War Cry 8 January 2022

Paddleboarder highlights water safety coast to coast

WAR CRY

8 January 2022 50p

Identity crisis TV drama tells story of a man who has forgotten who he is

‘He was on death row when we married’

What is The Salvation Army?

From the editor’s desk

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.

LIFE can be difficult for anyone who finds themselves, metaphorically speaking, all at sea, as they struggle with confusion and uncertainty. However, when Brendon Prince found himself literally all at sea, it was a result of a definite decision he had made.

Brendon had set himself the challenge of travelling round mainland Britain on a stand-up paddleboard. He did it to raise awareness of water safety after he had been unable to save three people who drowned off the Cornish coast.

‘Every day, those images are in my mind, motivating me to educate people about water safety so that other families don’t have to suffer,’ he says in an interview in this week’s War Cry. Paddleboarding round Britain was an enormous challenge. Brendon explains how he needed the support of a back-up van, and he talks about the time when the unpredictable weather of Scotland almost caught him out.

He also describes how he used the hours he spent without any human company praying to God – and how he tried to keep those prayers positive.

‘Every day on my board, I spent the first hour thanking God,’ he tells us, adding that he thanked him even for small things such as having a good night’s sleep. ‘Remembering to acknowledge those blessings – the things we might take for granted – has totally changed the way that I pray,’ he says.

Following Brendon’s example of gratefulness is a good way to approach life. However, in times of uncertainty, when we don’t know exactly how problems and challenges are going to work out, it is not always easy to find something to be grateful for.

Christians, though, have found that, even in the toughest of times, they can thank God for his ad the War C ever-present love and guidance that bring them e re ry certainty. When we are feeling all at sea, God u’v offers to help us through.

What is the War Cry? The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

WAR CRY Issue No 7558

When yo

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk

CONTENTS

The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Tel: 0845 634 0101 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies Published weekly by The Salvation Army © The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory ISSN 0043-0226 The Salvation Army Trust is a registered charity. The charity number in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 214779, in Scotland SC009359 and in the Republic of Ireland CHY6399.

Printed by CKN Print, Northampton, on sustainably sourced paper

4

INFO Your local Salvation Army centre

2 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

PASS IT ON f

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Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Staff Writer: Claire Brine Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight

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FEATURES

3

Identity check

Who is the man with amnesia

in BBC drama?

4

Round trip

The paddleboarder who

circumnavigated Britain

6

It’s in the game

Players create a virtual

church community

8

‘He believed God had a purpose for him’

Married to a man on death row

REGULARS

12 Now, There’s a Thought!

13 Keys of the Kingdom 14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC/STAN/HBO MAX & ZDF/IAN ROUTLEDGE

Jamie Dornan’s nameless man is tailgated by a truck in the opening scenes of ‘The Tourist’

BBC/TWO BROTHERS PICTURES/IAN ROUTLEDGE

Who does he think he is?

A man is driven to discover his true identity in a drama series TV feature by Emily Bright

T

RAVELLING across the arid scrublands of the Australian outback, a man stops to refill his car at a fuel store. But as he pulls out of the forecourt, a truck tailgates him down the highway in a deadly game of cat and mouse. So began BBC One thriller The Tourist starring Jamie Dornan, which continues tomorrow (Sunday 9 January).

In the first of two episodes last weekend, viewers were on the edge of their seats as they watched the car chase unfold. When the man looked in his mirror, he spotted that the truck behind him was accelerating. He swerved away from it, hoping to avoid trouble but, to his horror, his pursuer rammed his car.

The man blacked out and woke up in hospital with amnesia. He couldn’t remember anything about himself or how the car accident happened, but he was determined to find out his true identity – a quest that led him to spend

the second episode trying to track down a mysterious phone caller who had been buried alive in an oildrum.

Tomorrow night, as his past catches up with him, he remains more driven than ever to find out who he really is.

While few of us will experience the dramatic amnesia of The Tourist in our own lives, we can all sometimes forget our own significance.

Scenarios such as spiralling debt, the breakdown of family relationships or a bereavement may mean that we lose sight of who we are, and our sense of identity is called into question.

In uncertain times, it can be difficult to know where to turn for help so that we can regain our self-confidence and sense of self-worth. One way many people rediscover their value is by reminding themselves of ancient truths that still resonate today.

The Bible is packed with stories of

We can forget our own significance

people experiencing pain and anger. They faced situations where they couldn’t see a way ahead, and in their anguish they turned to God. When they encountered him, he completely transformed them and equipped them to deal with their circumstances. His eternal love and strength saw them through.

The remarkable thing about God is that he offers his help to us all and shows us our true identity. Regardless of past, present or future events, when we put our trust in him, we discover that God, our heavenly Father, treats each of us as his valued and treasured child. One Bible writer acknowledged the scale of the ‘extravagant love the Father has lavished on us – he calls us children of God’ (1 John 3:1 The Voice).

God’s unconditional love endures through everything, and can help us to keep going, even when we can’t see the way ahead.

He will always be by our side. If we let him take the wheel in our lives, we can embark on an unforgettable adventure.

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 3

BRENDON PRINCE tells how he travelled round mainland Britain by stand-up paddleboard to raise awareness of water safety Interview by Claire Brine

Pa e ddl rinc ebo arder Brendon P

O

N 14 September 2021, Brendon Prince from Torquay became the first person to circumnavigate mainland Britain by stand-up paddleboard.

‘At just over 4,000km, it was quite a mission,’ says Brendon, who founded the charity Above Water, which educates people in water safety. ‘I set off from Torquay on 27 April last year, headed clockwise round Britain, then paddled back into the bay 141 days later. I did it because I wanted to promote a message of water safety. Too many times things go horribly wrong because people don’t know the risks.’

In 2014, Brendon was on the beach at Mawgan Porth in Cornwall when he came across a family in trouble. As an off-duty lifeguard, he stepped in to help.

‘It was a really rough day, which is why I hadn’t gone surfing,’ he remembers. ‘Suddenly somebody came running towards me, shouting that three people were in trouble in the water. I ran into the sea to help and managed to drag two of them out. I tried to resuscitate them, but I couldn’t.

Three lives were lost that day.

‘Although I’d brought bodies out of the water before, never had I done so with that person’s whole family watching me. It was terrible. Every day, those images are in my mind, motivating me to educate people about water safety so that other families don’t have to suffer. My ultimate goal is to create a water safety app to help teachers deliver lessons on the subject in school.’

To promote his cause nationwide, Brendon knew that he would need to do something big to attract the media’s attention. He set himself the challenge of paddleboarding round mainland Britain, calling the adventure the Long Paddle.

‘On day one, I set off from Torquay, hoping to get my first

4 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

WR PHOT

50km behind me – but the winds were so strong that getting as far as Dartmouth took me three times longer than it should have done,’ he says. ‘I remember saying to myself: “You either keep your chin up and get on with it, or you stop now.” Being a man of my word, I knew I wouldn’t give up.

‘Once I got going, I spent – on average – 10 hours a day on the board, paddling from beach to beach.

My average distance was about 37km a day, though on some days I covered 70km, and on other days I managed only 2km. It all depended on the wind and tides.’

Though Brendon was alone at sea, he was supported through his challenge by a couple of friends who served as his land crew.

Their vans provided him with a bed for the night, then most mornings he would be back on his board by five o’clock.

‘The toughest days were in Scotland because I was caught out by unpredictable weather,’ he recalls. ‘On one occasion I paddled 40km out into the Atlantic, trying to avoid a coastal storm. I hung off the back of my board for several hours, trying to use my body as an anchor as I waited for the bad weather to pass.’

Despite the many difficulties he faced, Brendon kept on paddling – passing shipping lanes, busy ports and offshore wind farms. The exquisite wildlife that he encountered helped to inspire him.

‘Every day in Scotland, I saw dolphins,’ he says. ‘Pods of seals and dolphins would swim alongside me for hours. I even

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had orcas come and visit me, which was a stunning but terrifying experience. It was such a joy and a blessing to paddle every day.’

Brendon also felt boosted during his challenge by his longstanding Christian faith. He explains that days spent alone on a paddleboard gave him plenty of time to pray.

‘If the mind isn’t kept busy, it’s amazing how negative our thoughts can become,’ he says.

‘So every day on my board, I spent the first hour thanking God. I thanked him for where I was and for my family. But I’d also thank him for the little details, such as having a good sleep the night before. Remembering to acknowledge those blessings – the things we might take for granted – has totally changed the way that I pray.’

The Long Paddle also revealed to Brendon the vastness of a God who loves him.

‘Taking part in this challenge highlighted to me that in this great big world there is a great big God who’s involved in all aspects of life,’ he says. ‘Paddling in the dark, I could see stars beyond stars, and yet I could also see the tiniest fish swimming next to me. It reminded me that we are all part of this world and no one is insignificant. What we do and say can have a massive impact on the people around us.

‘That’s why I’ve decided that, for the rest of my life, I’m going to make as big a difference as I can. We all have an important role to play.’

Every day in Scotland, I saw dolphins

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 5

VIRTUALLY Virtually groundbreaking G

Researchers are developing a modification of video game Minecraft to help integrate young disabled people into faith communities

AMING in church sounds like a dream scenario to many Christian teenagers. Now, for some, that has become a reality. A new gaming research project called the Spiritual Loop is using a modified version of Feature by Emily Bright Minecraft to encourage the inclusion and participation of young people with disabilities in church communities. with members who have disabilities. The The project is being run by the project landed a $234,000 grant from the Center of Theological Inquiry (CTI), an Templeton World Charity Foundation and independent research centre in New some supplementary Jersey, in partnership with Glasgow funding from the CTI. Caledonian University.

Will sought out In The Spiritual Loop Game, players the expertise of participate in tasks involving faith-based Dr Erin Raffety, a concepts. Activities include speaking to research fellow in neighbours, going to church, encountering machine intelligence Bible verses, sharing items and enjoying a and pastoral care at the CTI. She had meal with others. researched how people experience All participants have their own avatar. religious life in congregational settings, To make the game more accessible to with a focus on people those with disabilities, players can receive with disabilities. She assistance through a narrator that reads could also offer her out the chat instructions. There’s even an insight as both a AI player that looks like an angel and that gives them hints or clues along the way and encourages them to collaborate.

The project began a couple of years ago when the Templeton World Charity Foundation asked if the CTI would conduct a research project on how artificial intelligence could enhance people’s spirituality.

Will Storrar, director of the CTI, proposed the development of an AI video game for church congregations Dr Erin Raffety

Minecraft is played by all ages

6 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

church pastor and a mother to a child with disabilities.

Erin joined forces with Maria InsaIglesias, a PhD student at Glasgow Caledonian University who specialises in virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The research team worked alongside scholars in disability studies, theology and humancentred computing to generate ideas for the game.

‘Our hypothesis all along has been that this is not going to just be beneficial for people with disabilities,’ Erin explains. ‘It’s going to be beneficial for congregations and religious leaders, to further understand cultures of communication but also who

Maria Insa-Iglesias

Y GROUND Players collaborate in faith-based tasks in ‘The Spiritual Loop Game’ God is and how we connect as human beings.

‘It’s not a Christian education game designed to drill in principles of the faith and biblical stories, but it has all these elements that engage people in a community of faith.’

The next step was deciding on which video game model to use.

‘We found out that Minecraft is a popular video game played by all ages, by different types of users,’ says Maria.

‘There were tons of recommendations of custom video games created in Minecraft.’

Part of the designing process was integrating Christian ideas into the game.

Erin adds that she was excited by the Minecraft ethos of ‘celebrating creation, because in the game, people are stewarding their environment and adding to it’.

She continues: ‘Our version prevents you from doing lots of destructive things, because we want it to be collaborative and co-operative. If you do things that are unproductive, the game simply slows you up.’

The game also provides an opportunity for young people to apply what they learn in church, with Bible verses scattered throughout. Maria highlights an activity that reflects a parable told by Jesus.

‘One of the tasks is about where they

need to build their house. There is a space full of sand, another one full of rock. And where they build their house determines whether it will stand or not.’

Having created their own modified version of Minecraft for a pilot study last year, the research team are now trialling the game on PCs with their three research groups in New Jersey and California. They will then write up the results of the study in the spring in the hope of securing future funding.

Erin says: ‘We’ve been playing the game with the three groups since September – a pastor and a young autistic church leader; a disabled pastor and her mother; and a group of Christian camp counsellors and a father and his disabled daughter.

‘Our preliminary results from the fieldwork suggest that the game is a source of “flow” or connection: being able to lose yourself in something during the pandemic is critical to combating stress and isolation.’

During the study, she has also noticed how young people with disabilities appear to thrive within a gaming environment, because the games make all players equal.

‘Players are delighting in helping one another figure out the game, and our disabled participants, who were already active gamers, are able to take on a leadership role in the game, which we hope helps them and their churches see them as leaders.’

The game is a source of connection

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 7

‘I married a man When FEBY CHAN joined a prison ministry, she did not expect that she would begin a relationship with a man given a death sentence for drug trafficking. She describes the events leading her to that point and how she kept her faith © NAOMI REED/FEBY CHAN/AUTHENTIC MEDIA/PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION

Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

Feby and Andrew Chan

M

ERE hours after walking down the aisle, Feby Chan waited nearby as her new husband walked to his death. Andrew Chan had been arrested 10 years earlier and put on death row in Indonesia for drug smuggling. By the time Feby met him, however, he had turned his life around and was teaching people behind bars about Jesus.

Before meeting Andrew, Feby was part of a prayer movement in her home country of Indonesia. She wasn’t thinking about a relationship or marriage or even working in prisons, but was focused on her ministry teaching people about God and prayer.

One day, she received an email from a friend, Eugen, who volunteered his time to run Alpha – a course about the Christian faith – in a prison in Bali. There, he had met an inmate named Andrew. Eugen’s email explained how Andrew wanted to

8 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

start a prayer movement in the prison and was looking for someone to teach the inmates about prayer. Eugen thought Feby would be great for that role. She wasn’t keen.

‘The moment I read that Andrew was in prison, I didn’t know if I could do it,’ she admits.

‘Eugen emailed again to ask. I wanted to say no but, because he was a good friend and he kept emailing me, I promised him that I would pray about it.’

Shortly after, Feby and another friend, Linda, met to pray, which they always did at the end of the year. They travelled to a prayer centre built on Mount Merapi, where, over the course of three days, they prayed for their ministry, for the world and for their lives to align with God’s plan.

Just as they were packed up and ready to leave at the end of their stay, Feby realised there was one thing she had forgotten to pray about – meeting Andrew Chan.

So the two of them went into one of the small prayer rooms and sat down to pray.

As they prayed, they both sensed that God was with them and they recalled a few words from the Bible where Jesus spoke about setting captives free. Although they still had many questions and doubts, they decided to go to the prison.

Feby went alone to meet Andrew first.

She did not know what to expect. Andrew was the co-ringleader of the Bali Nine, a drug smuggling operation. He had been arrested and convicted in 2005 of taking heroin from Indonesia to Australia, the

It was my first time in a prison.

I was so scared

on death row’

Feby with Linda (right) and another friend at the prayer centre on Mount Merapi

country where he was born and raised.

‘The prison was so crowded,’ Feby says. ‘It was full up right to the front door. It was my first time in a prison, and I was so scared. I just kept praying. The moment I stepped in I thought, “I’ve made the biggest mistake, and I shouldn’t have come here.”

‘I sat down and they called Andrew to come. I waited maybe 10 to 15 minutes, but it felt like for ever. People were swarming around me, and I was asking God to protect me. But then, in the middle of that crowd, someone came and with a strong Aussie accent said, “Hi.” I didn’t know what Andrew looked like, but I knew immediately that was him. He did not look how I thought he would – scary or weird.

He was wearing sunglasses and a navy

blue basketball jersey.

‘The moment I saw him, that’s the face I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

The only way I could describe it is that he looked clean, like someone without heavy burdens or baggage. He was so bright, so happy, so cheerful. So we sat down and started to talk, and to arrange the plan for teaching prayer and worship in the prison.’

From their first meeting in early 2012, a friendship and ministry partnership developed.

‘Prison ministry is intense,’ Feby explains. ‘From the moment we met, it was all about prayer and praying for people. Andrew helped so many people, so he needed prayer. Every time we met,

Andrew lived his life to the fullest every day

he’d be talking about how he could help people who needed support or medicine or those whose families on the outside were in need.

‘Andrew was busier than people outside the prison. It was as if every day he had something to do from seven o’clock until lockdown. Even at night, he’d have something. We used to joke that if you wanted to get in touch with him, you needed to make an appointment. He lived his life to the fullest every day.

‘He believed that God had a purpose for him and a reason why he was in prison. He always had hope. He was very humorous and a little sarcastic. Everyone laughed, even the guards, whenever he was sharing a story.’

Andrew, Linda and Feby were seeing

Turn to page 10 f

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 9

© NAOMI REED/FEBY CHAN/AUTHENTIC MEDIA/PHOTOS USED WITH PERMISSION

Feby at the prayer centre, where she made the decision to visit Andrew in prison

From page 9 people’s lives transformed. They held prayer meetings and worship services.

Andrew’s cell was in a maximum security block, but every day people lined up at the fence to talk to him. They would ask for help and prayer. Andrew was also studying for a diploma from a Bible college in Melbourne.

While the media were quite harsh towards Andrew, Feby believed he had truly been transformed.

‘Because Andrew was convicted of drug trafficking, he was called names in the media,’ Feby says. ‘It’s hard for the world to see that people like that can change. People were sceptical. But those who spent time with him could see how

he was a different man.’

The change had occured soon after his arrest. When in police custody, he was so desperate that he considered hanging himself. But he remembered some things he had heard early on in his life. As a young boy in Australia, he and his brother had been invited by neighbours, who became friends, to their Salvation Army church. There, Andrew had heard about Jesus. Years later, in his cell, he recalled those lessons and he cried out to God, asking him to send someone to help him.

The very next morning, that help arrived. His brother and one of the

It’s hard for the world to see that people can change

10 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

neighbours – both Christians – visited and, over time, helped him to learn about Jesus. His life was transformed. Months later, when he had a court date, he wasn’t released, but he felt that, while God hadn’t set him free from prison, he had set him free from the inside out.

F

eby had got to know this changed man through an intense friendship that revolved around serving God and serving others. After about two years, however, their relationship started to change. They became a couple.

In a book she has written to tell her story, Walking Him Home, Feby writes: ‘I always wanted to be with him. We could talk about anything together and it was

Andrew used to preach in the prison chapel

always so comfortable.’ She describes how she had brief concerns about the fact that Andrew was on death row, but was committed to him and believed God could work a miracle.

Feby’s faith was strong, but the miracle she hoped for never happened. About a year after they made their relationship public, Andrew’s third plea for clemency was rejected. On 3 March 2015, he was taken to a prison on the execution island Nusa Kambangan. Friends, family and people all over the world, including members of The Salvation Army who stood outside the prison, were still praying for Andrew and hoping for a miracle.

‘I flew in to Java to stay close to the area, so that the moment we were allowed to visit, I could go,’ Feby says. ‘It was eight weeks from his clemency being rejected until the day of his execution.

‘Andrew had asked me to marry him before, when we were still in Bali, but because relations between our nations were tense, we did not want to create any bad impact that might affect his process.

After his plea was rejected, we couldn’t

find the right time to get married. But before he was executed, he was given three last wishes. One of them was that we got married.’

Feby had some doubts, but after praying about it, she agreed. And, with less than 72 hours until his execution, they were married in the prison chapel.

‘Even when I was standing in front of him, I still had this battle in my mind,’ she says.

‘I kept praying, but I wondered what was going to happen to him. I wanted a chance to enjoy my life with him. I had mixed emotions, but I was happy to finally marry him. I was also happy because he was happy. Even when I look at the pictures now, it brings tears to my eyes.

I’m glad I made the decision to marry him, because it gave him strength to face the next two days.’

Feby held on to her faith in a miracle until the last minute. But Andrew was executed by firing squad in the early hours of 29 April 2015.

‘I was so angry, and I really hit rock

I hit rock bottom.

I realised I was never going to see him again

Andrew and Feby celebrate her birthday

bottom,’ says Feby. ‘I realised that I was never going to see him again, never have a conversation, never touch him. I didn’t know what to do. I could not read the Bible, I could not pray, I had so many questions. I was shaken to the core of my belief in God. The pain was crazy.’

For almost two years, Feby faced an intense struggle with grief and with her faith. But she held on, and slowly her healing came. She says that she began to hear God speaking to her again.

‘I felt God say that I was called to Andrew’s life to help him in his last moments, so that he didn’t feel alone, so that he didn’t give up on life or become bitter. That’s why I called the book Walking Him Home.

Because my part in his life was to walk with him to the end.

It is painful, but it was an honour.’

l Walking Him Home is published by Authentic Media

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 11

Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Raymond, that he will feel blessed and protected.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their ­circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, Lon­don SE1 6BN. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

j

Becoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ, I am truly sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Now, ther NOW, THERE’S

a thou A THOUGHT!

by Naar M’Fundisi-Holloway

We can leave languishing with a flourish IT can be hard to describe how we are feeling as we continue to navigate the global pandemic some 20 months in. Last year, American psychologist Adam Grant wrote an article in The New York Times, referring to the notion of ‘languishing’, which he said was an apt description of many people’s emotional state during these uncertain times.

The term ‘languishing’ had been used by sociologist Corey Keyes in his research some years before, when he picked up on how people were not quite depressed but neither were they thriving. One dictionary says that ‘languishing’ means ‘to be forced to remain in an unpleasant situation, to be stuck, to lose vitality, failure to make progress and to grow weak and feeble’.

After reading up about the research, I took stock of my own life. I asked myself in which areas of my life was I languishing. While there were several things that were going great in my life, there were other areas that needed to regain vitality. Some aspects of my life had been languishing for quite some time and I had almost given up praying for them. But I felt that the time was right to deal with them.

I started with one issue – a close family relationship that had broken down completely. As difficult as it was, I decided to face it head-on. I prayed and asked friends for advice. Though the process brought discomfort, I feel I’ve been able to turn the situation from languishing into flourishing.

Flourishing is what Corey Keyes said was at the other end of the emotional spectrum from languishing. As I worked on the areas of my life in which I was struggling, I felt that God was with me every step of the way. He helped me to change my situation.

Maybe at the start of this new year, we can take a look at our lives and see if there are any aspects that we would like to see changed. If we invite God into those situations, I believe he can make a difference and help us all to flourish.

God helped me to change my situation

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Holy Spirit.

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me for ever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Amen

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a

War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army

Looking for help?

Contact details of a Salvation Army minister Name Address Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Or email your details and request to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk 12 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

In which Scottish city is the landmark Arthur’s Seat?

2

Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah was awarded which prize last year for his work exploring the effects of colonialism?

A

3

4

A narrow-gauge railway runs from Llanberis up which mountain?

In 2016, who became the first artist to hold the top three positions in the UK singles chart, with his songs ‘Love Yourself’, ‘Sorry’ and ‘What Do You Mean’?

5

6

What is the radius of a circle with a diameter of 100cm?

Orphaned sisters Vi and Powder are characters in what anime TV series, based on the video game League of Legends?

ANSWERS

In this occasional series, Nigel Bovey unlocks the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven, which Jesus speaks to his disciples about in Matthew’s Gospel

The hidden Kingdom T

WO short parables in Matthew’s Gospel reveal two key characteristics of the Kingdom of Heaven – hiddenness and wholeheartedness. In the first story, Jesus tells of a man who uncovers treasure that had been hidden in a field. On making this discovery, the man sells all he has and buys the field. By so doing, he takes lawful possession of the treasure. In the second parable, Jesus recounts the adventure of a merchant who discovers an expensive pearl, then sells everything he has so that he can buy it.

The mention of ‘hidden’ treasure and a man ‘looking for fine pearls’ (Matthew 13:44 and 45 New International Version) illustrates an earlier point Jesus made about the ‘secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 13:11). To those who give no credence to spiritual reality – to those who close their minds to the existence of God – spiritual truth is dead and buried.

The two stories show different ways in which the previously hidden truth about God is brought to light. The inference of the parable of the treasure-finder is that his discovery is unexpected. Some people find God suddenly and out of the blue. God takes them by surprise. The pearl merchant, though, is an experienced trader, who has been searching for the big one all his life. The Greek word for ‘merchant’ can be translated as ‘someone on a journey’.

Some people find God after being on a spiritual journey for years.

As well as highlighting the hiddenness of the Kingdom, both stories have another theme in common. Each of the men makes a wholehearted response to his discovery. It illustrates that when we are confronted with Jesus – who he is, what he said and what he did – we have a decision to make. Not everyone is prepared to put their whole life into his hands.

Regarding a rich man who refused to give his wealth to the poor in order to follow him, Jesus noted: ‘It is hard for someone who is rich to enter the Kingdom of Heaven’ (Matthew 19:23).

Jesus’ call to follow him is not an invitation to a pastime but to a lifetime of total commitment.

Each of the men makes a wholehearted response

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Edinburgh. 2. The Nobel prize for literature.

3. Snowdon. 4. Justin Bieber.

5. 50cm. 6. Arcane.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Defunct (7) 5. Pool (5) 7. Sure (7) 8. Precise (5) 10. Attic (4) 11. Private (8) 13. Purchasing (6) 14. Kebab pin (6) 17. Goading (8) 19. Outburst (4) 21. Long for (5) 22. Mocked (7) 23. Bay (5) 24. Deferred (7) DOWN 2. Frugal (7) 3. Close by (4) 4. Underground passage (6) 5. Memento (8) 6. Teach (5) 7. Star (9) 9. Put up with (9) 12. Intuition (8) 15. Rich (7)

SUDOKU

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

5 4 1 9 6

16. Combined (6) 18. Creep (5) 20. Replete (4)

3 8 4 7 9 1 6 2 2 6 4 3 6 6 1 7 5 3 2 7 5 8 7 9 4 8

WORDSEARCH

7 1 2 9 5 3 8 6 4 5 6 backwards 3 4 8and2diagonally 7 9 1 Look up, down, forwards, on the grid to find these TV comedy programmes 4 8 9 7 1 6 3 5 2 S A Q P Z W D P O R R 1 2 5 I 6 D G E X A E 7 9 4 3 L8 U Q B S Z H A H I E A Z Q X T F L N D 9 4 7 5 3 8 1Z P 2 S6 O U U K N B D G D D Q F G T R V L Y E C A T S D N A N I V A G Q U Q Z 8 3 6 2 4 1 9 7 5 U X X C E H A A K A B J W T P W Y J T 6 9 1 3 2 4 5 8 7 B J Y W P K R G B E X D Z Y T F P R N A L W P C I M I 3 C W D R P R F D S P G 5 8 1 6 7 2 4 9 F O K A M X Y I L E J J Y G U H R C L 2 7 4 I 8 V E H T E Z F 9 5 6 1 3 Y E L B I D F O R A C

M O HONEYC B Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number 1. Large lizard 2. Muppet drummer 3. Rubbish 4. Record player 5. Speak of disrespectfully 6. Planet

L B Q N E F N N E X N C P V U U W Z R E M S U O I C A R G S S E N D O O G L T Z Y E R F H F L Q E S Z P Z G T V X U C H T H E I T C R O W D G M N Y K Q L T Z Q E F N Q W I E C W C Q I T M A O H K R O Z O J Q D J H G C Z O L M P S T B Q K T L E C P N Y T Y C G W Q K B I W B R S J T Q N J F Z O S T A Z X A J H L Z S R B Y T R M Q R M O F Q Z Q Z V I S P U L I H X N X P M N V Y V

ANSWERS 7 5 4 1 9 8 6 3 2

1 6 8 2 4 3 9 5 7

2 3 9 5 7 6 1 8 4

9 4 7 6 5 2 3 1 8

5 8 1 7 3 4 2 6 9

3 2 6 9 8 1 4 7 5

6 3 2 5 8 7 4 8

8 7 3 4 1 9 5 2 6

6 9 5 3 2 7 8 4 1

4 1 2 8 6 5 7 9 3

HONEYCOMB 1. Iguana. 2. Animal. 3. Litter. 4. Stereo. 5. Insult. 6. Saturn.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Extinct. 5. Kitty. 7. Certain. 8. Exact.

10. Loft. 11. Personal. 13. Buying. 14. Skewer.

17. Inciting. 19. Rant. 21. Yearn. 22. Taunted.

23. Inlet. 24. Delayed.

DOWN: 2. Thrifty. 3. Near. 4. Tunnel. 5. Keepsake.

6. Train. 7. Celebrity. 9. Tolerated. 12. Instinct.

15. Wealthy. 16. United. 18. Crawl. 20. Full.

14 • WAR CRY • 8 January 2022

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS

MOTHERLAND

BLACKADDER

NOT GOING OUT

DAD’S ARMY

PORRIDGE

FAWLTY TOWERS

RED DWARF

GAVIN AND STACEY

THE IT CROWD

GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME

THE OFFICE

MIRANDA

TRYING

THE VICAR OF DIBLEY

7 9

Shakshuka Ingredients 1tbsp vegetable oil 1 yellow onion, finely chopped ½ red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped ½ yellow pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 aubergine, chopped 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 2tbsp tomato purée ½ tsp salt 2tsp ground cumin ½ tsp cayenne pepper 400g can chickpeas, drained 200g spinach, washed and chopped 6 medium eggs 15g fresh coriander, chopped, to serve

Method Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften.

Stir in the aubergine and cook for another 5 minutes, until golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, salt, cumin and cayenne pepper and stir well.

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Cook for 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens.

Stir in the chickpeas, cover and cook for a further 5-8 minutes on a medium heat.

Once the chickpeas soften, stir in the spinach and lower the heat.

Use a spoon to create 6 wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each.

Cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 6-8 minutes, until the egg whites set.

Once cooked, take the mixture off the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.

Sprinkle with the coriander, to serve.

SERVES

4

Ewa oloyin with plantain Ingredients 700ml water, plus extra as needed 300g honey beans or black-eyed beans, washed, soaked overnight and drained 150g onion, chopped 2tsp vegetable oil 1tsp chilli powder 1tsp salt 150g red pepper, chopped 2 medium ripe plantains

Method Bring 700ml of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the beans and half the onion. Cover and cook on a medium-low heat for 40 minutes. The beans should be easy to mash with a fork. If not, add more water (200ml at a time) and check again in another 10 minutes.

Once the beans are ready, add the rest of the onion to the pan along with the oil, chilli powder and salt.

Stir well and allow to cook for a further 5 minutes on a low heat. Add the red pepper, stir and simmer for another few minutes, before turning off the heat and leaving to cool.

Before the beans are ready, peel and cut each of the plantains into 4 or 5 pieces, then steam for 10 minutes, until soft. Serve the plantains in bowls with ladlefuls of beans.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Recipes reprinted, with permission, from Public the Vegetarian Societywebsite websitenhs.uk/change4life vegsoc.org Health England

SERVES

4

8 January 2022 • WAR CRY • 15

The Lord is compassionate

AND MERCIFUL,

slow to get angry AND FILLED WITH

UNFAILING

LOVE Psalm 103:8 (New Living Translation)

WAR CRY