10 July 2021 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 10 JULY 2021 | Issue 6771 | $1.50

From life on the streets to a place to call home Launch of Māori Resource Book Simply thankful in all circumstances

Sydenham Corps welcomes soldiers and adherents

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS Catherine

& William 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 Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Holly Morton, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major Colleen

Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT 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.

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

Publishing for 137 years | Issue 6771 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

salvationarmy.org.nz SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts

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Together in One Waka I recently attended the combined Matariki celebration with the launch of the territorial He Pukapuka Rauemi Māori: Māori Resource Book (see page 18). It was a time of celebration and deliciousness, as Whangārei Corps members generously cooked a hangi for the attendees. We all participated in waiata (song) and karakia (prayer) and fellowshipped together.

This pukapuka (book) is a valuable resource for us all within the Army, as we set our sights on the territorial imperative of ‘One Waka’ participation—being in one vessel, or waka, all heading in the same direction.

What is the outcome? To work collaboratively, as the early church did in the Book of Acts. They had one principal goal and that goal was the propagation of the gospel, the good news. They knew that lives would be changed as the lifegiving message of salvation was received by the individuals they ministered to.

Now, I am sure this involved sharing of resources—housing, food, counselling, support—these are the by-products of Christian ministry, but the focus was on the transformation of those who came into contact with the early church members. The transformation of individuals and families (whānau) who then, in turn, went on to transform other lives.

In the War Cry this week, you can read of the many ways we are creatively transforming lives by the power of God. As you find your place in the waka, I am sure you will be surrounded with a family that will help you when you are weary, assist you when and where you have need and encourage you in your ministry as a member of Christ’s Body.

Vivienne Hill Editor

Success should be measured not by how many disciples are made, but by how many disciples are making other disciples.

Bill Hull

Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Karatia 6:10 Nā reira, i te mea e whai takiwā ana tātou, kia mahi tātou i te pai ki ngā tāngata katoa, ā tērā noa ake ki te hunga o te whare o te whakapono.

W

riting letters began as a childhood hobby for me. It was a way to keep in touch with my school friends over the holiday breaks and with friends living further away. To this day, I’m still sending messages via post—even to a friend I previously met during my time at university who calls the UK home (hi Lizzy!).

I feel really touched when I receive something personal in the post. There amongst the junk mail and bills, to uncover what was sent with purpose, just for me, is wonderful. When you compare this with the long-awaited arrival of a parcel from an online shopping purchase—the contents of which you already know—the power of a personal letter or parcel will cheer you up for the rest of the day and bring a smile to your face.

This very concept is being used to spread love around the world through projects like ‘The World Needs More Love Letters’. Every month, people nominate a loved one who they believe would benefit from some written encouragement, hope and love. If selected, the project’s website shares a short paragraph about them and a contact address for anyone, anywhere to write a letter to them. Then soon the recipient’s social media pages are delightful, bursting with affirmations and photographs of beautiful bundles of letters in multicoloured envelopes.

It is a wonderful concept, and perhaps unsurprising that ‘The World Needs More Love Letters’ was started by a Christian (writer Hannah

Brencher) to harness the power of the humble letter.

After all, look at how much of the Bible is composed of letters—21 books of the New Testament, most of which were written by Paul to celebrate, refine and encourage churches in their faith.

Last year, a member of my life group commented on how cool it must have been for those churches to receive these letters, long before the Bible was the readily available book it is today. Did the writers know that those letters would go on to inspire so many more people beyond their cities? The Godgiven wisdom inside those messages is still read, dissected and transforming readers all over the world, every day.

We all know that words are powerful—whether they come in overflowing bundles or a single envelope arriving just when you need it. I hope that somewhere along the line, one of my letters has done that for a friend. The postal service carries a great tool for encouraging others, and, in the coming days, weeks and months, maybe you can put pen to paper and send love someone’s way.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

MORE INFO | You can visit the website at moreloveletters.com to get involved by writing a letter, nominating someone or hosting a gathering to write letters together.

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Source: Please Don’t Pray With Your Mouth Full, by Bob Swanson.

QUIKQUIZ

1 What is the name of the dog in the movie Annie?

2 Tbilisi is the capital of which country?

3 W hat is the name of the theatre where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?

4 W ho invented the Christmas card?

5 W hat was Belteshazzar’s original name?

Vegan Banoffee Pie 90g pecans, plus extra for serving (optional) 250g vegan biscuits ½ cup coconut oil, at room temperature 1 Tbsp cacao powder 12 fresh dates, pitted

⅓ cup coconut sugar 1 Tbsp cornflour 270ml coconut cream, plus extra for serving 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 medium bananas

Place pecans in a small bowl; cover with cold water. Stand for 1 hour, then drain.

Meanwhile, process biscuits, coconut oil, cacao and half the dates until fine crumbs form and mixture starts to clump.

Press biscuit mixture into the base and up the side of a 24cm tart tin. Refrigerate until required.

Stir coconut sugar and the water in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil; boil for 3 minutes or until mixture reduces slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk cornflour and coconut cream in a small bowl. Gradually stir coconut cream mixture into sugar syrup until smooth; cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens.

Blend drained pecans and warm coconut mixture with remaining dates, vanilla extract and 1 banana until as smooth as possible. Spoon mixture into biscuit case and smooth surface. Refrigerate overnight.

Thinly slice remaining bananas; arrange slices on pie. Serve pie drizzled with remaining coconut cream and sprinkled with roughly chopped nuts.

Source: countdown.co.nz

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WARCRYIN HISTORY This image was taken at the Wellington March for Jesus event on Saturday 25 June 1994.

Many New Zealand Christians, from a range of denominations, participated in this global march. The photograph below appeared in the 9 July 1994 edition of War Cry.

Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Plowman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission.

Answers on page 22

Weird of the Week: The Eiffel Tower, in France, can grow up to 15cm taller during the summer due to thermal expansion.

I have found that if I pray for God to move a mountain, I must be prepared to wake up next to a shovel.

Craig Greenfield, Subversive Jesus: An Adventure in Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness in a Broken World

TOPFIVE

Words with no English translation (part 1): There are so many beautiful words around the world, and here are five amazing ones to articulate things you’ve never put a name to before.

1. R azbliuto—Russian: Describes the nostalgia you feel towards someone you once loved, but no longer do.

2. Fisselig—German: This is when you feel flustered to the point where you can’t do anything properly, perhaps because you’re being watched or bothered.

3. Greng-jai—Thai: The feeling of needing to ask somebody to help you out, but feeling bad about it.

4. Treppenwitz—German: The sensation of finally coming up with a clever remark, only once it’s too late to say it.

5. Forelsket—Norwegian: The euphoria you experience as you start to fall in love with someone.

Musical In The Heights (PG) Directed by Jon M Chu In the Heights demands to be seen on the largest screen possible.

The Tony Award-winning musical makes the most of its transition off the stage through inventive cinematography, upscaled musical numbers and even smart uses of animation. The energetic cast is anchored by Anthony Ramos as narrator Usnavi, a bodega owner whose dream of returning to the Dominican Republic clashes with his palpable love for his hardworking, impassioned community in Washington Heights. Director Jon M Chu infuses the film with unrelenting colour and energy in both the visual and sonic elements, while choreographer Christopher Scott’s routines dazzle— film highlight 96,000 is choreographed across land and water in a wonderful example of how musicals can and should reimagine themselves for the capabilities of the screen medium.

Highly recommended for a joyous taste of summer.

(Reviewed by Bethany Slaughter)

Tawa Family Store Celebrates 15-year Team Members On 15 June, Tawa Family Store honoured two of its longstanding team members, Janice Subhalam and Brian Cowley, who began on the same day 15 years ago.

The store celebrated with an all-day, 15 percent discount in store, as well as balloons and handing out Whittaker’s chocolate to customers.

Fellow team member Andrea Melhop says Janice and Brian have servant hearts and a willingness to pitch in with anything and everything—which is emblematic of the whole team.

Store Manager Janice loves to cook for the staff and looks forward to laughing and chatting at break times. ‘She’s got a heart for her team,’ Andrea says. ‘The Tawa Corps (church) offers wonderful support to both Janice and Brian and this makes for a successful partnership within the community.’

Andrea affirms of Brian, ‘He’s got the most generous heart of gold.

He’s the driver for the Family Store, so he’s out and about and people know him by name. They’ll toot at him and they’ll wave at him, whether he’s in the truck or whether he’s walking along the street.’

After informing local community newsletters and social media pages about the milestone, an overwhelming response of positive feedback poured in for Janice, Brian and the entire team.

The corps also acknowledged both Janice and Brian with a gift and publicly thanked them for their years of loyal service.

Photography: Olivia Melhop 10 JULY 2021 WarCry 5

John Massold was trapped in a cycle of addiction, until a single line of Scripture changed the course of his life.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

‘R

epent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 3:2, NKJV): These were the words that completely transformed John Massold’s life.

He grew up in Auckland, a ‘mischievous’ child from the very beginning. ‘Even from a young age, I started going off on the wrong track, stealing and lying to my parents,’ he says. ‘When I got to intermediate, I was already smoking cigarettes, drinking, watching pornography and all that sort of stuff. College didn’t get any better.

‘I didn’t last very long at school. Just before I turned 16, I got the boot, so I started working and spending all my money on booze and drugs and partying.

That was my life for a long time.’

The shoplifting from his childhood progressed into stealing from his workplace, on-selling equipment to make more and more money for himself.

He put a deposit on a house, bought big-ticket items like a car, boat and TV; and continued to party, drink and experiment with harder drugs.

Under the influence of methamphetamine, John developed the risky habit of gambling on pokie machines. He continued to steal from his workplace to fund his addictions, lost a noticeable amount of weight and struggled to sleep.

‘I looked terrible. My behaviour was crazy. I was too hard to be around, friends and family walked away from me because I was unpredictable and erratic. I got angry easily, even if someone asked me simple questions,’ he says.

‘I had these crazy paranoid thoughts. I thought my phone was bugged, I thought people were after me.’

It all came to a head one day when his workplace discovered that items were missing. Rather than allowing everyone else to come under investigation, John confessed. He was made to resign immediately; weeks later, detectives came knocking and charged him with theft.

Game over Caught up in a court case, John was back and forth to jail. He would sell anything and everything to buy meth, sometimes spending his entire benefit payment. His then-relationship became strained and soon descended into domestic violence, at which point the police became involved again.

John was ordered to wear a monitoring bracelet; he was suicidal, confined to his home, ‘more paranoid and anxious than ever’.

During the nine months of the court case, it looked promising that he might avoid prison time. To his shock, the judge handed down a two-year prison sentence, of which he served one year.

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John experienced severe depression once he left prison, living at his mother’s house and relying on the sickness benefit— which he would spend on more meth. He began wasting his money playing internet poker and his time on watching porn.

‘I had no job, no money, no friends and the people I considered friends didn’t even want to know me anymore.’

However, he was soon compelled to make a change. At his three-monthly visit to the doctor, she told him, ‘No, we’re not going to extend your benefit anymore. You’re going to go get a job.’

At first, John was annoyed. ‘I was like, “People are still on the benefit for ages because they have depression, why can’t I?”’ With the advantage of hindsight, he is grateful to her for giving him that push. ‘Otherwise I would have been sitting on the benefit for ages.’

Finding a job was a tall task. John faced a string of rejections due to his criminal history, until he was extended an olive branch at one interview. ‘The guy said, “We believe in second chances” and was willing to give me a go, and it turned out he was a Christian,’ he recalls.

A change of the heart With his second chance, John once again had income to put towards his old habits. ‘Sometimes I’d spend my whole week’s wages on meth and pokie machines. I was hanging out with the wrong crowd—criminals and drug addicts. I was even stealing stuff again.’

However, this time it was different. ‘Every time I got high or drunk or watched so much porn, I would experience a lot of shame and guilt.’

John had a strong sense that he was letting down the people who had put their trust in him. ‘The other guys at work [would] come to work to earn money to put bread on their family table, you know, working to support their families. I never really thought about that before and it made me realise the stuff I’m doing is all wrong.’

He resolved to break his drug addiction, and pursued counselling, but his first attempt only lasted a few months.

One Friday night in 2015, he was craving methamphetamine and went to get some from his older brother. At his house, his brother unexpectedly handed him a Gideon Bible.

‘I don’t even know why he had it, no idea,’ John says. ‘It was really weird to have this Bible instead of getting high and getting drunk. I just started reading.’

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JOHN WAS ORDERED TO WEAR A MONITORING BRACELET; HE WAS SUICIDAL, CONFINED TO HIS HOME, ‘MORE PARANOID AND ANXIOUS THAN EVER’.

One phrase stood out to John, as if God had spoken directly to him: ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 3:2, NKJV). ‘Getting that Bible, it just pierced my heart,’ he says. ‘It was like being woken up to the reality of God.’ Those words became a turning point in John’s life. He continued to read the Bible and sought out more Christians.

One morning, he spoke to some workmates who had tried to tell him about Jesus in the past. They shared the gospel with him and taught him what repentance meant.

‘Some of the things they told me really offended me. I didn’t like it, especially about being a bad person, a sinner and going to hell, and the only way I can be saved is through Jesus,’ he remembers. ‘But the more I thought about it, the more it all made sense to me and, deep down in my heart, I knew it was true, so I got on my knees and I prayed to Jesus for the first time.’

He was overwhelmed by remorse, but also felt joy. ‘I was like, Jesus loves me, mistakes and all. It was a scary thought that I was actually on the path to hell, and God decided to completely change it.’

When one sinner repents John knew he needed to change his actions, so he committed to giving up drinking, gambling, porn, smoking, lying, swearing and stealing. The transition was neither immediate nor straightforward.

He started attending his workmates’ church, but it was very strong on doctrine. There was no wiggle room for someone in the early stages and temptations of getting clean from a number of addictions. They spoke out against some of the choices John was still making, and he left the church.

Once again, he was back to drinking, smoking weed and doing whatever he wanted. ‘I still believed in Jesus and I was reading my Bible and praying, but I was going backwards.’

John was then invited to East City Corps, in Auckland, and started regularly attending. He was once again challenged about his lifestyle. This time around, he took another step forward.

His alcohol addiction was tough to shift, and he felt embarrassed about occasionally turning up hungover on Sunday mornings. However, he slowly cut down, week by week, and turned his back on weed for good. ‘I started giving up that lifestyle and living for Christ more and serving in the church.’

He spent more and more time at East City, whether it was stacking chairs after the service, opening up to people about his struggles, going to Bible study or helping with youth group.

‘There were a lot of other people that really supported me,’ he says.

As time went on and John grew in his faith, he was able to do the same for others. ‘People come and go, and there’s always people around to support. New people come and you become the support person for others.’

He made the decision to become an adherent of the corps and met his now-wife, Davinia, at soldiership class. After getting to know each other, they made the decision to give up alcohol together, which gave John a partner in the process.

The corps has become home for this family of six. ‘Davinia and the kids are an integral part of the church. Davinia is always keen to serve and is part of the music ministry, and the kids have a few serving roles to play as well—from housekeeping, welcoming people, raising the flag, lighting candles, even public prayer and Scripture reading.’

John is currently involved in the corps as a Sunday school teacher, and he also set up a men’s breakfast a couple of years ago. ‘I saw the men coming every Sunday, and then going out into the week and then you never hear from them for a whole week until Sunday, and it’s like we never know what they’re going through, what their struggles are or anything like that.

It’s really hard to get men together to talk and pray … the main focus is to develop a brotherhood.’

New life in Christ God has recently put it on John’s heart to share his story of forgiveness and repentance.

The first time he told his testimony was at East City’s youth group about five years ago. His corps officers invited him to share with the wider church, but he didn’t yet feel confident.

Fast forward to 2021, he was praying with his wife about wanting more opportunities to share their faith with others.

Coincidentally—or perhaps not—a member of their pastoral care team, Tania, asked if John wanted to share his testimony at the next Family Experience night. He remembered his recent prayer and agreed. Corps Officer Major Joanne Wardle heard about it, and soon enough he was sharing with the whole corps on a Sunday.

‘With the prayer being answered, I was like, not what I had in mind, but I’ll go with it.’

John has been clean and sober from drugs for five years, alcohol for four. Although he gets anxious from time to time, he no longer suffers from debilitating depression and anxiety. He has been freed from gambling, become a husband and father of four and experienced a ‘total mind change’.

‘Before, I was so angry and hateful. I hated people; now I love people, even the ones who are hard to love,’ he says.

John wants to see others experience the same life turnaround, and by sharing his story he hopes they can see that with Jesus everything is possible.

‘I want to see more people come to Jesus,’ John says. ‘The Bible says (in Luke 15:10) there is great rejoicing, even when one sinner repents.’

ONE FRIDAY NIGHT IN 2015, HE WAS CRAVING METHAMPHETAMINE AND WENT TO GET SOME FROM HIS OLDER BROTHER. AT HIS HOUSE, HIS BROTHER UNEXPECTEDLY HANDED HIM A GIDEON BIBLE.

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Problem Solving Under Pressure Decisions, decisions. Whether you have to quickly pick the right words in a tense conversation or think through a larger financial choice, decisionmaking can be an overwhelming process. It might be something you stew over for days or are forced to make in a matter of minutes—but either way, the process can cause you to feel anxious, under pressure, uncertain, unable to focus or exhausted.

When these emotions take hold, it becomes even harder to focus on the decision at hand. If you struggle to think rationally when you’re under the pump, here are some things to keep in mind.

• Give yourself as much time as possible. Even if somebody tells you they need an immediate answer, there’s always time to take a deep breath, at least.

• When it feels like stress is overwhelming you, do things which calm you (such as deep breathing or going for a walk).

Don’t put the problem off but do balance your need to find an answer with the need to stay in a good headspace.

• Consider the pros and cons. View the situation on paper and see if it gives you a different perspective. Journaling is another way to process your emotions and thoughts by drawing them all out of your head.

• Think about every possibility—and the consequences of each outcome. This does not mean you need to panic about all the ways something can go wrong; logically lay out which options carry the most/least risk and reward. Consider your goals, values and what is important to you and your loved ones.

• Consider how people will respond. Will anyone have a bad response to a particular choice?

• Get a second opinion. It can help to speak to someone who has been through a similar experience or can offer an outside perspective (even though you don’t need to take their advice as gospel).

• Wherever possible, leave time to sit with a decision before you make it official. If it doesn’t feel right, reevaluate whether it truly is the best option on the table.

Sometimes, even after lengthy consideration, you will find there is no perfect solution to a problem. You may be left with three or four possibilities which will all resolve the problem to some extent, but involve give and take. Be prepared to compromise and reframe your understanding of how things ‘should’ resolve themselves. Trust your ability to make the best choice with what you know at the time.

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TRUST YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICE WITH WHAT YOU KNOW AT THE TIME. Problem solving, stepby-step 1. Define the problem. If it is a big issue, break it down into smaller, more achievable pieces.

2. Set goals and brainstorm possible solutions. Be creative—at this stage, your ideas don’t necessarily have to be plausible or realistic.

3. Next, rule out any obviously poor, unrealistic or unhelpful options.

4. Identify the best solution(s)—there might be one obvious choice, or a combination. Put these into practice and commit to the choice you’ve made.

5. Evaluate what happened—both how you can learn from the experience itself, but also about making decisions. How can you make the process easier for yourself next time? What worked, what didn’t?

Source: au.reachout.com

TESTIFY! Rosy Keane is a prophet, poet, preacher and an integral part of Women’s Ministries here in our territory; sadly we say goodbye to Rosy as she moves on to another chapter in her colourful and inspiring life.

When I first started in my role as social media and resource specialist at Territorial Headquarters, I had never heard of Women’s Ministries before. I was sitting on my couch at home and I heard the audible voice of God—which was pretty freaky—say, ‘I give you the women’. This was about a year before I got into my role and I was like: What does that mean? God’s always been present, but that was a very tangible experience.

Since then, for the last five or six years, I have been the first employee in Women’s Ministries internationally who is not an officer. My mandate is to women, with an intentional social media and community-building role that is resourced to connect and collaborate with women. I see myself in the lineage of Catherine and Florence Booth, going to where the women are, and listening to them and becoming what they need.

Throughout New Zealand’s history there have been women of faith, women officers, women staff, women who are part of the church, who have been in the community and responded to its needs.

I have seen, in my time, God breathe a new vitality and coherency through the Word of God into women in The Salvation Army, and I am absolutely confident that this will continue to build after I leave—because it was never about me and it was never on me, it was always on the Holy Spirit. Where the people are faithful to what God asks of them, that’s where we see blessing.

I’ve been really supported and released into my giftings in Women’s Ministries

I WAS SITTING ON MY COUCH AT HOME AND I HEARD THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD—WHICH WAS PRETTY FREAKY—SAY, ‘I GIVE YOU THE WOMEN’. in The Salvation Army. At times my team haven’t exactly seen where an idea might end up, but they’ve trusted me to try it and that’s been what’s transformed the Women’s Ministries’ vision. We are beginning to see more people trusting women and there are more opportunities for women leaders.

My time here has been meaningful to me because of the women in our territory—the leaders in positions, not just officially in Women’s Ministries, but also all the women I’ve met along the way and the men who have supported us. The thing that has given me purpose is knowing that they are our people, they are my people and I am part of their family. It’s a humbling honour to be able to listen and, in some small way, take part in the story that God’s writing through them. I’ve been

able to take part in what The Salvation Army is doing, and what women have been doing this whole time and that’s been honouring, but I know that’ll continue in my local setting at Upper Hutt Corps as well.

Captain Missy Ditchburn, Midland Divisional Children’s Secretary and Candidates Secretary, said to me: ‘A prophet’s message remains fixed, but their feet do not’. I think this is beautiful, that when seasons change, it’s important for us to release and bless what we have achieved—and then open our eyes to the future and the next thing, not as a way of forgetting what came before, but building on it. This is what I feel about this new season for me, whether I’m writing my poetry book, performing spoken word or whatever comes next.

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Opportunities to travel internationally are limited at the moment, which means that you need a special reason to go abroad. For Tearne Boyd and Sophie Mowat of Glen Eden Corps, the chance came to learn, grow and serve through an internship run by The Salvation Army Republic of Ireland.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

The internship was a chance for the two of them to consider their next steps while seeing a different part of the world.

‘I didn’t really know where I wanted to go or what I wanted to be doing, and then this opportunity popped up and all the doors opened, and God was like, “Hey, you should go”,’ Tearne says.

‘It seemed like a really good opportunity to get out and to get some character building,’ Sophie agrees.

‘Homelessness is really bad in Dublin, so the fact that we could go and help out was really cool.’

They applied for the internship separately, which meant they were both excited and surprised to learn 12 firezone.co.nz 10 JULY 2021

they would be going together.

‘Tearne showed up at my house. She was like, “Right, get in the car, we’re going to the beach”,’ Sophie recalls.

‘So, we’re going to the beach, and she’s like, “Oh, by the way, I just want to tell you I got accepted to an Ireland programme”.’

It was a funny moment for the two friends, who both thought the drive would be a great chance to share their news with the other.

‘Then we were like, “Oh yeah, I’m leaving in three months” … “Hey, I’m leaving in three months!”’

Tearne says.

DUBLIN

Through their former corps officers, Captains Missy Ditchburn and Jordan Westrupp, Sophie and Tearne learned they could apply for funding support through The Salvation Army in New Zealand, which helped to cover some of their costs. Once their required paperwork had gone through, getting to Ireland was relatively straightforward; Tearne was one of the first to arrive in September, while Sophie landed in October.

They completed quarantine in two houses that The Salvation Army in Ireland had rented for the six interns to share, before getting stuck into the programme and all of its ups and downs.

‘On the one hand, there’s how it was set up to go, and on the other hand is how it did go,’ Sophie says.

‘It was set up so that there were six of us, and half of us would be working with the corps and half of us would be working in the family centres for emergency accommodation. But then, with Covid-19, they decided to merge our programmes, which was cool, so we got a taste of both things.’

The people they met in Dublin were very friendly, as well as fast-paced and often fast-talking. ‘They don’t slow down for you, even if you’re from a different country!’ Tearne says.

One of their favourite people they got to know was a local supermarket checkout operator. ‘She was always the highlight of your day if you went shopping,’ Sophie says. ‘We’d just have the meanest chats.’

Unfortunately, the pandemic response escalated after Christmas and the country was locked down again.

‘They went into level five, which is like our level four,’ Tearne explains.

ONLINE CONNECTIONS

The interns were not classed as essential workers, which meant that their work shifted online and into the corps side of the internship (although they also served the family centres in whatever ways they could, such as making newsletters). Because there are only two corps in the Republic of Ireland, the corps members they were reaching out to were spread out all over the country.

‘We also got to meet with some of the youth from Northern Ireland. We went on a few online functions and they were great to talk to,’ Sophie says.

It was tough to be in lockdown, far from home, separated from their family and friends. Along with the Dublin City Corps Officers, Lieutenant Charlotte Lennox and Captain Tim Lennox, their chaplain Eleanor was an important support person they could always call on.

‘She was always so supportive, and we’d do a whole range of things with her, like Bible studies, dinners,’ Tearne says. ‘I know she helped all of us because we all, at different points, got quite low.’

There were still highlights amidst the lockdown—like unexpected January snow and picking up a homeless dog at one point—and it provided time for reflection and connecting with God. ‘Despite the fact that Covid-19 happened and made things kind of difficult, it was still a really good faith-building experience for us, and just a privilege that the corps officers set it up and that they did what they could to manage the programme, despite what happened,’ Sophie says.

Sophie (front left) and Tearne (front right) with fellow interns Martha, Diāna, Jaene and Tavon.

Along with their responsibilities in the roles, each intern also received mentoring as part of the programme.

‘It was quite interesting—I never met my mentor in person, because at the time she was visiting family in Kenya and she got stuck over there. And then, just after I got home to New Zealand, she got home to Ireland,’ Sophie says. ‘We’ve kept in contact quite a lot since then.’

MIQ AT HOME

Getting back to New Zealand proved tricky, with the stressful task of getting a MIQ (Managed Isolation and Quarantine) voucher and finding a date before they booked up, but they finally managed to secure a date and were out of MIQ in May. Tearne even managed to surprise her friends with her early return. ‘They didn’t suspect a thing. They still thought I was coming back in July.’ She believes she has come home with stronger motivation and greater confidence in her decisions and relationship with God. ‘It’s been really nice being back and being able to translate that into real life, back to normal.’

Sophie, meanwhile, feels she is being called into ministry with young people and is pursuing work in that area. ‘Fingers crossed—if it’s where I’m meant to be, if it’s what I’m meant to do,’ she says. ‘But I definitely want to keep going when I’m called [and] see if I can help people.’

If you are interested in hearing more about this internship opportunity, contact Lieutenant Charlotte Lennox at charlotte.lennox@salvationarmy.ie for an information pack.

10 JULY 2021 WarCry 13

Homelessness to Hopefulness

BY LOUISE PARRY

Anna Bongers has a simple message for those who see people living on the street: ‘Don’t judge, and be kind’.

Anna’s life has undertaken a sea change since The Salvation Army recently found her a long-term rental, following her ninth stint of homelessness. The latest stretch followed a serious house fire she narrowly escaped in her Blenheim transitional accommodation.

Having removed her hearing aid when she went to bed, Anna didn’t hear any smoke alarm, and it was only as she got up to use the bathroom that she saw the smoke and escaped. In the middle of three flats, she managed to alert one of her neighbours, but could not rouse the other. She can’t remember much about that night, except that a stranger came along and called 111 and the lucky escape of the third tenant.

‘All Adrian [her neighbour] saw was me flying down the shingle driveway with bare feet. I had no hearing aid. I was just able to sit on a bench across the road and watch.’

14 WarCry 10 JULY 2021

Once she realised her neighbours had got out, reality dawned on her. ‘It took me a while to register that everything was going to be gone.’

Housed but hungry Previously, Anna had rented privately and supported herself through cleaning and gardening work, but found herself in transitional housing following her spiral into debt when she got behind on her rent.

‘I went hungry when I was in a rental because the rent was too much,’ she says.

Anna had only been in the transitional housing flat for four months when the fire took hold, and lost new linen, towels, household appliances and all the clothes she owned except for the ones she was wearing.

ANNA DIDN’T HEAR ANY SMOKE ALARM, AND IT WAS ONLY AS SHE GOT UP TO USE THE BATHROOM SHE SAW THE SMOKE AND ESCAPED. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) found her a motel, but she was reluctant to return to the place she had been put up in prior to going into the transitional accommodation.

‘I had been in there for four months in lockdown, so I don’t really want to go back to living in the motel,’ she said.

Following her refusal to stay in the motel, she walked to Pollard Park and slept there for a few nights, until a friend from Picton rang and offered her a boat to stay in. Although her friend was very happy to see her, Anna said sleeping in the enclosed boat cabin was stressful; she was suffering trauma from the fire, and was worried she wouldn’t be able to escape a blaze in such a confined space. ‘It didn’t go too well for me.’

She says people were kind to her, and week by week she did repairs to her bike to make it roadworthy. ‘They weren’t giving me any negativity but helping me repair my life and my bike,’ she said.

‘I never ask people for anything. I was fast asleep at the bus stop in Oriental Bay and a young lady got off the bus and said “Hello”, and put coins in my hand. I told her, “God will bless you”.’

Anna slept sitting up, but one night lay down and slept for the whole night and the rest of the next day; she was exhausted.

She didn’t know anybody in Wellington, but did feel accepted by the staff at The Salvation Army Wellington Community Ministries. ‘They used to ask, “Do you want a home?” No, I didn’t.’

‘PEOPLE WOULD COME UP AND GIVE A FEW DOLLARS AND ASK WHEN I HAD LAST HAD A GOOD COOKED MEAL.’

Kindness in Blenheim

Being heard

Back in Blenheim, she had a bike with saddlebags, and says she relied on herself and people’s generosity. ‘People would come up and give a few dollars and ask when I had last had a good cooked meal. Payday didn’t seem to meet all my needs.’

In Pollard Park she decided ‘if this is the way it’s going to be for the rest of my life, that’s the way it is going to be’.

However, Anna had learnt how to adapt quickly at a young age, and she knew she needed to move on. ‘If I had stayed still I would have gone under.’

She gave her trusty bicycle away when she came to Wellington, and it was to a new life, but one still on the streets. She says she moved to Wellington because she wanted to bring awareness of her plight to others. ‘You can be in accommodation and still be in a vulnerable position,’ she says.

‘Fire had taken everything from me, but it hadn’t taken away my determination to tell the truth.’

Her home became a bus stop in Oriental Parade. ‘That’s where my feet led me and that’s where I slept for a couple of weeks. I found my bike, and I called him Albert, and then I could carry some things. It was a home on wheels.’ Her washing machine was a plastic bag with water in it and she dried her washing on the bus seat or handrails of the bike.

Anna says she had not really felt heard until she was looking for some milk for her cup of tea and ran into Captain Joe Serevi, working at Te Wāhi Awhina (a community support space). The Salvation Army is one of the social agencies working with this Wellington City Council group. Until then, she had felt like all her dealings with social agencies had been a box-ticking exercise.

Joe spent the day with her, hearing about her life, her challenges and her hopes. He says he looked at her ‘as a person—spiritually, physically and emotionally’; something Anna had been missing in her life.

Joe has built up relationships with several motel managers around the city through his work with social housing tenants.

Some of them refuse to take MSD clients because they are not supported in their accommodation. Joe regularly visits clients; and motel managers know they can call him if there are any issues the tenants may have that need dealing with.

‘I don’t know what I was talking about’, Anna says, ‘but we just clicked. Joe said “Okay, then, will you come and look at a room right now?”’ Joe took her to a motel in George Street, where he had a good relationship with the manager. Anna had walked past the motel before but thought she wouldn’t be able to afford it. However, she’s now settled in one of the rooms and is paying the rent. She had been expecting to continue sleeping rough, ‘but I said, “yes, Joe, it’s not a house, it’s a room”—there’s a difference.’

Joe told her later he’d prayed to God for her, which resonated with Anna, who gave her life to Jesus in 2010.

‘Now I have a room, and I’m comfortable,’ she says. ‘Albert is upstairs in the window. He’s very good at the moment,’ she says.

‘I don’t mind being in a room. I can look out the window. I have running water, a vacuum cleaner and I can vacuum the floor. I can clean the windows. I steer my waka ama the way I choose to be with good purpose.’

HE SAYS HE LOOKED AT HER ‘AS A PERSON— SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY’; SOMETHING ANNA HAD BEEN MISSING IN HER LIFE.

10 JULY 2021 WarCry 15

Māori Ministry Alive in Te Wai Pounamu (South Island) A significant and moving ceremony was carried out as part of the Sunday worship at Sydenham Corps in Christchurch on 13 June.

Three adherents (Anthony Keen, Frederick Toetoe and Kaylah Corbett) and one soldier (Lloyd Manukau) were enrolled. These new members had connections with Māori Ministry, the Bridge addictions programme and were worshipping at the Sydenham Corps—He waka eke noa, their journey of faith was a real example of connected mission between the various arms of The Salvation Army’s work.

The service was carried out with a significant component of tikanga (correct procedure) including mihi whakatau (official welcome speech), te reo (Māori language) and waiata (song) and many Māori Ministry supporters came from other Salvation Army corps and centres in Christchurch to awhi (support) their whānau (family). Captains Jocelyn and Paul Smith, the corps officers, conducted the ceremony.

Lloyd spoke of his spiritual journey, including an early faith commitment which he walked away from, preferring 16 WarCry 10 JULY 2021

‘to do things my way—the wrong way!’

He indicated that he had gone through the Bridge programme 18 months ago, and through the process of recovery was proud to be walking God’s way in community now.

Major Christine De Maine outlined the whakapapa (history/genealogy) of Māori Ministry and its key connections to Christchurch and Te Wai Pounamu (South Island) at the very start of the Army’s Ministry with Māori.

Unbeknown to most people, there are within the congregation descendants of Major Ernest Holdaway, Ensign Sarah Stirling and Nanny Brown—all significant figures in the history of Te Ope Whakaora Māori Ministry. There was high emotion as whānau, now in one way or another, reconnected to Te Ope Whakaora (the Army that brings life) and once again enveloped in a common whakapapa.

It was a real sign that Māori Ministry is alive and growing in Te Wai Pounamu and, from our past and our present, God is bringing life through his Army—an Army that is embracing Māori people and Māori culture.

Above (clockwise): Captain Jocelyn Smith, Frederick Toetoe, Kaylah Corbett, Anthony Keen, Lloyd Manukau and Major Christine De Maine; Lloyd Manukau receiving prayer; Kaylah Corbett signing her covenant.

Palmerston North Corps’ Women’s Brunch On Saturday June 5, about 90 women, aged between 14 and 93, went out for brunch together in Palmerston North.

Imagine that!

On arrival, we found seats around tables set for six, and found beautiful, wee, pink-iced profiteroles waiting for us on our placemats. After being welcomed by Captain Michelle Lee, the men of Palmerston North Corps served us our brunch— delicious pancakes with bacon, bananas, maple syrup and cream.

We joined together to worship our God, ably led by Elyse Pickering and Maddy Fletcher, which then moved us into a time of being blessed by our territorial leader, Commissioner Julie Campbell. Commissioner Julie shared with us a little of herself and her journey as a woman and an officer. She talked of how God has loved her, led her and blessed her in her life, especially through the challenges she has faced. We also enjoyed lovely times of conversation during the morning.

For me, the hardest decision of the morning was when to eat the pink enticement—before grace (I was told I couldn’t do that), as an accompaniment to the meal or as dessert. I chose dessert, and it was a sweet ending to a lovely meal and time of fellowship and encouragement.

BY MARGARET-ANNE BAKEN Commissioner Julie Campbell (left) and Captain Michelle Lee.

Practices for Prayer: Fasting in a Distracted World Developing a prayer partner relationship with someone can be a way of supporting each other in life. By agreeing to meet regularly for the specific purpose of praying together, trust grows and both people benefit.

I have experienced this. A few years ago, a Christian lady contacted me pleading to meet for prayer regarding an urgent dilemma in her family. This soon developed into a weekly meeting and, gradually, I also began sharing my own prayer requests with her. We’ve witnessed much value as we continued to meet with and pray for each other over the years.

Then, for the year of 2019, I had another prayer partner.

Eventually we both felt like that season was over and she now has a different prayer partner.

Early last year, I started prayer walking with yet another lady. Sometimes God led us to action as a result of our prayer. Together we visited sick people and helped practically. We also incorporated weekly fasting.

Topics soon expanded from our own circles—of family, church, workplace, community, friends and country—to also include sick people, other churches, other countries, current events, whatever prayer requests each of us brought. Those prayer times were mutually encouraging.

There were weeks when I didn’t see answers to prayer, but my prayer partner would share a praise report, which uplifted my spirit. Even when we both were going through a particularly difficult time, it helped to have a fellow Christian you can trust, to share with and pray for each other. We also keep each other accountable.

Prayer partners should be a person of the same gender, and someone you can confide in.

This year, I moved, but for now I’ve continued to pray weekly with my prayer partners, utilising Messenger and phone calls. Very recently, God has given me a prayer partner in my new location.

‘Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need’ (Hebrews 4:16).

King Solomon gave wise advice when he said, ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another’ (Proverbs 27:17).

By Captain Selalina Prescott

10 JULY 2021 WarCry 17

Donna McCullough (left), Maureen Andrews and Roszanne Davidson.

Donna (left), Maureen, Roszanne, Julie Andrews and Captain John Carpenter.

Soldiership Told Through Song at Gore Corps There was great excitement at Gore Corps on Sunday 20 June, as they rejoiced over the enrolment of three new soldiers during a special service, where each person expressed their faith through worship music.

As a way to creatively frame their testimonies, Roszanne Davidson, Donna McCullough and Maureen Andrews each chose a song and explained why it was special to them, in the context of their faith.

Roszanne chose ‘Thank You Lord’ (Don Moen, 2004); Donna selected ‘Make My Life a Prayer to You’ (Keith Green, 1978); and Maureen picked ‘One Day at a Time’ (Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson, 1974).

‘Once they had given their little testimony in regard to that song, then we all sang the song together—except for Donna’s “Make My Life a Prayer to You”,’ says Corps Officer Captain John Carpenter. ‘We just listened to that one and focused our attention on the lyrics.’

All three women were presented with a plant to take home as a living memory of their soldiership.

There were more than 40 people present, and the corps held a shared lunch following the service.

‘Maureen baked three cakes and each one was decorated with the person’s name,’ John says. ‘We tried to make it as special as we could,’ he says. ‘It was a really joyful day for us.’

18 WarCry 10 JULY 2021

Combined Celebration: Matariki and Launch of the Māori Resource Book On Monday 21 June, staff at Territorial Headquarters in Wellington were invited to attend a combined celebration: Ngā Whetu Matariki, the recognition of the Māori New Year and the rising of the Matariki star cluster, and the launch of He Pukapuka Rauemi Māori: A Māori Resource Book.

After morning tea, guests were invited to view a presentation

by Co-Chair of Te Runanganui Aux-Captain Amiria Te Whiu, who explained the importance of Matariki and the historical context and meaning behind the star cluster.

This was then followed by Co-Chair of Te Runanganui Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson who introduced the author of the pukapuka, Joanne Rosandich (co-author Frane Rosandich was unable to make the launch) and Mark Hawkins who designed the tohu on the cover.

Thanks was extended to Joanne for her work in writing the resource, as well as to the Communications Department for their work in production.

‘Joanne brought her significant knowledge of Māori culture and tikanga, considerable dedication and hard work and this, along with her strong Christian faith, helped her put together the pukapuka (book)—a real taonga (treasure) for the Army,’ said Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson.

A highlight of the morning was a stirring haka and waiata performed by members of the Whangārei Corps, who then generously provided the staff with a delicious hāngī which they had prepared.

WE ALL HAVE PEOPLE WHO, AS YET, DON’T KNOW OR HAVE NOT BEEN INTRODUCED TO JESUS.

Below (clockwise): The Matariki display crafted lovingly by Cairine Barton; He Pukapuka Rauemi Māori; Mark Hawkins (left), Joanne Rosandich and Envoy Anihera Carroll.

Lately, I have been considering the benefits of a good question, because in asking a good question we learn, understand and open up conversation.

In my late teens to early twenties, I was a bandsman in the Wellington South Corps. The corps sergeant major and long-time Salvationist, Cyril Bradwell, on occasions would ask me a question that is perhaps not asked often enough today.

He would look me in the eye and ask: ‘David, how is your soul?’

I wonder, when was the last time (if at all) you were asked this question? And, more importantly, how would you answer this question if it was asked of you today? It’s a key question for anyone who is a follower of Christ. It’s a question that helps you reflect on how well your personal relationship is with your Heavenly Father and how that impacts your spiritual journey and Christlikeness.

Jesus was asked, ‘“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’ (Matthew 22:36–40).

The question—‘How is your soul?’—is a challenge to how this command of loving the Lord your God is being lived out. The second part to Jesus’ answer of loving your neighbour as yourself leads to the second question which, as divisional leaders, my wife Denise and I challenged Salvationists with: ‘Who’s your one?’

This challenge, given at the start of 2020, was to encourage them to look for the opportunity to share Jesus with one person. To pray for the person who Jesus placed in their life, and then to be aware of the opportunities to share Jesus’ love with them.

The territorial ‘We Commit’ statements affirm that ‘We commit to intentionally make passionate disciples of Jesus’. I believe that one of the fundamental ways this happens is when one person shares Jesus and his love with another. Jesus’ words of commission, in Matthew 28, say that we are to ‘make’ disciples, meaning that we are not just to ‘be’ disciples. This may cause a little discomfort, but we all have people who, as yet, don’t know or have not been introduced to Jesus.

So I ask the question of you and challenge you: Who’s your one?

As you read this, can I encourage you to commence praying for that person and then look for the appropriate opportunity to share Jesus with them.

I hope your soul is well, too. God bless you!

Captain David Daly Territorial Secretary for Mission 10 JULY 2021 WarCry 19

Simply Thankful he once said, ‘You can be angry for what you don’t have or you can be thankful for what you do have’. This is a compelling and confronting statement which causes us to consider not only Nick’s testimony but also the many places in the Bible where a similar theme emerges.

In all circumstances In 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 we read, ‘Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’. This may seem easy to embrace when all is going well; after all, it is not that difficult to be simply thankful when something good has happened around us. Yet there remains a danger that we might become so complacent with the blessings that come our way that we forget to give thanks or to acknowledge the impact that blessing has had on us.

Nick Vujicic is a remarkable Christian man! He is a man of influence and his message of hope has become a source of inspiration to people all around the world.

No matter who his audience, there is a consistent theme about the importance of striving for an attitude of gratitude.

BY MAJOR EARLE IVERS 20 WarCry 10 JULY 2021

This message in itself may seem familiar.

Yet, when placed in the context of Nick’s life, the call to thankfulness takes on a new dimension, since here is a young man born with a rare disorder known as tetra-amelia syndrome, which is characterised by being born without arms and legs.

If anyone might be resolved to bitterness and anger about the circumstances of life, it could be Nick.

Yet, somehow, his life and message are quite the opposite. For example,

‘YOU CAN BE ANGRY FOR WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE OR YOU CAN BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE’.

But what about when life takes an unexpected turn and the outlook becomes grim? How uncomfortable does this call then become? How do we give thanks when a tragedy has just happened and it involves someone we love? How do we give thanks when there is no money for the bills that are in our inboxes? How

do we give thanks for that troubling diagnosis? How do we give thanks when the future seems to have no hope? It becomes easy to convince ourselves that God has forgotten us and that we are all alone, yet nothing could be further from the truth, even in the times when life brings its worst.

This is not to delude ourselves from reality, but it is an expression of faith that dares to take God at his word and to discover him at work even in the most unlikely places. In all of this, there are some promises for us to embrace and then to experience.

HOW DO WE GIVE THANKS WHEN THE FUTURE SEEMS TO HAVE NO HOPE? God is near First, let us take hold of the fact that no matter what the situation or circumstance, God is near, even when we think he might not be. In Isaiah 43:1b–2 we read, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.’

The confronting reality of our humanity is that there will inevitably come seasons of trial, trouble and turmoil. There will be times when we are disappointed with people, even disappointed with God, where we might even cry out, ‘God where are you?’

And a still small voice whispers, ‘Closer than you think!’

Thankfulness There are things that are simply impossible to give thanks for, at least in the moment when they are happening.

However, this leads us to our second consideration: let us also take hold of the thought that we are being called to give thanks ‘in’ all circumstances, not ‘for’ all circumstances. There is a significant difference between the two.

Some things are simply impossible to give thanks for! Yet, if we adjust our focus heavenward we may discover that our outlook changes as we begin to see the promises of God fulfilled in us. There is no denying that this is a disciplined focus that sometimes takes a lot of faith for any of us to embrace, but in difficult times we are encouraged to take a leap of faith—although sometimes it may seem that we are only able to hang on by our fingernails. We make a conscious decision to focus on God’s faithfulness to us, rather than on our circumstances; to dwell on his promise to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and to trust him to help us in every situation, even when the situation seems bigger than our own ability to overcome it or when the pain is real.

We may never be able to thank God for the situation, but he doesn’t actually ask us to do that. He does, however, call us to be thankful in the situation, by leaning into him and allowing him to be found where we thought we would find him least. Even there, God is faithful.

We all know that there is wisdom in hindsight and this is the final assurance for us to think about today. Could it be that our lament might even be turned into learning? Sometimes we really only learn when we look back. Sometimes it is even helpful to sit with our laments. The good news is that God is not afraid of them and, even there, he will be found.

In the darkness Many will know the testimony of Corrie ten Boom. Corrie suffered terribly in German concentration camps and, like Nick Vujicic, could easily have chosen to be bitter.

In her book, The Hiding Place, she shares the story of an incident that taught her to be grateful in all things. Her story describes the horrid conditions of a camp at Ravensbrück, the worst place that she and her sister Betsy had experienced during their captivity.

She describes the barracks which were infested with fleas.

Her testimony reveals that one morning they read this same verse from 1 Thessalonians 5 and, while Betsy was full of faith, Corrie needed some convincing. Betsy wanted to give thanks that day for every detail of their living

COULD IT BE THAT OUR LAMENT MIGHT EVEN BE TURNED INTO LEARNING? conditions. At first, Corrie refused to be thankful for anything, but Betsy insisted and Corrie gave in.

The lament was turned into learning.

It was a discovery of the faithfulness of God, even when she could not see it at the time. Corrie recalls that during their stay at the camp, they were able to hold Bible study and prayer meetings openly without problems from the guards. They were left alone because they would not enter the barracks because of the fleas.

Corrie became thankful for the fleas! She was thankful in her circumstances. She discovered an attitude of gratitude, as her lament became a pathway to learning.

As hard as it might seem, in giving thanks in the situation, not for the situation, we discover that ‘…in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose’ (Romans 8:28). We discover that his grace is sufficient and that he will sustain us (2 Corinthians 12:9), and that even the testing of our faith ultimately leads to perseverance (James 1:3).

Finally, in Colossians 3:15–17, ‘Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.’

Even in our biggest challenges, God can and will be found in them. He has not forgotten us or forsaken us. Why not stop, just for a moment, and reach out to him now? He is closer than you think!

10 JULY 2021 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 21 July: Day of Prayer and Reflection 22–23 July: Territorial Appointments Conference 23 July: MORE Conference—opening session Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) 21 July: Day of Prayer and Reflection 22–23 July: Territorial Appointments Conference Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 21 July: Day of Prayer and Reflection 22–23 July: Territorial Appointments Conference

Waihi Corps Anniversary 125 years (+1)

24–25 July 2021

PRAY Wellington City Corps, Wellington District Court chaplaincy, Wellington South Corps, Westgate

FEATURING

Corps, Westport Corps, The Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

Guest Leaders Lt-Colonels Rod & Jenny Carey *Conversazione*Celebration Dinner* TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

(07) 863 7812 • Waihi.Corps@salvationarmy.org.nz

BCM Library to the rescue!

Subscribe today!

From reference books for study and sermon prep to biographies and Christian living, enjoy unlimited access to the EBSCO eBook Religion Collection as part of a Booth College of Mission Library membership.

Email library@salvationarmy.org.nz for more info.

Want to Know More?

War Cry DIRECT to your door

Annual subscription (including p&p) $75 (within NZ) To subscribe, contact Salvationist Resources, p: (04) 382 0740, e: mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz

Come Aside, Come Together Retreat

I would like: to learn about who Jesus is information about The Salvation Army The Salvation Army to contact me prayer for the following needs:

10–12 September 2021 Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141

Be enriched and refreshed in the stunning environment of Living Springs on the Banks Peninsula. Take time to go deeper in your relationship with God. Single and shared accommodation available. $180 per person + travel.

Contact Colonel Heather Rodwell to register your interest heather.rodwell@salvationarmy.org.nz Quiz Answers: 1 Sandy, 2 Georgia, 3 Ford’s Theatre, 4 Sir Henry Cole, 5 Daniel (Daniel 1:6–7).

22 WarCry 10 JULY 2021

Word Puzzle

YOUR BREATH.

Did you know?

At this exact moment in time, you’re the oldest you have ever been and the youngest you will ever be.

SILENCE.

Can you fill in the double letters missing from these words that are based on the clues, and then match the answers to their opposite word?

Clue

Word

The weather is usually like this in summer Somebody who is happy could also be called …

Y

D

G S

The colour of butter When you tip over a carton of milk

L

E

What you say to farewell somebody

B

A

One of the lead characters in the 2014 movie Frozen

S

This party decoration is full of helium (Tip: This puzzle is missing TWO sets of double letters)

A

Mirror Masterpiece

Y

E

P

E

LEPPRU

F

U

S

NAGORE

N

CNLAE

L

NAIRY LOHEL

L

Draw the other half of these moths as if they were being reflected in a mirror.

DAS

R

I

A

PSALM 139:14

BNERSUM

Y

R

This fruit can be either red or green

The alphabet is made up of these

B

U

C H

‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.’

Opposite O W

E

WHAT BREAKS WHEN YOU SAY IT?

WHAT CAN YOU HOLD WITHOUT TOUCHING IT?

E

A

SLEA

DLEENE

Have you ever looked down into a fulllength mirror and tried to see your toes on the ground? If you press your forehead against the glass, you can usually spot them at the bottom. We can only see so far, but it’s like the mirror world goes on and on.

Most of us use a mirror for getting ready before leaving our homes—to brush our hair, straighten our shirt and check there is no spinach stuck in our teeth.

When we look in a mirror, we are usually thinking about how other people might see us.

Here’s something cool: God doesn’t see the same two-dimensional version of us that we see in the mirror. He also sees the person we are on the inside.

And even though we are all different— exactly as he designed—he loves every one of us completely. Even when we make a mistake. Even when we don’t pass a test. Even when we have spinach stuck in our teeth. In his eyes, we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’. Just like the mirror, his love for us goes on and on, beyond what we can see or comprehend.

I WONDER...

… can you list three awesome things about yourself that you can’t see in a mirror, which make you who you are?

10 JULY 2021 WarCry 23

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING AURORA LEIGHT

EARTH’S CRAMMED WITH HEAVEN AND EVERY COMMON BUSH AFIRE WITH GOD. BUT ONLY HE WHO SEES, TAKES OFF HIS SHOES, THE REST SIT ROUND IT AND PLUCK BLACKBERRIES…