War Cry 26 March 2022

‘I miss my daughter every day’

WAR CRY

26 March 2022 50p

Roles of honour Which movie-makers will be celebrated at the Oscars?

Hippy trail takes unexpected turn

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.

MUM’S certainly the word on the lips of millions of children – young and grown-up – tomorrow (Sunday 27 March) as they celebrate Mother’s Day. But it’s also a day that can be poignant.

For some, Mother’s Day may be difficult because they did not have a good – or any – relationship with their mother or child; for others, it can be difficult because they had a great relationship but have now been separated.

‘Although Mother’s Day can be painful, the memories I have of Natasha bring me such joy,’ says Tanya Ednan-Laperouse in an interview in this week’s War Cry. Tanya’s daughter died as a result of a severe allergic reaction to a shop-bought sandwich that she ate. Natasha’s dad was with her, but Tanya was not.

As she dashed to be with her daughter, Tanya initially felt a rage towards her husband, Nadim, thinking that he should have been looking after Natasha. But she heard a voice telling her: ‘He needs your love and compassion now.’ Her anger disappeared.

As well as feeling that she needed to show love and compassion, Tanya talks of knowing that she was cared for.

Tanya believes that in the days, weeks and months after Natasha’s death, God was with her. The mother who had loved sharing hugs with her daughter says that God ‘held me close… He helped me through every single day.’

Tanya and many other people who speak of their experiences week in, week out in the War Cry have found that in the toughest times God did not leave them on their own.

They have sensed that he carried them through situations when it seemed that life really wasn’t fair or when they made life difficult for themselves.

They have discovered that, whether they are ad the War C e re celebrating or struggling, they want to have ry v ’ u God with them every day.

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 7569

When yo

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN

CONTENTS

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

FEATURES

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All set for the Oscars Film-makers hope for recognition

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

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Tuning in for 25 years

Teletubbies reach milestone 6

Oh hippy day

Search for fulfilment ends with faith 8

INFO

‘Memories of Natasha bring such joy’

Tanya Ednan-Laperouse on losing

Your local Salvation Army centre

her daughter

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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

REGULARS 4

War Cry World

12 Team Talk 13 Now, There’s a Thought!

14 Puzzles 15 War Cry Kitchen Front-page pictures: ALAMY

THE REEL DEAL The Oscars return for another celebration of film-making Feature by Emily Bright

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TARS of the silver screen are set to light up the red carpet at the Academy awards ceremony, which will take place in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre in the early hours of Monday (28 March) UK time.

Millions of people around the globe are expected to tune into the annual awards show to see who will take home the statuettes. There are 23 competitive categories, including best picture, best actor and best actress. Nominees include director Steven Spielberg and actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Nicole Kidman and Will Smith.

However, the Oscars ceremony is not without drama this year: US TV network ABC has decided to pre-record eight category wins rather than broadcast all the award presentations live.

Spielberg, whose film West Side Story is nominated for seven Oscars, expressed his frustration to Hollywood news website Deadline. He explained that the decision meant that the achievements of those

nominees could not be celebrated with everyone else present.

Spielberg’s film is nominated in two of the affected categories – production design and sound – and he added that each crew member was a crucial component in the making of the film.

‘When I look back and I think without [composer] John Williams, Jaws would wear dentures,’ he said. ‘With West Side Story, when Tony is singing “Tonight” with Maria, without [production designer] Adam Stockhausen he would be singing it on a step-ladder and she would be on the scaffolding, all this on an empty soundstage.

‘All of us make movies together, we become a family where one craft is just as indispensable as the next.’

Spielberg has a point. It’s easy to get distracted by the glitz and glamour of actors, directors and producers and overlook those who have a lower profile, such as film editors, stylists and production designers. But they all have an essential role to play.

The same is often true in the wider world that cinema portrays. It could be that sometimes we are dismissed by others,

disqualify ourselves or play down our own significance. We may compare ourselves with others, thinking that they’re more talented, powerful or eloquent than we are.

But the reality is that we never know the impact we can have on those around us.

One Bible writer, Paul, tackled this topic by highlighting the value that we have in God’s eyes. Writing to a group of Christians, Paul compared them to a human body, with each individual like a part. He said: ‘God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be… The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honourable we treat with special honour’ (1 Corinthians 12:18, 21–23 New International Version).

God sees each person’s innate value, treasuring their unique personalities and talents. We can find security and purpose in a relationship with him. And if we look towards him, we’ll discover the depth of his love for us – the greatest story ever told.

All of us make movies together

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AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT/20TH CENTURY STUDIOS/ALBUM

Steven Spielberg directing ‘West Side Story’, which is nominated for seven Oscars

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Katharine Hayhoe discussing climate change with President Obama and Leonardo DiCaprio at a White House event in 2016

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CLIMATE scientist Katharine Hayhoe has said that her Christian faith drives her on in encouraging people to tackle climate change and that the latest UN report gives cause for hope despite its warnings.

In an interview with the online Religion News Service after the publication of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, Katharine spoke about why the issue was important to her.

The Texas Tech University professor said: ‘If you look at the Bible, book one, chapter one says God gave humans responsibility over every living thing on this planet... All through the New Testament, it talks about how Christians are ... to care for the widows, the orphans, the poor, the vulnerable, the very ones who are most affected by climate change today.’

Although the IPCC report is filled with evidence that the climate is changing for the worse, she said there was a reason to hope, because the science is clear about what is wrong and how we can fix it.

She said: ‘Our actions matter. Our actions do make a difference. The future that we will see is going to be radically different depending on the choices that we make.’

PA IMAGES/ALAMY

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A BEEKEEPER helped The Salvation Army in Oldbury find a safe home for some bees after a huge hive was discovered up a crumbling chimney. The bees had been disturbed when work began on a house that The Salvation Army had designated for use by a partner charity, Stepway, which supports military veterans.

The beekeeper from nearby Kidderminster transplanted the estimated 3,000 bees safely to a new home, along with their honeycomb, while members of the Salvation Army church were able to taste the honey that the bees had been making over the years.

Salvation Army mourns

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ACTOR Roger Allam, who starred in TV crime drama series Endeavour, told The Times that growing up with a vicar for a father shaped his life.

According to the article, Roger admitted to struggling with ‘the metaphysics of Christian faith’ but said: ‘I see the value of religion … ethically and morally.’

The paper added that Roger’s father worked in parishes in east and north London.

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GENERAL John Larsson, a former international leader of The Salvation Army, has died.

As well as leading the worldwide Salvation Army from 2002 to 2006, General Larsson wrote the melodies for a number of congregational songs that are used during worship services and was a prolific writer of books and articles.

The Salvation Army’s present international leader, General Brian Peddle, said: ‘We mourn his passing, but we celebrate the gifts he shared with us, his leadership, his music, his Christian character and his example to us all.’

Church website offers links for Ukrainians A NETWORK of churches that supports refugees has launched a website to help people arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

Welcome Churches, which connects refugees and asylum seekers with churches, has developed ukrainewelcome.org to provide people fleeing the conflict with information to help them settle into their new surroundings.

Joanna Mwansa of Welcome Churches tells the War Cry that the website – in English, Ukrainian and Russian – will ‘include information such as how to access a GP when they come to the UK, how to find a school and how they can connect with local churches if they’re interested in finding a church or a community that will embrace them and help them to settle in’.

In the past few years, Welcome Churches has set up similar websites for Hongkongers and Afghans arriving in the UK. The organisation provides a map listing hundreds of churches, including Salvation Army centres, that will welcome refugees and asylum seekers.

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Teletubbies celebrate 25th anniversary Feature by Claire Brine

Warm welcome tackles rise in energy costs A ‘WARM room’ scheme is being trialled by a Suffolk church to tackle the effects of rising energy costs and loneliness.

Holy Trinity Church in Bungay, in partnership with the volunteer organisation Bungay Community Support, offers a free warm space for people to visit to chat, drink tea and relax. The scheme also offers clothes and a food bank from which people can take items as needed.

Priest-in-charge, the Rev Josh Bailey, told Christian website Premier that providing a warm room free of charge to members of the public ‘removes some barriers’ and helps to tackle the stigma around church. He said that ‘some people who have had other needs in the town [such as] help with bills or help with food’ have also made use of the scheme.

The project is being trialled until 31 March, but there are already discussions about making it a regular feature at Holy Trinity.

It has been running ahead of an expected 54 per cent rise in energy bills from April, representing an average increase of almost £700 a year.

Eh-oh!

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ROM over the hills and far away, Teletubbies came to play. Twenty-five years ago, on 31 March 1997, BBC Two invited preschoolers and their parents to say their first ‘Eh-oh’ to Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. Viewers of the show – which is still being broadcast on CBeebies – were introduced to four strangely shaped colourful characters who played together every day and had televisions in their tummies. There was also a vacuum cleaner called the Noo Noo, lashings of Tubby custard and voice trumpets which sprang up from the grass, telling the Teletubbies what to do.

While the show’s format caused many Nineties parents to scratch their heads in bafflement, millions of tiny tot viewers and their older siblings loved it. By the end of 1997, Teletubbies toys were the must-have Christmas present for children.

Pamela Hartley, from Devon, remembers that her mum queued outside a toyshop at midnight to get her hands on a Dipsy doll ahead of Christmas Day. ‘I was happy to get it and remember playing with it for years afterwards,’ Pamela says. ‘I think we all have a present from childhood that we imagined would change our life if we got it. But I don’t still have it.’

While it was fun to get swept up in the craze, Pamela discovered that her much-loved Teletubby doll didn’t bring her happiness beyond childhood.

However popular a toy or a TV show may be, ultimately it can’t fulfil us for ever, much like other phenomena that sweep the world.

But there is something that can – a story suitable for all ages.

Two thousand years ago, the real-life character Jesus taught people to love one another and God. He also pointed out that people who followed him would discover God’s love for them – a love that would give them joy and purpose.

He assured those who heard him: ‘I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10 Good News Bible).

If we are looking for a love that lasts a lifetime, Jesus is willing to give it – year in, year out.

Teletubbies toys were the must-have Christmas present

BBC

Do you have a story to share? a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk @TheWarCryUK TheWarCryUK

B salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po 26 March 2022 • WAR CRY • 5

On the trail of peace and love GEOFF WALVIN was a young hippy on a quest for fulfilment in eastern and New Age religions when he made an unexpected discovery.

He describes how his search for spirituality changed his life Interview by Sarah Olowofoyeku

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IFE was thrilling in the late 1960s.

Aged 16, Geoff Walvin left his home and everything he knew in the northeast of England and hopped on a train to London to start a new life.

There, he found hundreds of other young people who were also searching for something more.

‘I was born at a time of economic prosperity,’ he tells me from his home near Newcastle upon Tyne. ‘Our parents’ generation suffered from the war, but then there was a change. It was all about making money and building a materially good life. God didn’t really have a place.

‘Back then, where I lived, you had to fit into a tight mould. You didn’t break out, you did what your dad did. I was attracted to London. I wanted something different.

I had to break out of that culture and community.’

Geoff was dissatisfied with the new vibe in society, and in London he found like-minded people who were also feeling what he describes as ‘a spiritual void’. He became part of a hippy community.

‘London was a buzzing, vibrant place,’ he says. ‘We felt like we were making history, like we were going to change the world.’

Around that time, many young people were engaging with meditation, eastern religion and New Age thinking. Everyone,

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says Geoff, was talking about God. Geoff had been raised in a loving home and had a happy childhood but he says that, aside from his attendance at Sunday school as a child, his family life didn’t really pay attention to God. He didn’t feel in any way connected to Christianity.

So he was surprised when strange things, relating to the Christian faith, began happening to him. One such incident occurred during a Hindu ceremony.

He recalls: ‘It was an initiation. This Indian guru was giving people a name and assigning them to worship a certain Hindu god. I thought it was amazing that I was invited to be a part of it. It was a very spiritual atmosphere, with candles,

Geoff Walvin

incense and chanting. The guru would put his hands on people and give them a name. But when it came to me, he looked at me and stepped back, and he said: “You belong to Jesus.”

Then he moved me out of the way. I was in shock. I couldn’t understand it.’

Geoff was having other unexpected encounters with Christianity. On a visit home, he stumbled across a copy of John’s Gospel and found that the words about Jesus began to come alive to him.

An unknown man on Oxford Street had also told him that God loved him and Jesus died to give him a relationship with God. Something was going on, but Geoff

I was invited to a Hindu initiation

Geoff speaking at one of the churches in Kathmandu and (below) on a visit to the city

Geoff (left) and friends in Kathmandu in 1976

We wanted peace in the world, we believed love was the answer didn’t quite know what.

Still on a quest for spirituality, in 1972 he embarked on a journey that hundreds of people in his community had taken – the hippy trail. It was a trip overland from London to Nepal. Along the way, he spent time in Afghanistan, where he finally found some answers. As a result of a series of unforeseen events, he ended up visiting some Christian pastors and heard the good news of Jesus.

Geoff made a decision to follow Jesus.

The values that he had adhered to within the hippy community, however, weren’t wholly different from what life was like when following Jesus.

‘The whole hippy movement was based on peace and love. We wanted peace in the world, we believed love was the answer. We wanted to see oppression and poverty end. There was a yearning to build a new world, one that was not full of war. So when some of us heard the message of Jesus – who was full of grace, forgiveness and love, and who promoted

peace – we became attracted to that.

‘When I came to Christ, there was a fulfilment of what I was searching for and how I was living. I discovered that he is the answer. Through his power and with his message, he can actually save the world.’

Geoff carried on along the trail, but instead of asking questions, he was sharing the answer he had found. He spent the next 16 years working as a missionary in India and Nepal, spreading the good news of Jesus’ love, eventually starting many churches.

‘The gospel changed people’s lives,’ he says. ‘I never preached against other religions. I just preached about Jesus and how wonderful he is. I said, “This is what he teaches: you’re valued, he loves you and he wants you to love others.”’

l Geoff tells his story in Finding Faith in Unexpected Places, published

by Authentic Media

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‘Losing my daughter was the worst thing that happened to me’ TANYA EDNAN-LAPEROUSE was not with her teenage daughter, Natasha, when she suffered an allergic reaction to a sandwich and died while on the way to a holiday in France. Ahead of Mother’s Day tomorrow (Sunday 27 March), Tanya reflects on the challenges of motherhood, the loss she experienced and how she moved from anger to hope Interview by Claire Brine

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OTHERHOOD is life-changing, but it wasn’t how I imagined it would be,’ says Tanya EdnanLaperouse, whose daughter, Natasha, developed life-threatening allergies as a baby. ‘I used to dream of having the textbook baby and going for walks in the park together. My pregnancy was perfect. But then I developed eclampsia and nearly died.’

The day after giving birth, Tanya was discharged from hospital and, on the car journey home, began haemorrhaging.

She was rushed into intensive care, where doctors fought to save her life.

‘It was a dreadful experience,’ Tanya tells me, ‘and I think I developed postnatal depression as a result. Natasha was a good baby who ate and slept well, but for a long time I felt like a robot whenever I was looking after her. I had no energy.

Then, just as I was beginning to get a bit better, Natasha developed terrible eczema. She was 12 weeks old.’

Tanya took Natasha to see a doctor, who prescribed a steroid cream as treatment and a barrier cream to protect Natasha’s newborn skin.

‘That was when Natasha had her first allergic reaction,’ explains Tanya. ‘The barrier cream contained lanolin, which cracked her skin and made it bleed. My baby was in pain – but that was only the beginning of her allergy problems.

At six months old, Natasha had her first anaphylactic reaction after eating some

banana and nearly died.

It was a traumatising time, not just for her, but for me and my husband, Nadim, as well. I loved my baby massively, but I felt I didn’t know how to look after her properly.’

Over the next few years, Tanya discovered that her daughter was allergic to a number of foods, including eggs, sesame seeds and dairy products. Mealtimes became stressful as the family tried to get to grips with Natasha’s limited diet.

‘At home, I tried to control everything to keep Natasha safe,’ says Tanya. ‘So for two years, she lived on home-made chicken and vegetable soup, having it

I tried to control everything to keep Natasha safe

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Tanya with her daughter Natasha, son Alex and husband Nadim for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I didn’t know what else to feed her, and I was too scared to try anything else.

‘As the parent of a child with allergies, you’re never relaxed around food. You’re constantly on edge, although you are trying to seem like you’re not. You’re always putting safeguards in place. And you do it because you want your child to have a good, normal life.’

Determined that her allergies wouldn’t hold her back, Natasha took up hobbies including horse riding and figure skating.

As a teenager, she loved going shopping with friends. But she also enjoyed spending time with her mum. ‘We did a

Tanya had a close relationship with Natasha

lot together,’ Tanya says. ‘I remember when she was first trying out make-up, and I showed her how to apply eyeliner. At bedtimes, I’d often lie with her on her bed, having a chat and a hug.’

When Natasha turned 12, she started going to a Friday night youth group with

her best friend, Bethany, at a church in Wimbledon, a short journey from the family home in Fulham. Later, when she announced that she wanted to attend Sunday services, Tanya was intrigued.

‘I wondered why my teenage daughter wasn’t taking the opportunity to have a lie-in on a Sunday,’ she says. ‘So I decided to go and see what this church was like.

When I went in, the beautiful singing and music from the band hit me.

Suddenly, I felt overwhelmed with emotion and moved to tears. There was a sense of awe in the room, and I believe it was the power of God’s

Turn to page 10 f 26 March 2022 • WAR CRY • 9

How could I sum up a lifetime of love in just a few words?

From page 9 Holy Spirit.’

Along with Natasha, Tanya started attending church every week. Her faith in God grew stronger as she learnt about the importance of trusting him with her life.

Then her world fell apart.

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n Sunday 17 July 2016, Natasha died after suffering a severe allergic reaction to a shop-bought sandwich that contained sesame seeds. She had eaten the sandwich shortly before boarding a plane to France, where she was travelling with her dad and Bethany for a holiday. Just half an hour into the flight, she lost consciousness. By the time the plane landed in Nice, it was too late to save her. Natasha died in hospital with Nadim by her side.

Speaking through tears, Tanya tells me her memories of the day.

‘Natasha was so excited to be going on holiday with her best friend,’ she says. ‘When I dropped the three of them off at the airport, I gave her a hug, whispered that I loved her and wished her an amazing holiday.

Then off they went. I waited for a minute, in case they turned around to wave again, but they didn’t. I thought that I would have loved one last wave.

‘A couple of hours after arriving home, I got a phone call from Nadim, who had just landed in Nice, and he said to me: “Get over here. Natasha’s not well.

You need to get a flight now.” I couldn’t understand what he was talking about. But he was so insistent.’

As it was the first weekend of the summer holidays, Tanya struggled to find a flight at such short notice, but she managed to book a ticket for later that evening.

She arranged

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to have her son, Alex, dropped off at his grandparents, then rushed to the airport, all the time praying that Natasha would be OK. ‘I found out that my flight was going to be delayed by six hours,’ she says. ‘So I stood at the gate, quietly weeping. I was in a state of shock.

‘While I was waiting to board, Nadim rang me, saying: “You’ve got to say goodbye to Natasha right now, she’s going to die any minute.” But how could I sum up a lifetime of love in just a few words? I knew I had to hurry, so I told Natasha that I loved her and that I’d be there with her soon. Then Nadim hung up.

‘At that point, my legs gave way and I collapsed. Someone brought me a cup of sweet tea and insisted I drink it. The next thing I knew, I was on the plane.’

Surrounded by happy families, Tanya focused on keeping her head down, getting through the flight and reaching her daughter as quickly as possible. Without warning, she found an anger beginning to rise within her, and she describes it as getting ‘bigger and hotter with every passing minute’.

She remembers: ‘I experienced a blinding rage against my husband, because I thought: “You were looking after her.” I was so furious that I wanted to kill him. But then a voice instructed me: “He needs your love and compassion now.” And it sounds strange, but as soon as I heard those words, my anger completely disappeared. I began to think about what Nadim had been through as he watched Natasha die, and I felt such an overwhelming love for him. It was after 3am when I finally got to see him. We held each other and cried.’

After a sleepless night in which Tanya and Nadim tried to piece together what had happened, they went to the mortuary to see their daughter.

‘It was horrible, because I wanted to see Tashi and it just wasn’t her any more,’ Tanya says. ‘Her body didn’t look or feel like her. Her soul had gone. In some ways, it felt like a relief, because I knew it meant she was with God. I also knew that she was his before she had been mine. But losing her was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, and the reality that

my life was going to go on without her was too much to handle. I never wanted to leave her side. I just wanted to go back in time.’

Though Tanya was drowning in indescribable grief, she found herself clinging on to her faith in God, desperate to find some shred of comfort. She was surprised by what happened next.

‘Out of nowhere I had an image of Natasha in my mind, laughing with pure joy and saying to me: “Mummy, it’s all true! Jesus is real! He’s real, Mummy!” It repeated itself, like a reel, over the next three days. I couldn’t understand what I was seeing, so I told Bethany about it.

Bethany – who was such a young, wise little thing – said: “Maybe that’s what God wants you to see.”

‘After that, I began to feel humbled at how powerful God was. I knew I had to trust him. I knew that Natasha was OK. And, although I couldn’t pray in the weeks after she died, I understood that God didn’t expect me to.

‘He didn’t leave me.

He held me close and gave me the peace I needed to get through the funeral, even though I didn’t think my legs could carry me. He helped me through every single day.’

He still does, Tanya points out. And on special occasions such as Mother’s Day, which can be particularly difficult, she finds strength to cope by reminding herself of God’s blessings.

‘There are just so many,’ she says. ‘Natasha is with God now – and I’m grateful she’s with him.

Nadim has overcome horrific PTSD and has also become a Christian, despite having no faith before Natasha died. And Alex is the most wonderful son to us, despite having lost his sister in such dreadful circumstances.

‘Although Mother’s Day can be painful, the memories I have of Natasha bring me such joy. She made me some beautiful cards over the years, and every day I’m surrounded by them because I keep them on her desk in her bedroom, which is where I work. Being in Natasha’s room helps me feel connected to her and gives me a sense of peace.

‘I also make sure that, on days like Mother’s Day, I focus on Alex and celebrate it for him. I made a decision very early on that I didn’t want my son to lose his mum as well as his sister. We had to keep enjoying things as a family.’

Although coming to terms with the loss of a child is difficult, Tanya emphasises that she has found it helpful to talk with other bereaved parents about her grief.

After Natasha died, Tanya and Nadim set up the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation with an aim to support allergy sufferers and bring an end to allergic disease. Her work has brought her into contact with a number of parents who have lost children, and she wants to give them hope.

‘When you’re treading the path of grief, it takes time to accept that the loss you’re facing is real – that it isn’t going to change,’ she says. ‘I miss my daughter every day. But one thing I do

know is that when children die, God has them. They are OK. And it’s my prayer that every parent would be able to know that truth deep in their heart. Their child hasn’t disappeared or become nothing – I believe they are with God.’

I knew I had to trust God

To help her through Mother’s Day, Tanya focuses on her son Alex, while surrounding herself with old cards from Natasha

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Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Dave, who wants to be reconciled with his wife.

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’.

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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

talk ‘ ’ Team talk TEAM TALK Study shows benefits in being kind

Claire Brine gives her take on a story catching the attention of War Cry reporters

RESULTS of the ‘world’s largest in-depth study on kindness’ have been released. Back in August, Radio 4 teamed up with the University of Sussex to launch a kindness test. More than 60,000 people signed up, answering questions about what kindness looks like, where it’s experienced and why it’s important. The findings were recently examined on Radio 4’s The Anatomy of Kindness.

According to the study, kind acts are very common, with three quarters of respondents saying that they received kindness from close friends or family members quite often or nearly all the time. The most commonly reported type of kindness was the act of helping others when asked, while people who regularly receive many acts of kindness appeared to have higher levels of wellbeing than those who don’t.

In a BBC video associated with the Radio 4 programme, Professor Robin Banerjee, who was behind the study, said: ‘You might think about kindness as being this soft, fluffy, wishy-washy thing, but actually it’s really fundamental to how we connect with each other.’

Kindness campaigner Bernadette Russell added that being kind is ‘part of the purpose of being alive’.

She put forward a suggestion: ‘I would really like to see businesses, schools, hospitals, all public services have a kindness manifesto, so that they all ask themselves: Is this kind?’

While the sceptic in me is doubtful that such an idea would get off the ground, I like her thinking, because I’m learning more and more as I get older that kindness does matter.

When people are kind to us, it affects our experience of the world. And the more kindness we show, the better the world becomes. These past few weeks, as individuals have opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees, we have seen how crucial it is for people to be kind to one another.

I’m not saying it’s always easy. I’m not saying kindness comes without cost. But the one question I am pondering is: What would the world look like without it?

We have seen how crucial kindness is

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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 • 26 March 2022

NOW, THERE’S A THOUGHT!

Q

QUICK QUIZ 1

What is the capital of

2

Who had a No1 hit in 1992 with

3

For her role in which film did

Barbados?

the song ‘Rhythm is a Dancer’?

A Hattie McDaniel become the first black actress to win an Academy award?

4

Aztec, Futuristic, Medieval and Industrial were the four zones in the original series of which TV game show?

5

Which TV personality wrote the

6

Who is the captain of Liverpool

novel The Best Things?

Football Club?

ANSWERS

by Naar M’fundisi-Holloway

Mothers have helped shape who we think we are M

OTHER’S Day is a special day when mums, grandmothers and other strong female figures are remembered and celebrated. And many of us will have a lot to celebrate tomorrow, because such people – whether our biological mothers or not – have played a significant role in our lives. Not only that, but they have also played an important part in the history of the faith that many of us live by.

In ancient times, women generally were considered second-class citizens. But God saw great value and worth in them.

The Bible’s heroines include Jochebed, the mother of Moses.

She had given birth to her son at a time when Hebrew boys born into slavery in Egypt were being slaughtered by Pharaoh. She did her best to save her baby boy, hiding him in a basket among the reeds of a riverbank. She had no idea that he would grow up to be one of the heroes of the Jewish people, being used by God to deliver the Hebrews from slavery.

The Gospel writer Matthew, too, acknowledges the importance of mothers in his story. He cites five women when he provides the genealogy of Jesus. Yet these women were by no means perfect and were often caught up in messy situations.

Bathsheba’s relationship with King David, for instance, was questionable, because David had her husband killed in order to be with her. Another of the five is Rahab. She was not a Jew and she had spent time as a prostitute, yet she still played a part in Jesus’ lineage.

Mary, of course, became the mother of Jesus. She was young and unmarried when, as Luke’s Gospel reports, an angel told her that she would carry a child conceived by God’s Holy Spirit. Despite the shame she would endure from a suspicious society, she trusted in God’s plan to save humankind.

Throughout the Bible, God is seen making mothers an integral part of his plan for good in the world. Mother’s Day is an opportunity for us to celebrate the mothers in our lives – those who have nurtured us, who have stepped in to help us and who have, directly or indirectly, done us the world of good.

God made them part of his plan for good

26 March 2022 • WAR CRY • 13

1. Bridgetown. 2. Snap! 3. Gone with the Wind.

4. The Crystal Maze. 5. Mel Giedroyc. 6. Jordan Henderson.

PUZZLES Quick CROSSWORD ACROSS 3. Canine (3) 7. Specimen (6) 8. Bred (6) 9. Aptitude (6) 10. Garland (6) 11. Grain (3) 12. Doctor (6) 14. Inn (6) 17. Lorries (6) 21. Be a member of (6) 24. Employ (3) 25. Part of foot (6) 26. Allege (6) 27. Visitor (6) 28. Alarm (6) 29. Purchase (3) DOWN 1. Impair (6) 2. Implore (6) 3. Borrower (6) 4. Increase (6) 5. Gentle touch (6) 6. Tender (6) 12. Headgear (3) 13. Deer (3) 15. Mineral (3) 16. Trail (3)

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

9 1 2 5 4 4 6 3 4 3 1 4 1 5 2 9 6 6 7 4 4 1 8 5 3 7 2 8 4 5 7 18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

Airfield track (6) Oxen (6) Magnificent (6) Loveliness (6) Gloss (6) Not wide (6)

WORDSEARCH

3 7 9 1 2 6 8 5 8 1 2 4 5 9 6 7 Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on the grid 4 to6find5these 7 birds 3 8 9 1 9 3 4 6 7 2 1 8 H L UHUXNDOUZ T L L Y P T R V T S D R L B1 I 2 I H8Y O5 G 9F B4A O 3 X6 X Z A O Y ZWH L MH B G Y Y B S C 6 5 7 3 8 1 4 2 S F F BNQBODVGHV X E T B F J B G S N V B7D R 4 I 6B K2 C 1A L3B Q 5 D9 Z O E T H SWZ Y R Z OM T A S H C 5 9 3 8 6 7 2 4 J B F G F C A J S T A R L I N GMH J M K V B Z N2Q C 8 R1T P9 D 4T I5Z Y 7 A3

M O HONEYC B Each solution starts on the coloured cell and reads clockwise round the number

AKA V X A X DCSGOF B WO O D P I G QN I ZR I R HNE S FQE BU L J QQA Q D HWX S T ZOK I U F T V AQOZW I X J P XRZ T

1. Desert plant 2. Piercing cry 3. Serious 4. More than one 5. Shock 6. Quantity

ANSWERS 3 8 4 9 1 6 7 5 2

7 1 6 3 2 5 4 9 8

9 2 5 4 8 7 6 3 1

5 3 2 8

1 4 7 6 5 3 2 8 9

2 5 3 7 9 8 1 6 4

6 9 8 2 4 1 3 7 5

8 6 9 1 3 4 5 2 7

7 4 5 7

5 7 1 8 6 2 9 4 3

4 3 2 5 7 9 8 1 6

HONEYCOMB 1. Cactus. 2. Scream. 3. Solemn.

4. Plural. 5. Fright. 6. Amount.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 3. Dog. 7. Sample. 8. Reared. 9. Talent.

10. Wreath. 11. Oat. 12. Healer. 14. Hostel.

17. Trucks. 21. Belong. 24. Use. 25. Instep.

26. Assert. 27. Caller. 28. Terror. 29. Buy. DOWN: 1. Damage. 2. Appeal. 3. Debtor.

4. Growth. 5. Caress. 6. Gentle. 12. Hat. 13. Elk. 15. Ore. 16. Lag. 18. Runway. 19. Cattle.

20. Superb. 21. Beauty. 22. Lustre. 23. Narrow.

14 • WAR CRY • 26 March 2022

I MP G F B EON QY L VOD K T H YO I QT K V T I XNS

BLACKBIRD BLUE TIT CHAFFINCH COAL TIT COLLARED DOVE DUNNOCK GOLDFINCH GREAT TIT

ZG OO OV E S DE T F CO BQ T L P J

S Y H U R R I B A D

D E L I A T G N O L

Y B S E L A Z T C J

KH F RP F J A I UMN LOC RAH F HY Z TG Z VN HQT

GREENFINCH HOUSE SPARROW LONG-TAILED TIT MAGPIE ROBIN STARLING WOODPIGEON

4 3 2 5 7 9 8 1 6

Sweet chilli prawn stir-fry Ingredients

Method

2 x 250g packets ready-to-heat rice

Prepare the rice according to the packet instructions and set aside.

1 broccoli head, cut into bite-sized florets

Boil or steam the broccoli for about 2-3 minutes, then drain and set aside.

1tbsp sesame oil 1 onion, sliced 2 carrots, peeled and cut into batons 400g cooked and peeled king prawns 240g sweet chilli stir-fry sauce

Heat the oil in a wok or large non-stick pan on a medium heat. Add the onions and fry for a few minutes, until they start to brown.

Add the carrots to the pan and stir-fry for 2 minutes before adding the cooked broccoli. Stir in the prawns and pour in the sweet chilli sauce.

Mix and heat for a few minutes, until the prawns are piping hot. Serve with the rice.

SERVES

4

Garlic king prawns Ingredients 50g butter 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced 12 raw king prawns Salt and black pepper Fresh parsley, finely chopped, to garnish Lemon wedges, to serve

Method Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a large pan and sauté the garlic for about a minute.

Add the king prawns and turn the heat up to medium. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, turning the prawns constantly until they are a vivid pink. Season lightly with the salt and pepper.

Divide the prawns in the garlic butter between 2 plates. Scatter the parsley on top and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

SERVES

2

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Love Seafood website loveseafood.co.uk

26 March 2022 • WAR CRY • 15

The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?

Psalm 27:1 (New International Version)

WAR CRY