22 February 2020 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 22 FEBRUARY 2020 | Issue 6736 | $1.50

Angel’s Overcoming Stand Against Human Trafficking Territorial Leaders Welcomed to Wellington

Stand for Gender Equity Armed & Dangerous

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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 William

& Catherine Booth

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

EDITOR Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Captain Jules Badger, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | COVER PHOTO Martin Barratt OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

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

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $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.

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Nail My Colours to the Mast There is an old nautical practice called ‘nailing your colours to the mast’. This dates back to the Age of Sail when ships would only fight while flying their national flag.

If the flag, or colours, was felled, and surrender not an option, then the colours would be fixed with nails to the mast. This clearly showed the intents and plans of the ship to continue the battle.

Now, as I come on board as the new War Cry editor, I will nail my colours to the mast. My colours represent the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my captain and my guide. It is to him that my allegiance is given, and I will follow him wherever he leads. The colours also represent The Salvation Army who has commissioned the ‘ship’ in which I am stationed. My aim as editor is to work with our wonderful editorial team, to tell the stories of the battles and victories of the people within this organisation, and to ensure the War Cry encourages and enlightens our readers on their missions.

In this week’s War Cry, you will read the redemptive story of Angel Murphy who, with the help of Christ and The Salvation Army, overcame her difficult circumstances. Angel clearly nails her colours to the mast, and though her circumstances remain challenging, she has set course and she will not be moved.

It is these stories—your stories—that are witness to the transforming power of the Gospel. I look forward to meeting many of you and telling your stories and sharing your challenges and victories.

Vivienne Hill Editor

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 136 years | Issue 6736 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 SalvationArmyNZFTS @SalvationArmyNZ salvationarmynzfts

2 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

Romans 1:16 (NKJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Roma 1:16 Kāhore hoki ōku whakamā ki te rongopai: ko te kaha hoki ia o te Atua hei whakaora mō ngā tāngata katoa e whakapono ana; mō te Hūrai ki mua, mō te Kariki anō hoki.

T

he Australian bush fires have been raging for five months now. And, like many War Cry readers, I’ve been praying. But when pitted against the ferocious appetite of the worst fires ever recorded on the planet in terms of hectares ravaged, my prayers seem so utterly feeble.

I’ve caught myself wondering what the people directly impacted by the fires are thinking about God, and indeed about prayer. Are they asking— when so many people claim to be praying—why are the fires still raging? Are they wondering if God is even listening? Are they feeling abandoned by God—questioning his very existence? It’s not hard to imagine doubt rising at times like this.

Yet, despite this very real potential for doubt, I’m reminded that throughout history countless Christians have testified to the nearness of God during times of extreme hardship, despair, illness, persecution and even natural disasters. The image of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego standing in Nebuchadnezzar’s furnace is uppermost in my mind as I think about Australia—God stood with these Bible heroes in the fire and his presence was tangible.

When 9/11 occurred in 2001, I recall hearing someone pray that people would be drawn near to God through the terror attacks—that their pain and suffering would not be in vain, that people would grow spiritually and God would somehow be glorified. As a new Christian, I struggled to wrap my head around this request. Wouldn’t the best prayer be simply to ask God to take the pain away and make the terror stop?

Fast forward, and not only have I personally experienced God using my own pain to grow my faith and even point others to him, but I’ve

prayed similar prayers for others going through horrendous ordeals—and marvelled as God has worked in ways I could never have imagined. And recently, I’ve listened to the experiences of people who testify that God is in fact at work amidst so much loss and tragedy in Australia.

Could it be that the ‘answers’ we seek in prayer come as much through the process of actually persevering in prayer than immediate outcomes?

I’m not saying God doesn’t answer prayer—far from it. I’m simply highlighting that prayer is (thankfully) mysterious. Often the benefits of prayer reach far beyond the parameters of our requests, out into time and circumstances we have yet to arrive in, bringing meaning in ways we don’t immediately recognise.

What if the purpose of prayer really is less about answers and more about intimacy with God? Less about results and more about relationship?

What if the goal of prayer is not what God can do for us, but the simple reward of his constant presence with us?

I’m so grateful God can see what I cannot— that’s what keeps me praying and trusting against all odds. God continues to redeem and work all things together for good—be that the devastation wrought by the Australian bushfires, or the ordinary but often complex lives of you and me.

The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition present your request to God. And the peace of God which transcends understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6).

BY JULES BADGER

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 3

WARCRYINHISTORY

The 27 February 1932 War Cry reported an initiative from the Miramar Men’s Industrial Home. They made and distributed 500 Goodwill Bags around Wellington to collect donations, and ‘anything from a needle to an anchor is acceptable. The army can find some use for it.’ They also reported they had been able to offer 10,000 free beds, 13,250 cheap meals and 20,080 free meals to the needy in Wellington.

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

Raspberry Oat Bars 11 cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 pinch of salt 1 1/3 cups rolled oats ¾ cups soft brown sugar 170g cold butter, diced 1 large egg, lightly beaten ¾ cup raspberry jam

Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper.

Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt in a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add the rolled oats and brown sugar.

Add butter and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Process until the mixture just begins to form large clumps.

Tip mixture into a large bowl and, using a fork, roughly mix in the egg.

Place ¾ of the mixture into the base of the prepared tin and gently press so the mixture is even. Spread over the jam.

Crumble the remaining mixture to resemble a streusel topping.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until well coloured and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool before cutting into bars.

Store once completely cold in an airtight container.

Source: eatwell.co.nz

SALLIEOFTHEWEEK

Ruth MacNamara (Alexandra Community Ministries) Ruth MacNamara has volunteered in the Alexandra Community Ministries foodbank for so long she can’t remember when she started. Ruth can be found packing food parcels or even with her head in a freezer cleaning and defrosting it—such is her boundless energy! When asked by Captain Logan Bathurst why she continues to volunteer, her unabashed reply was ‘because it needs to be done!’ Ruth’s dedication is driven by a deep sense of faith in action, and a desire to support her local community. And that’s why she’s our ‘Sallie of the Week’—thank you Ruth!

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Weird of the Week: Approximately 10–20% of power outages in the USA are caused by squirrels.

QUIKQUIZ

1 Mahé is the biggest island of what country?

2 Leopon is the hybrid of which two animals?

3 What is the origin and meaning of the word ‘Gelato’?

4 What is the capital of Austria?

5 What did Naomi call herself after suffering great tragedy?

Answers on page 22

TOPFIVE

The first Sunday of March is NZ Children’s Day, so we thought we would dedicate this one to the kids and make it all about lollies!

However, we reckon they might do a double take if handed a packet of these.

BCM Kids Fired Up for Australia

Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.

Desmond Tutu

5. P ickle Candy Canes—Easily mistaken for the traditional mint-flavoured Christmas treat, these candy canes are a sneaky prank.

4. N urungji (Scorched Rice Candy)—This Korean delicacy is meant to taste like charred, dark golden popcorn.

3. L amb Caramels—Japan can lay claim to a variety of interesting flavours, including Squid candy and Wasabi-flavoured Kit Kats, but these lamb-flavoured caramels take the cake. Vegetarians beware!

2. K itten Tongue Chocolate—Thankfully these are only shaped like cat tongues rather than made of them, but this Czech candy might still raise a couple of eyebrows.

1. Lightning Bugs—These gummies light up when squeezed with a pair of tongs!

In response to the call to donate to The Salvation Army Australia’s bushfire relief efforts, the kids of Booth College of Mission got fundraising.

Leighton Noakes, Ezekiel Ratu, Grace Dale, Josh Dale and Adelaide Noakes made a plan all on their own and started by making lemonade to sell.

‘Once they had depleted the BCM lemon tree and raided everyone’s sugar supply, they got a bit of extra dosh by starting a car wash using cleaning products they found in the shed,’ reports BCM supportive parent Cadet Aimee Noakes.

‘The kids spent hours outside and worked together. There were roofers on site that day, and the kids gave them free cups of lemonade for their work in the hot sun. This worked in the kids’ favour, because when the roofers found out what the kids were raising money for, they were happy to add a donation.’

The kids charged $1 for a glass of lemonade and $5 for washing each car. They even had a few people who were walking through the college property stop and sample their wares.

They raised $100 to go towards the appeal, which was a fantastic effort! War Cry commends the kids of BCM for their fundraising initiative, their compassion for others in need and tireless efforts partnering in mission.

Documentary For Sama (R16, graphic content may disturb) Directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Edward Watts For Sama is a gritty, intimate and thought-provoking documentary, telling the story of those who fought for freedom in Aleppo, Syria.

This sobering, first-hand account of war filmed by Waad Al-Kateab, documents many horrors—dead children, grieving families, physical and emotional devastation. It’s certainly not an easy watch.

Much of the footage is shot at a make-shift hospital, where Waad and her husband, a doctor, end up living and working. If you’re not good with gore, you may find yourself frequently looking away.

Despite this, For Sama also captures the best of humanity—the power of love, courage in the face of adversity, and the sacrificial and relentless pursuit of freedom—even at great cost. This documentary will cause you to reflect on your life: the privilege of living in peace, and your role in challenging injustice. Let it.

(Reviewed by Lauren Millington) 22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 5

Deep in the rolling green hills of Southland lies Jeff Farm—a hidden gem in The Salvation Army’s work. Gifted to the Army in 1952, it has been used ever since to train young people for a career in the agricultural industry, as well as financially supporting the wider youth programmes of the Army.

BY MARTIN BARRATT

I

’m sitting in the passenger seat of a ute, bouncing along a rough track as I listen to Jeff Farm manager John Chittock tell me about the busyness of lambing season. John’s eight working dogs run excitedly alongside and behind the vehicle. The sun is shining and cloud shadows flit across the hills as the wind blows the long, lush Southland grass—a perfect and peaceful moment.

January is a very busy time at Jeff Farm—shearing season. The six-month ewes are first and then on to the lambs. Contract shearers are brought in to shear the 20,000 lambs and 13,000 ewes. Their days start at 4am and run through to 8pm. It is hot and dusty work and conditions are hard, but it is the most important part of the year.

Every day is different John tells me of the misadventures of a previous farm cadet. Upon arrival, John discovered this young man couldn’t ride a motorbike. John tried to teach him the basics. He put some white posts in a line down the middle of one of the paddocks and asked the cadet to ride round them. The cadet managed to knock all of them over before losing control of the bike and riding into the side of the killing shed.

The same cadet also managed to drive a tractor and a tanker trailer of diesel down the lane, hitting most of the fence strainers and ripping them out of the ground. When John had finished laughing, he made the cadet replace each one by hand.

As John delights in telling me, most paddocks at Jeff Farm are named after someone who has done something wrong! ‘There’s a paddock called Bat’s Nest— not just because there are bats, but because a cadet whose last name is Bat was sent down to the paddock to work and no one knew where he was. A few hours later he was found fast asleep in the tussock.’

An unexpected gift Jeff Farm lies on Old Coach Road between Mataura and Clinton in rural Southland. Edmund Jeff farmed the property for years before World War II with the assistance of local labour. Times were tough and he didn’t have the capital to develop the property. The war and its aftermath removed the pool of local labour. In the early 1950s, widowed and with no children, Edmund faced 22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 7

compulsory acquisition of the farm by the Government, so that it could be divided into small units for the settlement of returned soldiers. Edmund had a better idea.

In 1952 he formed a trust to administer the property, and rather than the Government acquire his land, he stipulated that the farm was to be gifted to The Salvation Army. This was provided it was used to train young people for a career in the agricultural industry.

Edmund decided to travel the world in 1954, and so The Salvation Army took over the running of the trust and set about administering the farm according to his wishes. Under various managers, the property began to turn a profit, as well as train the students.

In 1982, The Salvation Army Trust Board invited several southern businesses and farmers to sit on a farm management board. This resulted in a massive development programme, financed by accumulated profits.

Low-lying pasture was drained and upgraded, new internal roads were built, and the farm buildings and stock were significantly improved. There was an escalation in profit and The Salvation Army decided to expand the terms of the late Edmund Jeff’s bequest, while remaining within its spirit and using Jeff Farm as the source of that bequest.

In 1995, the High Court approved a variation of trust, whereby some students would still be trained at the farm, but the trust board could use the income to educate young people for a life in agriculture at other approved training establishments.

Jeff Farm today Today, Jeff Farm covers 2,424 hectares (6,000 acres) and has 28,000 sheep, 1,409 cattle and 1,275 red deer—plus 39 working dogs to control them all. It is a very successful business with a turnover of more than $3.5m, providing high-quality lamb, beef and venison to Silver Fern Farms. Their ethos is to gain good returns from the produce and animals in order to maximise profits for The Salvation Army’s work.

Each year the Jeff Farm Trust gives between $500,000 and $700,000 to various scholarships and Salvation Army youth programmes. Today, The Salvation Army grants scholarships for young people to study agriculture-related courses at Lincoln University, the nearby Telford Rural Polytechnic at Balclutha, Taratahi Agricultural College and Primary ITO. Every year, four young farm cadets are in residence and train in practical farming skills under the direction of John 8 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

EDMUND FACED COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF THE FARM BY THE GOVERNMENT … FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF RETURNED SOLDIERS. EDMUND HAD A BETTER IDEA. and his senior staff. The farm provides accommodation and meals for the cadets who receive a wage for their hard work.

They must also complete several Primary ITO unit standards: Soil and Pasture, Stockmanship, Animal Husbandry and Breeding. The course takes two years and competition for entry to the programme is strong, due to Jeff Farm’s good reputation.

A second-year cadet, Tain Laing, has a long family legacy at Jeff Farm, his great-grandfather was the first farm manager and his grandfather rode to the local school by horse, but Tain wasn’t aware of his family connection. He had heard about Jeff Farm through word of mouth from friends and local farmers.

Tain came to the farm straight after leaving school and found the hard, physical nature of the work, the long hours and difficult climate a shock. However, as he comes to the end of his time at the farm, he says, ‘This place has been really good for me. If I didn’t come to Jeff Farm, I wouldn’t be surrounded by the type of people that I am now; people that have helped me a lot.’ He has formed a bond with same-year farm cadet, Angus, and has enjoyed sharing his experience with the new first-year cadets.

Tain is moving on to a job at a farm in Mandeville, about 30 minutes away. It is a much bigger place—20,000 breeding ewes and 500 breeding cows—and is another step up from Jeff Farm. Currently Tain has five working dogs and it is likely this number will grow when he moves. He will soon train up pups, this will help improve his stock handling and dog trialling—a major interest for him.

In January 2018, Tain and his dog Smudge won the Tux Yarding Challenge Maiden competition in the South Island Dog Trial Championships (his second-ever event). Later that month at the 2018 Tux New Zealand Yarding Challenge Series Final, in the maiden/novice final, they placed second in the country. Tain admits it was a proud moment for him.

Tain Laing and the dogs down on the farm.

The Chittocks John and Liz Chittock are the sixth managers in the history of Jeff Farm, having taken over in 2001. Under their guidance, the farm has gone from strength to strength, both in terms of good practice and profitability.

John and Liz credit the supportive board with giving the farm direction with robust five-year plans. The board hasn’t just invested in the farm but in Liz and John too, and they feel very valued as a result.

John runs the farming, while Liz manages the accounts— a perfect team. John refers to Liz as the nuts and bolts of the operation and quietly confides that Jeff Farm simply wouldn’t function without her.

John is a former rugby player for Southland and was a champion in dog trials for more than 40 years, including being a judge at national level. Along with his dogs, he is passionate about instilling in young people the importance of good practice and honest, hard work. Each day he tells the cadets, ‘Go to work.

Enjoy what you do. Come home safe’.

John and Liz take great pride in managing Jeff Farm and its reputation. They also have huge admiration for the work of The Salvation Army and feel privileged to be part of it and contribute towards young people’s programmes.

Good times and bad The terrain at Jeff Farm is hard and the climate harsh. The top of the farm is around 450m above sea level and snow and bad weather is a fact of life. John and Liz remember their worst moment as managers. In Spring 2010, during the lambing season, a storm blew in that lasted 10 days. It was the worst weather event in the region for 50 years. There was 25cm of snow on the hills and chilling winds, hail and then heavy rain (140mm at the farm). They couldn’t get out to tend the livestock

…ENTRY TO THE PROGRAMME IS STRONG, DUE TO JEFF FARM’S GOOD REPUTATION.

and what little shelter there was didn’t help. Many lambs and ewes drowned in the mud and more than 8,000 perished on the flat paddocks and hills (lamb losses for the whole region were more than 500,000). The distressing clean-up effort to remove all the bodies took more than two weeks. It caused them to think long and hard about continuing their work.

But there are the good times. Jeff Farm has won numerous stock and environmental awards and last year it celebrated a great achievement: the 2017 Silver Fern Farms Sheep Industry Trainer of the Year award, at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Sheep Industry Awards.

More than the awards though, John and Liz take great pride at seeing young people succeed and move into the industry. John reflects that you spend so much time with the farm cadets and see them grow, that ‘you love them a like a son, really’. It can be hard to say goodbye.

After the many years on the farm, the hundreds of farm cadets they have trained and the huge amount of money they have raised for The Salvation Army’s work, I ask them to sum up their time at Jeff Farm. John says it simply: ‘We have been very fortunate to have loved this farm and been surrounded by good people who have loved it too. Ultimately, we are only custodians of this place.

We want to leave it in a better situation than when we joined.’

Jeff Farm Trust offers grants that support various Salvation Army programmes. Funding priority is given to under-privileged youth and includes adventurebased learning, camping, alcohol and drug therapy, training opportunities, and supervision for courtrelated diversion. Applications are released annually in November, and must be received by the Territorial Youth Department by February.

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Conflict Between Cultures It is a great opportunity to be able to sit around a table where many cultures, languages and understandings intersect, but sometimes these differences become a clash of ideals.

For bi-cultural children, feeling torn between two worlds is especially real. While opposing generational, social or political segments are just as likely to disagree, cultural family friction can be especially hurtful given that our family and culture are such important components of our identity.

Although some children may feel pushed to adopt their new country’s culture due to racism or peer pressure, usually there is a natural acclimatisation to the place where they are growing up. This tug of war can cause tension when the parents and child(ren) disagree on fundamental topics and issues, such as drinking, discipline, education, dating, clothing, language or diet. If what your peers are experiencing is different to what your family expects of you, it can feel as though your parents are sabotaging your efforts to blend in or belong. On the other hand, feeling guilty about being the ‘odd one out’ in your extended family, or feeling compelled to live by your parents’ cultural rules and values, can also be uncomfortable.

HEAR THEIR POINT OF VIEW AND MAKE YOURS KNOWN WITHOUT ANGER.

less likely to feel defensive when you clash on issues. Even better, you are likely to find out some things you did not know.

If needed, try speaking with someone outside of your immediate family who can help to mediate. When the dust settles, you always stand to gain more from learning and embracing your cultural background. While this does not mean you have to fully succumb to your family’s beliefs or practices, finding a natural balance between your backgrounds is always the best option.

The bad news is that there is no clear-cut way to tread through these disagreements. However, if you are feeling caught, here are some tips to stop conversations with your parents from turning into arguments.

How to Manage Conflict with Family Members

Listen. Hear their point of view and make yours known without anger. Remember that your parents are adjusting too; it is hard to raise a child in a completely different environment to the one they know.

In the moment …

After it happens …

Try not to get wound up about the small stuff.

Talk through the argument at a neutral time when none of you are upset, tired, angry or stressed.

Compromise. Explain why you feel strongly about this issue, and ask why their opinion is important to them. Try to find a middle ground.

Agree to disagree, healthily. Sometimes you won’t see eye to eye, but try not to damage your overall relationship. If you are both adults, find a way to disagree amicably. If you are the child, then accept your parents’ decision and do not harbour a grudge.

Ask questions. Embrace your diversity and ask them about their background. If people feel heard and understood, they are

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Get some space, chill out or exercise, where possible.

Count to 10, before you say anything you’ll regret.

Take a breath and come up with a more mature response.

Source: reachout.com

Avoid sarcasm and verbal jabs.

Where conversation fails, try writing a letter/email.

TESTIFY! Angel Murphy, from Sydenham Corps, shares her struggle with abuse and addiction, until she surrendered to God and turned her life around.

I grew up in what seemed like a normal family, but, behind closed doors, my father was sexually abusing me. He was diagnosed with cancer and became a Christian. This made me quite negative towards God, because although the abuse stopped, my father said things like, ‘I’ve been forgiven by God’, yet he never apologised. I was a straight-A student and avid ballerina, but after an injury and his death, I rebelled by drinking and smoking, then moved into using marijuana and LSD. I led a heavy life of addiction and gangs until 2008, when my house got burned to the ground by someone who had a vendetta against me. I realised then that I was in over my head. Not long after, I found out I was pregnant again, with my little girl, Madison. My two other children had been taken off me. I had no power, no food. I had the drive to give up using drugs, but the addiction was overpowering.

I remember lying on the floor and I reached out and said my first-ever prayer: ‘If there’s a God out there, now could you please help me?’

I found my way to the Bridge programme. I was overwhelmed with the kindness that the Sallies showed me. I didn’t understand how they knew everything about me, but still liked and loved me anyway. I welcomed God into my life.

I got my diploma and worked at the Bridge for a while, but after five years, violence crept back into my life. I stopped going to church and AA. This time, I handed my children over because I didn’t want to drag them through my relapse. I wound up with 26 criminal charges, and after five months on the run, I woke up in an at-risk prison cell.

…MY THINKING IS DIFFERENT, MY ACTIONS ARE DIFFERENT, MY LIFE IS DIFFERENT. That day, I asked God back into my life.

In that cell, I was only allowed a Bible, and I remember looking up and saying, ‘Okay, God, I get the hint’.

During my two-and-a-half-year sentence, I went to church weekly and did every available rehabilitation programme. Two weeks before my parole hearing, I found out that Madi had cancer. The officers were great; they paid for the overtime to get me to the hospital for those two weeks I was still inside, and I was granted same-day release at my hearing.

Madi had two brain surgeries, six weeks of radiation and four months of chemotherapy. In January 2019, she was in remission, but three months later, the cancer came back. Now, she is palliative and terminal. I believe that everybody is put here for their assignment. Perhaps Madi’s is over, and maybe in her 10 years of life, she has changed the world more than some

people do in 75. I rest assured knowing she’ll be with Jesus.

People say I should be falling apart at the seams, but I’m not. I’m grateful for every day I have with Madi. In spite of everything, I have a good life. I worked my way up to become a team leader at a mental health hospital. I celebrated three years sober in August 2019. God is always there. He doesn’t judge or hold grudges. He can miraculously heal lives. I don’t understand the person I am today compared with the person I was—my thinking is different, my actions are different, my life is different.

I became a soldier in April 2019. I got that calling in prison, and if God calls me to be an officer too, I’m hoping that’s the way I’ll go. I really affirm what The Salvation Army stands for, and also making those promises in front of the Lord that I won’t put anything harmful into my body, soul and life anymore.

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 11

justice Kaitlyn Bunz was chosen as one of Hagar New Zealand’s 2019 Youth Abolitionists.

She was selected to travel to Cambodia with her mentor Tracy Boon. Kaitlyn speaks to Firezone about why the cause of human trafficking is close to her heart, the role of a Youth Abolitionist and her experiences in Cambodia.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy’ (Proverbs 31:8–9).

This verse is important to Kaitlyn Bunz, and she has been striving to put it into action. In December 2019, her efforts culminated in a trip to Cambodia as one of Hagar New Zealand’s Youth Abolitionists.

Hagar is an international aftercare agency that assists women and children who have survived severe abuse (including slavery, trafficking and violence) to recover and reintegrate back into society. This is achieved through providing places to live, counselling, case management, legal support, education, and safe and empowering jobs. In their words, they hope to see survivors ‘not simply surviving, but thriving’.

Kaitlyn heard Sarah Scott-Webb (Hagar New Zealand) speak at the 2017 Her Freedom Song conference. ‘(Sarah) talked about the awful realities that many of these people are facing in the world and it made me very mad, I wanted to do something about it,’ Kaitlyn says.

Fortunately, Anna Button—Hagar New Zealand’s

12 firezone.co.nz 22 FEBRUARY 2020

Fundraising Coordinator—was a former pupil of Kaitlyn’s school, and came back to the college to speak about the Youth Abolitionist programme.

Hagar select 27 students in Years 12 and 13 from around New Zealand, who are then asked to promote the work Hagar is doing and raise $2000 to support their Cambodian Counselling team. Kaitlyn was inspired.

The Jour ney of a Youth Abolitio nist Each student must apply with a mentor who can support them through the programme. For Kaitlyn, asking Tracy Boon was a natural choice. ‘I honestly think she’s been a mentor my whole life,’ she says. ‘She’s always been super encouraging and supportive, and wants people to do what they’re really passionate about.

‘As soon as I told her about this opportunity to be my mentor, she was like, “Yep, absolutely, let’s do this”.’

Once Kaitlyn had been selected as a Youth Abolitionist, fundraising began. With the support of Tracy, her family and her church, some of her initiatives included hosting a fair day at the

‘IT WAS REALLY COOL TO SEE HOW HAGAR HAD CHANGED HIS LIFE … I WANT TO SEE THE SAME FOR ALL OF HAGAR’S FUTURE CLIENTS.’ Sydenham Corps, selling chocolates and having a massage day. Kaitlyn also walked 27km in a wedding dress. ‘The wedding dress was to represent how many young girls are being forced and sold into marriages,’ she explains.

Kaitlyn was so determined that even once she had reached the $2000 goal, she increased her target and kept going. She was thrilled when the final tally came in at $5500.

Kaitlyn is grateful that God not only enabled her with the ability to speak and advocate confidently, but also because he placed people in her life who generously volunteered their time and wisdom.

‘Sydenham would pray for me and upcoming events.

They helped me with some fundraising ideas, let me use church as a venue (and) many people wanted to contribute their time.’

At the end of August, Kaitlyn was one of just three students who were interviewed for the opportunity to travel to Cambodia, serve, and see Hagar’s work in action.

participated in a 10km walk/run to raise money for people affected by landmines.

Worki ng Towards Cha nge

This year will be Kaitlyn’s first year out of school studying at university, but she will also continue her journey with Hagar as an intern. ‘I get to help run the Youth Abolitionist programme, and I’ll get to mentor and help run fundraisers with these new Year 12 and 13s, as well as doing my own fundraisers and awareness raising.’

One of her greatest prayer points is that survivors will continue to be healed and ‘know that they’re loved, and that none of their exploitation was their fault.

‘It was very, very humbli ng …’

After landing in Cambodia, Kaitlyn and Tracy were introduced to the Hagar staff and their different teams. They had the chance to meet two of the foster families who help survivors to reintegrate back into society. ‘They’re two single mothers and they just do whatever they can and look after the clients as if they were their own children.’

Next, they visited a doctor who was a former Hagar client, but is now thriving and providing free health care to people in the slums. ‘It was really cool to see how Hagar had changed his life … I want to see the same for all of Hagar’s future clients.’

Her experiences at the slums were confronting, particularly because they had been constructed behind rich communities. ‘The houses were made from pretty much anything they could find, and they were built around graves of unknown people,’ Kaitlyn recalls.

‘It was very, very humbling how everyone was so welcoming … the kids would come and high-five us.’

Other important stops on their trip included the Genocide Museum, where they learned about Cambodian history, and Angkor Temple, where they

‘Many of the women, if they were sexually exploited, they’re seen as unclean and no one will want to marry them, and they think it’s their fault, so (I hope) that they can heal emotionally and be people that they’ve always wanted to be, like being a doctor or being a pilot.’

Until that happens, Kaitlyn is compelled to alert all New Zealanders to the severity of the problem of human trafficking and continue promoting Hagar’s work.

Tracy (centre) and Kaitlyn (Far right) in Cambodia.

INTERESTED? | If you live in New Zealand and are interested in hearing more about the Youth Abolitionist programme (or know someone who might be), then please get in touch by emailing Anna Button at anna.button@hagar.org.nz MORE INFO | hagar.org.nz

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 13

Seen and Heard in The Salvation Army

BY JULES BADGER

In 1990 the iconic Christian rock band Petra released the hit track ‘Seen and Not Heard’. Its catchy chorus line claimed, ‘there’s too much talk and not enough walk, sometimes God’s children should be seen and not heard’. The song was a reaction to compromise in the church and sought to shake things up. This clever use of a wellknown old saying caught everyone’s attention and provided a powerful challenge.

The Territorial Children’s Mission Department has also successfully caught our attention by turning that same old saying completely on its head. ‘We desire that every child in The Salvation Army would be seen and heard, because we believe this approach will create the best environment for children to meet Christ,’ explains Hannah Medland (former Territorial Children’s Mission Director).

When Hannah says ‘we desire’, she is speaking on behalf of Divisional Children’s Mission Secretaries across the territory, and many corps-based children’s ministry leaders and volunteers, like Anna Christiansen (Auckland City Corps) and Althea Walker (Albany Bays Corps), who have strongly connected with the vision and are now carrying it out at a local level.

A different kind of thinking Hannah explains that her thinking about children changed when she trained to be an early childhood teacher. ‘How I think about children and my ethical practice was refined as I went through that study. I started to have a really positive view of children and their capacity and capabilities.’

When it comes to children’s faith and their spirituality, Hannah explains that, ‘Children have this innate sense of God and spirituality that unfortunately we lose as we grow and begin to compartmentalise our lives.

‘I think it’s a beautiful thing that children under seven haven’t learnt yet to compartmentalise their faith. That’s why we get those beautiful conversations where a child is drawing a 14 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

cookie monster or wondering what’s for dinner, but then goes straight into wondering if God had a brother or why he made so many different kinds of birds. They do this because they don’t know that they’re supposed to keep it all separate. That’s something we all need to unlearn,’ Hannah suggests.

‘So, if we want our kids to be talking about faith and God at home and at school as well as at church, then shouldn’t we be okay with them bringing in their conversations about other things to church as well? And no, it’s not going to sound sacred and holy and Godly all the time, but turn up the volume on any adult’s thoughts in our worship services and that’s not going to sound all sacred and holy all of the time, either.’

An excuse for bad behaviour?

As a parent who was once scolded for neglecting to keep control of my children who were seen and heard dancing and yelling on the mercy seat after church, I have some questions about Hannah’s vision for The Salvation Army. Are we about to witness a rowdy revolution where children are encouraged to bounce off the walls?

What on earth does Hannah really mean by seen and heard?

‘I’m not talking about excusing bad behaviour,’ Hannah assures me. But she’s unapologetic about taking the old ‘children must be seen and not heard’ adage and putting a positive spin on its antithesis. ‘This is why I love Seen and Heard so much! Because it is so opposite. It’s confronting even for some and memorable.

It forces us to consider what it means for children to be seen and heard as part of the Body of Christ,’ she explains.

...IT’S NOT ABOUT THEM BEING ROWDY THROUGHOUT THE SERVICE. BUT IT IS ABOUT HEARING WHAT GOD’S DOING IN THEIR LIVES AND HEARING THEIR QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD.

Living Water for Navarea Settlement

More than cute Hannah wants us—as Salvationists—to intentionally elevate the status of children. ‘So often (in church) we put children on our stages, and we say: “Oh that’s cute—show us you’ve memorised that verse”. But children are so much more than just cute! When we are just calling them cute, we’re minimising their importance, their value and their voice,’ she explains.

Hannah wants us to understand that a service that has children in it is not the same as a service designed with them in mind. ‘Seen and Heard means changing how we do our gathering time together, so that we are explicitly saying to kids and families, “this is for you, too”,’ she says.

‘Seen and Heard is not about creating a space up the front of church just so kids are seen—“Look we haven’t sent them away because we like kids!” And it’s not about them being rowdy throughout the service. But it is about hearing what God’s doing in their lives and hearing their questions about God. ‘So often children are not seen, and they don’t have a voice.

By greeting children and speaking directly to them, we’re showing them that we see them. Some might argue, “Well, hang on, if we want kids to be equal and just like everybody else, why do we have to make it special?” And I would say, “Well actually, no, kids don’t have a voice in most of society”. So, if we want to see them as full and active members of the body of Christ, people who experience God and Holy Spirit, we need to say specifically to them, “I see you”. Because if kids aren’t seen and heard in the church, they’ll be seen and heard somewhere else.

But this is the place they should be seen and heard, because they are seen and heard by God.’ It’s hard to disagree with Hannah when she puts it like that.

In fact, this year the Children’s Ministry Department is putting ‘God sees me, God hears me’ on their ‘back to school’ supplies.

A colourful learning context Hannah believes emphatically that when children discover something for themselves, the impact is far greater than learning something by rote or being told something. Her training and teaching experience reinforce the reality that children today are living and learning in a context where straightforward answers no longer suffice.

‘Our kids don’t live in a black and white world anymore. I don’t even want to say that they live in a grey world—they live in a very colourful world! It’s so colourful—lots of different thoughts and directions to go in—God is big enough, he’s certainly not confined to just black and white.’

In a nutshell, Hannah’s Seen and Heard vision is simple: ‘It doesn’t take much to change how you view kids and to realise how easily Christ can be seen in them.’

‘Thank you, Lord! For 24 years I have fetched water from the well, but now no more!’

This was the response from one grateful Fijian woman following the installation of a new 10,000-litre water tank donated by The Salvation Army.

‘It was an ecstatic moment for families at the Navarea Settlement,’ reports Captain Vakatoto Wawa, Corps Officer of Savusavu Corps in Fiji. ‘God heard their prayers—their cry for so many years.’

The Navarea Settlement is located on a slope, with low pressure hampering the flow of government water, so families relied heavily on rainwater from the local well.

During dry seasons, demand for water quickly dried up the well. In 2019, The Salvation Army identified this need and walked alongside the people to begin a community project to resolve this together.

Locals spent two days constructing the concrete base for the tank, with materials supplied by The Salvation Army. The donated tank was then able to be installed in December.

‘Each family bought their own pipes and connected them from the tank, right to their house front,’ reports Vakatoto.

‘Now the water authority has filled up their tank and they are feeling so blessed to be supported and assisted. About 10 families are using water from this water tank.’

Vakatoto posted this news on Facebook in January 2020, summarising The Salvation Army’s mission in Navarea: ‘Going back to our mission of Caring for People, Salvationists follow the example of Jesus by identifying with the needy, standing alongside them and caring for people in all situations.’

Vakatoto believes that transformation takes place when ‘we are channels of hope, love and blessing where it is needed most’.

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 15

Celebrating 15 Years of SPPU The Salvation Army Social Policy & Parliamentary Unit (SPPU) recently marked 15 years of making its voice heard throughout New Zealand.

‘Politicians and other leaders of the country have begun to take The Salvation Army quite seriously, and because the analysis and the advocacy has been of a high level over a period of time, you often find that politicians will seek out our opinion,’ says Director Lieut-Colonel Ian Hutson.

SPPU undertakes social research and makes submissions to the Government in response to proposed bills, seeking to influence these policies. They aim to protect at-risk people groups before there is a need for services, such as the Army’s Community Ministries, who may be required to intervene later.

The unit concentrates on five areas: Our Children, Work & Incomes, Housing, Social Hazards and Crime & Punishment.

While much of their work is intangible, some important achievements have included raising public awareness of the

housing crisis, launching the State of Our Communities survey and the annual State of the Nation Report.

This report delves beyond statistics to measure New Zealand’s economy and the wellbeing of its people. It has become a highly anticipated publication that generates mainstream media attention and gets debated in parliament.

SPPU was originally started by Major Campbell Roberts to address a gaping need for an organised Salvation Army unit to speak out about social policy. Ian believes Campbell’s influence during the early years of SPPU was crucial to the reputation they have since earned.

‘It could have gone in all sorts of different directions, but what he saw, he was able to put into action in a way that has been remarkably effective. ‘(The) Salvation Army’s involved in so much community and social work … the fact that we have a unit that researches what it’s doing, or analysing situations, just adds so much value.’

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun! Period.

‘The Period Poverty in the Pacific fundraising initiative makes a tangible difference in the daily lives of women and girls.

It’s about them being able to get on with life without being distracted or side-lined because they have their period but not the products they need,’ explains Major Debbie Clark (Territorial Overseas Development Officer).

Period poverty affects millions of women and girls globally, who struggle to afford or even access safe sanitary protection. The social and environmental impacts of period poverty are huge, with many of those affected missing out on education and job opportunities, simply due to their periods.

‘Period poverty is a very real issue for women and girls in Fiji, Tonga and Samoa,’ explains Debbie. ‘In fact, other not-for-profit organisations who work directly in period poverty throughout the islands have come to us and are wanting to know what we are doing and how they might be able to help us help them—especially with reusable and sustainable products. Together we could achieve something significant for these women and girls.’

Debbie believes The Salvation Army in New Zealand has a strong platform from where we can combat period

16 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

poverty in the Pacific. ‘Once we raise enough funds, this can create an opportunity for women’s groups in the Pacific to really impact their communities, through education and distribution of reusable sanitary products.

This is a social justice issue we can get behind, knowing we can make a real impact in the day-to-day lives of women and girls,’ Debbie explains.

The Salvation Army’s current fundraising goal is $10,000, with $2760 already raised, thanks to the efforts of corps fundraisers, donations from generous individual Salvationists, and the wider public. Stuff recently ran a story that directed Kiwi to check out Justgifts.org. nz, generating a fantastic response in terms of sanitary bundles purchased.

MORE INFO | You can go to justgifts.org.nz and purchase a $30 bundle that will enable The Salvation Army to purchase materials to make re-usable, environmentally friendly sanitary pads and to purchase disposable sanitary items. Alternatively, contact debbie.clark@salvationamry.org.nz for other payment options. All donations are tax deductible.

Campers Bond At 2020 BMAC Summit Volunteering as the camp cooks is not everyone’s cup of tea, but for Majors Robert and Julie Cope, catering Blue Mountain Adventure Centre’s (BMAC) Summit Camp is a joy.

This year was the third year that Rob and Julie were asked to attend as camp cooks and lead the evening’s activities and devotions.

‘I say it’s a lousy experience—that way they won’t ask anyone else to do it,’ Rob jokes.

In between cooking, leading devotions and lending a hand wherever possible, they still found enough time to take part in some activities and get to know the campers and staff.

A particularly special moment for Rob and Julie was the final night, where they all spent hours sharing devotions, stories, songs and prayers.

Campers also enjoyed highlights, such as staying overnight at Taranaki Falls, seeing a ‘cascade’ of glow worms and watching the sunset on Mount Ruapehu while singing worship songs.

This year, there were 18 campers in attendance, including three who travelled over from Tonga.

‘That was really lovely to have another part of our territory there,’ Julie says. ‘They brought their own culture and that was really beautiful.’

She has every campers’ name printed in her office and has committed to pray for them in 2020.

‘I have a heart for God and a desire to see these young people discover who they are in God, realising that God is for them, God’s with them and God’s working through them.’

Rob and Julie are quick to honour the BMAC team for not only running the camp but sharing their own stories, connecting with the teenagers and demonstrating their heart for God and people.

‘The instructors, they’ll see these kids for a week and then may not see some of them ever again, but we run across these kids in the years following [and] it really is a watershed moment in most of their lives,’ Rob says.

This page: Campers enjoying activities at BMAC Summit, including rafting, high ropes and a waterfall slide.

Photography: Julie Cope, Terish Teh & Chayne Steen.

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 17

Welcome Pōwhiri for New Territorial Leaders

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa!

Pollard Hall at Territorial Headquarters was bursting at the seams on Monday 3 February, as a pōwhiri for Commissioners Julie and Mark Campbell took place. The THQ welcome to our new Territorial Leaders for New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa included Captain Lai Li, Assistant to the Chief Secretary (single spouse officer exchange in conjunction with the Australia Territory).

With Māori Ministries already at Waitangi, the karanga was ably led by Cadets Lashana Dale (Tāngata Whenua) and Tammy Mohi (Manuhiri). The haka pōwhiri was performed by the secondyear cadets and staff, before Major Glenton Waugh offered a karakia. The waiata throughout the pōwhiri was powerful and strong, with so many voices joined together in song.

Steve Gunson (Johnsonville Corps) began the Whaikōrero on behalf of tāntaga whenua (THQ), with Major Tim Malton (Flaxmere Corps) responding for the manuhiri (Commissioners).

Tim delighted everyone, not only with his fluent te reo Māori and Australian whakapapa, but also as he explained to the Campbells that given the potential for much good-natured ribbing by Kiwi, there were two te reo phrases they must quickly master—the difference between underarm and overarm bowling!

The whakawhiti tāngata culminated in the whakakōkahu korowai/donning of cloaks upon the Campbells, and He taonga Pounamu/gifting of greenstone by Colonel Melvin Fincham and Lt-Colonel Sheryl Jarvis. The warm kōrero given by Chief Secretary Colonel Suzanne Fincham led into kāhui karakia/ group prayer, as Colonel Heather Rodwell facilitated a time of laying on of hands for Julie and Mark.

Julie then warmly replied with a well-pronounced ‘kia ora’, before she and Mark shared about themselves and their sense of excitement for the mission taking place in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. They were then initiated into the longstanding tradition of exceptional THQ kai!

Motueka’s ‘Thursday Night Family Fix’ For seven years, Nelson Tasman Bays Corps’ weekly Body and Soul dinner has established itself as an important part of The Salvation Army’s 130-year-long history of serving the people of Motueka.

Every Thursday night, the Motueka community is invited to share food and fellowship. The evening begins with a welcome, which is followed by dinner, a short message and dessert. While they ask for a koha, it is not a requirement to come along.

The programme is supported by the corps, as well as a local second-hand shop and one-off produce donations.

Coordinator Kiri Higgs says she appreciates how the programme has enabled her to meet people she never would have otherwise. ‘We have families, and there are lots and lots of kids, older people, single people—there’s a big range.

‘A lot of them don’t have family around, so we’ve become that.’

This was true for one lady who passed away last year, having attended Body and Soul since its inception six-and-a-half years ago. ‘When she could come, she would say, “This is my church on a Thursday night. I’m breaking out of the rest home! They’re coming to pick me up”,’ Kiri remembers.

18 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

‘Nearly all of Body and Soul went to her memorial service, because she touched everybody’s lives.’

Another woman, who was once a heavy drinker, has gone on to complete the Alpha course. ‘She doesn’t drink as much, and she’s aware of what it does to her now. And it’s the little things, like she says, “God bless”, and never would I have imagined she would have said something like that.

‘She comes to different things the church runs, and she’s just really connected.’

Along with special events, such as Easter, the group also celebrate occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries. Even on public holidays, such as Waitangi Day, Kiri says they sometimes decide to host Body and Soul anyway.

‘People just don’t know what to do with themselves if they don’t get their Thursday night family fix.’

‘I CHOOSE TO STAND.’

Far left: Commissioners Mark & Julie Campbell adorned in korowai at the pōwhiri. Centre: Prayer for the new Territorial Leaders. Above: Cadet Lashana Dale and Commissioner Julie Campbell share a hongi. Photography: Jules Badger & Matt Gillon.

GAZETTE Bereavement: Lieutenant Sheree Vemoa, of her grandmother Phyllis Phelan, from Auckland, on Wednesday 22 January 2020. Please uphold Lieutenants Sheree and Misikone Vemoa and members of the extended family during this time of grief and loss.

I recently noticed on a friend’s Facebook page a question that piqued my interest: Which word should you live by in 2020? Being fairly inquisitive, I answered the questions and was informed that my word for 2020 was ‘stand’.

This is a word I can live by, as there are so many ways that I can ‘stand’. I choose to ‘stand’ and share my love for Jesus. I’m also committed and willing to stand and speak up for others, to bring hope and make a difference.

One passion that I choose to stand for is gender equity. I am inspired as I read through the first four books of the New Testament of the many ways that Jesus valued women, when others didn’t. Jesus treated and spoke to women with respect, he healed and restored their dignity, willingly taught them about God, helped them understand the scriptures, included them in his mission and, following His death, asked a woman to tell the other disciples that He was alive.

Jesus refers to himself as a shepherd who cares and nurtures his people, and states in John 10:10: ‘I have come that they (both men and women of all ages) may have life and have it to the full’.

I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have in The Salvation Army to use my life experience and gifts, and I am determined to ensure that as many people as possible experience life to the full in Jesus. I especially want to see that women are provided with opportunities to be developed and equipped, and to know they are accepted, valued and included.

In the past two years I’ve also become more aware of one of the issues in our community: violence against women. I understand that New Zealand has one of the highest percentages of this type of violence. I want to ‘stand’ and assist men and women to increase their understanding of the impact of violence, to ensure that women are empowered to speak up and provide safe places for women to find hope.

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

‘Stand’ is a great word for us all to live by, as we face the joys and challenges of life.

When we know what and who we ‘stand’ for, then our faith, values and beliefs help guide the choices we make every day.

The Salvation Army is committed to caring for others, transforming lives and reforming communities with God’s power. Our personal experience of the powerful love and forgiveness of Jesus in our lives motivates us to choose to stand for what is right, demonstrate this love to others in practical ways and make a difference in our world.

Commissioner Julie Campbell Territorial President of Women's Ministries

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 19

EPHESIANS 6

part one

THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES In part one of this occasional series on the armour of God, we uncover the truth about lies.

BY JULES BADGER

When it comes to playing ice-breaker games, you either love them or hate them. A general crowd favourite though is ‘two truths and a lie’. For the uninitiated, the object of the game is to share two things about yourself that are true and one that is a lie. The winner of the game is either the one who can lie in such a convincing way that the truth is dismissed, or the person who uncovers the lie by correctly identifying the truth.

Some of us are better at this game than others, because—obviously—it all comes down to how well you can tell a porky!

Separating truth from lies When it comes to our identity in Christ, we can sometimes struggle to separate the truth from the lies. As believers, it is paramount that we know the truth 20 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

about who God is and what he says about us, well enough to recognise any lies the enemy might throw at us.

Like all con men, our enemy goes by a few aliases—the Devil, Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness. Yet, just like a noxious Dad-fart that sneaks up and catches us off guard, we may not be able to see him, but we cannot mistake his work! He’s the one whispering, ‘You’re not good enough’ or ‘You don’t measure up compared with everyone else’. He’s the one telling you that you don’t make enough money or that you are unlovable.

He’s the one attempting to fool you into believing that God might be willing to forgive some people, but not people who’ve done what you’ve done.

But he’s a liar.

The truth about lies Like the game ‘two truths and a lie’, we need to be able to identify the lies and unleash the truth. God’s truth beats the enemy’s lies, every time. In her 2015 book Fervent, Priscilla Shirer affirms that,

…SATAN’S LIES HAVE NO POWER OVER A BELIEVER WHO KNOWS GOD’S TRUTH AND DECLARES IT DAILY. ‘We must serve our enemy notice that we know the truth of who we are!’

In John 8:44, Jesus calls Satan ‘the father of lies’. Not only that, Jesus states clearly that there is no truth in him. None. Zip. Zero. Nil. Nada. That is why Satan’s lies have no power over a believer who knows God’s truth and declares it daily.

In Ephesians 6:10–11, the Apostle Paul urges believers to, ‘Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.’

This is a powerful war cry!

…WE HAVE AN INNATE TENDENCY TO EITHER UNDERESTIMATE SATAN’S SCHEMES AND LIES OR TO OVERESTIMATE HIS INFLUENCE AND POWER. held together. Protective pieces hung from it to shield vulnerable body parts, as did his sword and other weapons. No soldier went without his belt.

Similarly, we need to be wrapped in God’s truth. What is said about us in God’s Word must come first in our hearts and minds, so we can unleash the truth when the enemy attacks.

Paul begins by declaring who God is— strong and powerful. In the previous chapters of Ephesians, Paul has had us ‘taking off’ various impediments like falsehood and anger, and ‘getting rid of’ slander and malice. Why? Because he’s clearing the way for us to ‘put on’ something else—something better— some of God’s protective heavy metal!

Paul then says, ‘put on the armour of God so that you can take your stand’.

Those two little words are crucial. We’re not just getting dressed up for fun here!

Whenever scripture gives us a ‘so that’, we need to sit up and take notice. A ‘so that’ always unpacks the why of what we are being asked to do. In this case, we are putting on the armour of God so that we can take our stand against the Devil’s schemes. And the enemy’s first scheme is to try and manipulate us into thinking he is not real.

Paul addresses this first lie by making it plain that we have a scheming enemy we need to stand against. In verse 12 it says, ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and

blood (what we can see), but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (what we can’t see).’

Priscilla Shirer suggests that in our Western context we have an innate tendency to either underestimate Satan’s schemes and lies or to overestimate his influence and power.

The latter leaves us anxious and fearful, while the former renders us unaware and open to his tricks. But we don’t have to take cover and cower in the corner when he attacks; we can stand firm by putting on God’s armour.

Belt up God’s truth is a crucial offensive weapon because our enemy is not flesh and blood. Verse 14 instructs us to, ‘Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist’. For a first-century Roman soldier, a belt was crucial. It was a foundational garment, because other pieces of his kit were tucked into it and

Maybe you have been tricked into believing you are less than God says you are. The enemy has been telling you for so long that you’re no good, washed up, incompetent, insignificant, too old, too young, too bad, too dumb … We all get tripped up by these lies from time to time, but God’s truth is the antidote and we all need regular injections of truth, so that we never forget who God says we are.

So, who are you?

You are loved by God and have been since the beginning of time. Nothing can ever separate you from God’s love.

Repentance means that you are forgiven and free from even the most shameful secret sins. God accepts you and lavishes his grace upon you. You are not just ‘good enough’, you are perfect! When God looks at you, he sees nothing but the perfection of Christ, because he took your place on the cross. You are redeemed and on a journey into healing and wholeness and holiness. God has an incredible plan for your life, and he is working all things together for your good even now.

And that’s the truth of the matter— unleash it every day!

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 23 Feb: Northern Division Welcome Meeting, Auckland 24 Feb: Northern Division Officers’ Councils, Auckland 25 Feb: Midland Division Officers’ Councils, Rotorua 25 Feb: Opening of Rotorua Centre, Rotorua 27 Feb–1 Mar: Cabinet Retreat, Taupo 5–9 Mar: Installation of Tonga Regional Leaders and Officers’ Councils, Tonga Colonels Suzanne (Chief Secretary) and Melvin Fincham (Territorial Secretary for Mission) 23 Feb: Northern Division Welcome Meeting, Auckland 24 Feb: Northern Division Officers’ Councils, Auckland 25 Feb: Midland Division Officers’ Centre, Rotorua 25 Feb: Opening of Rotorua Centre, Rotorua 27 Feb–1 Mar: Cabinet Retreat, Taupo 5–9 Mar: Installation of Tonga Regional Leaders and Officers’ Councils, Tonga Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 23 Feb: Northern Division Welcome Meeting, Auckland 24 Feb: Northern Division Officers’ Councils, Auckland 25 Feb: Midland Division Officers’ Councils, Rotorua 25 Feb: Opening of Rotorua Centre, Rotorua 27 Feb–1 Mar: Cabinet Retreat, Taupo 5–9 Mar: Installation of Tonga Regional Leaders and Officers’ Councils, Tonga

PRAY DHQ Southern, Divisional Public Relations Offices around the territory, Dunedin City Corps, Early Childhood Education Centres around the territory, East City Corps; The Salvation Army in the United Kingdom Territory with The Republic of Ireland, the United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

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Central Division Senior Band's 20th Anniversary Informal Gathering: Saturday 29 February, 7.30pm The Salvation Army Wellington South Corps

I would like:

4 Normanby St, Newtown, Wellington

to learn about who Jesus is

MC'd by Stephen Stein

information about The Salvation Army The Salvation Army to contact me

Service Led by Band: Sunday 1 March Prelude music from 10am, service at 10.30am The Salvation Army Wellington South Corps

prayer for the following needs:

Name Email Address Phone Send to: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Quiz Answers: 1 Seychelles, 2 Leopard and lion, 3 It is Italian for ice cream, 4 Vienna, 5 Mara (Ruth 1:20).

22 WarCry 22 FEBRUARY 2020

Bubble Wrap Painting!

Have you got any spare bubble wrap lying around your house? Maybe you recently moved, or someone in your family just received a parcel in the mail. If you can resist the urge to pop it, you can use it for this cool craft activity!

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

Jeremiah 29:12

You’ll need…

• Bubble Wrap • Scissors • Paints (from a tube is best) • Scrap paper • Paintbrush(es) • Sheet(s) of white paper (onto where you can print your design) Steps…

1. Cut out a section of bubble wrap roughly the same size as the sheet of white paper.

2. Fold a piece of scrap paper in half to use as your paint palette.

Squeeze a small dab of each paint colour onto the paper.

3. Use the brush to paint colours onto the individual bubbles (remember you can mix and blend the paints to create new colours) until you have covered each one. If you don’t have a brush, you can use your hands—but make sure to wash them afterwards!

4. Press a sheet of white paper over the painted bubble wrap. Lift up the paper to reveal your creation!

Tip: You can cut the bubble wrap into shapes (e.g. triangles, squares, flowers) or paint the bubble wrap in a shape or pattern to make new designs.

Source: Popsugar Family

Animal Crossword!

On this page there are a bunch of animals! Can you fit the name of each one into the crossword space on the right?

(You might need a spare piece of paper to help you plan.)

Prayer is an awesome way we can get closer to God, thank him for all he has done and ask him for help. But it is okay if prayer is something that you find tricky. Maybe it feels a bit weird, or you don’t know what to say. Remember: prayer is about being in conversation with God. It doesn’t have to follow a formula. However, here is one tool you can try to help you to get the most out of your time with God. Look at your hand, with your palm facing the ground.

Your thumb is closest to you, just like your family and friends are the people closest to you. Pray for them first.

Your index/pointer finger represents the people in charge in your life who you want to pray for, like teachers, coaches and doctors.

The middle finger is the tallest one, so pray for leaders—whether they are in your school, your church or your country.

The ring finger is the weakest of the lot, which reminds us to pray for people who are in need.

Finally, as your pinkie finger is the smallest, this reminds us to pray for our own needs; not for things you want, like a new Xbox, but for what you want God to do in your life to change you for the better!

I WONDER...

Can you pray Five Finger Prayer for a week?

22 FEBRUARY 2020 WarCry 23