30 May 2020 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 30 MAY 2020 | Issue 6743 | $1.50

Child Matters Challenges of Children’s Ministry

LifeChanging Gift of Sight Drive-Through Foodbank Back to School

Discerning Mixed Messages Plight of Migrants

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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 | PROOF READING Major

Colleen Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

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

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

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Pentecost This Sunday is Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, when we celebrate the birth of the Church and the coming of the Holy Spirit, who was sent to earth to empower the disciples and ultimately the Church.

Jesus had been crucified and the disciples were huddled in the upper room trying to regroup, to refocus their lives and futures. Everything had changed; all their dreams and plans were in tatters. But out of a seemingly hopeless situation, birthed a movement that has shaken empires and uprooted evil around the world.

What about today, how many people’s lives are in tatters? How many families are looking at an unknown future and wondering what will happen to their livelihoods, their plans and the plans they had for their children? Just as Christ had a plan at Pentecost, he has a plan for the Church today.

We may appear to be in various stages of lockdown, but you cannot lock down the Body of Christ. It is living and constantly growing, reaching out and encompassing those who are lost and bringing them in to a safe harbour.

The big questions are: Are we willing to adapt? Are we willing to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into new ways of being and new ways of expressing the gospel message?

History shows us that God is always on the move. The message remains the same, but the expression changes for each generation. I believe there will be new opportunities for The Salvation Army as we pray and ask. Yes, there will be painful adjustments for many, but God is faithful and he did not—and will not— leave us as orphans to work it out on our own.

Vivienne Hill Editor

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

Publishing for 136 years | Issue 6743 ISSN 0043-0242 (print), ISSN 2537-7442 (online)

SalvationArmyNZFTS

If Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, then you have all you need to be an agent of change in the lives of your kids.

@SalvationArmyNZ

Cathy Coppola

Please pass on or recycle this magazine Read online www.issuu.com/salvationarmynzftwarcry

www.salvationarmy.org.nz

salvationarmynzfts

2 WarCry 30 MAY 2020

Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Ngā Mahi Nā, ko reira ora ai te hunga katoa e karanga ana ki te ingoa o te Ariki.

C

hildren’s and family ministries are relational ministries that provide opportunities for children to express their faith and to support a child’s development. It also provides families with support and resources. It is not a babysitting service. We believe the very real and complex challenges faced by our volunteers and workers require commitment and understanding of the vital mission of imparting the knowledge of God to our children. The Children’s Mission has been asked to share the challenges of children’s ministry. Here are some of the top challenges we all face.

Competition for our children’s time is resulting in less frequent attendance. Where once Sunday mornings were set aside as a spiritual time, it is now a prime spot for primary-aged sports. It is well known that transitions between life stages are dropoff points in faith. As children enter primary school, parents are forced to choose between their child’s faith development in a church setting, or the social and physical benefits of playing team sports. But where churches actively support families outside of Sunday mornings, this minimises the impact.

In an age of competing interests, it’s no surprise that we have rising diagnoses of depression and anxiety in our children—anxiety being the most common mental illness in children. Our nation’s medical providers struggle with the huge numbers of young patients being referred to them. Parents can face lengthy wait times for their child to receive professional care. Our children’s and familys workers and volunteers are often called on to help families navigate the difficulties in caring for children with mental illness. At More Conference

2019, workshops and seminars addressing mental health issues in children and young people were some of the most sought-after training options. We expect there to be an increase in children’s anxiety as a result of the pandemic.

Children’s ministries are built by volunteers.

Some corps are in a position to afford a paid children’s and/or family worker, but they still rely heavily on volunteers to run a successful ministry.

Finding volunteers can be difficult. It is not unusual for volunteers to resign when leadership changes, which is extremely challenging for those who remain. As many of our volunteers are parents or college students, we find many move on to other ministries or churches as they transition into new stages of life. For parents, this is often when their child becomes a teen; teenage independence means parents want more opportunity to spend time with their spouse or take up new interests— and they deserve the time to do that. For college students, the end of secondary education is often accompanied by moving away for university or work. This regular turnover means children’s ministries are always looking out for volunteers.

Our territory proudly commits to prioritising future generations. The hard work of all our volunteers and paid workers is what makes that statement a reality. Each week, as they build relationships with the children in their communities, they grow the kingdom of God here on earth. Their passion for God, and the service they lovingly provide for our children is truly humbling.

BY BETHANY TATE

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 3

Bay of Plenty Local Shaves Off Golden Locks to Support The Salvation Army Photography: Pedro Szekely

TOPFIVE

For World Environment Day, here are five weird and wonderful naturally occurring places in the world you might not have heard of before.

1. Vinicunca ‘Rainbow Mountain’, Peru: This Peruvian mountain boasts stripes of multiple, vivid colours, thanks to its mineralogical composition.

2. Underwater Park, Austria: At the base of the Hochschwab Mountains lies a small park. Every year, the melting snow in springtime increases the lake level from 1–2m to 10–12m, submerging the park and making it scuba-diving only, for a little while.

3. Crooked Forest, Poland: No one is quite sure how these trees came to be so oddly shaped, but in Nowe Czarnowo you’ll find a forest of trees with twisted, curved bases almost in the shape of a fishing hook.

4. Caño Cristales, Colombia: This Colombian river is commonly known as the ‘River of Five Colours’ or the ‘Liquid Rainbow’ because of the striking colours (yellow, green, blue, black and red) which appear in the riverbed from July to November.

5. La Jonction, Switzerland: The Confluence of the Rhône and Arve Rivers in Geneva is a natural phenomenon where two rivers with remarkably different colours meet, and the colours of both merge and swirl together.

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QUIKQUIZ

1 What is plutology?

2 How many planets in our solar system are larger than Earth?

3 In which country would you find the shortest space bar on a keyboard?

4 In the television show Thunderbirds, what colour is Thunderbird 3?

5 In which city was Paul accused of turning the world upside down?

Answers on page 22

Matthew Strange felt compelled to act after seeing multiple news stories about how Covid-19 was causing rapid demand for support services from The Salvation Army.

To raise money for The Salvation Army, Matthew decided to shave off the long hair he’d had for most of his adult life.

‘I suppose some people do marathons in their backyards, but I’ve got long, blond-goldy locks, and I thought, well, the kids would love to get at it with the scissors,’ he says.

He met his fundraising target in five days, thanks to the support of donors—many of them friends and family.

‘One of them was my niece up in Auckland who is ten years old, she donated her pocket money.’

Matthew initially bargained with his daughters—Caitlin and Ella—that if he reached his $1000 goal, he would let them chop his hair off with scissors. He also promised to let them trim it with an electric razor if he could surpass his new target of $1500. The final tally was $1561.

It was all in the spirit of helping The Salvation Army to serve those in need in his local Bay of Plenty area, amidst the country’s skyrocketing unemployment levels.

‘It was a natural fit for wanting to support people through the sudden hardship that they’re facing.’

SALLIEOFTHEWEEK

Jackson and Maia Conway (Alexandra Corps) The Conway family from Alexandra regularly think of others.

During lockdown Jackson and Maia demonstrated that there are lots of different ways to be a shining light in their community, no matter what is happening in the world around them. They collected a jar of beads that represented every good thing they did at home, and at the end they ran an online competition with their school community to guess the final number in the jar—complete with a Paper Plus voucher as a prize. What a fun twist on lockdown—which is why Jackson and Maia are our pick for Sallie of the Week!

Children’s Book There’s A Happy Moon In My Side Richard Black (Counsellor and Mind Health Founder) The author regularly comes across young people and adults who have not had the opportunity to learn basic skills of emotional awareness, resilience, and wellbeing. There’s a Happy Moon in my Side, was inspired by conversations between Richard and his young daughter.

Richard believes that the way we interact with children, especially the way we speak to them, becomes the internal pattern of how they speak to themselves. This impacts their resilience and sense of wellbeing. The ‘happy moon’ in the story encourages children to speak helpfully to themselves as they interpret life. The book caters best to older primary school-aged children, but the beautiful illustrations by Tepene Marsden make it accessible to preschoolers who will grow into its fuller meaning. (Reviewed by Jules Badger) Additional resources for faith-based families, caregivers and educators, as well as lockdown-specific resources, are available for free online at mindhealth.org.

Gran’s Slow Cooker Apple Cobbler ¾ cup dark cane sugar

Lightly butter a slow cooker.

¾ cup rolled oats

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Rub in the butter.

¾ cup plain flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground mixed spice 1 pinch of rock salt 50g butter, cold, grated

Slice each apple into eight wedges and add to the dry ingredients and toss.

Place in the slow cooker.

Drizzle evenly with the orange juice. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours. Serve hot.

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored 1 cup orange juice Source: eatwell.co.nz

War Cry is giving away two copies of There’s A Happy Moon in My Side.

Email warcry@ salvationarmy.org.nz to be in the draw.

Entries close 30 June.

WARCRYINHISTORY

The 27 February 1932, War Cry reported an initiative from the William Booth Birthplace Museum, Nottingham: In 1829, William Booth was born in this Georgian period building in Notintone Place, Sneinton. Now, the house and artefacts within it form a museum which is open by appointment— but they also run cinema screenings, heritage open days and the annual ‘Light Night’ where you can explore the house by candlelight.

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

Weird of the Week: Otters hold hands while they sleep to keep from drifting away from each other.

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 5

The work of New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) is crucial to secure the country’s constant need for blood donations. National Manager of Marketing and Communications Asuka Burge explains why NZBS are always seeking more Kiwi to give blood, what they can expect during their first visit to the donor centre and why plasma donations are essential.

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

I

n New Zealand, it is easy to take the available blood donations for granted.

We have highly skilled nurses, a safe and hygienic health system and an abundant population of potential blood donors. And yet, although we all know that these donations do not appear out of thin air, convincing people to roll up their sleeves and give blood is an ongoing task for New Zealand Blood Service.

‘The hardest thing is trying to get someone from … “I thought about it”, to actually taking action, booking the appointment and coming in,’ says NZBS National Manager of Marketing and Communications Asuka Burge.

Every year, more than 29,000 New Zealanders need blood products, ranging from one-off surgeries or emergencies, to those fighting ongoing conditions, such as cancer patients or people with immune deficiencies. ‘Some of them may need a transfusion every six days for the rest of their lives,’ Asuka says, ‘so you can imagine over their lifetime that amounts to thousands of transfusions.’

To gather the volume required, each year NZBS must find at least 25,000 new donors. This allows them to meet the rising demand while replacing those whose age, medical circumstances or change in location means they can no longer donate.

In total, NZBS currently has just over 111,000 people giving blood, which is less than four percent of possible donors.

Understandably, the fear of needles deters a significant portion of the population... ‘Surprisingly, quite a few people who say that have tattoos,’ Asuka laughs, ‘but that does seem to be a genuine fear, as well as “will it hurt?”’

However, she says many donors report that it does not hurt, ‘They actually find the little prick on the finger when we take the haemoglobin test is worse’.

Ultimately, NZBS wants donors to feel safe and unafraid of the donation process, and for their time at the donor centre to be a positive experience.

‘It’s not like coming to a hospital or a lab—we try and make this as comfortable as possible.’

A Life-Giving Experience There are some non-negotiable requirements for first-time blood donors: they must be between 16 and 66 years of age, weigh more than 50kg and be in good health (including the week prior to their appointment). Asuka stresses that anyone concerned with whether their travel history or a medical condition might prohibit them from donating need only call NZBS. ‘People can call our 0800 number if they want to speak to a nurse about any specific medication they might be on, which may or may not preclude them from being able to give blood. It certainly varies by each individual.’

Donors are always urged to book an appointment via the NZBS website or mobile phone app, which allows the centre to manage the flow of traffic.

Bookings are essential at present to ensure that social distancing and Covid-19 health and safety restrictions can be upheld.

Upon arrival, donors must show their ID and fill out a donor health record.

A nurse will then take them into a confidential interview room to discuss their 30 MAY 2020 WarCry 7

responses, confirm their eligibility to donate and clarify any questions. A finger prick is taken to test the donor’s haemoglobin levels and, provided they are healthy, the nurse will lead them to a donor bed.

‘It’s sterile, one-use-only needle and bags for every single donor. The nurse will make sure you are who you say you are, before then inserting the needle and then it’s usually—for a whole blood donation—about five to ten minutes on the actual donation bed,’ Asuka explains. The donor can read, tap into the centre’s free Wi-Fi or simply relax until their donation is finished. ‘The nurse will take the needle out; you’ll sit on the chair for another five minutes to make sure you’re all okay and then we ask the donors to have some refreshments.’

The total time spent at the centre—from walking in the front door to concluding your donation with some complimentary tea and biscuits—is approximately an hour for whole blood donations (plasma and platelet donors are asked to allow an hour and a half). Whole blood can be donated every three months, while plasma and platelets can be given as frequently as every two weeks. One whole blood donation can save as many as three lives.

NZBS is determined to reach as far across the country as possible. Community locations, including several Salvation Army corps (churches), help to fulfil this vision by hosting mobile blood drives. These blood drives enable NZBS to engage with Kiwi who cannot access their nine brick and mortar centres in North Shore, Epsom, Manukau, Hamilton, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

‘We’ve got over 300 unique locations around New Zealand that we do visit, and we appreciate we can’t get everywhere, but those communities are really important for us,’ Asuka affirms.

The Quest for Plasma Upon their first visit to the donor centre, a donor’s blood type—O, A, B or AB—is one of the first things that NZBS will ascertain, which can then help them to monitor demand within their services for the three blood components that they collect: whole blood, plasma and platelets.

Monitoring demand is essential to make sure they have the necessary reserves of each blood type at any given time, especially given donations have a shelf life (whole blood can only be stored for 35 days).

O- is the universal whole blood type, which means it can be administered to anybody, including babies, emergency patients or anyone else the hospitals do not have time to blood type.

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‘For anyone who’s got an O- blood type, we really want them to give regular whole blood donations. Anyone with an AB blood type—or anyone who’s not O-, for that matter—we really want to encourage them to give plasma donations if they can.’

This is because AB is the universal plasma type, which can be given to anyone—AB whole blood donations, in comparison, can only be given to patients with an AB blood type.

Appealing for new plasma donors is an urgent priority for NZBS—of those 25,000 new donors needed each year, they require at least 8000 to give plasma.

WHOLE BLOOD CAN BE DONATED EVERY THREE MONTHS, WHILE PLASMA AND PLATELETS CAN BE GIVEN AS FREQUENTLY AS EVERY TWO WEEKS. ONE WHOLE BLOOD DONATION CAN SAVE AS MANY AS THREE LIVES. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood, which can be used to create up to eleven different blood products (called immunoglobulins). It is particularly important for combatting immune deficiencies.

‘Plasma has antibodies in it which effectively gives or helps people to have more immunity than they would otherwise,’ Asuka explains.

One example use for these antibodies is when a donor has recently had chickenpox or shingles and recovered, their plasma can be made into a special product to give to children with cancer, to fight the chickenpox infection, due to the antibodies which are already in the donated plasma.

Platelets, meanwhile, are the component which clots your blood, used in everything from cuts to surgeries and trauma cases.

‘People don’t often realise that blood donation has more than one function.’

There are several factors which make it tough to uncover new plasma donors. Currently, plasma can only be donated at the nine fixed donor centres—although NZBS is exploring

COMMUNITY LOCATIONS, INCLUDING SEVERAL SALVATION ARMY CORPS (CHURCHES), HELP TO FULFIL THIS VISION BY HOSTING MOBILE BLOOD DRIVES. ways to provide this service to mobile vans in the near future.

There are some additional height and weight criteria which must be met, and healthy veins are essential.

‘The process of (donating) plasma is a little bit different,’ Asuka explains, ‘where we still have the one needle in the arm, but there’s a little machine next to the donor bed which draws the blood out, spins it in a little centrifuge, collects the plasma, but then your red cells and platelets get returned back to you.’

This process repeats a few times, meaning the appointment length is slightly longer.

NZBS whole blood donors currently give an average of 1.6 donations per year. For plasma, due to the ability to donate more frequently, the number is roughly six times a year. But NZBS says the current amount of plasma donors is not quite enough.

‘We really want to be encouraging plasma donors to give maybe one or two times more a year to help us make sure we’ve got enough plasma to meet demand.’

An Essential Service In response to Covid-19, NZBS has changed their travel criteria to prohibit anyone from donating if they have been outside of the country in the previous 28 days. Logistically, the domestic travel radius for their mobile vans has also been shortened.

‘We do have mobiles now operating again, still staying within the regions … hopefully we’ll be able to go further afield once the Covid-19 levels drop.’

They have also introduced a donor host at some centres to confirm people are fit and well and have not travelled recently before allowing them inside. Each location is observing Covid-19 social distancing and cleaning protocols.

Fortunately, the virus has not had a marked negative impact on the country’s blood supply so far. Elective surgeries

‘NEW ZEALAND BLOOD SERVICE AND BLOOD DONORS ARE ESSENTIAL.’

were halted over the lockdown period, which released some pressure on their services. On the flipside, many people had spare time on their hands to visit their local centre and cover appointment gaps amidst the fear of the looming health crisis.

‘We’ve actually had some really good appointments being filled during this time, so we’re really thankful for those donors,’ Asuka affirms. ‘It’s now the next month or two as we move out of levels, whether we can keep those donation levels high.’

The winter season is a crucial period, where it typically becomes trickier to fill appointments.

‘We find that donation levels do drop, and that’s because obviously to give blood you have to be healthy and well, and over winter a lot of people get colds, flu, coughs and they have to be minimum seven days clear, before they can donate, so that’s definitely a concern.’

Public holidays, which are traditionally a high-travel period when regular donors go away, can also be problematic, although some centres now open up for a few select donors on these days.

To begin your donation journey, Asuka encourages people to download their NZ Blood Service Donor App. ‘That is a really handy app, which not only shows you a map of New Zealand with all the locations where you can donate, but you can also book your appointment, reschedule it, cancel it (and) get your donor ID.’ Appointments can also be booked via their website at nzblood.co.nz, which is another handy starting point for first-time donors to help ensure there is no shortage over the upcoming winter season.

‘It’s not just about people who’ve had accidents—it’s actually people who are going through cancer treatments, who need it ongoing, so the need does not go away nor decrease,’ Asuka says.

‘New Zealand Blood Service and blood donors are essential.’

For more information about New Zealand Blood Service, visit nzblood.co.nz or call 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325).

The NZ Blood Service Donor App can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 9

Back To School …

In May Parents strive to establish healthy routines for their children. Covid-19 changing restrictions can be frustrating for parents and children alike because it disrupts those patterns.

The reopening of schools is another change. Self-isolation might have been boring, confining or stressful, but returning to school may cause previous anxieties to resurface. Worse, their strategies for letting off steam may be on hold, for example, organised sporting teams, music lessons, playing with friends.

Children are able to sense their parents’ emotions; if they overhear you discussing serious issues around the coronavirus pandemic and internalise your concern or stress, this can take a toll on their mental health, too. Other contributing factors may include empty supermarket shelves, parents facing unemployment or working from home (and therefore being their ‘workselves’ around their family) or sombre news broadcasts.

• Parents can use this time to build children’s resilience.

They can model behaviours to grapple with the situation at hand, and these skills can be drawn on later in life when facing tough circumstances.

• Answer their questions about what the virus is and who it affects with short sentences and facts. Correct any misinformation.

MAKE TIME FOR FUN AND ENJOY FAMILY MEALS TOGETHER… your child’s mental strength. Let them process the lockdown and readjustment period, and be there to guide them with the right information. Prioritise time for fun, enjoy each other’s company and remember that this transition period is one step closer to normality.

Screen-free Fun

• Talk through the additional health and safety measures schools are now employing and why they are important, but not to be feared.

It’s a great idea to limit screen time—both for the kids and for yourself. Here are some alternative, engaging activities!

• Validate their feelings of anger and disappointment but reframe situations. Focus on what they can do—they are still eating the same food, watching their favourite shows, walking the dog.

Indoor camping

Colouring-in/doodling

Board games

Look through photo albums

• Make sure children are not present when you and your partner have serious conversations.

• Establish a schedule, especially if the child is still studying at home—make time for fun and enjoy family meals together as well as their homework and chores. Make sure they are going to sleep and waking up at regular times.

• Plan ahead and have outlets available for when your child gets overly stressed or frustrated (see the list).

• If needed, reach out for support. The best thing you can do for your child’s mental health is take care of your own.

Every child has God-given gifts—now is a great time to embrace or discover them. Try new things, work on projects. Use this period, where extracurriculars and events are paused, to solidify

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Dance/exercise Encourage play

Have a hot shower/bath or warm drink

Brainstorm ways that your family can be generous to your local neighbourhood

Listen to or play music

Deep breathing exercises

Call a friend/family member (someone who is calm, positive and makes them laugh)

Writing/journaling— list five things you are grateful for

Hang out with pets

Source: Forrest Talley and Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, psychologytoday.com

TESTIFY! Catherine Chen has seen the power of both prayer and community work in her life, and she wants others to experience the same.

I was born in Beijing and immigrated to New Zealand in 2000. I do believe God called me when I was little. Since I came to New Zealand, I went to church to learn English and make friends, and I was baptised at Albany Baptist Church. Then a lady introduced me to one of the kids’ programmes at the Albany Bays Corps called ‘Thank God It’s Friday,’ run by Olivia Huszak. That was the first time we really knew about The Salvation Army and noticed they hosted a church service.

In the beginning, I just sent my son Alexander to ‘It’s Friday’, but about seven years ago, I chose The Salvation Army as my church. When we moved from Torbay to Silverdale in 2015, I prayed that a Salvation Army church would be close enough to us. Hibiscus Coast Corps was exactly what I prayed for. Karen and Ben Schischka, the corps officers at the time, and everybody there, gave us a very warm welcome.

A couple months later, my son’s biological father passed away. At that time, Karen really helped my family.

Even though I’d only known her a very short time, I shared my burden with her, and she supported me and my son.

I really appreciate that. I think God prepared the church for me. God does his work through his people.

For fellowship, I joined the Ladies Group. Tanya Robertson and Nikkie Scowen, who lead our group, are very knowledgeable on the Bible, and we all share our heaviness and workload together. Jan Moody is also a mentor to me. We feel like we have a lot in common and she has really helped me to grow my faith. I like to share the messages I receive from God, my tears and my happiness, with her and she

AT THE BEGINNING, I THOUGHT STUDY WOULD JUST MEAN KNOWING MORE ABOUT GOD, BUT I’VE REALISED IT’S TRANSFORMING. shares hers with me. I also volunteer at the food bank. I’ve got strong support from my church. It’s like a family in Christ.

Karen and Jan introduced me to BSF (Bible Study Fellowship), and this is my second year of study. It is a great opportunity. At the beginning, I thought study would just mean knowing more about God, but I’ve realised it’s transforming. It’s about God’s relationship with me. I pray to the Lord every day that he can use his Holy Spirit in my life, help me to spread his good news and be a tool to help other people know about him. I want to be a good mum, partner and daughter to my family. I pray all the time for his presence in my life so that I can do what he wants me to do, make my life meaningful and help me to be more like Jesus.

If I have a problem, I first check with the Bible, because I’m sure God is going to give me an answer. All of the answers are in his book. I read the Word for Today, and in the past three days, the messages have been so related to my current situation. Alexander has struggled with depression since his father passed away, and last night I felt like he wasn’t right again, so I prayed.

This morning, the verse was, ‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9). I keep praying for my family, that they will really get saved and work through the darkness.

But God has his promise for my family, I just need to hold onto the cross and keep trusting him.

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 11

When it comes to the media, it can be hard to know the real from the fake, the attainable from the unrealistic and the helpful from the harmful. How do we seek the truth?

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

Schools have always been focused on teaching literacy (how to read and write), but it is becoming increasingly important to ensure media literacy (how to read between the lines) is taught as well. We spend more time than ever bombarded with media, from traditional media (e.g. newspapers, television, radio), emerging digital spaces and the masses of marketing material shoved in our faces each day. This level of interaction becomes troublesome when we don’t know how to differentiate between what’s real and what’s not.

Once upon a time, when traditional media was king, everything went through a vigorous gatekeeping process before it reached the page, screen or airwaves. That doesn’t mean it was always accurate or representative of its audience; there has always been a need to question what we read, see and hear. However, now that everything and anything can be published and circulated cheaply online, media literacy is even more important.

So how do you to navigate through the modern media minefield?

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BUILDING RESILIENCE

It has been estimated that the human brain receives 5000 media messages every day. Most of these are designed to advertise something, whether it is a product, a point of view or a person. They are presented in a myriad of formats, some of which you might not even recognise as media—like slogan t-shirts or stickers.

Once you look beyond the surface, you might be surprised by the many ways you are exposed to media messaging each day and how the subtexts can be misleading, offensive or crafted to make you/someone else feel worse about yourselves.

MEDIA LITERACY HELPS US TO: THINK CRITICALLY

RECOGNISE POINT OF VIEW AND PUT INFORMATION IN CONTEX T UNDERSTAND THE

AUTHOR’S GOAL

BECOME A SMART CONSUMER CREATE AND SHARE MEDIA RESPONSIBLY IDENTIFY THE VOICE OF MEDIA WITHIN CULTURE.

THE FINE PRINT

CHECK YOURSELF

Common Sense Media (online) suggests that you should analyse each piece of media with the following questions: Who made this? For example, was it a company? An individual? Politician?

Comedian? Artist? Or is the source anonymous—why?

Why did they create this? Was the purpose to inform, amuse, convince you or to change your mind?

Who is the intended audience?

Consider the target age, gender or socio-economic group that the author is speaking to.

What techniques has the creator used to make this message (appear) credible/believable? Is the article backed up with statistics from a reputable source? Has this documentary quoted a subject expert? Does this podcast have an authoritative voiceover? Consider the language and tone.

What details have been left out, and why? Does it feel like there is information missing, or a side of the story which has not been explored? Is the information balanced or one-sided?

How does the message make you feel?

How do you think other individuals/ audiences would interpret this?

If you can begin by evaluating the validity and motivation behind one to three media sources each day, you will gradually train yourself to do it instinctively. You will notice the red flags, such as articles with no listed author, quoted statistics which are several years old, or text riddled with typos. You will identify advertising jargon that is spun to appeal to you. You will be able to tell the difference between fact and opinion and recognise when they are being deliberately muddled.

These are clues that the source is not as reputable as it wants you to believe.

Remember, this isn’t homework. You don’t have to submit your findings in an essay or share your thoughts with the class. The purpose is to pause and consider the information you are ingesting, citing and sharing.

Advertising claims—whether on a billboard, TV commercial or product packaging—can be misleading. Soberingly, these problems are particularly prevalent for so-called ‘health and diet’ products, leading to a well-researched correlation between the media and poor body image.

Advertising tactics can include: • photoshopping, colouring and bleaching photographs • hiding fees, disclaimers and surcharges • marketing products in oversized packaging • misleading customers by omitting information.

CONSIDER THESE EXAMPLES:

A 2014 television advertisement portrayed a certain model of car pushing a dune buggy up a sand hill, something the Federal Trade Commission discovered the car can’t actually do.

We’ve all heard the slogan, ‘Red Bull Gives You Wings’, well, hilariously, one man sued them after years of consuming the energy drink and never growing wings.

A company released a range of shoes in 2011 which supposedly increased the wearer’s muscle activation and calorie burn. Scientists determined these claims were unfounded.

Media literacy skills can help you to be realistic when it comes to advertising.

Now, here’s your first test: Can you spot which one of these three stories listed above is actually untrue?

#FAKENEWS

While subject expert opinions are never a guarantee, they are a good indicator of media validity and you might have spotted that one story didn’t cite any.

Unfortunately, the Red Bull story was a rumour which ended up being reported through an online version of the rumour mill. The true story was that a man named Benjamin Careathers claimed that although the slogan shouldn’t be taken literally, it implied the drink had a higher energy boost than a cup of coffee (which it did not). Red Bull settled the lawsuit, but not before it spawned some clickbait headlines and gradually the real story was lost in translation. The fake narrative even made it onto the Ellen show!

For more practice, the ABC have a website dedicated to media literacy activities and quizzes (such as picking fake news stories, differentiating facts from opinion and identifying satire). Check it out at abc.net.au/ education/media-literacy/

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 13

The Life-Changing Gift of Sight

BY INGRID BARRATT

Have you ever thought of reading glasses as a luxury item? Many Salvation Army clients live with vision loss because glasses are an out-of-reach expense. That’s why charity OneSight spent a week providing free eye tests and prescription glasses for Salvation Army clients.

It’s a time before the Covid-19 turned our lives upside down—and the waiting room at Royal Oak Community Ministries is full.

Many clients have pre-booked, but word is out that something special is happening. The international charity OneSight is offering free eye tests and a pair of glasses—and you can even pick your frames. The atmosphere is buzzing and friendly, and everyone waits patiently.

Recently, the Australian branch of OneSight ran clinics at Salvation Army centres in Whangārei, Kaitaia, Glenfield, Manukau and Papakura, offering its services to those who could not otherwise access eye tests and glasses.

The team of 11 volunteer optometrists, optical dispensers and eyewear specialists offer a full eye test for distance and near vision, an eye health check, an individual prescription and up to two pairs of glasses from a choice of about 30 frames.

Seeing again Henry is one of the new tenants at Te Hononga Tāngata, The Salvation Army’s social housing complex. He’s thrilled with his new specs. In 2013, he woke up in hospital after a stroke with speech and vision loss. ‘I had five blood clots and was in hospital and rehab for seven months all up. I had to learn to talk again and walk again,’ explains Henry. He connected with The Salvation Army and even began going to church services. ‘It’s awesome having my own little space [at Te Hononga Tāngata] and my seven kids and two grandkids can come and visit.

14 WarCry 30 MAY 2020

‘Everything is about attitude. I love the Sallies,’ he laughs.

Most people visiting the clinic have either lived without glasses, or kept their outdated prescription lenses for years.

Fafoa—who ran a theological college in Samoa with her husband until coming to New Zealand in 1977—is getting her first pair of new glasses in almost a decade. ‘I’ve had my old glasses for so long because it’s too expensive, I can’t afford it. But when I wear my glasses it doesn’t work,’ says Fafoa, telling a familiar story.

‘This is good, it’s nice, it’s helpful to me.’

A clear vision OneSight has partnered with The Salvation Army for several years, and began by providing ‘vision vouchers’ so clients could get free tests and glasses at an OPSM store. However, the uptake rate was low—if you’ve never had an eye test, going to an optometrist can be intimidating. Accessibility is also a barrier, if there are no local optometrists.

So OneSight came up with an innovative solution: ‘Now we’re bringing the clinic to the community, in a way that feels much more safe and comfortable for them,’ explains OneSight Programme Manager for Australia, Jenny Harnett. ‘In Kaitaia, where we held a clinic, the nearest optometrist is over an hour away. Lack of access can also be financial—if you can’t afford a pair of glasses that can be a big barrier as well.’

Something as simple as a pair of glasses can be life-changing, she says. ‘Your vision is connected to your ability to earn a

‘PEOPLE SAY, “I CAN SEE!” AND THEY START TO CRY. THEY COME IN WITH THEIR FAMILY, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY CAN SEE THE DETAILS OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. GLASSES CAN DO THAT.’

living—so when someone doesn’t have clear vision, they may not be able to work. Around 80 percent of learning is visual, so if you’re a student, it impairs your ability to learn.’

Spectacular stories Optometrist and the only Kiwi on the team, Anh-Dao Le, has a very personal reason for taking part in these clinics. ‘My eyesight got picked up when I was 15, and I failed my driver’s licence. I had been copying my classmates notes that whole year and getting glasses made a big difference,’ she says.

Although OneSight runs clinics around the world, she has chosen to stay local because ‘the need is so great here’.

‘People are living with things like an eye infection that can be treated easily, but that can cause eye damage if left untreated.

Most people here have never had an eye test. So sight becomes a privilege rather than a right,’ she reflects. ‘People say, “I can see!” and they start to cry. They come in with their family, and for the first time, they can see the details of their grandchildren.

Glasses can do that.’

Sita is especially pleased she came in today. ‘They found that I have got cataracts,’ she says. ‘I used to work as a fork-lift driver, but I had to have a knee replacement and then I found that [after the operation] my eye was very sore and always felt like there was something in it.’ As well as new glasses, Sita will be able to get her cataract removed free-of-charge thanks to the clinic.

Optical dispenser Tina Spence says volunteering at OneSight clinics is very rewarding. ‘I talked to a woman who really loved to read, and we were able to give her glasses that day, and she was crying, and she said, “I’m going to the library right now”.

Another parent said, “Now I’ll be able to help with my kids’ homework”. It can really change someone’s life.’

Although the focus of this clinic is on adult clients, optician Piranaa Alagiah tested a seven-year-old girl who couldn’t see past a metre in front of her. ‘I asked her how long this had been going on, and she said, ever since she started school.

‘It’s definitely a shock to me to think New Zealand has this huge need,’ he says.

This is the fourth annual clinic that OneSight has run with The Salvation Army. ‘This is a wonderful partner for us,’ says Jenny. ‘We love doing Salvation Army clinics because you are about providing support for people so they can reach their potential, so we’re doing the exact same thing. We’re all about unlocking people’s potential.’

‘NOW WE’RE BRINGING THE CLINIC TO THE COMMUNITY, IN A WAY THAT FEELS MUCH MORE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE FOR THEM.’

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 15

Looking Out For Rough Sleepers During Lockdown Some of The Salvation Army’s most precious clients are its rough sleepers. Arguably the most vulnerable peoplegroup during level 4 lockdown, our homeless could not shelter from the pandemic without the provision of actual, physical shelter.

The Salvation Army’s primary focus was on food welfare during level 4—but our homeless population was never far from our minds. Even with their front doors shut, many centres found innovative ways to continue caring for rough sleepers.

Waitākere Central Corps in Auckland has an ongoing ministry to its local homeless community, providing lockers, laundry, shower services, breakfast and friendship.

‘Rough sleepers are a very, very vulnerable sector of the community,’ says Mission Operations Manager Jason Dilger. ‘We know these guys and they’re our mates. We see them every day and they join us for prayer and devotions, so we were really worried about them.’

When New Zealand went into lockdown, Waitākere created a ‘bubble’ for its rough sleepers, which allowed it to continue providing its essential services.

However, with the tourist industry suspended, a lot of motels were left empty. Waitākere worked with housing agencies and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) to find temporary housing in the empty units.

Salvation Army Outreach Worker John Maeva works closely with the homeless community—he hit the streets to find those who needed shelter: ‘John literally went out in a van and found our rough sleepers and made sure he got them into motels, all while socially distancing,’ recalls Jason.

Within 10 days, they had moved their rough sleepers into temporary accommodation. ‘I would estimate 90 to 95 percent of our rough sleepers were able to get into safe housing, so that was huge,’ says Jason.

GAZETTE Appointment Rescindment: Effective immediately: Lieutenants Ameet and Jessica Londhe, Corps Planting Officers, Flat Bush Corps Plant, Northern Division. Lieutenants Ameet and Jessica Londhe are currently on special leave. We honour them for their faithful service at Flat Bush Corps Plant, since January 2016. Please uphold Lieutenants Ameet and Jessica Londhe in prayer in the days ahead.

Bereavement: Captain Nicola Hargest, of her Grandmother Dawn Coffey, who was promoted to Glory from Lower Hutt, on Saturday 16 May 2020. We ask you to uphold in prayer Captains Nicola and Ralph Hargest, Nicola’s father Wayne Coffey and other family members at this time of grief and loss.

Appointments: Effective 1 August 2020: Captain David Daly, Territorial Secretary for Mission, Territorial Headquarters, Mission Section.

16 WarCry 30 MAY 2020

Nelson Tasman Bays Corps ‘took on a major role of working with homeless,’ says Southern Divisional Community Ministries Manager Vikki Stevenson. They partnered with Government and other agencies to house 67 homeless people—including some children. The Army had already commenced working with people considered ‘chronically homeless’ in the region, and Vikki estimates they will continue to work with about 75 percent of those placed in motels and camping grounds during the crisis.

‘We and other agencies will continue to journey with them and find them accommodation and put wrap-around support in place for them, in an ongoing way,’ she says.

Some centres were able to continue caring for its homeless with simple but effective solutions—such as Porirua and Glenfield, which put out fresh food and bread every morning, so people could help themselves.

‘We were really worried about the homeless people we interact with,’ says Lorraine Brooks, Glenfield Community Centre Manager. ‘So as a team, we decided people could press the buzzer outside the door, step behind the line, and we would heat up a microwave meal and cup of coffee for them, so that we knew they weren’t going hungry.’ Her team worked with local Police to locate and care for rough sleepers in the community.

Lorraine adds that social support was just as important as physical help: ‘Usually we have our regulars who come in every day for a chat, so we made sure we phoned them once a week to say, “Hi, how are you doing?”

It’s not just the physical need, it’s also the social need and we know people are lonely.’

Jason echoes the thoughts of many frontline workers who have continued to care for clients during lockdown: ‘We know these guys and we love them, so to know they’re safe and well is not just a blessing for them, it’s a huge blessing for us as well.’

Please pray for Captain David Daly as he prepares to take up his new appointment responsibilities.

Effective 1 August 2020: Captain Denise Daly, Secretary for Officer Resources and Territorial Silver Star Secretary, Territorial Headquarters, Personnel Section. Please pray for Captain Denise Daly as she prepares to take up her new appointment responsibilities.

Effective 1 August 2020: Major Nigel Luscombe, Territorial Audit and Risk Management, Territorial Headquarters Business Section. Please pray for Major Nigel Luscombe as he prepares to take up his new appointment responsibilities.

Effective 1 August 2020: Major Brenda Luscombe, Divisional Commander, Central Division. Please pray for Major Brenda Luscombe as she prepares to take up her new appointment responsibilities.

Effective 1 August 2020: Major Glenys Fairhurst, Divisional Secretary

Hamilton’s Drive-Through Food Bank A steady stream of cars pull up outside Hamilton City Corps, which has been converted into a drive-through food bank during New Zealand’s lockdown.

The drive-through greeter, Christine, usually a facilitator for the Positive Lifestyle Programme, welcomes each car with a sparkling smile—which you can sense even through her face mask. She will have around 40 conversations today. ‘When you greet each person and let them know food is coming, you just see them immediately relax and this relief comes over their face,’ says Christine.

Each client is quickly checked, and soon the drivethrough runner, Manasa, comes out with a generous food parcel—which he deftly puts into the car boot. The Manasa, of Hamilton City Corps, loading food into a car. vehicle drives away, and the next one pulls up.

Each car is prayed over as it goes through. ‘There is the had gone up to 248 a week by the end of April. spiritual force as well as the practical force. Our greeters say a The drive-through provided a physical place where people prayer for each car, and we hear, “God bless you too” in return, in need could go for help, says Jenny. ‘One morning when we time and time again,’ reflects Hamilton City Corps Officer Captain arrived, we had a man waiting for us who’s homeless. He had Jenny Collings, who has been heading up The Salvation Army’s been through a horrendously traumatic experience the night Covid-19 food bank response in the city. ‘So there’s this reciprocal before, and the only place he knew he could come was The spiritual exchange that is happening at the same time as the Salvation Army.’ They were able to refer him to safe housing and tangible food exchange.’ help with trauma. ‘This is a guy who looks scary to most people, Jenny came up with the drive-through concept as an but who was in tears—trusted us with his pain.’ opportunity to retain the hospitality so important to Salvation Jenny says the food bank response could not have happened Army services, while managing the restrictions of lockdown. without a huge collaborative effort across Hamilton. Captain ‘What has stood out for me, has been what a comfort it is for Karen Baker was deployed from Cambridge Corps as Acting people to see and feel the presence of The Salvation Army in the Director, and Captain Matt Herring from Grandview provided community. It’s a psychological comfort, a spiritual comfort and some much-needed ‘grunt work’ shifting food pallets. He also it’s reassuring because they know there is some kind of safety spent a day a week delivering food parcels in Ngāruawāhia, one net as well,’ says Jenny. of the region’s most vulnerable communities.

For the first week, the drive-through provided an emergency Partnerships in the region—with Wise Group and Community response by giving a food parcel to anyone who came and asked.

Waikato—helped mobilise food supply. ‘It’s very strengthening By the second week, staff deployed from around Hamilton had to be able to join with other groups to meet the need, we couldn’t trained themselves on five new apps in order to provide online do it on our own,’ adds Jenny. assessments. Clients were booked in for a half-hour slot, during The lockdown crisis put The Salvation Army’s mission into which time they could drive through and receive their parcels. sharp focus, she says. ‘I had a real sense, very early on, that this The corps also worked with other food banks to make deliveries is our “why”. It’s why we wear the uniform, it’s why we do the to those who couldn’t get to the drive-through. social and welfare work.

Welfare assessors were taking an average of 70 calls per ‘In times of crisis we can mobilise the love of Jesus into day, and demand for food parcels grew by 400 percent—the people’s pain and into the community’s need.’

Hamilton food bank usually gives out 50 parcels a week, but this for Women’s Ministries and Divisional Secretary for Personnel (continuing in her additional appointment as 12 Steps Facilitator, CLD) Central Division. Please pray for Major Glenys Fairhurst as she prepares to take up her new appointment responsibilities.

Effective 1 August 2020: Captain Susan Adams, Divisional Candidates Secretary, Central Division (continuing in her appointment as Corps Officer, Johnsonville Corps). Please pray for Captain Susan Adams as she prepares to take up her new appointment responsibilities.

Appointment in Retirement: Effective 8 June 2020: Major Beverley MacDonald, Operations Manager, Waikato Bridge. Major Peter MacDonald, Mission Director, Waikato Bridge and Waikato Oasis, Addictions, Supportive Accommodation, Reintegration Services.

Please pray for Majors Beverley and Peter MacDonald as they prepare for this service in retirement. We honour and thank Major John

Fitness for the service in retirement that he has given since May 2017, in the role of Mission Director.

Promotion to Glory: Major Mervyn Layt, from McKenzie HealthCare, Geraldine, in the evening of Saturday 24 May 2020, aged 79 years. Mervyn Lindsay Layt was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia on 2 September 1940. He entered Training College in 1963, in the Heroes of Faith session. On 29 July 1967, Mervyn married Lieutenant Beverley Johnston. They retired from active duty on 18 January 2002. We honour Major Mervyn Layt for his 35 years of active officership and his continued faithful ministry in retirement.

Please uphold Major Beverley Layt, their children Paul, John, Tracey and Julie-Anne and extended family members in prayer at this time of bereavement. Well done, good and faithful ‘Hero of Faith’! (Abridged)

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 17

Food Banks Highlight the Plight of Migrants New Zealand’s migrants are vital to the economy, but during the Covid-19 crisis, they have emerged as a vulnerable ‘new underclass’, says Salvation Army Social Policy and Parliamentary Unit Director Lt-Colonel Ian Hutson.

Around the country, Salvation Army food banks reported that migrants were the overwhelming new client group seeking help.

A perfect storm made these new New Zealanders especially vulnerable: many work in industries hardest hit by lockdown, they are often on low wages and don’t have permanent contracts, savings are sent to family ‘back home’, and with English as a second language, it is hard to navigate government systems.

‘The plight of migrants has consistently been one of the biggest new needs we’re seeing,’ says Captain Jenny Collings, who headed up the Covid-19 response in Hamilton. ‘It’s very difficult for them to access support and that makes them hugely vulnerable. It’s leaving them with no money, no food, and it’s getting more and more difficult for them as time goes on.’

The Government responded to the migrant crisis by making welfare assistance available during level 4 lockdown, but the application process was complicated. For migrants who don’t speak fluent English and are not familiar with government infrastructure, it was almost impossible to access the limited help available.

‘I’m anticipating that some of our long-term work is going to become advocacy, because there needs to be ongoing support for migrant workers,’ adds Jenny.

In Auckland—our nation’s biggest migrant community— overseas workers were often the first and hardest hit by job losses.

‘We had a lot of migrant workers that desperately needed our help at level 4,’ recalls Northern Division Community Ministries Manager Rhondda Middleton. ‘We had a lot of people who work in construction, who have never come to us before and who work really hard. They’ve come to New Zealand to support their families, and they send their money back home. They’re hoping that they can get back to work, but we were able to be a bridge for them during level 4,’ she says.

As well as caring for family in New Zealand, the strain of lockdown for migrants was compounded by concerns for families in their home countries—many of which were in much deeper crises than here.

‘We had a student come for a food parcel because suddenly her parents in India were not able to support her financially, due to what was happening there. One of the reasons we’re seeing a lot of migrants is because of what’s happening in their home countries—the world has changed overnight,’ says Jenny.

In New Zealand’s tourist capital Queenstown, workers on

Tribute: Heather Shirley Phelps Major Heather Shirley Phelps (née Stewart) was called to her heavenly home on 18 December 2019, aged 87.

Heather was born into a Salvation Army family, worshipping at Hastings Corps. She grew in faith, and was an active salvation soldier involved in local ministry and leadership. It was from this corps that she entered Salvation Army Training College in 1953, in the Heralds session.

After commissioning, Heather’s early ministry was in social appointments at children’s and eventide homes, emergency lodge, and corps appointments at New Brighton, Masterton, Miramar and the Sumner Corps. In February of 1963, Heather married Mervyn Phelps, having broken Salvation Army engagement rules by not gaining permission from leadership. Their first appointment as a married couple was to Hawera Corps.

Many appointments followed, where Heather showed love for others. She also worked with cadets and marked papers on biblical studies and encouraged them as they developed their skills. Heather became ‘mother’ to many—particularly young men living away from home for the first time and, in later years at Epsom Lodge, Heather was affectionately called mother by a number of the staff. Our home of an evening welcomed many for a chat, cup of tea and family time.

On 14 January 1999, Heather entered retirement having completed 44 years of active service. Over the next 20 years, Heather spent many hours with her granddaughters, supporting after school activities and holiday outings. She loved this aspect of her life. This love for children—which had been ignited many years earlier when she had been a Sunbeam Leader—surfaced again, as she became involved with children’s ministry, sharing the love of Christ and encouraging them in their spiritual walk.

Heather was a regular letter writer, and had three penfriends.

Many people around the country were kept in community and encouraged through her letters with the inclusion of a War Cry. Until a year prior to her death, Heather could be found weekly at Westgate Corps counting tithes and offerings and assisting with

18 WarCry 30 MAY 2020

the banking, with additional hours involved at time of annual appeal and Christmas giving.

Regular attendance at Koinonia, the Westgate Corps Café, gave her a further avenue to love and care for others as she welcomed and included newcomers. Prayer, always an important part of her life, provided a way she could support and uplift others, even as age limited her physically.

The act of giving was one of Heather’s gifts, often done on the quiet when she saw a need.

Christmas time enabled this gift to bubble over with family and friends, who were recipients of Heather’s love through gifts and quality time spent together.

Christmas saw many cakes and batches of shortbread cooked and distributed each year. Even in her last days on this earth, she wanted to ensure that no one was missed at Christmas and I was instructed on a number of occasions to purchase and wrap on her behalf.

With Heather’s love for Christ and for Christmas, it seemed fitting to celebrate her life amidst the Christmas decorations on 21 December at the New Lynn Citadel, led by Captain Nigel DeMaine (friend and previous corps officer at her home corps, Westgate).

Heather planned her service, selecting favourite songs with the added request for band accompaniment. The songs clearly defined her love for the Lord and her assurance of eternal life through Christ’s death and resurrection. The Founder’s Song played as officer colleagues and bandsmen formed a guard of honour to farewell her physical being. Well done good and faithful servant—enter your eternal rest.

BY JANINE WELLS (DAUGHTER)

temporary visas were deeply affected by the collapse of the local economy. These temporary workers contribute hugely to Queenstown’s tourism and hospitality industries, but have no access to welfare assistance. Many were not able to return to their home countries, but no longer had work in New Zealand.

‘Requests for food parcels in Queenstown went up 400 percent during lockdown, and temporary workers will need continued advocacy’, says Southern Division Community Ministries Manager Vikki Stevenson. ‘People are so grateful and almost in tears when you turn up with a food parcel. These are new clients who have never had to rely on us before.’

The plight of migrants points to deeper structural inequalities in our society, says Central Divisional Secretary for Community Ministries Major Pam Waugh. ‘Many of these people are eking out a living on low wages, and on zerohour contracts. This means that if your employer doesn’t need you that week, you don’t get paid, so the work is very erratic and insecure.’

She adds that food banks were also seeing higher-wage earners, such as taxi drivers, struggling during the crisis.

‘Many of our migrant families live in large family groups and pool their money.

So if one adult is not earning, it affects a large household.’

Throughout the lockdown, SPPU urged the Government to address the needs of our migrant communities. But going forward, this crisis presents a challenge for us as a nation, says Ian. ‘The opportunity of this crisis is to break out of the cycle of food poverty and create a society where no one goes hungry based on social, economic and welfare responses that are sustainable, structural and mana-enhancing.’

YOU WILL BE FOREVER IN MY HEART AS TOGETHER WE BRING IN GOD'S KINGDOM. As Melvin and I ‘take our leave’ from beautiful Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud, our hearts are forever changed—God has indeed done a beautiful thing within us as a different rhythm of life enthused us.

The spirituality of the four nations within our territory reminded us that God is indeed omnipresent—even though we had come from the other side of the world.

Before we left the UK, our grandchildren asked: ‘GrannySuz & Pops, are you going to live upside down on the opposite side of the globe?’

Our faithful, omniscient God breathed His presence into all our lives as we journeyed through valleys and mountains together—even now in this Covid-19 season there is evidence of God’s faithfulness and salvation.

There has never been a time more pertinent than now to join with the songwriter Major Leonard Ballantine with the words: Don't doubt Him now Don't lift your heart to sorrow Though all around seems in such disarray God's love is sure, sustaining through tomorrow Dispelling doubt that only brings despair Don't doubt Him now, don't doubt Him now.

Trust in God's love to turn your care to gladness Prove for yourself the merits of His grace Find in His strength the will to shake off sadness Discover too the warmth of His embrace Trust in God's love, don't doubt Him now.

Your faith in Him will gladden every morning The days ahead will more His goodness show Your heart with trust fulfils the Father's longings And in return His love He will bestow Have faith in Him, don't doubt Him now.

In the book of Deuteronomy 7:9, it says: ‘Know that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands’. We hold onto his promises, keep his love and faithfulness in our hearts and ‘keep on keeping on’ as we each do our part.

As we ‘take our leave’ and pick up the baton in another part of God’s vineyard, we take much more with us than we feel we have given. I encourage you to ‘keep on keeping on’; the Lord is good and His love endures forever. We will be separated, but in God’s Kingdom we are but a breath away from each other. You will forever be in my heart as together we bring in God’s Kingdom. See ya… e noho rā.

Colonel Suzanne Fincham Chief Secretary 30 MAY 2020 WarCry 19

EPHESIANS 6

part four

SHIELD OF FAITH

In part four of this occasional series on the armour of God, we learn the difference between ‘putting on’ and ‘taking up’ certain pieces of spiritual armour.

BY JULES BADGER

Often in life it can be helpful to define something by its opposite; for example, hot and cold, lost and found, wrong and right. But there are some concepts that don’t easily fit into this pattern. Faith is one such example. Early in my Christian walk, I thought that the opposite of faith was doubt. Somewhere along the way, I’d heard it said that ‘faith and doubt are two sides of the same coin—you can’t have one without the other’. I took this to mean that they were opposites. To have faith meant that I mustn’t doubt, and if I was doubting, I must be losing my faith. Over the years, I’ve learnt that nothing could be further from the truth.

No doubt Faith and doubt make up two sides of the same coin, not because they are opposites, but because together they 20 WarCry 30 MAY 2020

make up the basis of the faith experience.

Faith has the power to banish doubt when we exercise it; conversely, doubt can lead to even greater and richer faith when we acknowledge and explore it. God is largely a mystery to our finite minds after all, and it’s only because God so graciously bestowed the gift of faith upon us that we can even begin to know him and scratch the surface of understanding his character. Anne LaMott puts it beautifully when she explains: ‘The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty’. Essentially, there would be no need for faith in God if we were certain of everything and had no doubt at all.

Hebrews 11:1 not only reminds us, but reveals to us, that faith is defined by both its close relationship to doubt, and its clear opposition to certainty: ‘Faith is the evidence of things unseen, the substance of things hoped for’. The life of faith is expressed not so much in the certainty of the moment, but in the uncertainty

of the moments to come—which is why we must live out our faith through our actions. Action activates faith.

Acting out Priscilla Shirer makes this plain in her Armour of God study (2015). ‘Faith is one of the most overused and yet underutilised expressions in Christian circles—which is completely backwards, because talking about faith is not the same as having faith. Plain and simple, faith is an action.’

Priscilla defines faith as: the process of adapting your behaviour, your decisions, and ultimately, your whole lifestyle so that it accords with what God has asked you to do—without needing to see the evidence that it will all work out in the end. In fact, the thing that makes faith, well, faith, is when—like Daniel, Rahab and the children of Israel—you choose to act in accordance with truth despite the fact that you can’t see what

THE SHIELD OF FAITH IS DIFFERENT IN THAT WE ARE COMMANDED TO ACTIVELY ‘TAKE IT UP’ WHEN THE BATTLE BEGINS. The Apostle Paul is alerting us to the benefits of ‘taking up’ the shield of faith.

Paul is acutely aware, and wants us to understand, that when we step out in faith and obedience, the attacks will come because the enemy knows the power of faith—it’s not a case of if, but when.

In the time period Paul was writing, there were typically two types of shields used by Roman soldiers. In Ephesians 6:16, Paul was not talking about the small round one, but a larger, oblong shield called a scutum. This unique shield was shaped almost like a door and so large they could cover a soldier’s whole body when in a crouch position. They were constructed from planks of wood fused together. Canvas covered the wood, with an outer layer of leather. A central iron hub was built into the shield, and iron was also fused onto the extreme edges of the shield from top to bottom.

During close combat this enabled the shield to withstand the hard-hitting strokes of an enemy’s broadsword. the outcome will be. The act of faith is what becomes a shield of protection to guard against the enemy’s attacks.

So far in this series we have considered pieces of spiritual armour that must be ‘put on’ and worn continuously—truth, righteousness and peace—as a sort of uniform. The shield of faith is different in that we are commanded to actively ‘take it up’ when the battle begins.

Priscilla helpfully explains it like this: ‘A nurse might wear scrubs every day to work because that’s her basic uniform.

But when need arises, she will ‘take up’ a stethoscope, blood pressure machine, thermometer, or any number of tools to use on her patient.’ Like a nurse, we have to ‘put on’ our basic armour, but we also must actively ‘take up’ specific battle equipment as the fight heats up.

Not if, but when Ephesians 6:16 says, ‘In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one’.

On fire As indicated by Paul, Roman armies also faced ‘flaming missiles’ from their opponents. So while they would naturally use a shield for protection as they advanced, when ‘flaming arrows’ were launched a different strategy was employed to extinguish them effectively.

Soldiers dipped their shields in water and then linked them together overhead.

This ‘turtle formation’ saw water-soaked shields create a damp, dense shell of protection that deflected arrows and made any that penetrated easy to extinguish.

‘Don’t miss the irony here,’ Priscilla says.

‘The enemy sends flaming arrows into your life specifically when you’re being asked to walk in faith. Those arrows are deliberately intended to disable you from doing the only thing that has the power to extinguish them: walking in faith!

[The enemy] knows that if you push past the insecurity of doubt or fear that’s burning in your soul, choosing instead to believe the truth of God and walk in accordance with it, you’ll erect a shield of protection that will smother his plans.

Faith causes fiery arrows to fizzle out.’

It’s not about us Just as we may have misappropriated the two sides of the same coin illustration, we also need to be careful and clear about faith. Many readers will have heard the chair illustration—we exercise faith every time we sit on a chair. The truth is, we can possess all the faith in the world, but that faith doesn’t make the chair any stronger.

Increasing my faith is not the answer to this quandary; however, becoming better acquainted with the strength of the chair is. Similarly, the stronger I discover God to be, the more willing I’ll be to put my faith in him. Faith is not so much about us, as it is about God. Faith is not quantified by our human capacity for belief, but rather on how trustworthy the object of our faith is. We can be certain about who God is and what he says, and still be uncertain about the future he calls us to—hence the need to actively exercise faith in God. Faith requires risk. It can be scary trusting God, which is why wisdom is important before stepping out in faith.

Taking time to pray, listen and discern what God is saying—as well as seeking wise counsel—is important and ensures we are not making impulsive or foolish choices. But once we have clarity on what God is requiring of us, it’s time to move forward in active faith.

And that, explains Priscilla, ‘is your shield—covering and protecting you from the evil one’.

‘THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH IS NOT DOUBT, BUT CERTAINTY.’ 30 MAY 2020 WarCry 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS

SHARE YOUR NEWS: warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz

There are no official engagements until further notice.

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7 Find SALVATION ARMY JOB OPPORTUNITIES:

salvationarmy.org.nz/employment

PRAY Fiji School for Officer Training, sewing programmes in Labasa and Suva, Suva court and

prison service, Suva Family Care Centre and Tiny Tots Kindergarten in Nasinu and Suva, Fiji. The Salvation Army in the Caribbean.

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:

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

S S R R T S M A E S U T A S

P C N S P O O L L F C A X E

N I I O T H R E A D S I K H

N K P S T C I R B A F L P T

S E A M S T R E S S I O D O

U W E S T O U M Z S S R S L

Y R E D I O R B M E E E F C

J E G N L L V S W S H I H C

R T N I M E E I S C T B P O

O T I B A W N M T T K A O O

S A N B C G A I I J E S O O

S P I O H K T N R E T T A P

I N L B I S G X F Y T I U S

C B I N N C O T T O N N G I

S B G P E Q I H C A M G P D

Try to find these sewing terms that are hidden in the diagram either across, down or diagonally and you'll find that one of them has been ‘snipped away’ and isn't there. What is the missing word?

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

ALTER BASTING BOBBIN BUTTONS CLOTHES COTTON DRESSMAKING EMBROIDERY

ETUI FABRIC FITTING LINING MACHINE NEEDLE PATTERN PINS

SCISSORS SEAMSTRESS SEWING SILK SPOOL STITCHES TAILOR THREAD

Quiz Answers: 1 The study of wealth, 2 Four (Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus), 3 Japan (because Japanese keyboards require extra keys to switch between Latin/Roman letters and Japanese characters), 4 Red, 5 Thessalonica (Acts 17:6).

22 WarCry 30 MAY 2020

Gumboot Garden!

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Whether you have a sprawling garden or a small space by the front door, these cute gumboot garden planters are an easy way to brighten up your home.

5 You will need: • Old gumboots (use an old pair 11 lying around the house—with your parents’ permission—or pick up some from your local Family Store or op shop!)

• Potting mix • Water • Seeds or seedlings (e.g.

3 flowers, herbs, fruit).

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‘I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.’

Jeremiah 2:7

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Step by step: 4 1. Get your pair of gumboots and fill them with 10 potting mix until you have reached about 2cm from the top of each boot.

2. Plant seeds or seedlings in the potting mix. Water.

6 3. Continue to 7 water the plants Can you fit the names of according to the the animals found on the care instructions, and page into the crossword wait for your new plants above? to sprout.

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Can you trace each of these flowers to its roots?

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This week is World Environment Day. It’s a good opportunity to appreciate how cool God’s creation is, and a reminder to nurture it.

Have you ever heard Dr Seuss’ story The Lorax? It’s about a man named The Once-ler. While he isn’t a bad person, he becomes greedy. He chops down more and more trees to run his business and the air fills with smog and the ponds turn to sludge and the animals have to migrate. Despite constant warnings from the character The Lorax, the Once-ler continues until he cuts down the very last tree. The environment is in ruins and there is no way to take back the damage he has done.

We need to balance the needs of our changing world while ensuring our environment can grow for years to come. God wants us to protect the Earth. It’s okay to use modern inventions like paper, electricity and the internet, but we need to counter their impact by doing things like planting trees, buying less plastic and recycling.

It might seem like a big job, but it starts with us. As The Lorax says, ‘Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not’.

I WONDER...

What’s one way you can care for the environment this week?

30 MAY 2020 WarCry 23

‘Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature—the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.’

—Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring