INTERVIEW
Going the ‘Extra, extra!’ mile C
John Mott
OME rain or shine, they will be at their post. For the past 140 years, members of The Salvation Army have been taking to high streets and pubs to sell the War Cry. But these men and women do more than just sell the weekly magazine. Major John Mott has been doing the rounds since 1972, when he first became a Salvation Army church leader. He retired 21 years ago, but continues to sell the magazine in Cambridge. ‘I’ve made hundreds and hundreds of friends,’ he says. ‘Some have become extremely good friends. And I’m humbled by people’s generosity.’ John considers selling the War Cry to be a part of his Christian service, as he aims simply to be there for people. ‘I’m in the same place at the same times, dressed in full uniform, with a smile on my face. People know I’m going to be there. So if they want to unburden, they know where they can come, even if I don’t know who they are.’
Sarah Olowofoyeku gets the latest on the experiences of longstanding War Cry seller JOHN MOTT Three times a week, John interacts with the people of Cambridge as they do their shopping. ‘I’m there about two hours each time, and it’s a joy,’ he says. ‘I talk about football, I talk to kids about school and what the latest movie is.’ By being present in such a location, he is able to be involved in all sorts of moments in people’s lives. He tells the story of one woman who came up to him in a hurry one day, exclaiming: ‘I’ve got to tell someone!’ John invited her to share her news. She told him that she had just come from the doctor, who told her that, at 37 years old, she was pregnant with her first baby. The woman added: ‘I can’t phone and tell my husband because he’s in a very important meeting.’ John congratulated her, and then she went on her way. Some encounters, however, are more hard-hitting. John says that over the years the most common difficulty that people speak to him about is bereavement. Recently he met a
I’m in the same place at the same times, with a smile
John chats with members of the public
woman who, before giving a donation, began to cry. She said that her husband always brought her a cup of tea in bed each morning. One day the previous week, thinking he was still asleep, she went to take him some tea, but he was dead, aged 52. She was still shaken, and John offered to pray with her. While selling magazines, John is also in the business of showing love and care to others. When asked why he wants to tell people about the Christian faith, he says it is because of the ‘grace, forgiveness and generosity’ he has experienced from God. ‘As a recipient of God’s love,’ he says, ‘I try to express that same love to others.’
21 December 2019 • WAR CRY • 3