10 February 2018 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 10 FEBRUARY 2018 | Issue 6685 | $1.50

On The Spot With Jo Seager

Why do Guys Hate Valentine’s?

FOMO You Don’t!

my diffmiacrruliatge

The Women in Jesus’ Life

State of the Nation: Where Are We Going?

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06

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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.

MANAGING EDITOR Ingrid Barratt | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major Jill Gainsford 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.

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True Romance A first wedding anniversary is traditionally called a ‘paper’ anniversary. Paper is vulnerable. It is easily crushed and torn—and that is what the opening stanzas of marriage are like, as a couple make their first tentative attempts at creating the poetry of life together.

It takes 60 years to reach the strength of a diamond. Our most precious stone begins as carbon in the depths of the earth, and is formed through extreme temperatures and pressure. A couple celebrating their diamond anniversary are a force of nature, their marriage has been shaped through the storms and gravity of life. And through it they have created something precious. Indeed, they’ve created one of the strongest and most precious gifts we have as humans.

Valentine’s Day is a paper-thin celebration of romance. It’s as fragile as the cards we give. That’s not to say it’s wrong or bad—but Valentine’s only reflects the very first stanzas of true romance. Like the couple who bravely shared their story in ‘My Difficult Marriage’ (p. 6), real and lasting love is much grittier and takes courage. Out of sacrifice and pain, something precious is created.

It seems to be a spiritual law that we can’t have joy without sorrow. We cannot have the resurrection without the cross. The greatest love, of course, is the love of Jesus and all that he did when he became a man. This week we begin the journey of Lent (see p. 20), and as we move our minds towards the cross, it’s a wonderful opportunity to reflect on true, eternal love.

Ingrid Barratt Editor

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

Publishing for 134 years | Issue 6685 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.

Amy Carmichael

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1 Peter 4:13 (New Living Translation) Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

1 Pita 4:13 Engari ka uru nei koutou ki ngā mamae o te Karaiti, kia hari koutou; he mea hoki e hari ai koutou, whakamanamana rawa, ā te whakakitenga mai o tōna korōria.

The wellbeing of our children is one of the primary focuses of the State of the Nation report.

D

id you know tomorrow is Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day? It’s also White Shirt Day (sounds ideal for a Salvation Army service!) Then Friday (16 February) is Do A Grouch A Favour Day. But not all national or international days are a gimmick. For instance, 20 February is the World Day of Social Justice—soon after the release of The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2018 report—‘Kei a Tātou—It is Us’, which is launched on Wednesday.

The Salvation Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit has been producing State of the Nation reports for 10 years (see p. 16) assessing how the country has progressed in the past year in areas relating to our children, crime and punishment, work and incomes, social hazards and housing.

But, report author Alan Johnson says it’s more than just a reflection of the numbers, or a record of history; it’s also a document about social justice.

This year, Alan says they’re encouraging people to ask the hard questions about what we value and what we want New Zealand society to become.

The report notes that while the number of jobs out there have risen, wages have not. Crime has steadily fallen for the past seven years, but in the past four the number of people in prison has

rocketed up—reaching record levels last year. Most concerning, Alan says, is the demand for food parcels from The Salvation Army, which jumped 13 per cent last year. This comes after six years of food parcel demand barely changing, and more people being in work.

This year’s report is about the numbers. But when we see the economy booming, yet more and more people can’t afford to live, there’s a much bigger conversation that needs to be had around what we care about, he says.

So, Alan and the others at the Unit are asking: What do we want our society to become? What is social progress and social justice in New Zealand?

‘One of the key parts of the report is that social progress is about all of us,’ Alan says. ‘If we improve the life of one person, we improve the whole of society.

‘Social progress occurs when we have regard for others, we care about them and what happens to them. It’s about building a society that’s more empathetic, with love and hospitality. If we develop a society that has that empathy and love, those other problems will become easy.’

BY ROBIN RAYMOND

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 3

ONTHESPOT Jo Seager Jo is our favourite foodie, but that's just the cherry on top.

Secret Indulgence: I love lemony puds … anything that mentions sticky gooey lemon. Forget chocoholic, I’m a lemonophile.

Celebrity crush: I’m a big fan of [Kiwi actor] Shane Cortese—he’s my fave!

What I’m watching or reading: Watching Outlander and Velvet—a Spanish drama series—it’s teaching me Spanish! I’m reading Selena Tusitala Marsh’s new poetry book, and the new Lee Child.

One thing I love: My passions are vintage aeroplanes and tail draggers, I love flying and want to learn to fly a chopper (I already have my fixed wing pilot’s licence).

One thing I hate: People who complain about strict airport security checks— actually, complaining full stop!

Something that would surprise us behind the scenes of your job: There is no trick photography in my cookbooks—everything is as delicious as it looks. Also, some people might not know that I’ve been an ambassador for Hospice for about 20 years.

Weird of the Week: Did you know that Facebook gives you the option of speaking ‘pirate’? In your language settings, simply choose ‘English (pirate)’. Instead of writing a post, you’re asked: ‘what be on yer mind, cap’n?’

Comments are ‘scrawlin yer thoughts’, tagging someone is ‘be sailin’ wit’ and friends are ‘me hearties’. Me thinks issa verrra weird, but warms me cockles.

QUIKQUIZ

1 Where is the famous museum known as the Hermitage?

2 Where in the body is the bone known as the patella?

3 What does the word ‘qwerty’ refer to?

4 Who constantly tries to outwit the cartoon character Road Runner?

5 What judge had 70 sons?

Answers on page 22

I Like to Move It, Move It! When Lisa Fong began working out with a few close friends, she never dreamed it would go viral. This month, she launched the Move It Mama website—featuring short, sharp workouts for busy people.

Move it Mama, the hugely popular Facebook workout page, began as an accident, laughs Christchurch mum-of-four Lisa Fong. ‘I didn’t mean for it to start. The mums at my kids’ school used to ask me, “How do you have time to work out with four kids?” So I asked a couple of the mums if they wanted to come over and I’d show them my 20 minute work out.’

One day, when the mums couldn’t make it to Lisa’s house, she did the workout using Facebook Live. A private page that started off with literally two members, quickly spread through word of mouth. Now, her page has around 5000 members and her most recent video—posted only yesterday—already has almost 2000 views.

Its popularity may be due to the perfect recipe of short, sharp HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts, with Lisa’s completely unpretentious attitude—the kids often come into shot and she is interrupted by family life (just like we all are).

On 1 February, Lisa’s passion project officially became a business with the launch of her Move It Mama website. This will be a members-only site with workouts and other benefits for $10 a month.

Our generation thinks it’s cute not to care ... It’s not. Effort is cool. Caring is cool. Staying loyal is cool. Try it out.

‘When I started off I could only do six burpees. What got me through was how it made me feel. I know I’m a better person holistically, which helps me be a better mother and partner,’ says Lisa. ‘If I’m bitter and depressed, I’m not going to have faith. But because I’m doing things to make me feel better, I have lots of faith.’

Lane Hardin

Find out more | moveitmama.co.nz

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GOODSTUFF

‘God is wild y’all,’ said Brooke Fraser on her Instagram, after winning a Grammy for her worship song ‘What a Beautiful Name’ under her married name Brooke Ligetwood. She won ‘Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.’

Brooke recently told Billboard the song was written to “serve people and link with them in the presence of God … It’s really the beauty of singing something about the wonder and power of Jesus,’ she said. So proud of you Brooke!

Posh Macaroni Cheese This is everybody’s favourite comfort food made slightly smarter with a crispy breadcrumb and Parmesan crust, making it food fit for company. | Serves 6 350g small macaroni or other small pasta shapes 1 litre milk 1 clove garlic, crushed 75g butter 2 tablespoons flour

Action, Thriller Maze Runner: The Death Cure (M, Violence) Wes Ball

The final instalment of the Maze Runner trilogy shouldn’t disappoint fans of the previous films, but if you haven’t seen them, you may find yourself two steps behind and missing some of the layers to the film. After escaping the organisation that tried to harvest their immunity to a disease that was killing humankind, a group of teenagers face their enemies once again in an attempt to save their friend who was left behind. They fight to free him without losing any more of their own. The special effects by Weta are fabulous even if the story is predictable at times. An enjoyable film that will have you grabbing your neighbour and jumping out of your seat. (Reviewed by Shar Davis)

6 rashers rindless smoked streaky bacon 1 cup grated tasty cheese 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard salt & freshly ground black pepper 2 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs (2 crustless slices of toast bread whizzed up in a food processor) ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 200°C. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan, boiling in generously salted water until just soft to the bite. Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a saucepan over a mediumhigh heat, heat the milk and crushed garlic, stirring as it comes to the boil. Remove from the heat and pour through a strainer into a jug.

Place the still-warm pan back over a medium-high heat and add the butter. When melted, whisk in the flour. Stir for one minute to lightly brown the mixture. Whisk in the garlic milk until smooth and starting to thicken like cream.

Pan-fry the bacon until crisp.

Snip into small pieces, adding to the sauce with the drained pasta.

Add the grated tasty cheese and mustard and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Tip the mixture into a 2-litre capacity gratin or small lasagne dish. Toss the breadcrumbs and Parmesan over the top, then bake for 30–35 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Extracted from Elbows Off The Table, Please by Jo Seagar, published by Random House, 2016; RRP: $50.

Photography by Jae Frew.

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 5

my diffmiacrurlit a

t age

One woman discovered that true love is not found at the end of a rom-com. True love begins where the rom-com ends. This is her honest account of doing it tough behind the closed doors of marriage …

AS TOLD TO INGRID BARRATT

I

was once watching a rom-com that said you know a romance is over when your partner stops taking you to the airport. We have been married 10 years. Last week I had to travel for work, so my husband Josh dropped me off at the airport. I surprised myself by finding it difficult to say goodbye.

We hugged, and then we hugged again. We kissed and said goodbye. Then finding parting a sweet sorrow, we kissed once more.

A casual passer-by may have rolled their eyes, thinking, ‘Enough with the PDA!’ Or, maybe a more indulgent stranger thought, ‘Young love, eh?’ One thing I am sure, no one would have guessed that a couple of years ago I did not know how I could go on in our difficult marriage.

Opposites attract Our story is a classic one of opposites attract. Sometimes I wonder how we ever found our way to each other. I can only guess that it was God. I grew up in a small town, surrounded by a large close-knit family. Our life was centred around our church community. I grew up in its embrace, knowing I was loved by God. I also inherited a typically Christian type of perfectionism.

I put a lot of effort into creating a mask of perfection—I got straight As, dieted obsessively, ran every day. Even my Bible reading was regimented. I knew I was saved by grace, but acted as if I was saved by works. Having said that, I was captivated by my relationship with Jesus.

My husband grew up in the heart of the city, the eldest of three children, with poverty nipping at their heels. His father was a violent abuser who regularly beat his mum—when Josh tried to stand up for her, he would turn on his son.

At the age of 14, Josh held up a knife to his father’s throat and said, ‘If you ever beat my mother again, I will kill you’. Shortly after that, his dad left. Many of Josh’s young memories (while I was playing party games at youth group) were of working, helping his mother make ends meet. School faded into the background.

By the time he was 16, Josh was an angry young man, starting brawls in bars.

But his younger sister had found faith, and so had his mother. They asked him to church every week, until he finally gave in ‘just to shut them up’. And he kept coming back. Josh will tell you that becoming a Christian saved his life.

The youth leaders became his mentors—teaching him about God and showing him what it meant to be a man.

Meet cute We met in what could arguably be the most boring way possible: an annual general meeting. It was not what film scriptwriters would call a ‘meet cute’.

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We were both young Christians, involved in a national youth charity. I guess there are worse ways to meet than over a shared passion!

Josh caught my eye as he greeted others affectionately and cracked a couple of jokes. He was handsome, with a shock of deep auburn hair. I was surprised when, the next day, he added me as a friend on Facebook (yes, Facie has been a dating tool for more than a decade!). Shortly after came our first date. I was impressed by his intelligence, love for Jesus and warm personality. Our fledging relationship quickly blossomed into love.

Within a year we were engaged. I knew that there would be difficult times ahead—everyone says marriage is hard—but I thought to myself, ‘Whatever adversity we face, we’ll be in it together’. Thank God that love is blind.

Descent into darkness I was the definition of a people pleaser, and (subconsciously) spent a lot of energy making sure no one was ever angry at me.

But it turned out that my husband was angry at me.

In our first years of marriage, he would storm out, call me names, make threats … he threw things and made other violent gestures. I felt sure he would never hit me, but there were times when his anger descended into emotional and verbal abuse.

I had zero skills to cope with this. None of my wellrehearsed people-pleasing efforts seemed to work. Instead, I withdrew into myself. I would shut him out, emotionally and physically. I couldn’t look him in the eye or speak to him. For every angry word he said to punish me, I could punish him equally with my silence.

Instead of facing adversity together, as I had imagined we would, we each took to our corner—blaming each other and protecting ourselves. We established our roles: he was the aggressor, I was the wounded animal.

This only became more heightened when we began having children. I managed my anxiety by striving to be the perfect mother. It wasn’t just sleep deprivation that wore me out; it was the striving—to be the perfect breast-feeder, sleep whisperer and nurturer. I suffered in silence.

Josh didn’t have this problem. There were times when he yelled or stormed out. I misinterpreted this as meaning I had to redouble my efforts, and cope enough for everyone. It all came crashing down, of course. I began suffering panic attacks and found it difficult to leave the house.

wasn’t. We stayed in survival mode for a very long time.

Josh stayed angry. I stayed sick.

But my illness did make me confront my own coping mechanisms. I literally could not go on suffering in silence.

I had to find my voice and begin to express my feelings. Once the dam had broken, my buried anger spewed out in fits of rage—something I had never experienced in my adult life. I felt like I had reverted to my childlike self—the tantrumingtoddler version of me.

In this next season of our marriage, I began pushing back more. Things got worse before they got better. While our roles had been unhealthy, we each knew them. Now we were in a push-and-pull tussle, each trying to work out where we fitted in the marriage.

WE ESTABLISHED OUR ROLES: HE WAS THE AGGRESSOR, I WAS THE WOUNDED ANIMAL. But this was also a blessing in disguise because Josh and I actually began to talk (well, more accurately, yell). We weren’t communicating well, but it was the beginning of re-negotiating our roles in our marriage. Over time, we put boundaries down for behaviour, and consequences if those boundaries were violated.

Josh knew his violent upbringing was coming back to haunt him, and he always had the desire to do better. We went to counselling, and began to implement strategies.

And there was also God. Every time I came to the end of myself, God would give me just enough to try again. I remember one night I was so upset that I went for a drive in the middle of the night. I even called my friend and told her the kids and I needed a place to stay.

When I finally returned home, Josh was in tears. He said he was sorry, and I could see how broken he was. From out of my mouth came the words, ‘Josh, you are not your father’. At this, he broke down. We talked openly about his fear of repeating the cycle, and I found a compassion within me that had been lost along the way.

Yelling it out

Freedom in failure

I wish I could say this was the wake-up call we needed to make change. I wish I could say there was a magic cure. But there

Again, there was no miracle cure for our marriage. We failed more often than not, but there were small, incremental

8 WarCry 10 FEBRUARY 2018

changes over time. Sometimes it was sheer stubbornness that kept me going. Sometimes it was the fact that we had stood in front of a lot of people promising to be together ‘til death do us part’. Every now and again, a still, small voice reassured me there was still hope.

I remember one day sitting down by our local river. It was such a peaceful moment—the water was babbling, while tui sang in the trees. In despair, I cried out to God: ‘Why, God, why am I in this place?’ I felt the trees whisper to me: ‘It is for moments like these.’

I suddenly understood that my faith was not about ‘doing the right thing’. It was about allowing God into my broken heart and letting him comfort me. It was about staying by the streams of living water, even in the valley of death. The greatest lesson I have learned is that it is okay not to be perfect.

There is freedom in failure.

In our journey together we have travelled winding and dangerous roads, we have gone back, then forward, then back again. Then, eventually, we found ourselves at some sort of destination. I guess that destination is love—born not from romantic gestures, but from seeing each other at our most raw, vulnerable, and often worst, selves.

Josh has become my true companion. I admire the way he is so warm with people and so loving with me—telling me daily that he loves me. He is my greatest advocate and accepts me for who I am. This is a gift. We laugh and enjoy each other’s company—even if it’s just nights on the couch together (while we both look at our own devices, but together!). Our children know they are loved. And they also know that Mum and Dad love each other. Do we still fight? Of course! We are not perfect.

But back to the airport: yes, I am in love with my husband.

And I don’t care who sees us—because we have fought demons and gone through deep waters for our love. True romance isn’t found at the end of a rom-com. It begins where the rom-com ends. I’m glad I didn’t know what I was getting into on our wedding day, because we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Some things I learnt along the way …

There is no formula: My story is my own. Yours is your own. There is no magic bullet—only hope and the will to change. If you are in a difficult marriage, you will write your own story.

God’s arms are big enough: I came to realise that even if I had to leave, God’s arms would be big enough for all of us. Once I realised I had a choice, it empowered me to choose to stay, rather than feeling trapped.

You don’t have to be perfect, but you need to keep trying: One thing that kept me going was that Josh wanted to change. So did I. This is what makes marriage hard. It’s also what makes it worthwhile.

We will fight—and that’s okay: I used to be jealous when couples said they didn’t fight. Now I know that arguments are part of pushing myself to communicate and actually find solutions to conflict.

So, yes, we still fight.

I love my husband for who he is, not who I want him to be: I was too critical of my husband, too often.

A big change for me was learning to be okay with our imperfections. That doesn’t mean accepting unhealthy patterns. But it does mean being more gracious to each other when we fail.

Names and some details have been changed to protect their privacy.

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Why Do Guys Hate Valentine’s?

It’s an (admittedly sexist) cliché: the guy dreading having to make some grand romantic gesture for his expectant girlfriend. The truth is that lots of us —guys and girls—dislike this holiday. But why is it so annoying?

Well, where to start … Valentine’s Day is a horribly exclusive celebration. It excludes anyone who is single, and puts pressure on couples to force romance. It seems like the only people really celebrating are retailers, simply to make money.

A non-scientific discussion around the War Cry office reflected some of the reasons we find Valentine’s annoying: ‘There’s pressure that this is the day you must be romantic, and if you don’t do something on this day you’re not romantic,’ said Martin. ‘But what about the other 364 days of the year?’

‘There’s an expectation that you have to put in a certain amount of effort, otherwise you don’t love your partner enough. It’s a problem of comparison,’ agreed Sam. For single people, it can ‘be a reminder of what you don’t have. It’s just a day of let-downs, frustration or envy,’ said another. When I (Ingrid) was single, I felt that every couple was celebrating their perfect love on Valentine’s. And I was missing out.

TRUE ROMANCE IS THE EVERYDAY WAYS WE FIND TO SHOW THAT WE LOVE EACH OTHER.

But now that I’m married, I literally couldn’t care less about the day. My husband and I usually spend it doing precisely nothing special—because I realise I wasn’t missing out on anything. Romance isn’t about flowers and chocolates and forced togetherness. True romance is the everyday ways we find to show that we love each other.

Love is the greatest God-given gift that we have as humans, and that is definitely worth celebrating. But love can’t be quantified. It is personal, it is about thinking of the other person and what they need. It’s about being generous with our encouragement and words. Ultimately, love guides us toward freedom from striving, because we are fully accepted and fully accept others.

In addition, real love is not exclusive. There are many ways to express love beyond romantic relationships. Friendship and family are not lesser expressions of love. In fact, the best Valentine’s I ever had was when I was single and had a get-together with some girlfriends. We had so much fun and laughter … that definitely made me feel loved.

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Love is the stuff of life and it can be celebrated in a myriad of ways, every single day. Oh, and if you happen to love Valentine’s, that’s just one more way to express love—so have fun!

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing?

Did I let go of my anger and resentment?

Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.

Henri Nouwen

TESTIFY! Lynda Ellington’s faith was severely tested when her step-daughter had an accident and was told she would never walk again.

Just over 20 years ago, I was blessed to marry a man who came as a package deal; I instantly became step-mum to Aaron, with his shock of ginger hair and the best smile, and Sarah—blonde and very shy. We settled into life as a blended family. Four years later, along came Ben—the last in the litter but tallest of the pack!

I have always loved Jesus—ever since I gave my heart to him, dressed up in Mum’s Salvation Army uniform at nine years old.

Life has been murky. There has been sadness, loss and shock. Through it all, I have said that I trust Jesus with my life. He has never left me, forgotten or given up on me. Yup, I trust him with my life.

But in 2015, I had to ask myself, ‘Do I trust God with my kids’ lives?’ I got a shock phone call: Sarah—now a young adult living in Auckland—had fallen out of a tree and broken her back. She had a one to two per cent chance of ever walking again.

Ben—who was 14 at the time— declared, ‘God made her, he will fix her’.

Barry drove immediately to Auckland, but I was due to preach at our Dannevirke Corps—teaching about God’s love and faithfulness, and how we can always trust him. As a corps family we prayed. It was the first of many Salvationist prayers for Sarah, that day and ever since.

When we got back from church, Ben and I sat on the couch and thanked God for the testimony that would come from this—that Sarah would recognise God truly had his hand on the situation and that she was safe.

Sarah in the New Zealand paralympic cycling team.

I HAD TO ASK MYSELF, ‘DO I TRUST GOD WITH MY KIDS’ LIVES?’

of months. Sarah re-learned to walk, despite having minimal or no feeling from the knees down. She was determined to walk again—and she did!

Well, nothing happened overnight.

It felt like we had landed in a foreign country and no one was speaking a language we understood. Sarah was so incredibly vulnerable and we felt inadequate.

Sarah’s first love was running, but she could no longer do that. One day, she went to a Paralympic open day.

She was intrigued with the cycling, and decided to hop on a bike. A new passion was born.

The next few months were a blur of hospitals, operations, bed baths, wheelchairs and rehab. Our shy daughter had become a broken sparrow and we were scared.

Our shy little girl has now been accepted into the New Zealand paracycling team. She went to South Africa last year to compete in the World Championships. In March, she is off to Rio in Brazil, for the Paracycling Track World Championships, racing in the 5000m and Pursuit. We can indeed trust God with all of our lives.

But Sarah was determined. She worked hard at rehab, and we all worked hard on prayer. An initial rehabilitation term of two years became a matter

She was also determined to meet a few of the All Blacks and Prince Harry while in rehab. And she did that, too!

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 11

FOMO YOU DON’T!

BY SHAR DAVIS

Did you know you’ve been officially able to have FOMO for the past five years? FOMO stands for ‘fear of missing out’ and it’s a real thing—it was added to the Oxford Dictionary in 2013, so it’s totally legit!

You’ve probably experienced FOMO—that feeling you get when you’ve missed out on something awesome. Did it prompt you to do anything different?

Did you turn up early to the party, just in case something amazing happened in the first 30 minutes?

Did you say yes to something you were sitting on the fence about? Did you make a rash decision because you didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity?

In The Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen makes a rash decision, saying ‘I volunteer as tribute’, after her kid sister was selected to represent District 12 in a competition—where only one person was expected to survive.

She’s not the only one who put her hand up to save the lives of others. Take Vice Admiral Holdo in the recent Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi, who volunteered to stay behind on the ship Raddus so that the remaining Resistance personnel could board escape pods to get away from the First Order (who were about to destroy the ship).

When they put up their hands, they became the heart of the story. No FOMO needed.

Volunteering doesn’t always carry the possibility of death (although to be fair, it can be risky). But it is an awesome opportunity and has so many benefits— including fighting of Alzheimer’s, according to some research! Here’s a few no-FOMO benefits of joining in: 12 firezone.co.nz 10 FEBRUARY 2018

COMMUNITY + CONNECTIONS

When you volunteer, you make connections with other volunteers and the people you are helping. Those people can become a really important and special part of your world. There’s also something about doing a task with others that develops deep connections. You get lots of LOLs instead of FOMO.

DEVELOPS SKILLS

Liam Neeson isn’t the only one who can have a ‘very particular set of skills’. Lots of opportunities to volunteer end up being an opportunity to learn a new skill or improve an existing skill. Don’t be afraid to try something new, you just never know when those skills will come in handy later on. Like Liam.

SO MUCH FUN

If you’ve ever had the chance to volunteer for The Salvation Army at Christmas time you know how much fun that can be. Whether it’s unwrapping donated presents, or making up hampers or helping families as they choose their gifts, it really is awesome to be a part of making someone else’s life a little brighter. A previous corps I was at asked their youth to volunteer collecting pony poo and bagging it, so it could be sold as a fundraiser. Sure, it was a bit stinky and not the cleanest of jobs, but we had so many laughs, took lots of pictures and had a mean feed together afterwards.

Who knew that pony poo could be so much fun?

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

IF IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR JESUS …

Lauren volunteered at our local Family Store each week while she worked part-time in another retail job. Sure, she was the youngest volunteer by decades—but the customers loved her and she got the chance to see a different side of retail. When she applied for a full-time job and they asked her manager for a reference, she was able to talk about all the qualities and attributes Lauren had demonstrated while volunteering.

You might be surprised at how often volunteers end up getting jobs, either in the place they are volunteering or within the same organisation or industry. Volunteering can be a foot in the door. And if nothing else, it gives you a sense of purpose while you’re looking for work.

Like Katniss and the Vice Admiral, Jesus volunteered to take on death so that others might live—that’s the ultimate kind of volunteer act. But he also volunteered in other ways. He volunteered to wash his disciples’ feet—and that would have been way grosser than we realise. These feet weren’t walking around in shoes and socks on carpet. These feet were covered in dust and possibly animal poop, and I’d imagine they hadn’t seen the equivalent of nail-clippers in a while.

Jesus volunteered to stop what he was doing and pray for people, to spend time with them, to feed them. He demonstrated what lies at the heart of a good volunteer—a servant heart—someone willing to help others even if it costs them physically or emotionally.

SUPER REWARDING

Opportunities to volunteer are everywhere and organisations like The Salvation Army couldn’t do what they do without them. If you aren’t already volunteering in some way, why not give it a go? Don’t wait for someone else’s name to be called. Stick your hand up and say ‘I volunteer as…’ There’s one thing for sure, you won’t suffer from FOMO ’cos you’ll be right amongst it!

I’ll always remember the time an elderly person, with no family nearby, gripped my hand with tears in their eyes, saying, ‘Thank you for spending time with me, I hope I wasn’t a bother’.

The opportunity to volunteer can be incredibly rewarding, challenging and meaningful. Imagine how you’d feel seeing the kid you helped with their reading skills graduate from university years later. Or the kid at church who really wants to learn guitar, so one day they can play in the music team. Or the mum who is super stressed, and shoots you a look of gratitude as you entertain her boisterous child.

I went to a conference once and thanked the person cleaning the bathrooms for the great job they were doing. As we chatted, I discovered that her whole family takes annual leave to travel across America and serve others by cleaning toilets at this conference.

There are so many different ways that you get rewarded as a volunteer that have nothing to do with financial reward.

Year of the Volunteer The ‘Year of the Volunteer’ is a territory-wide campaign for 2018 to make time to honour, develop and invest in our volunteers serving within youth and children’s ministries. There are many volunteers out there who give their personal time to love our youth and children and spend hours each week preparing. We want to encourage your corps to celebrate these people this year. We believe that when our volunteers feel valued and supported, their influence and capacity to continue serving our young people well will be grown and strengthened.

The Territorial Youth and Children’s Mission Departments are equipping your corps to honour your volunteers throughout 2018 with resources and ideas. Keep an eye out for competitions and the chance to nominate volunteers for prizes and development opportunities. yearofthevolunteer.co.nz

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 13

ARMY CHALLENGED ON STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES The Salvation Army needs to have a serious conversation about its strengths and weaknesses, following a survey showing corps do well at evangelism, but poorly on inspiring worship.

A Natural Church Development (NCD) survey of 900 active church participants from 33 corps found ‘need-oriented evangelism’ and ‘passionate spirituality’ were the areas where corps were strongest, while ‘inspiring worship’ and ‘empowering leadership’ were the weakest areas.

The people surveyed were all involved in ministry in their corps and active in a home group.

NCD is a tool to assist church growth and health that uses surveys to identify a church’s strengths and weaknesses and help them work on those weaknesses.

Major Neil Adams, who oversaw the survey, said it covers eight ‘quality characteristics’. ‘These quality characteristics in a church are like the vital organs in a human being; it takes just one organ to fail to operate as it ought, and the whole person is adversely affected. Any one of the eight quality characteristics may be exceptionally healthy, but the mission of a whole faith community can be derailed by one quality that has been neglected for any reason.’

Major Ivan Bezzant was recently appointed to the new role of Territorial Secretary for Corps Mission, which works to help strengthen corps and address falling numbers. He said he hoped the results would be welcomed as both an 14 WarCry 10 FEBRUARY 2018

encouragement and a challenge.

‘It’s important to celebrate and to keep doing what we do well, but we do need to have a serious conversation about what we know—and is reinforced by this survey—as our weaknesses.’

As the country’s culture changes, churches are struggling to find the best strategy to meet secular New Zealanders, he said.

The NCD results showed areas where the Army could work to lift its game, which could make a difference.

‘The message for me [from this survey] is that we should embrace these results. In my mind, if we could address inspiring worship, empowering leadership and loving relationships, The Salvation Army would be so different.’

The surveys showed the strongest area across all corps was in the category of need-oriented evangelism, which looked at personal evangelism, corporate evangelistic strategies, assimilation of new Christians and seeker awareness.

Service was another strength identified in the survey, Neil said. ‘So too are prayer, everyday faith and compassion; those four should not surprise us too much, they sound like qualities for which we are noted.’

Many churches assume evangelism is the key to whether or not they grow, Neil says. But good evangelism could be

Highest Scores

Lowest Scores

Here are the 10 survey questions that corps scored highest in:

Here are the 10 survey questions that corps scored lowest in:

Our church tries to help those in need (food, clothing, education, counsel, etc).

It is my impression that the organisational structure of our church hinders church life rather than promotes it.

I know that other church members pray for me regularly.

I pray for my friends, colleagues and relatives who do not yet know Jesus Christ that they will come to faith.

I understand clearly how the different parts of our church work together.

As the country’s culture changes, churches are struggling to find the best strategy to meet secular New Zealanders. suffocated and churches fail to grow if other areas of church life aren’t strong; such as poor relationships between church members, church leaders that disempower, or the worship service is poor.

‘We seem to be sending mixed messages. On the one hand we are inviting people in. While on the other hand, we are sending them a different message altogether through the quality of our public worship,’ he said.

While there are important lessons to be learned from the survey, Neil says each corps will have their own strengths and weaknesses. He is planning a follow-up survey this year to see what may have changed.

‘Those things that afflict us at any given time can alter with a change of diet, relationships, address and so on. The health of a church may fluctuate with changes in membership, leadership, relocation, neighbourhood demographics—almost anything that happens to any church member can affect the whole community of faith.’

We encourage new Christians in our church to get involved in evangelism immediately.

I know that someone in our church will hold me accountable for meeting the commitments I make.

I try to deepen my relationships with people who do not yet know Jesus Christ.

The evangelistic activities of our church are relevant for my friends and family who do not yet know Jesus Christ.

I can rely upon my friends at church.

I feel that the worship service has a positive influence on me.

I connect with God in a meaningful way during the worship service.

Attending the worship service is an inspiring experience for me.

The leaders of our church concentrate on the tasks for which they are gifted.

I enjoy listening to the sermons in the worship service.

I always look forward to the worship service.

Our pastor(s) have too much work to do.

The music in the worship service helps me worship God.

I know my gifts.

The volunteers of our church are trained frequently.

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 15

From ‘Mad Scramble’ to ‘Changing the Nation’ Next week The Salvation Army will mark a decade of changing the conversation around social progress in New Zealand.

This year marks 10 years that the Army’s Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) has produced its annual State of the Nation report. It has become a highly anticipated and respected measure of social progress in New Zealand, attracting the attention of prime ministers, civil servants, and community leaders—but it began as a ‘mad scramble,’ said author Alan Johnson.

State of the Nation was the brain child of then-SPPU director Major Campbell Roberts, supported by Alan, who has written all 11 reports. But both men said the report started with a rush.

‘Campbell suggested it three weeks before Christmas for a release date in early February. So, it required a mad scramble to get the first one out,’ Alan said. ‘But since then we’ve built it into a really solid piece of analysis that’s been well received. In some ways it’s now the start of the political year.’

SPPU Director Lieut-Colonel Ian Hutson said the report filled a gap in assessing the health of the nation.

‘There was nothing there really that gave significance to social indicators and measures. A lot of reports covered economic indicators, but not a collective idea of how we were doing socially—how people were doing. So the report raised the needs of people, not just the economy.’

From the start, the report attracted a lot of attention from media, Campbell said. Early reports caused controversy with some government departments, but it has grown to be a highly respected document among civil

16 WarCry 10 FEBRUARY 2018

servants and politicians.

‘Even though they haven’t liked the message sometimes, they have respected the fact that it was done.’

The impact of the report was felt far and wide, Ian said.

‘One of its original aims was to influence the influencers.

That aim has been achieved to an incredible level with community leaders and politicians, they wait for it and they look at it and the work of the Unit.’

It has been part of changing the way politicians and the public thought about various issues—particularly housing, Alan said. ‘I think we’ve pricked the nation’s conscience around the prison system, and it’s raised the focus on drinking and gambling that tend to fall off the radar.’

The report was also a positive for the Army’s image and credibility, and was a strong reflection of the values of The Salvation Army and the gospel, Campbell said.

‘It’s about the most vulnerable and how they are tracking and, in gospel terms we’re called to care for the most vulnerable.’

Both Campbell and Alan said the report had exceeded their initial expectations in its success. However, the Unit was not resting on the success of the past, Alan said.

‘It’s still important to change the conversation and ensure the issues raised are addressed in a meaningful way, not just with gestures. But we’re not wedded to it lasting in its present form for the next decade. We’re asking people to give us feedback as to where they think we should go with it.’

A Better Way to Die With Dignity It’s the last week to make submissions on the End of Life Choice Bill, which seeks to legalise euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The Bill’s stated intention is to give ‘people with a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition the option of requesting assisted dying.’ This issue is a game-changer for how New Zealand society values life.

Submissions are being accepted until 20 February. An easy way to fill in a submission is to go to www.notoassistedsuicide.nz— a basic submission can be done in around five minutes.

In an international positional statement, The Salvation Army said it believes euthanasia and assisted dying ‘should be illegal’. It goes on to say ‘The Salvation Army considers each person to be of infinite value, possessing inherent dignity, and that each life is a gift from God to be cherished, nurtured and redeemed … Human beings were created for relationships and for those relationships to be expressed living in community, including in times of death.’

Locally, MASIC has put out a talk-sheet, saying, ‘Never in human history has suffering been more readily relieved than today. And yet, paradoxically, we have never been more afraid of suffering.’ MASIC is the Salvation Army’s Moral and Social Issues Council. ‘If a primary goal of life is to avoid suffering at all costs then it would not be surprising to see society making euthanasia and assisted suicide legally available,’ it said.

However, the biblical perspective suggests that life is about relationships—both with God and each other. All life is sacred, and should not be measured by a person’s ability to ‘contribute’ to society. In this case, death should be an experience of community—in which a person is given dignity by being supported and surrounded as they die. It also gives humans the gift of expressing compassion, by providing the highest expression of palliative care.

Find out more | salvationarmy.org.nz/euthanasia

A CARING ALTERNATIVE …

The Salvation Army believes that a better alternative to assisted suicide is to provide the highest quality of care until death, including the alleviation of pain. The following practical responses are suggested 1. It is important to communicate by word and deed to the sick, the elderly and the dying that they remain worthy of respect, that they are loved and will not be abandoned to their suffering.

2. Respect for the dignity of human life demands quality care for all persons at the end of their lives. The Salvation Army therefore promotes access to palliative services that provide holistic care (physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual) when there is no longer medical hope for a cure. Optimal pain control and the overall comfort of the individual should be the primary goals of this care.

3. Human beings exist in social relationships; what happens to one person has a deep impact on others too. It is important that support is extended to meet

the complex needs of family, direct care providers and the wider social community who will grieve the loss of their loved one and friend.

4. It is advisable for those who can do so to make suitable preparation for their death, especially spiritual preparation, and to inform loved ones and caregivers concerning their wishes for this final stage of life’s journey.

5. It may be helpful to commit this to writing. However, there should be a guard against the possibility of subtle pressures being placed on the sick, the elderly, the disabled and the dying to act contrary to their true interests and wishes, in order not to become an unwanted burden.

6. As far as possible, decisions around end-of-life concerns should remain in the hands of the dying person in collaboration with competent healthcare professionals, assisted by loved ones whom the patient wants to be involved.

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 17

The Great Sandcastle Build Off

Over 600 people invaded Paraparaumu Beach to participate in Kāpiti Corps’ second annual Great Sandcastle Build Off. Designed as a way for families to do something together outside—before school starts back up for a new year—it certainly achieved that during this sweltering summer! About 200 people competed in three categories for creations made entirely of natural items sourced on the beach. There were plenty of castles and octopuses as well as a Lightning McQueen and a

phenomenal replica of the Titanic—complete with iceberg. As well as the sandcastle build, there was a Big Dig where children dug in a designated area for ice-block sticks that represented a prize. Local businesses provided sponsorship of the prizes.

Organiser Sam Parker said ‘the best part of this entire event is seeing the families all come together, plan out their build, and executing it.’ Another highlight was ‘all the thanks, and people nearly demanding that we put the event on next year too.’

Thousands Join Refugee Summit Thousands around the world joined in on a cuttingedge global summit, held

by The Salvation Army’s International Social Justice Commission.

The Summit on Refugees and Displaced People was broadcast on Facebook, 29-30 January. Over 4000 people viewed the first seminar, with 210 people joining in and commenting as the seminar was broadcast live.

People gathered together at Territorial Headquarters in New Zealand to join in for the third session, which focused on how the international Salvation Army works with others to help refugees and displaced peoples.

18 WarCry 10 FEBRUARY 2018

‘Politicians, to meet their own ends, have spread a fear of refugees,’ said Gregory Maniatis, director of US-based Open Society International Migration Initiative. ‘Refugees are not dangerous, they are some of the most screened people in the world; the most violent acts [in the US] are perpetuated by Americans.

‘Politics are opportunistic but The Salvation Army’s compassion is constant,’ he said.

Commissioner Christine MacMillan, of the World Evangelical Alliance, picked up on this theme: ‘With compassion, we want to give unconditionally to others.’

This includes ensuring their

voices are heard, not just the voices of leadership or power.

‘Where is the voice of the displaced person?’ she asked.

Jesus was our greatest example of loving ‘the other.’

‘Jesus engaged one-on-one and they became their own advocate and spokesperson of their own issue,’ she said.

Prejudice against refugees was brought closer to home, when Daryl Crowden of WorldVision Australia was asked about the harsh treatment of Manus Island refugees. ‘On one occasion last year when [we] did speak up on domestic refugee issues, Worldvision Australia took quite a hefty hit in its revenue,’ he said.

GAZETTE Appointment to International College for Officers: Effective 10 April–20 May 2019: Mjr Elisabeth Gainsford; Effective 9 October–19 November 2019: Capt Mathew Badger.

Additional appointments: Effective 22 January: Mjr Ivan Bezzant, Director, Blue Mountain Adventure Centre; Ben Maxwell, Director, Youth Missions Training.

Bereaved: Major Maria NcNabb of her husband Major John McNabb on 14 January. Please uphold Maria, their children and other family members in prayer. Lt Visa Kaurasi and Capt Salesi Temo of their brother Sekaia Bogiva Tawaice on 17 January in Fiji. Please uphold his family in prayer.

Tribute: Sister Barbara Stratton

Barbara was born in Parkstone, Dorset, England, on 4 November 1931. She was dedicated at the Branksome Corps. As a child, Barbara attended the Baptist Church but would frequently go with her father to the Poole Corps. On 20 November 1947, Barbara made her first decision to serve the Lord.

In 1948, Barbara met Francis Stratton at an open-air meeting. They were married in 1950 at the Poole Citadel. In 1958, they emigrated to New Zealand along with their daughter Geraldine, and settled in Benhar, attending the Balclutha Corps. Their daughter Beverley was born while living there.

The family moved to Ashburton, attending the Corps and later to Dunedin, attending the Dunedin Fortress Corps. During Barbara’s earlier years she was a Home Leaguer, League of Mercy worker, Songster, Welcome Sergeant and War Cry Sergeant.

Barbara enjoyed helping others and this was lived out through her work as a carer of a young baby and a ‘home help’ to the elderly. In her later years, she had a ministry knitting for babies, both here and overseas.

These responsibilities proved most rewarding for her. Barbara always put others first, making sure that everyone always had enough of whatever they might need.

Even as a young child, Barbara had a keen work ethic and, after leaving school, gained an apprenticeship as a seamstress.

As a wife and mother, these skills were brought into family life and home. Barbara was promoted to glory on 2 December 2017, from Hamilton City Corps.

BY BARBARA’S FAMILY

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

WE ARE MORE CONNECTED THAN EVER, YET WE ARE LESS CONNECTED THAN EVER. Recently Facebook rejoiced with me that I had reached a significiant milestone—I now had 500 ‘friends’!

I thought this was a big achievement until I checked how many ‘friends’ each of my friends had and discovered that one of them has 3938 ‘friends’. How can you have a relationship with that many people? Well, in the world of social media you can, because social media has changed the way we relate.

Our mobile devices have changed our world and opened many doors for us. We can send photos to our friends, keep in touch with family overseas, find out where there’s a good bargain, find our way to a location, check the weather, pay bills, order coffee, find the nearest Salvation Army ... All this enhances our lives.

Yet, have you noticed how many people are out for coffee with their friends, but spend the time checking their phones to see what others are doing?

We are more connected than ever, yet we are less connected than ever. It’s becoming harder to give focused attention to someone—which is, when you stop and think about it, a gift of great value.

Think of the times when you are face-to-face with someone and they are not really listening to you, or not giving you their attention. How do you feel? Contrast that with the times when you sit with someone and they look at you—face to face—they listen and connect. That’s what we all need. Kanohi ki te konohi— face-to-face connection.

As good as it is to have friends on social media, to keep in touch with news and share photos, face-to-face connection has added value—the value of shared experience such as laughing together, walking together, adventures together, eating together. The value of knowing and being known, which happens in faceto-face connection through body language, voice and touch.

Deep down we know these things are important so it’s no surprise that God thinks they’re important too. The Bible tells us that Moses and God had this kind of relationship: ‘The Lord would speak to Moses face-to-face, as one speaks to a friend,’ (Exodus 33:11). Later on, the Bible tells us there was no other prophet like Moses, who the Lord knew face-to-face.

God created us with a desire for connection—with each other and with him.

To know and be known—this is a treasure for us to pursue and, when we find it, to protect.

We all hold in our hands a gift—the gift of face-to-face, focused attention, and we can offer that gift to people in our world. Will we?

Commissioner Yvonne Westrupp Territorial President of Women’s Ministries 10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 19

The Women in Jesus’ Life

Lent is a sacred time of preparing our hearts to meet Jesus at the cross. Here, Barbara Sampson examines Jesus’ special ministry to women. Meditate on these reflections over the week, and let Jesus minister to you as well.

Women in first-Century Jewish culture were usually treated as second-class citizens with no social standing at all.

Jesus, however, reached out to women with respect and spoke grace to them, encouraged their faith, restored their dignity. Many of the nameless women he met were transformed as a result of that encounter.

The anonymity of these Bible women gives their stories a kind of universal flavour. They could be you. They could be me. They could be any woman who needs to hear a word of blessing or forgiveness from God. Before these women met Jesus they were ‘women without’. That is, without a future, without a hope, without any social standing. But their life-changing encounter with Jesus made all the difference.

20 WarCry 10 FEBRUARY 2018

DAY

ONE

A woman without standing: Luke 13:10–17 ‘When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity”.’ (v.12) Imagine being bent over for 18 years.

Imagine all those years of crookedness and pain. Imagine the bones of your spine being so rigidly fused together that you cannot walk properly and can only shuffle along. Imagine people telling you it is because of your sin that you are bent over like this. Imagine being known not for your character, but for your crookedness.

Imagine studying your grandchildren’s feet but never their faces. Imagine hearing laughter but never seeing the joke. Imagine being a dark question mark on a grey page.

Imagine one day hearing a voice calling and someone saying to you, ‘Woman, you’re free!’ (v. 12, The Message).

Imagine feeling strong hands on your shoulder and back as someone speaks blessing over you then gently helps you straighten. Imagine uncurling the question mark of your body and standing up like an exclamation mark!

Imagine this woman taking you by the hand and leading you over to where Jesus is standing. ‘Jesus, I want you to meet my friend,’ she says. You look up into eyes that are gentle and strong. You feel the warmth of his hand on your shoulder. You see him smile. You hear him say to you, ‘You’re free!’ Imagine!

What is your reaction as you enter into this story?

DAY

TWO

A woman without excuse: John 8:1–11 ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.

They made her stand before the group.’ (v.3) She was a woman without excuse. Guilty as charged, she deserved the full weight

All eyes turn from the woman to Jesus as he bends down and starts to write on the ground with his finger. When he straightens up, he turns the accusation back onto her accusers: ‘If any one of you is without sin … let him … throw.’ The sudden silence is interrupted only by the muffled thud of heavy stones falling, and the swish of robes as men slink away. ‘Go now,’ Jesus says to the woman. He does not condemn her sinfulness but he loves her too much to leave her there. She is brought in bent over with shame. But notice who bends …

DAY

THREE

A woman without a well: John 4:4–42

IMAGINE ONE DAY HEARING A VOICE CALLING AND SOMEONE SAYING TO YOU, ‘WOMAN, YOU’RE FREE!’ of the law—death by stoning. But there was one problem. Where was her partner in crime? The law specifically said that both the adulterer and the adulteress should be put to death (Leviticus 20:10).

The man in this case is nowhere to be seen, yet the woman is dragged into the temple courts.

Jesus, who reads the hearts of men and women, knows this is a trap. If he tells her accusers to let her go, he himself will be accused of ignoring the law of Moses.

If he tells them to go ahead and stone her, he will find himself in trouble with the Romans, for they did not allow the Jews to carry out death sentences.

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. (v.6) This passage contains a rich portrait of Jesus meeting a Samaritan woman. Several titles for Jesus are revealed here: he is the Discerner of Human Need, Quencher of Deep Thirst, the Messiah. But an almost throw-away comment speaks yet another name: he is the Weary One. When the Samaritan woman arrives at the well a discussion ensues that reveals the mystery of the incarnation. As the human Son of Man, Jesus, the Weary One, asks her for a drink of water. As the divine Son of God, he offers her ‘a spring of water welling up to eternal life’ (v. 14).

She leaves her jar and hurries back to town where she tells the people about this man whom she has met and who knows everything about her. ‘Could this be the Christ?’ she wonders out loud, longing for it to be so. The townspeople come out to the well and urge Jesus to come and stay with them. After two days of listening they are convinced he is the Christ, the Saviour of the World. How can Jesus quench your greatest thirst?

DAY

FOUR

BEFORE THESE WOMEN MET JESUS THEY WERE ‘WOMEN WITHOUT’ ... BUT THEIR LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.’ (v. 38) She had every excuse not to come. Fear of rejection should have cautioned her. Her reputation as a sinner opened certain doors for her, but not this one.

She had not been invited, so she came as an intruder to a rich man’s banquet.

If he did not throw her out, some of his other guests might well have done so. As a woman she could have come as far as the kitchen, but no further. Even if she broke through every man-made barrier, there was still the question of how Jesus would respond. Would he stand, Moseslike, pointing his long finger at her terrible sinfulness and shame?

Caution held her back, but devotion pushed her forward. So she came, oblivious to the people around her who were listening to the Master. Oblivious to the sudden awkward silence that fell like a heavy blanket, marked only by tuttuts and gasps of disapproval.

Her sobs drowned out every other sound. Her loosened hair blocked every other face. Her hands spoke their own language of love and devotion as she wiped his feet with her tears and tried to dry them with her hair. She had every excuse not to come, but she came and poured it all out. Notice Jesus’ reaction to her overflowing, unembarrassed expression of love. What do you want to pour out to Jesus? How do you think he reacts to you?

A woman without embarrassment: Luke 7: 36–50 ‘As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears.

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 18 Feb: Linwood Corps Building Reopening 18 Feb: Installation of Divisional Commanders, Southern Division 19 Feb: Central Division Officers’ Council—Spiritual Day, BCM 25 Feb: Installation of Divisional Commanders, Northern Division Colonel Suzanne Fincham (Chief Secretary) 9–12 February: Tonga visit 16–21 February: Southern Division Summer Councils 18 February: Christchurch City Corps Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women's Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 9–12 February: Tonga visit 18 February: Cambridge Corps; Midland Divisional Celebration 19–21 February: Midland Division Officers Councils

PRAY

Blenheim Corps, Blue Mountain Adventure Centre, Booth College of Mission, Bridge Recovery Church and the Bridge Programme throughout the territory; The Salvation Army in Switzerland, Austria and Hungary.

Want to Know More?

I would like: to learn about who Jesus is information about The Salvation Army The Salvation Army to contact me

WHO

prayer for the following needs:

Kids aged 8–13 years.

WHAT A five day camp focused on developing teamwork, leadership and confidence. Ton of fun, full of challenges, and a chance to make new friends. An unforgettable opportunity to have a go at the coolest adventures around!

Name

FOR MORE INFO

Email

bluemountainadventure.org.nz bmac@nzf.salvationarmy.org

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

Find SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES online: www salvationarmy.org.nz/employment

TRANSFORM18 SPARKING A MOVEMENT Kākano Whakahoutanga

14 & 15 March 2018 Glen Eden Baptist Church, Auckland

Transform18 is a conference focused on empowering the local church to see community transformation through social change initiatives.

Drawing from the Glen Eden Baptist story, Transform18 will share the lessons and insights that helped a local church with a passion to care for the most vulnerable and those on the margins, grow a community organisation that reaches over 20,000 individuals and whānau each year.

TRANSFORM18

Keynote speakers include Bishop Justin Duckworth, Lisa Woolley, Major Campbell Roberts, Murray Edridge and Gary Grut. Workshops will provide practical knowledge SPARKING A MOVEMENT and experience for churches wanting transformation in Kākano Whakahoutanga their communities.

Conference cost will be $1 per delegate. Register today!

Brought to you by:

For more information go to www.visionwest.org.nz Quiz Answers: 1 St Petersburg, Russia, 2 The knee, 3 The arrangement of the letters on a keyboard, 4 Wile E Coyote, 5 Gideon (Judges 8:30).

22 WarCry 10 FEBRUARY 2018

copy the picture in the grid below, then colour it in!

‘A friend loves at all times…’

Proverbs 17:17a NIV

how many words of three letters or more can you make from the word VALENTINE? Less than 10 words: We think, if you try really hard, you can get a few more. Go for it!

11–20 words: Great job! Are there any more you can think of?

More than 20 words: Amazing job!

Take a bow!

match the pairs together

find the matching partner on the right hand side to each one on the left

Elsa

Buzz Lightyear Miss Piggy cQueen M g in n t n Lig Bread Jelly Chips Dora

Dip

Butter Woody

Swiper

Ice Cream

e Frog Kermit th

Anna

Mate r

It seems like every character in the movies or books needs at least one good friend, right?

Where would Harry Potter be without Hermione and Ron? How many times did Marlin help Dory remember who she was when she forgot her name? And even though Woody and Buzz Lightyear didn’t start out as friends (because Woody felt threatened by the new kid), they worked through their differences and became BFFs. Think about your closest friends for a minute. What do you like about them? What makes them extra special compared to other kids you know? Perhaps they make you laugh, or they laugh at your jokes when no one else does.

Maybe you like the same kinds of snacks, games, bands or movies.

Maybe they help you feel brave when you feel a little scared to give something a go.

In the Bible, it says a friend loves at all times … wow that sounds like hard work! What happens if you have a fight or they annoy you? Well, if you love someone and you’ve had a fight, you’ll want to make up, to say sorry and repair the relationship. Loving someone can also mean you look out for them, helping them make good choices and even when they annoy you, you’ll still be their friend; just like Lightning McQueen and Mater.

What kind of friend are you? How would your friends describe you?

Jesus, please help me to be the kind of friend who loves at all times, even when it’s hard.

10 FEBRUARY 2018 WarCry 23

Here is the world.

Beautiful and terrible things will happen.

DON’T BE AFRAID. Frederick Buechner