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War Cry THE

Est 1879 No 7003

Author illustrates truth about disability

FIGHTING FOR HEARTS AND SOULS

5 March 2011

salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

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MAT T DAMON AIMS TO CHOOSE HIS LIFE writes PHILIP HALCROW

HE feels that he was born to love her. In The Adjustment Bureau – released at cinemas yesterday (Friday 4 March) – Matt Damon plays young politician David Norris, who falls in love with dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt). But shadowy figures try to keep them apart.

The mysterious men are from the Adjustment Bureau.

They represent fate. They possess a plan of the future.

Turn to page 3

ANDREW SCHWARTZ

David (Matt Damon) and Elise (Emily Blunt) run for their lives

New York congressman David seems set to become a senator until a misdemeanour undermines his political

2

NEWS

The War Cry 5 March 2011

MEALS AND SUPPORT PROVIDED IN NEW ZEALAND

Salvation Army helps after quake

THIS ISSUE: KEN IS 50 p16

PLUS MEDIA/COMMENT p6

CARA WOOD

SALVATION Army ministers and volunteers in New Zealand are caring for people who had to leave their homes as a result of the earthquake which hit the Canterbury region, including the capital Christchurch.

On the first night after the earthquake struck South Island, volunteers served 1,500 meals to people who were unable to return to their homes, and staff provided emotional support at emergency welfare centres.

Salvation Army teams were on hand at Wellington and Auckland airports on North Island to offer support and refreshments to hundreds of people who were evacuated from the quake zone.

The Salvation Army launched a fundraising appeal to help its work in the region. Athletes who were scheduled to take part in an international track meet that was cancelled because of the earthquake staged a fundraising meet in Wellington in support of the appeal.

More than 100 people are known to have been killed as a result of the earthquake.

Major Robbie Ross of The Salvation Army said that people in the region had been suffering psychologically since an earthquake last year, which destroyed buildings but caused no deaths. He said:

A Salvation Army team prepare supplies

PETITION CALLS FOR INCLUSION ‘Our experience with the September quake showed us the great emotional shock such an event can have on people – and now there is the added

dimension of people grieving for loved ones.

There will be a myriad of material needs among those who have lost possessions.’

Campaign wants RE think

subjects means that it is under threat.

Through radio stations and reactcampaign.co.uk, Premier is encouraging peoSCHOOL Pastors – who support children during and at the ple to write to their MPs and end of the school day – plan to expand their work across the to sign a petition which will country after the success of pilot projects. be presented to the Secretary The School Pastors scheme, which is run by the Ascension of State for Education, Trust, the group behind Street Pastors, has been running at Michael Gove. schools in London. The School Pastors – who are volunteers – The campaign is being are present in schools from 12 noon to 5 pm, befriending and supported by the Right Rev supporting pupils and providing a protective presence as they make their way home.

John Pritchard, the Bishop Elizabeth Sims, head teacher of of Oxford, who says Archbishop Tenison’s School for Boys in THE Government’s proposed changes that schools are diverting Kennington, South London, says that the to child benefit will hurt families in the resources away from RE. He School Pastors have had a positive influence poorer half of the population, says Christian says: ‘RE is the only subject since they began a pilot project in 2008. social policy organisation Care. Care says its which allows students to ‘The biggest impact of the scheme is that research has found that a one-earner couple work out their own frameit has enabled the boys to have a measure of with three children who have an income work of values and beliefs in freedom and to talk to people about higher than 45 per cent of the population order to shape their lifelong themselves,’ she says. will, when child benefit is withdrawn, have character.’ an income higher than 38 per cent of the Schools in Devon and Scotland have

SCHOOL PROJECT GOES NATIONWIDE

Geography does not lessen

A CAMPAIGN is aiming to persuade the Government to include religious education in the new baccalaureate curriculum.

Media group Premier – which runs radio stations and magazines – has launched RE.Act because it believes that the subject’s absence from the new baccalaureate’s list of key

I

expressed an interest in taking up the scheme.

GARDENING p7

PUZZLES p12

population.

INNER LIFE p13

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

p14

RECIPES p15

Universal

5 March 2011 The War Cry

3

The bureau say he is not allowed to see her

From page 1

ANDREW SCHWARTZ

ambitions. But then he encounters Elise and is inspired to give an outspokenly honest speech which puts his career back on track.

Smitten, David hopes to run into Elise again. When he does, his dreams seem to be coming true.

But there’s a problem. He was not supposed to see her again, according to the Adjustment Bureau. One of these unusual bureaucrats – Harry – failed to prevent the meeting.

The Adjustment Bureau try to undo the mistake, but the crisis increases when David catches them readjusting reality.

They insist that he is not allowed to see Elise, because it’s not ‘in the plan’.

David wants to see her anyway.

They try various methods to keep the pair apart. They interfere with the couple’s schedules. They reason with David that if he and Elise stick together, he will not become a great statesman and she will fall flat as a dancer. They threaten that if he reveals their existence, they will erase his brain.

David wants to choose. Surely, he says, he has free will. But Adjustment Bureau agent Thompson tells him he does not – only the appearance of it.

Thompson says that ‘free will’ was removed from humanity after the 20thcentury’s wars, because people could not be trusted.

The film’s producer Michael Hackett suggests: ‘The bureau represents a cipher of all interpretations people may have for “the other” – that other power, that thing outside yourself that guides your choices. It’s certainly not accidental that the Adjustment Bureau echoes a number of the great belief systems around the world, religious or otherwise.’

Religion is generally absent from the

The Adjustment Bureau (top) try to keep David and Elise apart

film. Harry from the bureau says he has been called an ‘angel’, but describes himself as a ‘caseworker’.

But what does the ‘great belief system’ based on the words and actions of Jesus say? Are we forced to stick to a predetermined plan?

Christianity says that God wants the best for humanity as a whole and us as individuals. He guides us in how to live.

Are we forced to stick to a predetermined plan?

But he does not force us to take any notice of him in our everyday lives.

Ultimately, though, Christianity is not about a ‘belief system’ but a relationship with God, who cares for us; who invites us to trust him; and who, through Jesus, reveals that we can be forgiven for the times when we live as though everything should be planned round us.

Jesus adjusted the world – not by interfering but by opening up for us a new way of looking at it and ourselves.

He says: ‘Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me … has passed from death to life’ (John 5:24 New Revised Standard Version).

God is willing us to accept his love.

Will we respond?

4 The War Cry 5 March 2011

Singer makes record for Haiti’s I children ON SONG: Noel Robinson

True Image/HAZEL THOMPSON

NOEL ROBINSON talks faith, hope and charity to Renée Davis

T has been a little over a year since the world witnessed the devastation that hit Haiti. An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale destroyed many parts of the Caribbean island. Some 300,000 people were killed, and millions were left homeless.

The world rallied round. Charity organisations swept to the rescue.

Individuals also wanted to play their part.

One of those people was Noel Robinson.

Last February, Noel, along with some other Christian artists from the UK, recorded a single for the earthquake victims. They made the song – ‘Somebody Please’ – for the Christian charity Compassion UK. ‘The song, which I’d already written with Israel Houghton, challenges the world from the perspective of a young man in the middle of a village living in extreme poverty. The organisers who were putting together the single thought it was a great song and decided to use it.’

Various Christian singers and rappers combined their talents to sing on behalf of the children of Haiti. The lyrics state: ‘If I only had a voice that would speak for me with love./ If we only had a choice we would rise against injustice./ Somebody come, somebody please, somebody come to my rescue.’

Noel believes that the song’s message is clear.

‘It’s a plea to people to be the hands, eyes and feet of Jesus – to give a voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless. That’s what Jesus would do.’

The single was recorded at London’s Abbey Road studios. Noel describes the experience.

‘It was amazing to be in the place where so many famous musicians have trod,’ he says. ‘I was really blessed and honoured to have had such an opportunity, and I look forward to doing it again.’

Although a year has passed it is easy to forget the turmoil that Haiti is still going through. The scale of work that is needed to rebuild and restore the country is vast.

Compassion UK hopes to rebuild a hospital with funds raised through the single and various other avenues.

Noel keeps in regular contact with the charity.

5 March 2011 The War Cry

5

DESTRUCTION: the earthquake devastated Portau-Prince

‘The single is still available. We’re encouraging people to purchase it online, because the money and the proceeds continue to go to Haiti.’

Noel has been into music since the age of six. A multi-instrumentalist (though his passion is guitar) he became a session musician in his early twenties. He has played for mainstream artists such as Chaka Khan, Gloria Gaynor and Deniece Williams and Christian-music artists such as Graham Kendrick and Ron Kenoly, who, he says, ‘impacted my life in a special way’.

Twenty years on, Noel continues to inspire others through his music.

When referring to Noel, some people use the term ‘gospel artist’. But what does he say?

‘I don’t like the term “gospel” in this context because of what it defines. It defines the colour of a person’s skin and not the style of music. When people say I’m a gospel artist, what they’re saying is that I’m black. But when it comes to worshipping God, there is no colour. To me, it doesn’t matter whether my music comes out rocky or soulful. I am a worship leader.

‘My highlight so far has been to lead

worship in the Houses of Parliament,’ he says.

So what exactly is worship? Many people think of worship as lifting hands in the air or bowing down to something. Noel defines it as something quite different.

‘Worship is about relationship,’ he says.

‘Everyone has the ability to be overcome with awe. In worship, people can connect with their Maker. Worship is the expression of how much we value God.

‘F

or Christians, music itself isn’t worship, but is an expression of worship. The value of worship is not determined by how well you sing or play an instrument.

It is determined by the acknowledgement of a relationship with the Creator. Worship can be expressed in many ways.

‘My music is

It’s a plea to people to give hope to the hopeless

designed to bring enjoyment to people and allow them to experience the power of a relationship with Christ through the songs they sing.’

Noel is the founder of the Kingdom Worship Movement, an organisation which aims to show people that worship is not just something to do in church on Sunday but something which affects everyday living.

‘The movement’s mission is to help change the political, social and spiritual climate of the country – to bring the nation back to God,’ says Noel. ‘In wartime, the British people gathered for national days of prayer and asked the Lord for help. We believe God is still prepared to listen to those who call upon him.’

The movement runs an event called The Renewal. One of its catchphrases is ‘I’m a worshipper who happens to be...’. The idea is to encourage people to see themselves primarily as a child of God rather than to define themselves purely in terms of their occupation. The person, therefore, who puts God first in their lives will seek to express their faith through their work.

G For more information on Noel or The Renewal visit thekwm.co.uk

MEDIA

Comment

PA

6 The War Cry 5 March 2011

Cultural difference

PA photo

THE prickly subject of bankers’ bonuses raises its head again.

Last week the Royal Bank of Scotland announced that it made losses of more than £1.1 billion.

(In 2009 the loss was £3.6 billion.) Despite this, it is paying £950 million in bonuses.

CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti told London’s Evening Standard newspaper that he prays – but not for Chelsea to win.

Pic credit The Italian said that religion had been part of his life since his childhood. He spoke of how his parents had taken him to church and how he had been taught the Bible at school.

He said: ‘Sometimes religion helps you. I don’t go to church but I pray every day. I get comfort from praying.

Obviously I don’t pray for Chelsea to win. This is not the reason I pray. I think God has to think to other things in this world, not Chelsea.’

Ann sees an answer IN THE PRESS

IN her Daily Express column, Ann Widdecombe wrote about a blind man whose sight was inexplicably restored. ‘I am reminded of that old saying: “For those who do A CEMETERY which contains the grave of John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim’s Progress, has been given not believe in God no explanation is possible Grade I listed status, reported The Guardian. Bunhill and for those who do no Fields in London is the resting place of the explanation is necessary.”’

Nonconformist writer, who was imprisoned for his preaching, as well as other radical figures including William Blake and Daniel Defoe.

Bunyan cemetery is listed

TELEVISION presenter Aggie I MacKenzie (pictured) is a guest on Aled Jones With Good Morning Sunday on Radio 2 tomorrow (6 March). The How Clean Is Your House? star will join Aled as he considers whether cleanliness is next to godliness.

ON tomorrow’s edition of Radio 3’s The Choir presenter I Aled Jones chats with Paul Hedley from the Three Choirs Festival about the formation of a youth choir.

RADIO

At the height of the banking crisis, the taxpayer bailed out RBS to the tune of £53.5 billion. According to the financial pages of The Daily Telegraph, in 2008 the bank was ‘driven to the brink of collapse after a series of reckless investments’.

British taxpayers’ investment means that collectively they now own 84 per cent of the bank. So when bankers receive bonuses despite being responsible for ‘a series of reckless investments’ it seems failure is being rewarded, and ordinary punters find that hard to understand.

It is also hard to stomach especially when, because of full-scale banking botch-ups, people are facing redundancy as public services are being slashed.

(Last week a number of local authorities voted on millions of pounds’ worth of budget cuts.)

Industry insiders defend the bonus culture by saying that without bonuses talent would leave the UK to work in other countries.

But if the ‘talent’ in banking was so deserving of a personal £1 million annual bonus, why did the banks fail?

Why, consequently, are innocent people losing their jobs? Surely, that is talent the UK can readily afford to let go.

Financial experts rightly maintain that it will take talent to put things straight.

Few people argue with the idea of rewarding good work. Not muzzling an ox while it treads grain is a sound biblical principle.

But when injustice, poverty and suffering are brought about by arrogance, greed and questionable practice God’s anger is stirred.

The issue is then no longer about oxen getting just reward; it is about camels getting through the eye of a needle and the rich not entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

Ancelotti knows how he wants to pray

A decline in parish church choirs has meant that many young people do not get the chance to sing choral music. In response, last year the TCF Youth Choir was introduced by the festival’s artistic director and former chorister, Adrian Partington.

The choir enables young people to sing traditional choral music to a high standard. It also attracts former choristers from RADIO 3 is to broadcast Choral Evensong from the the Three Choirs Chapel of St John’s College in Cambridge to mark Ash cathedrals – Gloucester, Wednesday (9 March). The service includes ‘Psalm 51’ by Worcester and Allegri and Southwell’s hymn ‘Lord Jesus, Think On Me’.

Hereford.

I

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

5 March 2011 The War Cry

7

‘Pat Austin’ roses in bloom

by LEE

SENIOR

Gardens spring to LONGER, milder days are tempting gardeners back outdoors. It is really good to see gardens buzzing with activity once again.

This is a perfect time of year to implement changes to your garden, as there is still enough time to reap the benefits this summer.

Top-dress your beds and borders with a balanced organic fertiliser such as pelleted chicken manure or blood, fish and bone. Better still, add barrow-loads of well-rotted organic matter or leafmould round the base of trees and shrubs.

It’s also a good idea to note where clumps of bulbs are, either with a marker in the ground or by taking photographs.

If you haven’t yet cut back your hybrid tea or floribunda roses, do so now, to ensure flowering begins on the

lower part of the stems. Regular pruning prevents the development of unsightly woody stems which have just a few blooms on top and little else to look at.

Any other dead or herbaceous foliage from last year should also be cut away at the base of the plant.

This will dramatically improve the plant’s appearance in a matter of seconds, and vigorous new growth will soon take its place.

Seed-sowing is one of the main tasks of the second half of March.

Hardy annuals such as godetia, larkspur and calendula can be sown in prepared ground during milder conditions.

Half-hardy annuals can be sown in a frost-free greenhouse or on a windowsill. Grow these under glass before planting them out at the end of May after the risk of frost has passed.

Don’t forget about your house plants. The tired compost in your pots can become stale and devoid of nutrients over a period of time, resulting in weak growth and an increased chance of pest attack.

Now is the ideal time to repot plants in new compost, increasing the pot size slightly if the roots are pot-bound. If the plants are difficult to remove from the pots, scrape away a few centimetres of the compost. This will allow you to top up with newer compost.

House plants need their compost renewed

Slugs

Slugs and s now activ nails are e, so remembe r observant. to be pots to fin Lift up plant d away from slugs hiding predators natural . or wire aro Copper tape greenhou und pots in s frames wil es and cold l plants fro protect m Young lett slugs. u particularl ces are y vulnerab though slu le, just about gs will eat green, inc anything luding onio ns.

Potatoes

In milder, s ‘chitted’ e heltered areas a be planted rly potatoes can polythene out through black a fleece. Ea nd covered with rly potato es are also suita b or potato le for containers s the comp acks, because ost warm s up quicker an can be bro d the containers u g ht indoors covered d or u weather. ring frosty

LEE SENIOR

life

and don’t forget…

8 The War Cry 5 March 2011

A children’s author and illustrator wanted to write a story that was‘a big fat positive’about a child with a disability.So she turned to her own children, Clemmie andToby, for inspiration.Toby is two years old with bundles of energy.Clemmie is six and has enormous hair.She also has severe brain damage.REBECCA ELLIOTT puts Claire Brine in the picture about her life

picture story

Every tells my

‘T

HERE are very few picture books written about disabled children. That’s fair enough – many authors and illustrators don’t have first-hand experience or they are afraid that what they write will offend people. But my daughter has been profoundly disabled since birth, so it seemed only natural for me to write a story about her.’

Over the past nine years, Rebecca Elliott has sketched out a successful career by illustrating more than 50 books. Last August she also became an author and had three children’s stories published. One of her books, in particular, she describes as being ‘close to my heart’. It is called Just Because, just because it is about her kids.

Rebecca with her children Clemmie and Toby

‘I wanted to write a heartwarming, funny story about sibling friendship, one which MATTHEW ELLIOTT

5 March 2011 The War Cry

all children can relate to,’ says Rebecca. ‘It covers Clemmie’s disability but there’s no in-yerface moral.’

The story is told from her son Toby’s point of view. It describes the relationship he has with his sister Clemmie and the adventures they share.

‘I hope that parents who read my book to their child will see that disability is not the most depressing thing in the world. Most of what we read in the media about severely disabled children is very sad. And yes, having a disabled daughter is heartbreaking. But it’s also lovely. Clemmie has changed my life in such a positive way.’

Rebecca remembers that she had a ‘perfectly normal’ pregnancy with Clemmie. But the story took a turn for the worse when Rebecca went into labour.

‘The birth went badly wrong. I had to have an emergency Caesarean, which was horrendous. Once

‘Eventually, the doctors allowed us to take her home but said they would need to keep an eye on Clemmie’s development. Living with her was hard work. She hardly slept, and the rest of the time she cried. My husband, Matthew, and I felt as though we were hitting our heads against a brick wall.

We knew something wasn’t right.

‘When Clemmie was five months old she had an MRI brain scan, because by that point she wasn’t rolling over or sitting up as other babies were. The doctor showed us the results and said:

The doctor said it was the second worst case of brain damage he had ever seen Clemmie was delivered she had to stay in intensive care for a couple of weeks. It was amazing that she survived.

9

“In all my 25 years of working as a neurologist, this is the second worst case of brain damage I’ve seen.”

‘H

earing that was horrific. I remember looking round the room and wanting to throw things. I just sobbed. I was beside myself. I had already worked out that Clemmie was disabled, and I was OK with that. But then I was hit with his news.’

Turn to next page

10 The War Cry 5 March 2011

From page 9 Rebecca and Matthew slowly came to terms with the diagnosis and began to adapt to their new way of life as a family. They discovered that having a disabled daughter wasn’t all doom and gloom.

‘Once I got over the shock, I started to enjoy Clemmie for who she was,’ says Rebecca. ‘She was perfect. And so cute. Looking after her was – and still is – a challenge, but that’s not Clemmie’s fault. The world is just not designed for her.

‘Today I have to do everything for Clemmie and will continue to do so in the future. She sits, smiles and likes to have cuddles, but that’s about it. She can’t talk at all, and she can only move her head and hands a little bit. She’s like a three-month-old baby.’

For Rebecca and her family, life with a disabled child has become normal. But she often finds that people in the street don’t know how to react when they see Clemmie.

‘I’ll take her to the park, and some adults won’t know where to look,’ she says. ‘They feel awkward. Some of them stare. To be fair, I would probably have been the same at one point in my life. But kids are so marvellously accepting of Clemmie. They’ll come up to her and smile, ask me about her wheelchair or hold her hand. They take her as she is. I wonder why a child’s willingness to accept those who are different doesn’t always continue into adulthood.’

The words‘just because’ so much of what happens that we can’t explain Rebecca’s three picture books hit the shelves last year

I

t has taken Rebecca eight years to get to the stage of writing her own stories in addition to drawing pictures for other books. But she has known that she wanted to be an author and illustrator ever since she was a child.

W

hen Rebecca visits schools to read Just Because to groups of children and their parents, she is used to getting a colourful response.

Children laugh that Clemmie’s wheelchair can fly to the moon.

Parents get ‘a bit weepy’ at Clemmie’s limitations. Even Rebecca’s agent was touched when she first read the story.

‘I wrote Just Because really quickly. I did some pencil sketches and sent them to my agent,’ says Rebecca. ‘I expected her to say that, although the story was very sweet, no one would want to read about my children.

But she loved it. Within two weeks she had my book placed with a publisher. Then I had three months to finish the artwork and tweak the text.

‘Some people suggest that the title is a bit simplistic,’ she says, ‘but I think it is the opposite. The

not easy, especially as she was working on other stories at the same time.

‘Lots of people dismiss children’s books and think they are easy to write. They’re not.

You have to come up with an idea that will appeal to your agent, your publisher and parents long before your book gets anywhere near a child. You’ve got to condense a big story with a beginning, middle and end into fewer than 500 words. You need to include a twist in the plot. And you also have to fill 12 doublepage spreads with pictures.’

words “just because” encompass so much of what happens in life that we can’t explain. Stuff happens – good and bad – just because. And it happens to everyone. Clemmie’s disability is simply what has happened to my family.’

Rebecca worked on her book while Toby took his daytime naps and Clemmie was at school.

Grabbing an hour here and there meant the creative process was MATTHEW ELLIOTT

5 March 2011 The War Cry 11 CLAIRE BRINE

encompass in life ‘I found an old school book from when I was six, and in it I have written: “When I grow up I want to be a writer and an artist.”

I was always drawing and writing stories but I didn’t seriously believe that I would end up doing it for a living. At university I studied philosophy, but in the end I came back to art.

‘After I graduated, I worked in a very dull office for a year. I spent my evenings drawing and creating a portfolio so I could send my work off to publishers.

Slowly the jobs began to trickle in. My first big job was to illustrate some Bible stories. Then I got more and more work. I’ve been drawing for a long time, but the writing aspect of my career is a new chapter for me.’

One character who frequently features in Rebecca’s life story is God. She admits that when Clemmie was born she found great comfort in turning to him.

‘It was very easy to be close to God in a tragedy,’ she says. ‘In the early days, when we thought Clemmie might die, I felt that God was holding my hand through it all. My faith helped me enormously.

‘But what is not so easy is maintaining a relationship with him once the moment of tragedy has passed. Today I think about God an awful lot – because I’m a Christian – but I do wrestle with my faith. I find it brings more questions than peace.

‘Sometimes I feel close to God. I believe that his Son, Jesus, was radical and inspiring but I feel the cuddly Jesus I often find in churches has been watered down and tamed – and I want to be inspired! I believe in the powerful things Jesus said. At times having faith can feel wonderful. But then, when I’m eating my breakfast, telling Toby

off or having a drink in the evening, it can feel as though God isn’t present any more. I want him to feel real to me, all of the time.’

I have never been angry with God about Clemmie’s disability

D

espite seeing shades of grey in her faith, Rebecca clings on to God. She is thankful to him for the good things in her life. And she doesn’t blame him for the difficulties she has been through and continues to face.

‘I have never been angry with

God about Clemmie’s disability.

Nor have I ever thought that God “did this” to her. It just happened.

‘Sometimes I hold on to Clemmie and just sob and sob.

But then I remember the positives in my life. I have my dream job, a great husband and two wonderful children. I see Clemmie as a gift from God. It’s an honour that Matthew and I have been trusted to look after her. The world may be harsh – but it’s incredibly beautiful as well.’

For more information visit rebeccaelliott.com

PUZZLEBREAK

SUDOKU

12 The War Cry 5 March 2011

Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9 Solution on page 15

P U E Y R E B M WORDSEARCH Y E Look up, down, Z forwards, backwards M and diagonally on W the grid to find R these Mr Men O N BOUNCE CHEEKY BRAVE CHEERFUL G BUMP CLEVER BUSY CLUMSY CHATTERBOX COOL

QUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. American caretaker (7) 5. Timepiece (5) 7. Wooed (7) 8. Renovate (5) 10. Unusual (4) 11. Priestly (8) 13. Enrol (6) 14. Engross (6) 17. Aesthetically pleasing (8) 19. Short skirt (4) 21. Frock (5) 22. Emitting light (7) 23. Managed (5) 24. Quietness (7)

ANSWERS

I R Z E N D E T E S I A R H B A L

E A Z B P B I E I S I U Q U I E T

L E Y Y N P U M C C S O S N S M M

DAYDREAM DIZZY FORGETFUL FUNNY FUSSY GOOD GREEDY GRUMBLE GRUMPY HAPPY

L E D K P F D H M H K Y N N I K S

O V C U E P I M U D D L E Y E A Y

D A Y D R E A M S O R S E R N S N

E L Z F F N H H P X N F Z R T I N

R Y Z U E O O C D O O G E O G L U

IMPOSSIBLE JELLY LAZY MEAN MESSY MISCHIEF MUDDLE NOBODY NOISY NONSENSE

D Y I S C O R L N B S E P W R L F

I L D S T P G G R R E S E E U Y Y

L T L Y B R A V E E Y G I F M O T

A O N Y S L O O C T V S R B B A R

NOSEY PERFECT QUIET RUDE RUSH SILLY SKINNY SLOW SMALL SNEEZE

W P L L A M S N U T F E J E L L Y

O O M Y P M U R G A E U L L E E X

N X I U E O V L C H Y E L C S D I

S S N U B Y M S C C L N O B O D Y

SNOW STRONG TALL TICKLE TOPSYTURVY UPPITY WORRY WRONG

HONEYCOMB Fit the names of these Mr Men into the grid below. Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number BOUNCE CLEVER NOBODY SNEEZE DOWN 2. Unbiased (7) 3. Ballerina’s skirt (4) 4. Puzzle (6) 5. Clothes closet (8) 6. Pick-me-up (5) 7. Put right (9) 9. Good health (9) 12. Rated (8) 15. Personal view (7) 16. Toadstool (6) 18. Slumber (5) 20. Poultry (4)

TICKLE UPPITY

QUICK QUIZ 1. Which film includes the line: ‘I could have had class.

I could have been a contender’?

2. What were the names of the five Bennet sisters in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice?

3. Who was the youngest British prime minister?

4. On which island is Mount Etna?

5. What is the real name of the actor Gene Wilder?

6. Ratchet, slot, stubby and Phillips are all types of what?

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Janitor. 5 Watch. 7 Courted.

8 Renew. 10 Rare. 11 Clerical. 13 Enlist. 14 Absorb.

17 Tasteful. 19 Mini. 21 Dress. 22 Glowing.

23 Coped. 24 Silence.

DOWN: 2 Neutral. 3 Tutu. 4 Riddle. 5 Wardrobe.

6 Tonic. 7 Corrected. 9 Wellbeing. 12 Assessed.

15 Opinion. 16 Fungus. 18 Sleep. 20 Fowl.

HONEYCOMB 1 Bounce. 2 Nobody. 3 Uppity. 4 Tickle. 5 Clever.

5 Sneeze.

QUICK QUIZ 1 On the Waterfront. 2 Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. 3. William Pitt, the Younger. 4 Sicily.

5 Jerome Silberman. 6 Screwdriver.

Library picture posed by models

INNER LIFE

5 March 2011 The War Cry 13

God is the perfect Father

IF someone asked me to describe my father, I would sit them down and start to tell stories about him from my past. A good way to discover a person’s true character is to hear about how they act and react in various situations.

Likewise, if someone asked me to describe my heavenly Father – God – I would point them to the Book of Isaiah.

Not everyone has a positive experience of a loving dad. But even those who haven’t will probably have an idea of what they’d like a loving father to be.

Over the next four weeks, we will be looking at how the prophet Isaiah saw God as a Father.

From the start, Isaiah tells us that God is involved with humankind. He portrays God as saying: ‘I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me’ (1:2 New International Version).

God speaks. He raises us. He helps us grow up. He is Dad. God loves us as a father loves a child.

God is a parent who listens to his children, stands up for them, encourages them and tells them how beautiful they are.

Yet he still sets the rules and oversees the running of daily life.

When we understand the heart of God we see how hurt he is when his children turn away from

MEET MY

FATHER

God is a parent who listens to his children

CATHERINE WYLES looks at the Fatherhood of God as described by the Book of Isaiah At such times, what can a parent do but offer to be there to heal the wounds? God did the same. ‘Come now, let us reason together,’ he said. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’ (1:18).

Here, then, is a wonderful picture of a caring, patient Dad. He is a Father who sees through the brashness of our actions and longs to connect with us again.

him. Israel had started acting like a rebellious teenager. The people went against their Father’s will by inviting other gods into the house. They treated one another with contempt while feeling that they themselves were indestructible.

In a young person, we might put such behaviour down to them finding CAN WE HELP? their independence. In Just complete this coupon and send it to a way, the Israelites The War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, were wanting London SE1 6BN independence from Please send me God. How sad, when all God wanted was Basic reading about Christianity for them to depend on Information about The Salvation Army him!

Contact details of a Salvationist minister The consequence of their rebellion was Name that they got Address themselves into a mess. Their land was ruined and things were on course to get worse.

On my daily wa l k s I l i k e t o s ay

THANKS AS I’ve got older I’ve started to have senior moments. I prefer to refer to my momentary forgetfulness as an ‘intellectual interlude’.

Being forgetful does not affect only the oldies. Young people can be just as susceptible. They may forget to pass on phone messages, or to remember their p’s and q’s.

Sometimes forgetfulness may be excused – perhaps there are occasions when we all forget things we shouldn’t.

It’s possible that many of us are at risk of taking the good things in life for granted. We forget to be thankful

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Gratitude can be a great way to overcome grumpiness

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that we have food in the cupboard, a roof over our head or loved ones by our side.

Sometimes it takes a hard-hitting TV image of people suffering to jolt us into realising how fortunate we are.

Even though I have been known to forget things from time to time, when I go for my daily walk I try to spend time remembering. I take the time to give thanks to God for all the good things I have experienced in my life.

At first I thought I would run out of objects to be grateful for – but so far I am

B LO

The War Cry

by WESLEY HARRIS

going strong.

Recently, among other things, I have been grateful for birdsong and for freshfaced young people who say ‘Hi’ as they pass. My list is proving to be inexhaustible.

I’ve realised that an attitude of gratitude can be a great way for people to overcome grumpy old man (or woman) syndrome.

And the importance of showing appreciation to God is also mentioned in the Bible.

One writer said: ‘Praise the Lord, my soul, and do not forget how kind he is’ (Psalm 103:2 Good News Bible).

God blesses us with good things, and it is right that we give thanks to him. Let’s not forget it!

SA

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LVATION

Library picture posed by model

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

14 The War Cry 5 March 2011

WHAT’S COOKING?

5 March 2011 The War Cry 15

Mark Shrove Tuesday (8 March) in the traditional way by making these pancake recipes

Bacon and Somerset Brie pancakes Ingredients: 75g plain flour Pinch of salt 2 large British Lion eggs, beaten 150ml milk A little oil for frying For the filling 8 rashers back bacon 3 tomatoes, halved and sliced 100g Somerset Brie, sliced

Jalapeño peppers (optional) Fresh chives, to serve Method: Place the flour, salt and eggs in a large bowl with half the milk. Whisk the ingredients together until the mixture is lump-free. Add the remaining milk and whisk again.

(Alternatively, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until

smooth.) Pour the batter into a jug.

Heat a 20cm diameter non-stick frying pan until hot, drizzle a little oil over the centre and wipe it round with a piece of kitchen paper. Pour a little of the batter into the pan and immediately tilt to spread the batter thinly and evenly over

Moroccan semolina pancakes

Ingredients: 1tsp dried yeast 1tsp caster sugar 100g fine semolina flour 100g plain flour 2 large British Lion eggs, beaten 1tbsp olive oil Pomegranate seeds, to serve

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Method: Mix the yeast and sugar in a jug with 300ml warm water. Leave for 10 minutes in a warm place until the mixture is frothy.

Place the semolina and plain flour in a large bowl, then stir in the yeast mixture, eggs and olive oil and beat well until smooth. Leave the mixture in a warm place until it has doubled in size – this will take about 40 minutes.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan until hot, drizzle a little oil over the centre and wipe round the pan with a piece of kitchen paper. Pour a ladleful of the mixture into the hot pan, then tilt immediately so that the pancake thinly and evenly coats the base. (The pancake should have lots of honeycomb holes in it.)

When the surface has dried, turn the pancake over and cook for a further minute. Repeat this procedure to make a further 7 pancakes.

Keep the pancakes warm.

Transfer the pancakes to a plate, dust with icing sugar and serve with pomegranate seeds.

Serves 8

the base. Cook the pancake for 2 minutes or until the top is set and the base golden. Turn the pancake over with a spatula, or if you are feeling brave, flip it.

Cook the pancake for a further 1–2 minutes or until the other side is golden. Transfer to a plate, cover with greaseproof paper and keep warm. Use the batter and a little more oil to make a further 7 pancakes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Grill the bacon for about 8 minutes or until it turns crispy.

Place one of the pancakes on a lightly oiled baking tray and scatter a third of the bacon, Brie and tomatoes over the top. Cover with another pancake. Repeat these layers, ensuring that the final layer in the stack is a pancake.

Bake the pancakes for 15 minutes or until they are crisp and the cheese has melted. Scatter over the chives before serving.

Tip: The batter can be made in advance and chilled for up to 8 hours before use. If you like your pancakes spicy, add some jalapeño peppers to the layers.

Serves 4 Recipes reprinted, with kind permission, from the British Egg Information Service website eggrecipes.co.uk

GOLDKEN

ANNIVERSARY Barbie’s friend hits the big five-O writes ANDREW STONE

IF plastic makes perfect, then 50-year-old Ken is the ideal man. He may be only 12 inches tall, but Barbie’s boyfriend has proved big enough to survive the changing fads and fashions of children’s toys as he celebrates half a century on toy-shop shelves.

Ken was originally introduced by the toymaker Mattel in 1961 as a boyfriend for their girl-doll Barbie, who is two years older.

He has survived some hairraising moments over the years, such as his hair falling off when it got wet and his break-up with Barbie in 2004.

Today, though, the couple are an item again, and girls are able to keep Ken looking his best for his iconic girlfriend by helping him shave away his five o’clock shadow. If the ‘Shaving Fun Ken’ doesn’t appeal, he is also available as a Star Trek character or in a ‘Sweet Talking’ mode.

But through all his 50 years Ken has never been a doll in his own right, such as Action Man. He has only

been an accessory to Barbie – a plaything. The rest of the time it’s as if he ceases to exist.

If Ken feels that his life is without any purpose in its own right, he’s not alone. There are many grown-up men (and women) who also feel that they have no identity or worth – and their lives are definitely not child’s play.

They feel undervalued and unappreciated, going through life ignored by the rest of the world.

But there is someone who appreciates and loves them. God knows each one of us and cares about what happens in our lives.

Jesus described God as our heavenly Father and he asked: ‘Aren’t two sparrows sold for only a penny? But your Father knows when any one of them falls to the ground … So don’t be afraid! You are worth much more than many sparrows’ (Matthew 10:29, 31 Contemporary English Version).

God values each one of us. If we follow him, he won’t toy with us.

Instead he’ll value us enough to give us a life full of purpose and worth.

Ken has survived the changing fashions to celebrate his 50th birthday this year

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Printed by Benham Goodhead Print Ltd, Bicester, Oxon. © Shaw Clifton, General of The Salvation Army, 2011