War Cry 18 April 2020

18 April 2020 20p/25c

Something’s brewing on social media

different cultures need to work together

Locked-up views in lockdown STACEY DOOLEY EXPERIENCES LIFE BEHIND BARS IN TV DOCUMENTARY

From the editor’s desk

What is The Salvation Army?

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity providing services in the community, particularly to those who are vulnerable and marginalised. Motivated by our Christian faith, we offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK to all who need them, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation. To find your nearest centre visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church

ALL our lives are still being affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Thousands of people are grieving the loss of loved ones who have died with the condition. Many more have not had to face that horror but have been unable to leave their homes for the past month, while others have been observing social distancing.

The result of all this is that some people have needed additional help in various ways since lockdown was introduced. In this week’s War Cry, we report on some of the support that has been provided by members of The Salvation Army.

It is not only Christians who are helping people at this time, but wanting to make a difference for good is an important part of many people’s Christian faith – particularly when they see others in extreme need.

That was the case for a pastor in Sri Lanka who we speak with in this week’s issue. He was in Colombo last year when bombers killed 259 people at three churches and hotels across the country.

One year on, he looks back on how he offered support – both spiritual and practical – to families who had been devastated by the loss of loved ones, including children.

‘It was very hard to listen to their stories, because their pain was very deep,’ he says.

But, despite the difficulty of what he was doing, he continued to offer what support he could.

As we go through our own tough times, let’s hope that the pastor’s story will inspire us to do what we can to help people who are facing their own hardships and troubles.

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 7470

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 War Cry office: 020 7367 4900

While it’s much better to have your weekly copy of the War Cry in your hands, we recognise that at the moment it is hard for some people to obtain a copy. So, as an alternative while the coronavirus restrictions are in place, you can access the War Cry at salvationarmy.org.uk

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army UK Territory with the Republic of Ireland 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

Contents

Tel: 0845 634 0101 Helpline: 020 7367 4888 Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org

FEATURES

Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Editor-in-Chief: Major Mal Davies

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Learning from the lifers TV documentary shows Stacey Dooley’s experiences behind bars

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Tea for view Meeting for a cuppa online

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‘He was asking why God would allow this’ The aftermath of last year’s Easter bombings

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Self-isolation support The help given by The Salvation Army to those in lockdown

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A culture of understanding Why we need to build links across the world

Published weekly by The Salvation Army ©The Salvation Army United Kingdom Territory with the Republic of Ireland 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 Walstead Roche Ltd, St Austell, on sustainably sourced paper

Your local Salvation Army centre

4

8

REGULARS 12

Browsing the Bible

13

Out of the Mouth of Babes

14 Puzzles 15

War Cry Kitchen Front-page picture: BBC/Wild Pictures

2 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

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TELEVISION

Documentary takes a look at life for lifers, writes Sarah Olowofoyeku

M

ORE than two million people in America are doing time. One in seven of those people has been sentenced to spend the rest of their life behind bars. In Stacey Dooley: Locked up with Lifers, scheduled to be shown on BBC Two tomorrow (Sunday 19 April), the documentary maker goes into one prison to find out what serving a life sentence without parole is like.

Stacey heads to the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women, which houses more than 700 women. The prison is unusual in that the women Partners Tatiana and have more freedom than other prisons allow. They are permitted to former inmate Kristen have pet dogs, use phones, wear can spend a day together make-up, and there is no curfew. It is come to terms with their past every six months a radical approach, but prison warden and have responsibilities Sheryl says she wants to create a in the prison, such as humane environment. mentoring.

About 40 women in Iowa must Tatiana was convicted of pay for their crimes by remaining first-degree murder at the age of 20. for forgiveness, God’s gonna forgive imprisoned until they die. The women Seventeen years later, she has settled you of anything. It’s never too late.’

Stacey talks with have all been into a life locked up and is a trusted It’s a message that Lesley Nicholson, convicted for murder, but not all of prisoner. She is in a relationship with a Salvation Army prison chaplain in them pleaded guilty. former inmate Kristen. the UK, would echo. ‘But Some were sentenced to life as They spend a day it’s not cheap forgiveness,’ juveniles as young as 14 years old. together inside the prison she tells the War Cry. Their stories reveal difficult pasts, every six months.

‘Somebody still paid, and including abuse. Some women had Judy was convicted that’s Jesus. He took the drug addictions or mental health of first-degree murder punishment and now we problems or grew up in care. Three in 1979 at the age of 33. She was can accept his forgiveness. When quarters of the inmates suffered sentenced not for killing someone, but prisoners understand this, they go from physical or sexual violence before for recommending a hitman. hanging their heads and having shame committing a crime.

Barbara, a 47-year-old mother, has written all over them to new life.’

But time inside has been been in prison for just five days when Forgiveness is available for those of transformative for many of the lifers.

Stacey sits to have a chat with her. us in prison, but also for those of us on They have formed close relationships, She maintains that she did not kill her the outside. Lesley adds: ‘If you’ve got husband. hate in your heart, Jesus says that’s as Stacey bad as if you’ve killed someone. God comments sees our hearts and thoughts. On that on prisoners basis we all need forgiving.’ with a faith When Jesus died on a cross, he who believe took on all our wrongs and received they’re going to the harshest punishment – death.

Heaven, saying The price for every sin was paid. And that she finds because two days later he rose from it odd. Barbara the dead, no matter where we are tells her: ‘If you living out our days, we can experience repent your not only forgiveness but also the sins and ask hope of new life.

We all need forgiving

Judy has been in prison since 1979 18 April 2020 • War Cry • 3

BBC/Wild Pictures

The inside scoop

POSITIVITEA To mark National Tea Day on Tuesday (21 April), which is designed to celebrate Britain’s love of the beverage, Emily Bright shares a brew with family and friends via video calls

C

ENTURIES after it was first imported, tea is still milking its reputation as Britain’s favourite beverage. We drink an estimated 165 million cups a day, which would fill 20 Olympicsized swimming pools. As a caffeine-fuelled journalist, I make my own considerable contribution. The kettle is on constantly and empty cups clutter my desk.

The thing is, tea is not just a beverage. It’s a chance to chat with colleagues during a work break, it’s an excuse for a café catch-up with friends, or it can be a restorative drink with a loved one after a long day or traumatic event. The beverage ‘This is tea-riffic,’ my oldest brews a sense of community. brother volunteers. One pun At a time when we’re in lockdown because down, plenty still to go. of coronavirus, our community of family and It’s time for the latest family friends has never felt so important in helping lockdown updates. As I clutch us cope. And whether we love a herbal blend my mug of traditional breakfast tea, my niece or a traditional builder’s brew, a cup of tea can provides a potted plot summary of a children’s provide the perfect opportunity for a chat. film called Patrick the Pug. Her effusive So I stir myself into action and decide to enthusiasm is a joy to behold. My mum chips reconnect with the outside world. I invite my in encouragingly, telling my niece about her family to join me for a cup of tea over a video favourite dog-themed film, the cinema classic call. We greet each other warmly.

Lassie Come Home.

Conversation quickly turns to the coronavirus supermarket scramble. My oldest brother provides some light relief by taking us through his unconventional coffee pod rationing system. His typically self-effacing humour means it’s not long before we’re all in stitches.

Emily Bright For my part, I tell my family about purchasing a coveted bar of Dairy Milk online. My depleted snack cupboard currently consists of bran biscuits, which taste like plasterboard, purchased during an ill-conceived health kick. My family murmur appreciatively, knowing that my love affair with chocolate spans more than two decades. I love that they understand me.

As the topic turns to health, one of my sisters-in-law gently inquires whether I’m taking any exercise.

‘Does walking from the sofa to the fridge count?’ I ask innocently.

She tells me about the Youtube workout videos from fitness expert Joe Wicks that

Tea is not just a beverage.

It’s a chance to chat

4 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

FEATURE

It also feels like an opportune time to reconnect with old friends

have swept the nation off its sofas, and she encourages me to try them out for size. So I agree to give it a shot, hoping that I’ll look like a Baywatch model by the end of the lockdown.

Before long, my 11-month-old nephew rouses from his nap. He warms up his adoring crowd with a smile. He then starts clapping, a recently acquired skill of which he is particularly proud, and we respond with rapturous applause. Excited, he does it again, which cues a cycle of clapping until he turns his attention to the xylophone on the floor. The pinging of each high-pitched note he plays provides the backing track to the rest of our video call.

As my family join together during this time of social distancing, I realise that I am more grateful for them than ever.

It also feels like an opportune time to reconnect with old friends, given that they have no other plans for the foreseeable future. I contact two university friends,

who I haven’t spoken with for almost a year.

I video call them to (yes, you’ve guessed it) catch up over a cuppa. I’m so glad I did.

Conversation comes easily and naturally. Within minutes, we are exchanging gardening tips on how to keep our anaemic houseplants alive. We update each other on news, celebrating together our collective highs and consoling each other on our lows.

One of my friends also remarks on how, during this time, she is connecting with people more frequently than ever before. I concur. As I reflect back on the flurry of messages, phone calls and video calls I’ve received since social distancing was introduced, I realise that the encouragement it provides has been a lifeline.

But community extends wider than our immediate social circle.

Churches, including The Salvation Army, are reaching out to people who may be feeling isolated.

Sipping from my millionth mug of tea while writing this article, I am reminded of Bible writer Paul’s wise words to his fellow Christians, which emphasises the importance of supporting each other through everything life throws at us.

He says: ‘Encourage one another and build one another up’ (1 Thessalonians 5:11 English Standard Version). Such a simple

yet powerful sentiment has never felt more relevant. In a time where we are told to keep our physical distance, we now have the time and technology to draw closer to others than ever before. Together, let’s build communitea.

l For contact details of a Salvation Army centre near you visit salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church

18 April 2020 • War Cry • 5

On Easter Day last year, bombers targeted three churches in Sri Lanka, killing and injuring many people. In the 12 months since, Pastor SUNIL has been supporting one of the church congregations attacked, as he tells Philip Halcrow

Open Doors

‘All we could do was listen to their pain – and pray’

Pastor Sunil encourages members of the Zion Church 6 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

INTERVIEW

‘I

T was ten minutes before the service, and I was praying,’ remembers Pastor Sunil of the Living Christ Church in Colombo, ‘when my daughter got a call from one of her uncles. He told us that there had been a bomb blast in a church in the Eastern Province. At that moment, we did not realise that there had also been bombings in our city.’

On 21 April last year, as Christians in Sri Lanka celebrated Easter Day, bombers killed 259 people and injured hundreds of others at three churches across the country as well as at hotels in the capital.

Knowing that the Roman Catholic church that had been attacked in Colombo would be well supported, Sunil – who works with persecution support organisation Open Doors – decided to travel with his daughter to the Zion Church, an independent congregation in Batticaloa in the Eastern Province.

When they arrived, after having to break their journey because of a government curfew, they found the city ‘completely shut’.

Sunil says: ‘All the shops were closed and no civilians were in the street. The armed forces and the police were out, and we passed through a lot of checkpoints where we had to explain why we were there. We tried to reach the church but the police would not allow us, because the damage was still being checked.’

Sunil learnt where some of the victims’ loved ones were and began to visit them.

‘We visited a family where a five-yearold girl and her mother had died, and the father was in tears. He was asking why God would allow this to happen. We didn’t have the answer, but we were there. In visiting people, we quickly realised that all we could do was listen to their pain, put our hand on their back and pray for them.’

Sunil made further trips to Batticaloa, meeting the families of people who had been killed, visiting church members who had been injured and learning what longer-term support he and his Open

Sunil prays with a woman who lost three family members in the bomb blast

Doors contacts could give.

‘We visited all the houses that had lost a family member. The mum would tell us about how lovely their son had been and show us photos and share memories. It was very hard to listen to their stories,

One man needed to start his business again because their pain was very deep.

‘Some people needed provisions, because the breadwinner in their family had died, and some needed medical help.

‘We found many ways in which we could help the people.

‘Motorbikes are an essential part of life for them – they are the only way they would commute and it’s how they travel with their children – and some people’s

bikes had been burnt in the bomb blast.

We were able to buy new bikes to replace the ones that had been destroyed.’

Businesses were also affected in the aftermath of the attack, which had been linked to Islamist extremists.

‘One man needed to start his business again,’ says Sunil. ‘He had been selling snacks wholesale to Muslims. But after the attacks people began to boycott the Muslim shops, so the Muslims were then not able to pay the wholesale businessman. We gave him capital to start his business again.’

Sunil observes that the attacks have had lasting effects in a country where Christians, like Muslims, are a minority.

Buddhism is the religion most followed. In some remote areas, he says, pastors have been asked to leave a village, because ‘the community assumes that if there is a new church in the area, they will be attacked by these extreme groups’.

At the same time, though, people within wider society have learnt more about the true nature of Christianity. Sunil says: ‘After the bombings, a church leader went out in front of the media and said: “We will forgive those people who did this.” And that is the first time the entire country has heard that message. We didn’t retaliate.’

As time has passed, Sunil has reflected further on the effects of the bombing in Batticaloa.

‘I’ve thought about that father who lost his wife and only child and who was asking us why it had happened.

Sometimes even when we feel that there may be an answer to such questions, it would not help them. All we could do was cry with him and pray.

‘I’m glad we did not try to answer people’s questions. They simply remember our being with them.’ l Sunil’s name has been changed

Church members have received new motorcycles 18 April 2020 • War Cry • 7

Care during the G

OING on a bear hunt may seem like the stuff of fiction while a coronavirus lockdown is in place. In fact bear hunts are a new Salvation Army initiative for children in Norway.

Participants place teddy bears on their windowsills, so that children can spot them while on their daily walk. The scheme seeks to motivate children to get outside and do something fun while maintaining a safe distance from others.

Bear hunts are just one of The Salvation Army’s many creative responses to the coronavirus outbreak. Across Europe, the church and charity is supporting vulnerable people through food, accommodation and other services.

The provision of food has been a

Emily Bright explores how The Salvation Army is supporting vulnerable people in the UK and across the rest of Europe during the coronavirus outbreak

central part of The Salvation Army’s activities during the outbreak. In the UK, the Southwick Community Project in Sunderland is encouraging businesses to donate food for redistribution.

Demand for such services has soared.

At The Salvation Army’s food bank in Preston, referrals have doubled, with almost 100 food parcels handed out to vulnerable members of the community.

The Southwick Community Project in Sunderland is running a food bank 8 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

A similar number have also been distributed by the centre in Abedare.

Reading Central Salvation Army church is also running a food distribution hub, which has received surplus food from Nando’s and the Reading Football Club Community Trust. The supplies are being distributed to families participating in the Make Lunch Reading scheme, which helps children and parents with meals

Staff stepped in as hairdressers at Furze Hill House care home

FEATURE

lockdown Ingunn Walderhaug and Dalane Tidende

during the school staff took it upon holidays. themselves to wash As schools are closed and style residents’ for most children, the hair, an initiative lack of school meals will which was warmly put extreme pressure welcomed. on household food People experiencing budgets. The Reading homelessness, also hub aims to alleviate continue to be a this pressure, while also high priority for The expanding its remit to Salvation Army in the provide hot meals for UK and overseas. people who are elderly The church and or who have underlying charity’s Williams health conditions.

Café in Nuuk, Corporate Greenland, is still partnerships such carrying out its usual as that with Reading service of providing Football Club are hot meals to the city’s helping Salvation Army homeless population, The Salvation Army in Norway has organised a bear hunt centres to cater for the though social growing demand for distancing rules food supplies across the UK. mean it now does so through the kitchen are stepping up their provision of food. In In Harwich, its church has partnered Almere in the Netherlands, Salvation Army window. Nuuk’s response team is also with 22 local organisations, as well as looking to provide tented accommodation teams are operating a mobile grocery big brands such as Greggs, McDonald’s, for 80 people. shop for elderly and disabled people. In Lidl and Morrisons, to provide a food In the Czech Republic and Portugal, Paris, the church and charity is putting delivery service and a food bank for Salvation Army hostels are staying open on a mobile breakfast and hot dinner those facing financial difficulties. The 24 hours a day to ensure that residents distribution service near the Place de La multi-agency effort offers utility top-ups are not at risk of exposure to the virus République, where people can receive by being out on the street. The council packaged food while practising social in the German city of Dresden has distancing. In Norway, the Salvation Army provided vehicles and drivers to enable team in Oslo supplies meals for up to The Salvation Army to deliver food and 100 families a day. disinfectant to people experiencing Meanwhile, in the Republic of Georgia, homelessness. young people connected with The The Karen Temple centre in Salvation Army in Samgori have been distributing care packages to older people Stockholm has extended the period of emergency accommodation it offers to within their communities.

14 days, allowing those experiencing Even before the pandemic and for the vulnerable, self-isolating and homelessness to self-isolate. introduction of lockdowns, The Salvation those facing financial hardship, as well These initiatives demonstrate just Army was supporting older people as a prescription pick-up and delivery some of The Salvation Army’s responses service. Practical and emotional support is through its provision of residential care. to the coronavirus pandemic as the And when the normal hairdresser and available via a dedicated phone helpline, church and charity continues in its barber were unable to attend Furze Hill which received more than 100 calls within 155-year-old tradition of helping those House care home in North Walsham the first four days. most in need. because of coronavirus restrictions, Cities and regions throughout Europe

Young people have been distributing care packages

18 April 2020 • War Cry • 9

Same? Difference?

STEPHEN GREEN, former chair of HSBC, tells Philip Halcrow that societies with varying world views need to work together to deal with the changes that lie ahead for the planet

T

HE former global bank chairman and UK government trade minister Stephen Green has long had a worldwide outlook. Travelling and living in different countries, he has seen societies’ distinctive ways of thinking, living, believing and expressing themselves. But he also knows that when it comes to the crunch, people all around the world are, for good or ill, connected.

Stephen became group chairman of HSBC in 2006 and steered it through the financial crisis, and he sees other global upheavals ahead in what he describes as ‘the human odyssey’. To navigate them, he argues, differing cultures will need to discover a way to share values and responsibilities.

‘We live in a time when east Asia is becoming more important economically and geopolitically,’ he says, ‘and the way those countries look at the world differs greatly from traditional European ways of thought. You can either find that threatening and want to protect yourself or you can find that fascinating and want to engage. I think we ought to engage.

In his latest book The Human Odyssey,

Stephen explores how societies spanning East and West can work better together and learn from each other.

Stephen says that to describe China’s outlook on the world as ‘fundamentally Confucian’ – shaped by the system of values founded by the ancient philosopher Confucius – is an oversimplification.

Nevertheless there ‘is a sense in which in that culture the individual is formed by their place in the wider human context, whereas the American world outlook is much more individualistic. The Pilgrim Fathers were all about the individual and their family finding their way, and government was there to do only the minimum necessary to enable reasonable social relationships.’

The differences, Stephen says, are great,

but they are not the whole story. A look through literature from various cultures reveals ‘levels of human commonality’ and ‘basic human expressions of joy, love and loss’ across time and space. He cites a Tang Dynasty poet who writes about the loss of his three-year-old daughter.

‘He describes how he goes out into the field and sees her buried, then returns home and sees her empty bed and her unused medicine. It was written 1,200 years ago in a completely different culture from ours, but it’s so poignant that it could have been written yesterday and next door.’

Stephen says that, in the current climate, there is a pressing need to recognise common values.

‘Modern economies and societies are putting the sustainability of the planet at risk. I’ve got grandchildren, and on current life expectancy they’ll live to the next century. If the world

Stephen Green

10 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

INTERVIEW

Physically and virtually we are all more connected warms by four degrees, which is what it will do on current business, they’re going to live through the consequences: rising sea levels, increasingly violent climatic events and social upheavals as some of the world’s marginalised people have to move. If we don’t adjust the way we live, we are bequeathing to our grandchildren a gloomy future.

‘It feels like a call to action.’

It’s a challenge that, Stephen says, has to be tackled by individuals, businesses and governments, who, even when they have competing interests, will need to co-operate.

‘There are no simple answers. But what cannot conceivably be a Christian response would be to say that we were simply going to enjoy the world and let future generations worry about themselves.’

Stephen, who is also an Anglican clergyman, believes that Christian values can help the world, with all its variety of

outlooks, to find hope for the future.

He insists that Christians have a role to play in rejecting the ‘binary view of the world’ that keeps people with other beliefs and views at a distance.

And Christianity’s age-old outlook can shed light on the increasingly interconnected world.

He says: ‘Physically and virtually we are all more connected. At the time of the Roman Empire, nobody had ever gone from one end of the land mass of Eurasia to the other. In medieval times, people such as Marco Polo started to travel wider distances, but very few others did. Now it would be just a 15-hour flight from one end to the other.

‘Then there’s virtual connectivity. You can make a call on your smartphone and see somebody who is at the other side of the world.

‘This level of connectivity is totally unknown in any previous period of human history. But then,’ he says, citing

a 17th-century poet and clergyman, ‘there is a particularly Christian sense in which, as John Donne wrote, “No man is an island”.

It has been said before, and it’s true.

‘I have travelled a lot and met people whose life options were much more restricted than ours and I’ve learnt about their environment.

‘And the Christian proclamation is that every one of these people is the answer to the question: Who is my neighbour?’

l The Human Odyssey is published

by SPCK

18 April 2020 • War Cry • 11

EXPLORE

Prayerlink THE War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their ­circumstances.

Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk.

Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

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.

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 Extract from Why Jesus? by Nicky Gumbel published by Alpha International, 2011. Used by kind permission of Alpha International

Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book in the Scriptures

1 Peter LTHOUGH scholars dispute where A this letter was written – some interpreting ‘Babylon’ (5:13) as code for Rome

– it is agreed that Simon Peter, a disciple of Jesus and later leader of the Jerusalem church, was writing to Christians in Asia Minor (1:1 and 2).

His subject is that of suffering. Although he refers to ‘suffer’ or ‘suffering’ many times in this letter, Peter does not address the conundrum of why a loving God seemingly allows suffering. There are no ready-made answers here.

Suffering is at the heart of the gospel, writes Peter. God knew beforehand that salvation would be made possible only through the sufferings of Christ (1:10 and 11). Peter, who denied knowing Jesus after his arrest, witnessed his suffering close-up (5:1).

Suffering is a test of the reality and authenticity of faith (1:6 and 7). True believers are not fair-weather Christians. For followers of Jesus, Peter says, suffering is inevitable. If they are to imitate Christ, like him they will suffer (2:21–25).

Suffering on account of their faith should come as no surprise (4:12), nor should it result in shame (4:16). Rather than leading to abandonment of faith, it should make a person more committed to God (4:19). Rather than retaliate, believers should rejoice that they are suffering (4:13–17).

The mechanism for enduring suffering is to live in a right relationship with God and with other people (5:5–7).

This submissive attitude is possible when a believer compares their present suffering with their ultimate reward in the next life – ‘eternal glory in Christ’ (5:10). Christians

Do you have a story to share?

have ‘a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ (1:3). They have an inheritance kept in Heaven (1:4).

When they meet Christ face to face, they will be ‘overjoyed’ (4:13).

Life is short (1:24 and 25). Suffering is relatively short. After ‘a little while’, God will restore and strengthen them (5:10).

Peter emphasises the eternal timescale against which suffering should be measured

True believers are not fair-weather Christians – God chose Christ as the means of salvation ‘before the creation of the world’ (1:20).

He reminds a despised Church of their true identity: living stones, a spiritual house, a holy and royal priesthood, a holy nation and a chosen people who belong to God (2:5–10).

Suffering because of their faith in this life is nothing compared with the glory of living with Christ that awaits the faithful Christian in the next life.

Key verse ‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time’ (1 Peter 5:6 New International Version)

Stay connected

CBAD a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry 12 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

salvationarmy.org.uk Visit the Salvation Army website for the latest on the organisation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and find links to your nearest centre.

EXPRESSIONS

Rosemary Dawson on the life lessons she has learnt from her grandchildren

‘Who is looking after you?’

HILDREN often surprise us with their insight into world situations.

C Ten-year-old Benjamin is usually so absorbed in his computer games that you’d think he doesn’t notice what’s going on around him. But the

q

quick quiz 1

2

Who had a No 1 hit in 2003 with the song ‘Are You Ready for Love’?

a 3

4

5

6

What is the name of the donkey in AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh?

On which continent is the Gobi Desert?

Which health minister introduced the National Health Service?

Twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid formed what Scottish band?

Who played the magizoologist Newt Scamander in the film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald?

ANSWERS

other day he proved that wasn’t the case.

Benjamin’s parents are Salvation Army church leaders, and in the coronavirus outbreak they have been classed as keyworkers within their community.

They are busy collecting donations to make up food parcels for people who are vulnerable and self-isolating. They also collect and distribute medicines from a pharmacy. In the evenings, they are occupied phoning people who have to stay home.

One evening, Benjamin came out with this grown-up question: ‘Mummy, you’re so busy running round and phoning people to ask if they’re okay. Has anyone phoned to see if you are okay? Who is looking after you?’

His mum and dad were somewhat taken aback – and also quite touched by his concern.

His questions were unexpectedly answered the next day when their boss arrived on the doorstep – keeping the required two metres away – with some chocolates for the family.

It may be obvious, but Benjamin makes an important point. We need to remember the people serving our communities and the fact that they, no doubt, have their own worries and concerns at this time.

Thank you, Benjamin, for that very timely reminder.

BOOK REVIEW Jailbirds: Lessons from a Women’s Prison Mim Skinner Seven Dials FORMER prison worker Mim Skinner offers a rare glimpse into the world of a women’s prison in her often hilarious yet poignant book. There are no stereotypical goodies or baddies in her stories. Instead, we meet real women with drug dependencies and adults who have survived the care system.

Mim reveals that some women prefer being locked up when their only other option is to be released without a home, family or job. She says that more than anything, most ‘jailbirds’ dream of living with an intact family in a neat house with a lockable front door.

While Mim’s book isn’t about political reform, her honest and evocative prose inevitably raises questions about how people on the fringes of society should be treated by the establishment – and by everyone.

Linda McTurk

18 April 2020 • War Cry • 13

1. Elton John. 2. Eeyore. 3. Asia. 4. Aneurin Bevan.

5. The Proclaimers. 6. Eddie Redmayne.

PUZZLES

QUICK CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS

1. Unlucky (7) 5. Divided (5) 7. African xylophone (7) 8. Grip (5) 10. Turnip (4) 11. Waterfall (8) 13. Military policeman (6) 14. Indian bay (6) 17. Debacle (8) 19. Satellite (4) 21. Fermenting agent (5) 22. Vast (7)

DOWN

2. Be a sign or warning of (7) 3. Jane Austen novel (4) 4. Sailor (6) 5. Greek philosopher (8) 6. South American camel (5)

SUDOKU

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

HONEYCOMB

1 8 3 1 2

HONEYCOMB HONEYCOMB

Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

6

1. Hair over forehead 2. Stick of coloured wax 3. Out of sight 4. Short oar 5. Japanese hostess 6. Simultaneous action

2 9

3

8

5 7

5 7

6

4

6 9 8 4 1 5

Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch Wordsearch

2 3 1

8 1 7

5

8

Answers

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1. Hapless. 5. Split.

7. Marimba. 8. Clasp. 10. Neep. 11. Cataract.

13. Redcap. 14. Bengal. 17. Disaster.

19. Moon. 21. Yeast. 22. Immense.

23. There. 24. En masse.

DOWN: 2. Portend. 3. Emma. 4. Seaman.

5. Socrates. 6. Llama. 7. Man Friday.

9. Petulance. 12. Cassette. 15. Grounds.

16. Desire. 18. Shade. 20. Imam.

HONEYCOMB 1. Fringe. 2. Crayon. 3. Hidden.

4. Paddle. 5. Geisha. 6. Unison.

4 5 9 6 7 2 3 1 8

7 3 2 5 8 1 4 6 9

1 6 8 3 4 9 2 5 7

8 1 7 4 9 5 6 2 3

3 2 6 8 1 7 5 9 4

9 4 5 2 6 3 7 8 1

2 9 4 1 3 6 8 7 5

6 7 3 9 5 8 1 4 2

5 8 1 7 2 4 9 3 6

SUDOKU SOLUTION

2 3 1

5 7

9 8 4 1 5

14 • War Cry • 18 April 2020

7. Male assistant (3, 6) 9. Sulkiness (9) 12. Tape (8) 15. Reasons (7) 16. Want (6) 18. Colour (5) 20. Muslim prayer leader (4)

23. At that place (5) 24. All together (2, 5)

Wordsearch COLIN FIRTH DANIEL CRAIG DEV PATEL EMMA WATSON GEMMA ARTERTON HUGH GRANT HUGH LAURIE IAN MCKELLEN IDRIS ELBA JUDE LAW JUDI DENCH JULIE ANDREWS KEIRA KNIGHTLEY MAGGIE SMITH MICHAEL CAINE ROSAMUND PIKE THANDIE NEWTON TOM HIDDLESTON

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid to find these 7 1British 8 actors 3 9 2 6 5

4 5 3 6 1 2 4 9 J N W Y 7 8 O Z Q V D N X V K K N N R R G U D W T F F L T L G E G U O S K E 9 2 8 7 6 5 4 3 1 T A Z X E P Z U Z L I I D I Z D Z B 6 5 3 4 8 2 1 9 7 Z Y A I V M F E P R A E K L A Q Y J I T E Q S T M X U R L H M D E U Z U 7 8 4 9 1 6 3 5 2 L N J L Y O Q A C A C J E J K N X L 2 1 L W N Q V P H 9 5 7 3 6 I 8H L 4I Z O P Z T M L W T N A G H E Q E A P C L X P T M E 3 4 2 6 5 7 8 1 9 F R P G G I G D Z A T B A F D I C A 1 6I I 5 T 2F S 9 S 8V R N M O N 7 4 3 M E M U N D H T H A N D I E N E W T O N U S L D 8 9 7 3 4 1 5 2 6 U R D Q U L L W T K V Q A N M E I R

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

6 7

6

4

RECIPES

Half English breakfast 2 large British Lion eggs 2 pancetta slices 100g baby chestnut mushrooms 1tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped ½ medium ripe tomato Salt and freshly ground black pepper Serves

1

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

Couscous with roasted vegetables and egg 75g wholewheat couscous 2tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 300ml boiling water 500g butternut squash, peeled and diced 1 red onion, roughly chopped 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 courgette, diced 1 garlic clove, finely sliced 6 large British Lion eggs 3tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Bring a large saucepan of water to a simmer. Crack an egg into a small bowl and carefully drop the egg into the water. Leave to poach for 3 minutes, until the white is set and the yolk is still runny, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Repeat with the second egg.

In the meantime, heat a small frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the pancetta. Fry for 3 minutes on each side or until crisp. Remove from the pan and place on kitchen towel.

Add the mushrooms to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes or until soft and golden. Stir through the parsley. Cook the tomato in the pan at the same time until slightly charred and soft.

Plate up the eggs, pancetta, mushrooms and tomato with a little seasoning and serve with buttered toast.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/ Gas Mark 6. Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl with 1tbsp oil. Season well. Pour the boiling water over the couscous and stir well. Cover and leave for 10 minutes, then set aside.

Place the remaining oil in a large roasting dish and add the butternut squash, onion and pepper. Put in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Stir in the courgette and garlic, then roast for a further 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred at the edges.

Beat the eggs with seasoning in a bowl, then pour into the roasting dish. Bake for 15 minutes or until the egg has set.

Remove the dish from the oven and stir the eggs and vegetables to break them up. Add the couscous and parsley. Mix well. Season to taste. Serve warm or cold.

Serves

4

18 April 2020 • War Cry • 15

Patience is not merely the ability to wait, it is also how we behave while we wait Joyce Meyer