23 September 2017 NZFT War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 | Issue 6676 | $1.50

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Thriving Youth & Children’s Ministries

Rebuilding the Christchurch Cathedral

Living Life Single SALVATION ARMY SERVES AFTER SEVERE STORMS What Do We Do With Doubt?

Andrew Wallis & Justine Currell of Unseen UK

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07

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

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

& Catherine Booth

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

EDITOR Major Christina Tyson | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Ingrid Barratt, Major Shar Davis, Robin Raymond | PROOF READING Major

Jill Gainsford

OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street, PO Box

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

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

PRINT MANAGEMENT www.makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

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

Member of the Australasian Religious Press Association.

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

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

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Divine intervention Prayer changes things. Sometimes it instigates clear divine intervention.

But prayer also changes things by moving us to be forces for God’s purposes.

Which, when we think about it, is simply another form of ‘divine intervention’.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, God moved Christians such as William Wilberforce to move against the slave trade, lobbying British politicians for 18 years until the slave trade was finally abolished in 1807. (Although those who were already slaves across the British Empire were not freed until 1833.)

In 1885, God moved The Salvation Army to successfully campaign to lift the age of consent from 13 to 16. Roy Hattersley, in Blood and Fire, wrote that child prostitution was common in Victorian England: ‘Girls as young as nine or ten were “bought” from their parents and sold to brothels all over Britain and continental Europe.’

Around the world every year, The Salvation Army prayerfully considers the plight of trafficked people. Yes, we ask God to intervene. But our prayer also invites God to move us to get involved personally.

In this War Cry, we look at some of the great work being done in the UK to combat the crime of human trafficking. In our next edition, we’ll examine what’s happening in this part of the world.

God loves every person and does not want anyone to suffer in slavery. As you pray about that on Sunday 24 September, our annual Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking, be open to how God might want to move you to answer your own prayers.

Christina Tyson Editor

Publishing for 134 years | Issue 6676 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online) Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz salvationarmyNZFijiTonga @salvationarmynz salvationarmynzft

2 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

If you have no joy, there’s a leak in your Christianity somewhere.

Billy Sunday

Nehemiah 8:10 (New Living Translation) … Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!

Nehemia 8:10 … kei te koa hoki ki a Ihowā he kaha mō koutou.

he announcement that the Christchurch Cathedral would be re-built was met with joy among the city’s residents.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel was visibly relieved, calling the Cathedral the ‘heart and soul of the city’, and even going so far as to say that the building ‘means more to the city than it does the church.’

She is absolutely right. The Cathedral is a beautiful old building that symbolises the city’s heritage and prosperity. What, for most people, it doesn’t symbolise is personal faith, or—dare I say it —Jesus Christ. We worship the building more than we worship the person in whose name it has stood.

I was intrigued to hear an Anglican vicar recently say that the brave decision would have been to gift the Cathedral to the city as a ruin.

‘Wouldn’t that be a prophetic statement about where the Church is today?’ she said. Let tourists pilgrimage to see the ruins—a curiosity from a forgotten era. Vast, imposing and intriguing—but ultimately irrelevant.

Like the prophets of old, these ruins would cry out to us: ‘Where are you, O Church?’

It would be a call to God’s people to rise up from the ruins as ‘living stones’. ‘Christ cannot be contained in a building!’ we would say. ‘He is found in the living, breathing, beating hearts of people.’

In The Salvation Army, we often talk about ourselves as both a church and a charity. But the true Church is charity. There is no divide. The Church is built through love for each other and for our neighbours. That is how Christ asked us to worship him. Without charity, we are just a

The Christchurch Cathedral shortly after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake on 22 February 2011.

Photography: Jon Hoyle.

resounding gong—annoying and fairly useless!

In vast contrast to Christ’s imperative of love, we have sometimes used the excuse of ‘church’ to build walls that keep people out. Maybe that is why, in the eyes of so many, the Church now lies in ruins. But God, in his grace, can bring life out of the rubble—calling us to become the Kingdom of God, without walls.

‘What would a Church without walls look like?

I think it might look a bit like Jesus, going wherever the Father was at work, healing and restoring. To be honest, I can’t imagine it, we are still far off. But I think the whole world would want to be part of this Church.

The Bible speaks of Jesus as the ‘living Stone’, and we—his people—as his building blocks: ‘As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him —you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’ (1 Peter 2:4–5) Reinstating the Cathedral was probably the right thing to do. After all, who would turn down a hundred million dollars in funding? (I can only think of one person with the divinity to be so scandalous.) The city needs the Cathedral. But the people need Christ.

BY INGRID BARRATT 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 3

GOODSTUFF In 1888, women in New Zealand argued that they should be allowed to vote ‘because the presence of women at the polling booth would have a refining and purifying effect’. Almost 130 years later, we get to vote no matter what our gender, job or social status. That’s the truly purifying effect of voting: when we put in our ballot, we are all equal. Thanks for doing your part by casting your vote in this year's election.

Māori Moana Hits Screens

History The Choice Edith Eger

Edith was a gymnast and ballerina when she was sent to Auschwitz at the age of 16. After being sent on one of the infamous death marches, she was found barely alive in a pile of bodies.

She recovered and moved to America, going on to become an eminent psychologist. In her book, Edith shares her own stories of the Holocaust and the experiences of her clients, who range from concentration camp survivors to soldiers with PTSD. The Choice offers warm and compassionate insights into the nature of human suffering, and our capacity to heal. (Rider)

A te reo Māori version of the hit animated film Moana was released last week, as part of Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori.

The original story was a delightful adventure among the waves, and a definite cut above the usual Disney fare.

It featured a strong female lead that didn’t depend on romance to carry the story, with the masculine Māui taking the role of comical sidekick.

The secret to its success may be that New Zealander of the Year Taika Waititi worked on the script with the film’s producers. ‘It’s been a big dream of mine to see mainstream movies translated into te reo Māori,’ Taika told Māori Television. ‘For indigenous audiences to hear films in their own language is a huge deal, helping to normalise the native voice and give a sense of identification. It also encourages our youth to continue with their love and learning of the language, letting them know their culture has a place in the world.’

The te reo version stars Jaedyn Randell as Moana, and Māori Television presenter Piripi Taylor as Māui, along with original cast members Rachel House, Temuera Morrison and Jermaine Clement.

The original theme song, ‘We Know the Way’, was written

by Opetaia Tavita Foa’i while living in Waihi, and he attributes the tall kauri trees as his inspiration for the powerful song. The song has also been translated into te reo as ‘Tātou te Horomoana’, along with the rest of the sound track, for our tamariki to sing along to.

4 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER

Weird of the Week: If you think our elections are a circus … In 1958, a rhinoceros at São Paulo Zoo in Brazil called Cacareco was voted into the city council, with a landslide victory of 100,000 votes—far more than any of the human candidates.

ONTHESPOT

Marama Fox In the final on our series of political leaders, Marama Fox of the Māori Party shares some 24- carat magic.

Secret indulgence: Snowboarding. I love that you need to use all of your senses and every part of your brain. And, of course, I love being in Aotearoa’s beautiful mountains.

Celebrity crush: Bruno Mars!(24-carat magic in the ai-irrr).

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei.

Seek the treasure you value most dearly: if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

Māori Proverb

Popcorn Chicken The perfect snack for your election night party …

1/2 cup plain flour 2 tsp sweet paprika

What I’m reading: The 48 Laws of Power

by Robert Greene is my go-to book.

1 tsp dried oregano

One thing I hate: Litter bugs, people who dispose of their rubbish on to our precious Papatūānuku (Mother Earth).

2 cups panko breadcrumbs

Something that would surprise us about your job: How much I actually work with other political parties. There is much more collaboration than people may think or see.

1/2 cup milk 1 egg

500g chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces peanut oil, to deep-fry freshly popped popcorn, to serve

Whisk flour, paprika and oregano in a bowl, and season. Combine the milk and egg in a separate bowl. Place the panko on a plate.

Coat chicken in flour mixture.

Coat in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to stick. Transfer the chicken to a baking paper-lined tray. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Fill one-third of a saucepan with oil. Heat over medium-high heat to 160°C. Cook chicken, in batches, for 2 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel. Serve tossed with freshly popped popcorn.

Source: http://www.taste.com.au

If you’re wondering, we did ask National and NZ First for responses, but didn’t receive any.

QUIKQUIZ

1 What is the collective

noun for a group of pirates?

2 On which island is the Cave of the Apocalypse located?

3 What did 19th century ‘Union Suits’ evolve into?

4 How many von Trapp children in The Sound of Music?

5 W hat ancient city is associated with Joshua and the blowing of trumpets?

Answers on page 22

Documentary My Year with Helen Gaylene Preston

This documentary offers an insightful look into one of New Zealand’s most influential leaders. It follows Helen Clark’s bid to be the first female Secretary General of the United Nations. We get a glimpse into the unusual and flawed election process for the top job through unprecedented access to the UN. Whether it’s Helen filling her dad’s deep freezer with home-cooked meals, empowering women in Botswana, or working her social media channels like a pro, her straight shooting, genuine care and capability is obvious. Even without a fairytale ending, this film is worth watching for the lessons we can learn from New Zealand’s favourite ‘Aunty Helen’. (Reviewed by Shar Davis) 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 5

Andrew Wallis was a pastor in the UK city of Bristol when a team from his church visited Ukraine and found themselves paying off a trafficker to free a girl from slavery. Andrew decided to do something—a decade later he has helped change laws in the UK, and change history.

BY INGRID BARRATT

I

t’s not often you sit in front of two people and know they have changed history. But Andrew Wallis and Justine Currell have done just that. They were instrumental in ushering in the revolutionary Modern Slavery Act in the UK, setting their country on a path few thought possible: ending slavery within our lifetime.

‘Can we end slavery? Yes. I think it’s doable in the next 40 to 50 years if you pull at the big systemic leavers,’ says Andrew, CEO of the charity Unseen. ‘Will it happen? Yes. Our number-one mission statement is to put ourselves out of business. We’re here for a very clear and distinct purpose, which is to end slavery.’

Andrew—who was recently awarded an OBE by the Queen—founded Unseen 10 years ago, which quickly established itself as a leading voice for anti-trafficking within the UK. Justine was the Senior Policy Advisor and led the UK government in writing the Modern Slavery Act, but has since joined Unseen as Executive Director. The pair visited New Zealand recently to share their knowledge with our government and lend their voices to the anti-trafficking conference ‘Tip of the Iceberg’, held in Wellington.

Micro to macro Andrew had his ‘first collision’ with human trafficking when he was a pastor at a church in his hometown of Bristol—which, perhaps not so coincidentally, was the hub of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade before it was outlawed in 1833.

A team from his church were visiting Ukraine, when a young woman came up to them asking if they were the the people she was supposed to meet. She explained she had been offered a job selling ice cream in New York, earning $80,000 a year.

‘Someone on the team was ex-FBI and had worked on trafficking, so he knew what was happening straight away,’ explains Andrew. The group cobbled together the $600 she had paid the so-called employment agency. ‘They gave her the money with instructions not to respond to those ads. At that point, the trafficker turned up and demanded more money before he would let her leave, so they had to pay him off. He then left, and came back with the local police officer, trying to extract yet more money.’

At that time, the media was reporting that traffickers were using local airports, like Bristol, to avoid more vigorous controls at Heathrow. Andrew started writing to local MPs and city councillors. He met with a senior police 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 7

officer, who explained with some exasperation that ‘all we can do is treat it as illegal immigration. If we discover victims, we put them in a B&B for the night, and the next day they disappear’.

‘He said in a very polite way, “Any idiot can write a letter, what are you going to do about it?” ’ What Andrew did was start the charity Unseen, setting up safe housing for survivors of trafficking. But Andrew quickly realised being the safe house at the bottom of the cliff was not enough. ‘We didn’t just want to create safe houses, because that was like saying that we accept trafficking is going to happen.

For us, it was about turning the tap off,’ he sums up.

Unseen developed a ‘micro to macro’ approach, tackling the spectrum of issues: from the immediate needs of trafficking victims, through to working with government to change legislation, supporting the police, and collaborating with businesses to help them address their supply chains.

Surviving slavery At the ‘micro’ end, Unseen has worked with over 250 survivors of trafficking from 37 different countries—including UK natives. The average stay in a safe house is almost three months, and Unseen provides a robust support network, including medical care, sexual health services, access to education or employment, and reintegration into society.

Unseen is currently developing a new initiative to partner with businesses to provide employment opportunities for survivors.

‘Some people become victims because they come to the UK looking for work and are duped, and all they want is the opportunity to work and get on with their life,’ says Andrew.

‘Often they don’t realise there’s a minimum wage. A victim will say, “Well, I’m only earning £5 a day, but that’s more than I could get at home.” But we say, “Well, in the UK you’re entitled to earn £8 an hour, so it’s not okay.” Most of them are working to send money to families back home, so if you can help them access their rights, everyone ends up in a better situation.’

Just under a year ago, Unseen launched the nationwide Modern Slavery Helpline. It has so far received 1800 calls and made 1050 referrals, including 500 calls that have gone straight to the police. Around 50 per cent of calls come from victims themselves, or on behalf of victims.

‘We recently got a call from someone in domestic servitude,’ recalls Justine. ‘She was staying in a couple’s house for some months, she was continually raped by the husband and beaten by the wife, and they had threatened to kill her. We safety 8 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

planned with her, engaged the local police, and worked out a window of opportunity for when she could leave the property.’

The girl was able to escape, and went into a Salvation Army safe housing programme. Unseen works closely with The Salvation Army to provide support for trafficking victims.

Other calls come from members of the public or businesses wanting to improve their practices. ‘We recently got a call from a person who thought maybe someone was living in a metal container on a factory site. Five days later the police found the man and discovered he had been in exploitative labour at the factory. We got him out and he’s now in supportive accommodation,’ says Justine. ‘That was literally from someone spotting something that didn’t look quite right. Our message is that if something doesn’t look quite right, it probably isn’t.’

A VICTIM WILL SAY, “WELL, I’M ONLY EARNING £5 A DAY, BUT THAT’S MORE THAN I COULD GET AT HOME.” Changing history On the back of his work with survivors, Andrew was asked to chair a report for the think tank Centre for Social Justice. For two years, they gathered evidence for a wide-ranging report on trafficking, discovering that ‘the scale was much bigger than anyone thought possible’.

The report included a horrifying case of two UK-born children who were trafficked by a group of men and raped 90 times in one weekend. The case caught the attention of the media, making national headlines.

Justine was responsible for what she calls the ‘backwater crime’ of trafficking at the Home Office. But due to the media coverage, she suddenly found herself heading up world-leading, high-profile legislation.

It was crucial to re-frame trafficking as an issue of criminality, not illegal immigration—treating victims as illegal immigrants meant they were often deported and ended up being re-trafficked. The new UK law banned victims from being prosecuted for crimes they were forced to commit, and made it clear that the only criminals were the traffickers.

But there was still one major piece of the puzzle missing: if the UK truly wanted to tackle slavery, it needed to address

exploitation in the supply chains of its products. MPs didn’t want a bar of that.

‘But we had been working with businesses for two years,’ says Andrew, ‘and they had indicated they wanted legislation to level the playing field.’

There was intense lobbying from both sides of the divide and it went down to the wire. At the eleventh hour a provision was put into legislation for transparency in the supply chain.

‘This was the systemic game changer. The Act went from an average piece of legislation to what ministers were calling world-class—even the ones that were initially against transparency in supply chains,’ says Andrew with a smile.

Naming and faming The Modern Slavery Act made the UK the first country in the world to require any business with a turnover of over £36 million to ensure there is no exploitation in its supply chain.

Andrew calls it ‘one of the sneakiest pieces of legislation’ because it places responsibility firmly within the board rooms of businesses. ‘That changes the whole conversation. It forces businesses to have conversations they’ve never had before, and that’s what affects change.’

‘The legislation is deliberately non-prescriptive,’ adds Justine. ‘Box ticking encourages you to do the minimum—but asking, “Tell us about the steps you’ve taken” encourages a race to the top.’

The two years since the legislation was introduced have already seen a seismic shift in the way businesses are approaching trafficking. ‘When it comes to business, we need to move from “name and shame” to “name and fame”. It takes courage for a business to say they have found trafficking in their supply chain,’ says Andrew. He gives the example of a famous department store: ‘They came to us and said, “We think we’ve found an incident of modern slavery, can you please help us to assess whether it is and liaise with different authorities to get help?” ’ Those who truly have the power to stop slavery are the businesses and the consumers who buy their products—and for those of us who live in the West, that is every one of us.

Slavery is unseen but all around us—in our cafés, nail bars, farms, agriculture and supply chains.

Justine gives the example of the cheap nail bars that have

Andrew Wallis and Justine Currell.

popped up in the past decade. ‘It’s evident that if a Vietnamese nail bar costs you £20, but a British nail bar costs you £40, somebody somewhere is being undercut. And the people who lose out are usually the workers.’

‘The big systemic issue is about our addiction to cheap,’ sums up Andrew. ‘Whether it’s cheap services, goods or sex, that’s what drives this issue. It has taken us 30 to 40 years to get hooked on the drug of “cheap”, so it will take us 30 to 40 years to get free from that. But we can do it.’

Next time: Is there slavery in NZ? War Cry investigates.

Survivor Stories Modern day slavery is the commodification of people for the purposes of making money. People are typically deceived and abused to keep them captive—both physically and emotionally.

‘I was working all day when the site was visited by police, local authority and Unseen. I was really scared and didn’t know what was happening. It was discovered my employer was exploiting all of his workers, he lost his franchise and Unseen helped me get another job. I’m now working, being paid properly and have rebuilt relationships with my family.’—Gheorghe.

‘I was promised a better life in the UK, but when I got here, I was locked in a house and raped daily. I had no passport and could not speak English. They sold me for sex. One day, my trafficker didn’t lock the door and I escaped. I was found by the police, and brought to an Unseen safe house.’—Grace.

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 9

Living Life Single There’s pressure in society to be in a relationship, but the single life has a lot going for it.

Angelina Jolie was recently quoted as saying ‘There’s nothing nice about being single, it’s just hard.’ While we understand that transitioning from a relationship to going solo can be tough, we also know being single is not some terrible life sentence. It doesn’t have to stop any of us from living life in all its fullness.

Here are some of our top tips for embracing your single status and learning to thrive, not just survive …

1. Be the best aunty or uncle you can. You don’t need to have your own children to help a child grow. It’s an honour to be loved by a child whether they are your flesh and blood or not. Become their champion. Whether it’s on the sideline at their game, at their school concert or helping build their latest Lego creation.

And if having children has been an unmet desire in your life, this might just help to soothe the wound.

2. Never underestimate the value of a pet. Forget the stigma of owning a cat as a single person; pets can be an enriching addition to your life. One of the key benefits of pet ownership is the companionship they provide. If you live on your own, having a pet also gives you someone to talk to. Never underestimate the power of hearing your own voice.

BEING SINGLE DOESN’T HAVE TO STOP ANY OF US FROM LIVING LIFE IN ALL ITS FULLNESS.

3. Make the most of cooking and save some for later.

Don’t settle for cheese on toast every night because it’s just you at home. Cook up a meal and divide portions for eating later. You can keep them in the fridge or freezer.

Mix and match a few different options so you’re not eating lasagne for a week. It’s often cheaper to buy food in bulk, so make the most of those family-sized servings and save the cheese on toast for a special occasion.

4. Find ways to explore the world. Travel can look tricky as a single person. Everything’s cheaper twin share and some people feel unsafe travelling on their own. So try booking a tour—then you have transport, companionship and safety, and if you like your own space then spend that little bit extra and get your own room. Find friends to travel with, and don’t assume that married friends won’t want you tagging along. There are lots of great travel blogs by solo adventurers with tips and tricks to help you.

5. Take a support person with you to important appointments. A second set of ears is always a valuable thing, especially when having difficult conversations.

10 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

Sometimes we stop hearing anything beyond the first bit of information that takes us by surprise. It can be very helpful to have someone to debrief and process with. The good thing is, support people are common practice these days, so don’t be afraid to ask.

6. Invite people to check on you. Being single does not mean being alone, and there’s nothing wrong with planning for companionship. Arrange for one or two people to check if they haven’t heard from you for a day or two. It may sound crazy, but dying and not being discovered is a real fear for many people, so make a plan! And while you’re at it, go check on your friends too!

‘Happily Single’ is recognising that you don’t need or want to be rescued from your life by a handsome prince because your life is pretty awesome, as is.

Mandy Hale The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass

TESTIFY! While visiting Gallipoli, Salvation Army officer Major Phillippa Serevi discovered a family connection she’d never known about.

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of going on a Salvation Army ‘Footsteps of Paul’ tour to Greece and Turkey.

This was a precious chance to see for ourselves some of the places written about in the New Testament and for the events of the early Christian church to really come alive for those of us on this tour.

When I left Fiji, I mentioned to my sister in Tahiti that I was going to Greece as part of this tour. She was really excited for me.

Before the trip we were all asked if we had any relatives that had died at Gallipoli. We had the chance to visit there and two of our tour party, LieutColonels Ian and Lynette Hutson, wanted to share a time of reflection and prayer at Gallipoli. They told us they also wanted to acknowledge relatives as part of that time. I didn’t really know anything of my family’s history. I had left that responsibility to my sister, since she was the oldest. So I couldn’t tell them anyone from my family.

We had our time of devotions and then were encouraged to take some quiet moments to reflect and look at the graves before heading back to the bus for our next stop. I’d seen enough and was making my way out of the graveyard, walking past these two headstones, when suddenly I had this urge to turn back and go and look at one of them.

I turned around and went to the first headstone. I saw it had my maiden name, Munro, on it. Then I saw the initial J. I called Major Vyvyenne Noakes over and said, ‘Look at this! This person has the same surname as me … and I had a great uncle called John.’

THIS WAS MOST DEFINITELY A GOD MOMENT FOR ME.

It was so weird. I kept asking, ‘How did this happen?’ After all, I was going to walk right past that grave before I felt led to stop. It was such a shock to look down and see such a familiar name, my family name, there on that grave!

Major Yvyvenne said, ‘Wow, isn’t that amazing!’ She encouraged me to take some photos. I wasn’t sure if there really was a family connection so I said, ‘I’ll need to contact my sister as she knows all the family history.’

This was most definitely a God moment for me. God prompted me to stop and turn around.

My husband took some photos and I messaged my sister. The next morning she replied, saying: ‘I hope you are sitting down Phillippa. It’s Pa’s brother.

He died in Gallipoli. Are you in Turkey?’

It turns out my Pa had two brothers.

One was left in Australia and the other (whom we’ve never heard from) went to South Africa. My Pa came to Fiji—where my family still lives. I had forgotten to mention to my sister that I would be visiting Turkey, so she hadn’t even thought to mention my great uncle.

I shouldn’t be surprised, though. God often does things like that for me. He does amazing things in my life and I have had many encounters with people where it quickly became obvious God had led us both to that moment.

I’m so grateful I was obedient to the Lord’s prompting. Look at what I would have missed out on! A chance to honour my great uncle and the sacrifice he made, giving his own life so that others could have a better chance at freedom.

Just another reminder to trust and obey when the Lord leads me!

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 11

When we don’t trust the people around us, things can fall out of hand quickly.

But what if the person you doubt is God? What happens then?

BY BEN CARPENTER

After Jesus died and was resurrected, he showed himself to his disciples, who were hiding from a mob of angry people that wanted to persecute anyone who still followed Jesus. Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus first showed up—although the others told him Jesus was alive again. But Thomas said, ‘Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.’

Eight days later, the disciples were together again.

This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors of the room, stood there and said, ‘Peace to you.’ He then turned to Thomas and said, ‘Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving.

Believe.’

At this, Thomas said, ‘My Master! My God!’ And Jesus said, ‘So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.’

BOLD, LOYAL AND QUESTIONING Thomas had travelled with Jesus, he’d watched Jesus make blind men see and crippled men walk, and he’d only just seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead.

Lazarus hadn’t just flatlined and quickly been resuscitated like Jesus was a doctor on some ancient Jewish Shortland Street. Lazarus had been dead for so long he’d been sealed in a tomb for four days! Yet Jesus had them roll the stone away, said a prayer and Lazarus jumped out. And it didn’t stop there! Six days before Jesus’s crucifixion, Lazarus joined Jesus in Jerusalem for a meal. Thomas sat down to eat alongside someone who’d been dead for four days —just nine days before Thomas then doubted that Jesus could also have been raised from the dead.

When we look at Thomas in other parts of the Bible, we see he wasn’t an unreliable disciple.

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When he was with Jesus, he was bold, he was courageous, and he knew when the right choice needed to be made. When Jesus wanted to travel to Jerusalem (partly because he wanted to bring Lazarus back to life), the disciples thought it might be too dangerous (because people wanted to kill Jesus for saying he was God’s son). But Thomas said, ‘Come along. We might as well die with him!’

Even though Thomas doubted and sometimes needed convincing, he was extremely loyal to Jesus.

That’s part of who he was.

Thomas also liked to ask questions. While the other disciples take Jesus’ teaching as is, Thomas is the one always asking for more detail, more information, more evidence. When Jesus talks about going ahead of the disciples to get a place ready for them in Heaven, Thomas asks for more information. In John 14:5, Thomas asks, ‘Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the way?’

To which Jesus replies, ‘I am the Way, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!’ Jesus isn’t disappointed that Thomas needed more evidence and more information.

THOMAS HAS TO WAIT The cool thing about Jesus is when he appears to Thomas, casually waltzing through a locked door, he doesn’t say, ‘I have risen from the dead, behold me and believe!’ He doesn’t say, ‘Look, I can get through locked doors, believe in me!’ He doesn’t say, ‘Remember all those people I healed and that guy I brought back to life? Believe in me!’ No, Jesus knows that in his time of doubt, Thomas had said, ‘Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.’ So that’s exactly what Jesus lets Thomas do.

But before this evidence came, Thomas had to wait.

When Thomas cried out from his doubt, Jesus did not appear then and there to prove himself. Jesus took his time with Thomas—and sometimes he takes his time with us. For God, this was the perfect time to answer Thomas’ questions. Not the minute after Thomas had cried out, not 20 years on, but eight days later.

This is sometimes the hardest thing for us, when we doubt God and call out to him show himself … and we are met by silence. I’ve had it happen to me and it honestly sucks—there is no other way to describe it.

WHEN WE DOUBT What can we do when we feel like doubting God? One idea is keep a prayer journal. Now, we pray all the time. We pray for big things like asking God what he wants us to do in our lives, and we pray for smaller things like having good weather so we can go tramping and to remember stuff in exams. But have you ever actually stopped and thought about how many of these prayers have been answered? You might be surprised!

I was talking to my corps officer (pastor) about this and he said, ‘In times of doubt, focus on what God has done, not what he hasn’t done.’ If we keep a record of God’s answered prayers, it gives us a way to see exactly how God has moved in our lives.

WHEN WE CALL OUT TO GOD AND ARE MET BY SILENCE, IT HONESTLY SUCKS! Another idea is to surround ourselves with people who also follow God. After Jesus’ death, Thomas isolated himself from the other disciples.

So when Jesus appeared to them, Thomas missed out. If you’re doubting God, surround yourself with people who are 100 per cent set on God. They will listen to you, answer your questions, tell you about their experiences with God and remind you God is still out there.

And, thirdly, sometimes all we have to do is ask.

Thomas said, ‘Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won’t believe it.’ And so Jesus let Thomas do just that! If you’re doubting God, maybe it’s time to pray and ask God to reveal himself to you—like Thomas.

God may not show up straight away, but God is listening and will answer your prayer at the time that is best for you. Then you’ll be able to look back and remember: I prayed and my God answered. So, be bold, be brave and be like Thomas. And call out to God! Ben Carpenter is 20 and attends The Salvation Army in Johnsonville. He is in his second year studying architecture at Victoria University.

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 13

Investing in Youth and Children’s Ministry

‘We want to see our leaders, communities, ministries and relationship with God and each other thrive!’ This catchphrase was the underpinning for Thrive, this year’s youth and children’s ministry conference. Thrive was held from 21 to 23 July, bringing together youth and children’s ministry leaders for teaching, networking, and the chance to gain fresh, practical tools.

The territory highly values its local leaders and the Thrive conference was about investing back into those who give out week to week in their various ministries, said Territorial Children’s Mission Director Hannah Medland.

From the outset of the conference, which opened with a pōwhiri from local tangata whenua, there was a sense of expectation for God to do big things in the lives of delegates.

There was a hope they would leave refreshed and equipped to take the next steps to winning their communities for God’s Kingdom.

International guest Dustan Bell (Calvary Christian Church, Townsville, Australia), along with local keynote speakers Major Heather Rodwell (Territorial Spiritual Life Development) and Alana LePine (Upper Hutt Corps), challenged delegates with compelling spiritual and leadership messages. Delegates were encouraged to pursue their ‘anointing, calling and identity’, the essential nature of a close personal relationship with God in ministry. They were also reminded that behind every young person was a family with ‘a redemptive plan, destiny behind the drama, and compassion behind every calling’. There was also teaching about Jesus as ‘a prophet who speaks truth, a priest who walks with us, and the king who leads us’.

Delegates selected workshops from a wide range of topics that delved deeper into practical teaching and provided tools for ministry. Workshop speakers included Dr Duffy Robbins (Professor of Youth Ministry, Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania) and Dr Roshan Allpress (National Principal/CEO of Laidlaw College). These workshops covered a range of topics relevant to people involved in pre-school ministry, right through to young adult ministry.

God really blessed this conference! Heading into the weekend we were expecting the Holy Spirit to come and touch lives afresh and anew, and to continue to fire people up for the Kingdom, empowering them to go home and make an impact in their 14 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

communities. This was reinforced with a Sunday morning ‘where to from here?’ session that challenged delegates to dream and discuss with other leaders their visions for the future in their own corps and communities settings.

Territorial Youth Secretary Major Joanne Wardle said, ‘It was such a privilege to meet and share with our dedicated youth and children’s workers from across our territory. Even though we are a diverse group, spread over three countries, our love for Jesus and the children and youth we connect with is what united us over our weekend together. To hear leaders’ individual stories, to see their passion for learning, and their hunger for God was truly inspiring! I came away grateful to God for our remarkable front line who selflessly serve.’

The future for children’s and youth ministry is bright, with passionate, energised leaders heading back into their own settings empowered by God’s Holy Spirit. The Territorial Youth and Children’s Departments are focused on investing in the Army’s children’s and youth leaders so they truly do thrive in their ministries. Their hope for the future is that children and young people would come into a lifelong relationship with Jesus. We want to see our leaders, communities, ministries and relationships with God and each other thrive!

BY KATE GEDDES

Mjr Joanne Wardle honours Darren Frazer, who finished as a Salvation Army youth worker earlier this year after almost 22 years’ ministry.

Commitments from Fiji Men’s Camps

Beautiful blue skies, with tall and huge trees swaying in a cool breeze was the scene for the Fiji Northern Region men’s camp, held just-five minutes’ drive from the Labasa Corps.

On Friday 18 August, men from Taveuni, Savusavu and Labasa Corps, along with Valeni and Dogotuki Outposts met for the first night of their three-day programme.

Captains Sekaia Rabuli, Viliame Rabuli and Lasarusa Turaga based their Bible messages on the Territorial Mission Plan purpose of The Salvation Army being ‘the Army that brings life’.

The Saturday morning programme included a presentation

by Waisale Tuinaqaidamu from the Northern Development Programme (NDP), which provides equity assistance to improve the livelihood of the people in the Northern Division. Isoa Baleirotuma from the Provincial Office (North) also spoke on taking care of the environment that God has given to people as a resource.

On Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, group studies were held to look at The Salvation Army’s Mission Plan values.

On Sunday, this was followed by a prayer workshop and a time of shared prayer amongst campers.

On Sunday evening, Viliame preached on ‘The Army that Brings Life’ and the importance of ‘Doing Mission Together’.

Campers took steps forward to commit themselves to the Lord—instruments God will use for his purpose in the Fiji Salvation Army.

Sixty-year-old Penijamini Vesikula from Valeni Outpost appreciated the balanced programme—‘not only spiritual but also other activities such as social entrepreneurship’. He was going home to share the information he had learned about NDP and planned to invite someone to speak about this with people from his village.

Seventy-five-year old Mikaele Soqosoqo from Taveuni Corps said he received a great blessing from the camp. Although raised a Catholic, he said he had not known how to pray until he attended the Northern Region men’s camp. A shy person, he said he was uncomfortable in churches that used instruments in worship and that he had only attended because he was part of the Taveuni Corps dance group.

‘From day one of this camp, I felt something bubbling inside me,’ he said. ‘The warmth and welcome of the people, the spiritual messages, and the group studies have directed me to a different direction. I have found a place where I truly belong—a place where there is no one superior or inferior—leaders share meals with us on the same table.’ He now wanted his family to join The Salvation Army Taveuni Corps.

The next weekend saw a second successful men’s camp. This time, 120 men from Fiji’s Western and Central Regions gathered at Sabeto, near Nadi, for a weekend of challenge and fellowship.

The camp’s theme explored the theme ‘We Shall Overcome’.

Guest speaker, Lieut-Colonel Rod Carey (Territorial Secretary for Programme) based his messages on the theme song of Fiji’s national seven’s rugby team, with lyrics from Revelation 12:11, ‘They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony and they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.’

Other participating speakers included Dr Rajiv Patel, Fiji’s only specialist urologist, who created a lot of interesting discussion around the issue of prostate cancer in men.

BY CAPTAIN LIMAINA TURAGA

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 15

Deployed to Uganda

Linda enjoyed catching up with friends.

Papakura Soldier 100 Years Young It was standing room only at Papakura Corps recently as people from across New Zealand came to honour Salvation Army soldier Linda Chambers and celebrate her 100th birthday. Linda has been a member of the corps since 1983.

Corps Officer Captain Nicki Dutton organised the celebrations, receiving lots of cards to be passed on to Linda from those who’d been impacted by her ministry over the years. Nicki said Linda ‘easily crosses the generations making a particular effort to connect with the children and youth of the corps’.

A former soldier of Papakura Corps, Lieutenant Trish Mataki, echoed this sentiment. ‘She’s got this natural talent to connect with people of all ages.

I can still see her standing in junior soldiers with our mokopuna and being able to engage and have an impact on their lives at 95 years old!’

Linda was kind, generous and supportive of Majors Ken and Denise Smith when they arrived at Papakura as fresh-faced lieutenants in 2000.

At 83, she was ‘still driving, actively engaged and interested in the corps and willing to give her advice,’ said Ken. Linda has served in many areas of the corps throughout the years, including as a committee member for over-60s, cook for the seniors’ meal, volunteering at the Family Store, and doing the gardens at the hall. She retired from teaching junior soldiers last year, but is still an active member of the corps leadership team as well as volunteering at the foodbank, providing hospitality for those who come for assistance.

Her birthday celebrations were wonderful, most unexpected and highly appreciated, Linda said. ‘People from years back—past officers, family and friends, it was absolutely beyond my imagination!’

Linda’s mother used to say to her ‘if you ever get near The Salvation Army my girl, you go to them’. Relocating to Papakura after the death of her husband finally gave Linda the opportunity to serve God through the Army. ‘To me, God has always been my leaning post. Don’t we all need a leaning post?’

16 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

National Coordinator of Emergency Services Major David Bennett has left for Uganda as part of a two-person team for a Salvation Army International Emergency Services project working with refugees fleeing fighting, famine and economic collapse in South Sudan.

The team has started work on a threemonth project to provide shelter for 1500 families and safe water for 9000 people, including building 14 boreholes in four communities. They’re also aiming to build 150 toilets and provide 1500 families with health and hygiene items.

They are working with a team from the Ugandan Salvation Army in the Adjumani district of northern Uganda.

The district is home to about 170,000 refugees from the neighbouring South Sudan. More than one and a half million refugees have fled South Sudan this year, almost half to Uganda.

It will be David’s third trip overseas with the Army’s International Emergency Services. He worked in Samoa following an earthquake and tsunami in 2009, and in Nepal after its 2015 earthquake.

But the Uganda trip would be a whole new challenge. ‘It’s going to be quite confronting for me. Normally I have gone into areas devastated by natural disaster, but this is a humanitarian disaster—80 per cent of the refugees are women and children and 60 per cent are under 18.’

He said his emotions were similar to other emergency work he had done. ‘You look forward to the challenge and the opportunity to help, and you’re praying for the strength and protection that it doesn’t damage your health and emotions as you do that.’

Serving after Hurricane Harvey

As the situation in south Texas worsened following Hurricane Harvey’s landfall, The Salvation Army activated all of its US and Canadian emergency disaster response assets to provide food, shelter and emotional and spiritual care to those impacted by the devastating weather event.

Salvation Army locations in Houston and surrounding areas provided shelter, food, and clothing in response to dramatic flooding in the city.

In both Pasadena (Texas) and Texas City a number of people were transported to The

Salvation Army in the back of dump trucks, having been rescued from rapidly rising flood waters.

In Houston, one of the worst-affected cities, nine additional mobile feeding units were mustered to support the 33 initially deployed. Salvation Army staff and volunteers used iPads and tablets at mobile feeding sites to help residents apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Residents of nearby Kendleton, stranded by rising

floodwaters, had boxed meals and other emergency supplies delivered by boat.

Mobile kitchens from McAllen, Laredo, Corpus Christi and Dallas Fort Worth served meals, drinks and snacks to residents and first responders in the hard-hit city of Port Aransas, Driscoll and Corpus. As communities along the coastline beame accessible, Salvation Army mobile emergency feeding and hydration vehicles delivered help to other affected areas.

Major Andrew Kelly, Salvation Army Area Commander for the Austin Area, Texas, tweeted, ‘This disaster will take months and possibly years to get through and The Salvation Army will be there, helping in any way we can, providing meals, shelter, clean-up support, and emotional and spiritual care.’

Former president George W. Bush, in a Facebook post, wrote that he and his wife Laura were ‘moved by the heroic work of the first responders and volunteers who are putting themselves at risk to save others … The devastation breaks our hearts, but we are confident that these strong communities

will recover and thrive’. He encouraged the population to donate to The Salvation Army and other organisations offering assistance.

Austin Area Command feeding units were reassigned from the Texas coast to serve in the city of La Grange.

Located an hour southwest of Austin, the Colorado River had reached record levels and flooded about 500 homes in the community.

Salvation Army officers, working alongside partner organisations in Lake Charles, Louisiana, cared for hundreds of people who crossed state lines in search of a safe place to stay. Corps Officer Lieutenant Richard Watts, with the help of 80 volunteers, managed meals three times a day for up to 1200 people at the Lake Charles Civic Center. ‘We have rallied as a community, and you can’t ask for more than that,’ he said.

Major Glenn Riggs coordinated emotional and spiritual care at the shelter.

He said, ‘I’ve cried a little, encouraged and empathised with them, even though you couldn’t possibly know what they are going through.’

Worst flooding in South Asia for 30 years After weeks of relentless monsoon downpours, vast parts of India, Bangladesh and Nepal are under water and more than 40 million people have been affected by the floods, with over 1200 killed.

Salvation Army emergency relief teams were deployed in parts of Bangladesh and India to set up distribution points to provide basic necessities.

In the Chittagong area, Bangladesh, funding had been received to start building houses for those who lost everything during the initial landslide as a result of the heavy rain.

The Salvation Army’s India Western Territory mobilised its forces, with flood relief teams distributing kits in affected areas to 2200 families, including approximately 4400 adults and 5600 children. Kits contained essentials such as rice, wheat flour,

toor dal, oil, sugar, tea, salt, spices and vegetables, such as onions and potatoes.

Funds have been made available by The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters to meet the most pressing needs, while assessments continue. Working in cooperation with other non-governmental organisations, The Salvation Army will continue to assist flood victims, providing food and survival equipment. Donations are being sought to enable a wider-scale response.

General André Cox, international leader of The Salvation Army, said, ‘I ask for Salvationists and friends to give prayer and practical support for the relief efforts of yet another catastrophic disaster.’

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 17

Te Ōhākī: Kia R arangatia te Tira—Leadership

BY TAU MATAKI

Unpacking the four goals of The Salvation Army’s Māori Ministry Strategic Plan, ‘Te Ōhākī’.

Goal 2: ‘Our development plans make a greater investment in Salvation Army Māori leadership to intentionally develop Māori leaders in preparation for senior and strategic roles.’

Te Ōhākī, our Māori Ministry Strategic Plan, has been in place for two years. It has started an important conversation in The Salvation Army that has had both expected and unexpected consequences. The expected consequences include a demonstrable increase in training around the motu (country) at all levels—from corps to the governance table, greater use of the language of biculturalism in our activities, and attempts at all levels to build enduring relationships with tangata whenua.

The most important unexpected consequence is that our Māori Salvation Army members have felt empowered to ask about their own tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) within the Army and the challenge of balancing our Salvation Army’s hierarchy with Māori community leadership structures.

We celebrate the progress being made, but it is clear we still need to work together to realise a pathway for tino rangatiratanga within The Salvation Army and, in particular, to continue our conversations about leadership.

Doing Mission Together To achieve the optimum results from Te Ōhākī it is important all aspects of The Salvation Army in Aotearoa New Zealand become aware of, and involved in, the outworking of this strategy—from territorial headquarters, divisional headquarters and nationallymanaged programmes to the corps and centres within the communities where we serve.

Honouring the Treaty The Salvation Army’s work with Māori (known in New Zealand as tangata whenua, ‘the people of the land’) needs to be understood in the context of both the place of spirituality in the life and culture of tangata whenua then and now, and the centrality of New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi.

Mana Māori Historically, there was no sense in which spirituality was a separate or optional part of life for Māori communities—and in many senses this persists for contemporary marae communities.

This means Māori communities are open to religion and spirituality and have a language to engage in those debates and discussions. However, this also means that Māori communities tend to integrate new expressions into their existing community life, rather than transform their community in line with new spiritualities and religions.

Weaving together The whāriki is an important symbol of community in te Ao Māori. In our Māori Ministry strategic vision, the whāriki 18 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

symbolises the weaving together of tikanga and Christianity.

Our conviction is this weaving together will allow Māori within The Salvation Army and those we are in relationship with to flourish into their full potential. The master strand that holds our whāriki together is Christ, and our relationship with him gives us full freedom to express our identity, our relationships and discipleship as tangata whenua.

Ideas for developing Māori leaders • At territorial, executive and divisional levels: To see a Treaty partnership model expressed in a tangible way in leadership positions at all levels in the Salvation Army.

As our bicultural relationship becomes better informed we are seeing a deliberate emergence of leadership transparency in corps, divisional, national and territorial settings. For example, Māori representation at governance level, in territorial councils, through divisional secretaries, with corps Māori Ministry, and in Mana Whenua engagement.

• At Booth College of Mission: To see Booth College of Mission implement training models for Māori that include more intentional bicultural training in their onsite training programmes and a wānanga-based stream of training for officership/leadership and other corps responsibilities. For example, ‘Te Whare Io’ is a Māori discipleship programme currently being conducted at Booth College of Mission by external facilitators, an exciting development.

• Building cultural intelligence: Recognising that tauiwi (non-Māori) Salvationists continue to wrestle and at times struggle with biculturalism, ongoing training will therefore need to be provided on biculturalism and its implementation. For example, identifying suitable candidates for vacant roles of Divisional Secretaries/Leaders for Māori Ministry requires a conversation between divisional leadership and Territorial Secretaries for Māori Ministry for bicultural consistency.

• Recruitment strategy: Although there are capable Māori leaders in The Salvation Army, there is not yet sufficient Māori leadership to strengthen The Salvation Army’s bicultural culture. Working alongside the Territorial Secretaries for Māori Ministry and the Māori Ministry Council, an intentional recruitment strategy for improved bicultural relationships should identify gaps in the territory and divisions, as well as the required skills so we can seek out people to fill any vacant roles.

Christ’s final wishes An ōhākī refers to someone’s last words before death. Christ’s final words in the Great Commission were that all believers would go forth and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

It is a sadness that around the world—including in Aotearoa New Zealand—these words have been used as a tool of colonisation, rather than as an imperative to build relationships that transcend culture, ethnicity, race and all other barriers.

Te Ōhākī is a call to The Salvation Army to put whakawhanaungatanga (creating connectedness and relationship) at the heart of our faith and our life together. In this way we will truly honour both the founding treaty of our nation and the final words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Read the Māori Ministry Strategic Plan salvationarmy.org.nz/TeOhaki

NEVER FORGET HOW MUCH PEOPLE NEED JESUS IN THEIR LIVES! In just a few days, Barbara and I bid farewell to this beautiful part of the world to travel home to Atlanta.

While we are looking forward to being closer to our children and grandchildren and excited to take up our new appointments as leaders of the USA Southern Territory, we will miss the wonderful people of New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

GAZETTE International Appointments & Promotions: Effective 1 Jan 2018: Cols Lyndon and Bronwyn Buckingham, officers of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory currently serving as territorial leaders in the Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar Territory, are appointed territorial leaders in the United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland.

Col Lyndon Buckingham is appointed Territorial Commander. Col Bronwyn Buckingham Territorial Leader of Leader Development. They take up their new appointments with the rank of commissioner.

Mjrs Philip and Sheila Davisson, officers of the USA Central Territory, are appointed command leaders in the Spain and Portugal Command, in succession to Lt-Cols Gordon and Susan Daly who will be taking up appointments in their home territory of New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

Resignation: The Territorial Commander announces with regret the resignation from officership of Capt Gaylene Harvey, effective 14 September.

Gaylene was commissioned on 11 Dec 2004. She has served for 12 years and nine months in appointments at The Nest, Hamilton; Street Outreach Services, Christchurch; Auckland Bridge; HomeCare, Hamilton; and Senior Services, Tauranga. We thank Gaylene for her service and pray God’s blessing on her in the days ahead.

First-time Grandparents: Congratulations Capts Paul and Raewyn Gardner on the safe arrival of their first grandchild, Aaron Paul David Gardner, on 29 August, a son to Anthony and Claire Gardner.

Thank you for opening your hearts and lives to us over the past three years! We have made lasting friendships, celebrated what God is doing in and through your lives, and rejoiced as we’ve seen you rise to meet the challenges of the Kingdom head on, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

In the Salvationists and staff of the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory, we have seen a Salvation Army that understands the concerns of everyday people and does its utmost to address their needs.

We have seen a Salvation Army that embraces the challenge to be ‘the Army that brings life’, with a sincere commitment to ‘live like Jesus’ and ‘do mission together’.

We have seen a Salvation Army that demonstrates the heart, spirit and attitude of true Salvationism, motivated by love for God to introduce people to Jesus.

May we never forget how much people need Jesus in their lives! Strengthen your efforts to share Jesus with others as you step into the future. There will always be the temptation to keep our Salvationism constrained within Sunday worship and talk about Jesus only with our Christian friends, but The Salvation Army is not meant to be held captive. We are to be ‘an assault force for Christ’, as Colonel Lyell Rader (O.F.) once said, not merely ‘an army of occupation’. Colonel Rader worried that while Jesus’ command was to ‘go [to people in the] streets … lanes … highways’, too many Salvationists were instead saying, ‘Stay indoors and send them a postcard.’

The greatest joy of my officership has been to see people come to know and follow Jesus! I do not want to see a Salvation Army that stays indoors, hiding from a culture that says Jesus is irrelevant to our world today. And so I ask you to think about where and to whom God is calling you. Is it to a specific person who doesn’t yet know Jesus? Is it to share some fresh idea with your corps officer or centre manager that will re-energise the Army’s mission in your community? Is it to offer yourself as a Salvation Army officer? Be obedient to God’s call to go!

Barbara and I pledge our prayers to the continued growth of God’s Kingdom here in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga and (very soon) in Samoa as well. You will always be in our hearts.

Colonel Willis Howell Chief Secretary 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 19

The Old Testament book of Daniel has a lot to teach us about resolving the tension of choosing whether to resist or adapt as we engage with the culture around us.

BY CARLA LINDSEY

US psychotherapist Bill Blanton promotes a lifestyle called ‘radical honesty’. He believes the best way to live is to tell absolutely no lies, not even little white ones. You must be completely honest and transparent with everyone to the point that if a thought enters your head, it has to come out your mouth.

We live in a world where white lies are a normal part of life. Often, we tell them to protect other’s feelings (‘You look great in that!’) or to protect ourselves (‘Sorry I’m late, the traffic was terrible’, when we mean ‘sorry I’m late, I’m just really disorganised’). But what would happen if we really were direct and honest with others in a gentle, loving way? I suspect 20 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

our relationships would grow and we would grow as individuals.

Telling the truth is not always easy. It can be uncomfortable, inconvenient, embarrassing and career limiting. In the case of Daniel, it could have also been life ending. In Daniel chapter four, we see Daniel choose to deal honestly with King Nebuchadnezzar when it might have been safer—and certainly more comfortable —for him to have fudged the truth.

I’ve had a dream The fourth chapter of Daniel is unique in that Nebuchadnezzar narrates the story.

We get a glimpse into the way this king (the most powerful man on the planet at the time) saw the world and his place in it. The chapter takes the form of a royal decree in which Nebuchadnezzar spreads word around his huge empire about something that has happened.

Nebuchadnezzar begins with the typical greeting for such a decree, and then gets straight into the story. He tells everyone, ‘I was at home in my palace, contented

and prosperous’ (Daniel 4:4). All was going well for the king. He was basking in his great achievements. But in a moment that blissful feeling turned to terror. He had a dream and knew it meant something bad.

So, as kings did in those days, he called on all his wise men to interpret the dream.

But they were no help. This dream had them stumped.

Daniel, who by now had been promoted to ‘chief of the wise men’ (4:9), arrived after everyone else had failed to interpret the dream. This made him the king’s last hope.

Daniel was under a little bit of pressure!

Daniel listened while Nebuchadnezzar recounted his dream. He had seen a huge and beautiful tree. It was laden with fruit and provided food and shelter for many creatures.

But a messenger from Heaven declared that the tree would be stripped and cut down, leaving only the stump and roots. Then a strange switch happens in the words of the messenger. The tree stops being referred to as an ‘it’ and it is referred to as a ‘he’. This ‘he’, we are told, was going to be become like an animal for seven years.

Telling the truth So Daniel broke the news: ‘Your Majesty, you are that tree!’ (4:22). Most likely Nebuchadnezzar had suspected that was the case, as in Mesopotamian literature the tree often served as a symbol of divine world order and the king was seen as the one who kept that order on behalf of the gods. So, if the king was the tree, that meant not only would he be cut down, but he was also going to lose his mind and live with the wild animals until he acknowledged God.

AS HARD AS IT WAS FOR DANIEL TO DELIVER GOD’S MESSAGE, IT WAS IN THE KING’S BEST INTERESTS TO HEAR THE TRUTH …

Now, not only is Nebuchadnezzar troubled by the dream, but Daniel is dumbstruck by fear. He knew what the dream meant alright, and didn’t want to tell the king.

In fact, Daniel told the king he wished this dream was for Nebuchadnezzar’s enemies—a surprising thing to say given that Daniel might well have considered the king his enemy, since Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed Daniel’s city and taken him prisoner! Daniel might well have thought, ‘You deserve what you have coming, Nebuchadnezzar!’ But we sense from this interaction that a friendship had formed between the two men.

Daniel’s response indicates conflicted emotions. Where was his loyalty, to his God or his king? What might it mean for him if the King reacted badly to God’s message? After all, kings had been known to execute the messenger. But as hard as it would be for Daniel to deliver God’s message, it was in the king’s best interest to hear the truth so he could change his ways.

Daniel reminded Nebuchadnezzar that God was ‘sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes’ (4:25). Nebuchadnezzar thought of himself as god-like. He thought he held all the power and had achieved success by his own strength. He failed to realise God had put him in power and that ultimately God was in control. Everything Nebuchadnezzar had was a gift that could be taken away in a moment.

Daniel’s courage seems to build as he relays the dream’s interpretation, and as he gets to the end he becomes very direct. He instructs the king to act now to avoid this happening. Nebuchadnezzar could change his behaviour, do what was right and be kind to the oppressed. Doing so would not only save him from insanity, but would benefit his whole kingdom.

But did the king listen? It seems not.

‘Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” ’ (4:29–30). And it was a great city, with walls 13 km around and four chariots wide, amazing buildings and hanging gardens that were one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

It must have been a spectacular sight.

Yet when God looked, he saw was a man whose heart was full of pride.

And so the dream came to pass. The great king ‘was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox … his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird’ (4:32–33). At the end of that time, Nebuchadnezzar raised his eyes toward heaven and his sanity was

restored.

well known in the ancient world. It was characterised by the acute onset of insanity and delusions of thinking one was an animal. It would often last a year or two before complete sanity was restored.

Perhaps this was what happened to Nebuchadnezzar?

In addition, a fascinating document called the Prayer of Nabonidus was found among ancient documents at the Qumran Caves.

In this, King Nabonidus (who reigned shortly after Nebuchadnezzar) finds himself afflicted with an illness at God’s command. He was sick for seven years until he prayed to the Most High God and had a Jewish exorcist pardon his sins.

Some interesting similarities, don’t you think?

Some scholars wonder if Nabonidus was Nebuchadnezzar, since kings often had more than one name. Perhaps this Prayer of Nabonidus is an account of the Daniel chapter four from a different perspective?

Nebuchadnezzar’s final words in the book of Daniel are praise to Daniel’s God. He acknowledged God was sovereign and that ‘those who walk in pride he is able to humble’. (4:37). The king finally got it.

Quite a hard way to learn, though!

It’s been said that ‘sanity begins with a realistic self-appraisal’. It starts with being honest with ourselves. That might be the most difficult type of honesty. To accept the things we are good at and the mistakes we’ve made. To accept that we are valuable to God but that we are not God.

Read Daniel chapter 4 • Where do you need to be honest with yourself and others?

• Who do you need to listen to—even if you don’t like their message?

• How can you actively remind yourself that all you have is a gift from God? How does remembering that change the way you feel about what you have?

Now, all this might seem far-fetched, but a disease called ‘lycanthropy’ was 23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Andy (Territorial Commander) and Yvonne Westrupp (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 22–24 September: Visit to Gore, Winton & Invercargill Corps/Centres 29 September–1 October: Tri-Territorial Thought Matters Conference 1 October: Territorial Farewell to Colonels Willis & Barbara Howell 6–8 October: Her Freedom Song Conference (TPWM) 13–17 October: Fiji Officers Fellowship and Taveuni Corps 20 October: Jeff Farm AGM 28 October: Re-opening of Linwood Corps Building 29–31 October: Midland Division Visit

to Colonels Barbara & Willis Howell Sunday 1 October, 2:30 pm

Wellington City Corps | 92 Vivian Street, Wellington

Colonels Willis Howell (Chief Secretary) and Barbara Howell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries) 13 September: Spiritual Day, Booth College of Mission 15–16 September: Just Action (CS) 23–25 September: Tonga Governance Visit 1 October: Farewell to USA Southern Territory Appointments

Light afternoon tea to follow

PRAY

Papakura, Porirua, Pukekohe and Queenstown Corps, Petone Corps Plant; Salvation Army Emergency Services personnel; The Salvation Army in Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

After three years as senior leaders in the New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Territory, the Howells return home to take up new appointments on 1 November as Territorial Leaders of the USA Southern Territory.

Find SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES online:

www salvationarmy.org.nz/employment

Want to Know More?

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:

Name Email Address Phone

Shop online at

Send to: warcry@nzf.salvationarmy.org or War Cry, PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141 Quiz Answers: 1 A band of Pirates, 2 Patmos, 3 T-shirts, 4 Seven, 5 Jerico (Joshua 6).

22 WarCry 23 SEPTEMBER 2017

salvationarmy.org.nz/shop

fill in the blanks

Fill in the blanks with the words BAG,

CAR, CHIN, DISH, EAR, KIN, MAT, NEAP, PIN, PUMP, RANGE, STAR to find the names of 11 plants!

1

7 2

3

8

‘… Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me.’

John 15:4 CEV

9 10

4 11

5 6

crossword

Do you know your vegetables?

Spring gardens look bright and cheerful, with daffodils blooming and blossoms on trees.

Plants need good soil, sunlight and water to grow well. God wants us to become strong followers of Jesus. This means we need things in our lives that help us to grow too.

Our ‘soil’ is our friendship with Jesus. Soil contains the food plants need to grow. Staying connected to Jesus means we receive good things from God. Our ‘sunlight’ comes from the Bible. Plants grow to face the sun because they need its warmth.

We look to the Bible to get God’s advice about how to live well.

help the bee find the flower

Our ‘water’ comes from other people who also love Jesus.

Water helps plants stay healthy.

When we spend time with other Christians we stay healthy and happy by encouraging each other.

When we grow God’s way, good ‘fruit’ like kindness and caring grows. And as people meet Jesus through us, that’s even more fruit!

Dear Jesus, I want to grow strong to make this world a more beautiful place.

Help me stay close to you, read my Bible lots, and enjoy spending time with other Christians. Amen.

23 SEPTEMBER 2017 WarCry 23

Fill in the Blanks: 1 CARROT, 2 RADISH, 3 CABBAGE, 4 ZUCCHINI, 5 TOMATO, 6 SPINACH, 7 ORANGE, 8 PEAR, 9 MUSTARD, 10 PUMPKIN, 11 PINEAPPLE.