‘Love’s redeeming work is done’. Rapturous applause set the tone for a highly charged evening.

Every item was outstanding. The ISS’s repertoire ranged from the contemporary, including Barrie Gott’s ‘Lightwalk’, to the traditional—with a powerful rendition of the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ from Handel’s ‘Messiah’.

The first half of the concert ended with the ISS and Auckland City Songsters presenting Damien Wileman’s reflective setting of the Sidney Cox song ‘He Sought Me’. Other items included the haunting ‘Kyrie’ from John Rutter’s ‘Requiem’, ‘Songs of Joy’ (songs of Joy Webb), and the beautiful ‘Come to the Cross’.

The ISS’s arrangement of ‘Pokarekare Ana’ was well received, as were solo vocal performances by Rachel Gray, Hazel Launn and Richard McIntosh, and a piano rendition of ‘Count Your Blessings’ from Richard Phillips.

To conclude an evening of superb singing, the ISS sang the ‘More than Wonderful’, an arrangement by Len Ballantine, and then moved among the audience for John Rutter’s benediction ‘The Lord Bless You and Keep You’. The audience’s standing ovation signalled that the ISS’s aspiration—that they and their audience would experience the glory of God—had been realised.

Wellington choral music lovers were also in for a treat as the ISS performed another polished concert at Wellington City Corps on Saturday 8 April before leading worship on Sunday morning.

The group then headed back to Australia for performances in Sydney, Canberra, Hobart and Melbourne.

United in Love

(l-r): Julie Bell, Mjr Christina Tyson, Craig Hutson, Envoy Collette Irwin

Salvationists were at the Wellington Gay Pride Festival in March as part of a ‘Faith Communities United in Love’ group with Presbyterians, Anglicans and Quakers.

The group took part in a march and ran a stall giving away free baking—with their stall sponsored by Rainbow Wellington.

‘The Salvation Army has said it wants to rebuild bridges of understanding with the gay community. Taking part in this festival was a way to do that,’ said Major Christina Tyson, who was part of the group’s organising committee with Salvationist Craig Hutson. ‘Some older people were surprised to see the Army given our opposition to homosexual law reform in the 1980s. I think it was helpful for them to express some of the pain this had caused—and for us to listen. It was encouraging to see that younger people were very comfortable talking to us.’

The Salvationists arrived early and helped set up marquees. They also assisted when a Rainbow Wellington volunteer was injured and required hospital treatment.

‘It felt natural as Salvationists for us to be involved by serving. It was good to have the chance to challenge the negative stereotype “that Christians don’t like gay people”, and to instead demonstrate that we care about LGBTI people and want to provide spiritual and practical support,’ said Christina.

The international Salvation Army website says, ‘The Salvation Army stands against homophobia, which victimises people and can reinforce feelings of alienation, loneliness and despair. We want to be an inclusive church community where members of the LGBTQ community find welcome and the encouragement to develop their relationship with God.’

PUT A VARIETY OF PEOPLE IN A GROUP TO DO LIFE TOGETHER AND IT’S NOT SO EASY. One thing about living in families or communities is that it’s not boring. Think about the variety of personality, preference and interests in your family or community—sometimes this variety is fun and sometimes this variety is so frustrating. The tidy one, the messy one, the serious one, the joking one, the quiet one, the noisy one, the creative zany one, the OCD one …

God places us all in families and communities and then says to us: The greatest commandment is this: love the Lord your God with all your heart … and love your neighbour as yourself.

This is a big ask, but think about the community of Jesus’ disciples. There’s certainly enough variety there to make ‘loving one another as God loved you’ a challenge. There were the fishermen whose families had a business, the Jewish Nationalists who hated the Romans, and Matthew the tax collector who was Jewish but worked for the Romans. These men would not naturally form a bond, but they wanted to be with Jesus, so they had to be with each other. Life would not have been boring in that group.

Jesus spent time teaching these men what living in community was all about and we know they took his teaching to heart. We know this because many years after Jesus left the earth one of those disciples (John) wrote: ‘Since God loved us we surely ought to love each other. If we love each other God lives in us’ (1 John 4:11-12). This is a debt of love—since God loved me, I owe it to God to love you; and since God loved you, you owe it to God to love me.

This seems so simple on paper, but put a variety of people in a group to do life together and it’s not so easy. Author Anne Rice found this a challenge. In 2010 she posted a message on her Facebook page saying: ‘Today I quit being a Christian.

I’m out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being “Christian” or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to “belong” to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group’.

That statement is confronting. It raises the question: Could people have left any of our Salvation Army communities because they found it impossible to belong?

God has placed us in communities and called us to love each other. To love others in such a way that no one could ever say we are a quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, unwelcoming group.

Our mission plan calls us to this, too. It calls us in by asking us to live like Jesus and do mission together. This is a ‘loving one another as God loved us’ challenge.

Will we accept that challenge?

Commissioner Yvonne Westrupp Territorial President of Women’s Ministries 06 MAY 2017 WarCry 19

Walking our Christian Talk If The Salvation Army is to give meaning to its value of ‘walk the talk’, certain actions have to be seen.

BY SETH LE LEU

If there is one thing that makes me mad it is when I see hypocrisy in other people. We’ve all seen it happen. The politician who makes great promises to get elected, then some months down the road seems to have forgotten those promises. The people of Northland may remember the promise of 10 bridges ahead of the last election, for instance.

I rant and rave as a typical Kiwi armchair critic and it vents my spleen, but does little else.

20 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

But I am less thorough when I examine my own behaviour. I should get mad when I am a hypocrite, but I justify to myself that personal consistency is an overrated concept that can be explained away and I am happy to live with more or less differing levels of compromise.

But it’s not right, is it? One of the values we seek to live by is that we want to walk the talk—to be what we claim to be.

The Salvation Army recently launched our latest strategic mission plan, and as part of it we’ve adopted a set of values.

One of these is that as an organisation and as individuals we will walk the talk.

What difference would it make if this value to walk the talk was more than a page on our website or a picture on our wall? What would it be like if we all walked the talk?

Value becomes action For a value to have meaning, it must be a lens through which every decision and action we take is viewed and set. I would suggest that the actions of integrity, respect, authenticity, and practicing what we preach must be seen in our lives if this value is to have any contribution to The Salvation Army and for each of us who make up this movement.

Integrity is described as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, and the state of being whole and undivided. I like this idea of being whole and undivided. Not having two faces: the one we show to everyone, and the secret one we show to perhaps only ourselves. Being whole and undivided means we don’t have to remember to

WHAT DIFFERENCE WOULD IT MAKE IF THIS VALUE WAS MORE THAN A PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE OR A PICTURE ON OUR WALL? keep up appearances, because the way we act in every situation is the same. I tend to think the more I am whole and undivided, the less stress I will feel trying to manage the different expectations people have of me.

For The Salvation Army, integrity is about being open and honest with those we interact with. Our aim is to be whole and undivided: that what you see is what you get when the public interacts with The Salvation Army. Because as an organisation we are the sum of all our individual members, we have the sum of all our individual inconsistencies, so at times we must admit we don’t achieve the aim of full integrity—but we do aspire to it and we want to pursue integrity.

Respect is described as a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements and with due regard for the feelings, wishes, or rights of others. This is one area where we aspire to be different from society’s norms.

Increasingly, our national conversation elevates celebrities and denigrates those who have fallen on hard times. As an organisation we aspire to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Alongside the Treaty of Waitangi, it would be good if this was New Zealand’s second most important declaration, that: ‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.’

To walk the talk means an end to denigrating our fellow citizens, an end to denying them the rights to the basics of life: food, clothing, shelter and the unimpeded pursuit of their potential.

All Kiwis have the right to be treated with respect, and for us as people of faith each Kiwi is seen to be made in the image of God: we all have a glimpse of God in each of us and we are created as individuals of immense worth. Respect is merely recognising the worth of everyone we come into contact with.

That is our aspiration as individuals and as an organisation.

Authenticity is described as conforming to an original so as to reproduce its essential features. As an organisation and as an individual I have a lot of problems with the concept of ‘religion’. Even the term ‘Christianity’ causes me concerns, particularly when I am tarred with the same brush as others who have claimed the same term but not walked the talk.

That’s why I like the idea of ditching all those terms and saying that I want to be ‘an authentic follower of Jesus Christ’. Despite all the bad press some of his followers have garnered over the centuries, there is so much that is admirable in the life and teaching of Jesus.

To conform to his example, living out his teaching and reproducing his essential features in our lives is our aspiration.

Practice what you preach is all about Monday morning. The Salvation Army is both a social service agency and a church community. We do have a particular view of what salvation is, with William Booth understanding that the biblical word ‘salvation’ is about bringing physical, mental, social and spiritual health to every person. And it is to that comprehensive understanding of salvation that Salvation Army mission is dedicated. We are committed to bringing life to the whole person, and that is what we do every Monday morning and the days that follow.

We have only one aim: to bring salvation in its fullest sense to every New Zealander.

That doesn’t mean we want everyone to join The Salvation Army, wear a uniform and play in a band (the noise pollution alone would be horrendous!). But our focused aspiration for the Army is that it becomes a place of body, mind and soul wellness for every citizen.

Can you expect to see a revolution in your local Salvation Army with our commitment to walking the talk? I doubt it. We will still be engaged in our usual business of helping the most vulnerable and being a community of the followers of Jesus Christ.

But what you can expect is that our aspirations have been raised. We want to live out this value! But just remember that we are merely a bunch of ordinary folk trying to be the best we can be, so I would ask for a little understanding if there are times when we are inconsistent.

Please cut us some slack when our aspirations are not always realised.

Major Seth Le Leu is Principal Advisor on International Governance for The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters. He is based in Wellington.

Learn more about our Mission Plan & Values | salvationarmy. org.nz/ MissionPlan

Accountable to God ‘As its international leader, I am convicted to call The Salvation Army to spiritual and missional renewal. In a world of shifting values, we must be people of spiritual vitality and integrity, faithful and dynamic in mission. We should want to be accountable for our actions and attitudes as we participate in God’s mission to transform the world. We must be keen to learn from our successes, but also our failures. ‘… We need to learn afresh the gospel values of integrity, servanthood and transparency … When we live out our holiness, in the power of the Holy Spirit and the love of Christ, the difference is clear for all to see. In [places where this is happening], we are making excellent progress in God’s great mission of ‘saving souls, growing saints and serving suffering humanity’.

General André Cox The Journey of Renewal

Join the Accountability Movement | accountability. salvationarmy.org

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 21

SUDOKU

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS

Each Sudoku number puzzle has a unique solution that can be worked out logically (not mathematically). The numbers 1 to 9 appear once in every row, column and 3x3 square. Difficulty | Hard

4 7

8 5 1 9 1

5 4 6 1 7

7 3 6

3 8 1

UNIFORMS FOR SALE

3 2 2

5 9 6

1 x short-sleeve women’s white shirt, size 12, $5 1 x woman’s summer weight uniform, size 12, $20 1 x women’s winter weight uniform, size 16, $20 1 x navy blue skirt, size 16, $10 Please contact J. Ormandy, P: 027 600 8381

Spiritual Direction Training

4

Do people approach you to talk about their spiritual life?

Would you like to train as a Spiritual Director?

Spiritual Growth Ministries offers a well-regarded and comprehensive two-year, part-time programme, to inspire and form you as an effective Spiritual Director. The programme includes: • study of the theology and practices of Christian spiritual direction • deepening personal spiritual formation • regular workshops conducted by experienced practitioners • supervised one-to-one spiritual direction practice.

To advertise your event, email: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org

PRAY

Central Taranaki, Christchurch City, Christchurch North and Dannevirke Corps, Clendon Corps Plant; the Central Division; United Kingdom with the Republic of Ireland Territory.

Contact the Programme Coordinator, E: fran.francis@sgm.org.nz or visit sgm.org.nz. 2018 applications due 20 Sept 2017—late applications will be considered.

Want to Know More?

400–600 words with one or two captioned photos.

Promotion to Glory tributes are approx 300 words. Email reports and large, high-quality jpeg images to: warcry@nzf. salvationarmy.org

Queen’s Birthday Weekend, 2-4 June 2017 Guest Leaders: Commissioners Andrew and Yvonne Westrupp For more info and a registration form P: (06) 368 8177, E: Trish at levin_corps@ nzf.salvationarmy.org Find Salvation Army job opportunities: salvationarmy. org.nz/employment

Quiz Answers: 1 Bob, 2 The Edge (David Howell Evans), 3 Oamaru, 4 73, 5 Locusts (Exodus 10:15).

22 WarCry 06 MAY 2017

3 9 7 6 5 2 8 1 4

Send to: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141

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Phone

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Address

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Email

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prayer for the following needs:

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The Salvation Army to contact me

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information about The Salvation Army

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to learn about who Jesus is

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I would like:

Name

Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 9 May: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast, Auckland 11 May: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast, Wellington 12–14 May: Delve Weekend, Silverstream 23 May: Opening of New Premises, Waikato Bridge Community Programme & Midland Residential Bridge, Hamilton Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 9 May: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast, Auckland 11 May: Red Shield Appeal Breakfast, Wellington 17 May: Spiritual Day, Booth College of Mission 21 May: Oamaru Corps

‘After Jesus sat down to eat, he took some bread. He blessed it and broke it. Then he gave it to them. At once they knew who he was …’

spot 8 differences

Luke 24:30–31 CEV

match the emotion

HAPPY

draw a face

SICK

For 40 days Jesus showed people that he was alive, before he returned to Heaven. One day he met two of his friends, but they didn’t recognise him at first.

Jesus helped them understand more about why he had to die.

SURPRISED CHEEKY Draw the face of one of Jesus’ friends showing how they felt after Jesus came back to life.

SAD

After Jesus died, his friends were so sad. They thought Jesus was a hero who would save them, but now he was dead.

But then Jesus came back to life!

AFRAID

LOVING

Have you ever played Peek-a-Boo with a baby? It’s when you hide your face with your hands and then shift your hands away as you say, ‘Peek-a-boo!’ Babies giggle because they’re so happy to see your face again.

As they ate together at the end of the day, the two friends suddenly recognised Jesus. They were so happy and excited that they rushed off to celebrate with others who had known and followed Jesus.

Dear Jesus, I am so happy that you came back from the dead. You are powerful and good and because you are still alive, you can help me every day. Help me to always celebrate your life and follow you. Amen.

06 MAY 2017 WarCry 23

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