Issuu

SINCE

1879

31 August 2019 20p/25c

S YEAARRCRY 140 W THE OF

HIGH-FLYING SUPPORT Chaplains provide care at airport

GIFT OF LIFE The importance of organ donors

INFERTILITY EXPLORED IN FICTION Author draws on personal experience in novel

Caught on camera

TV DRAMA THE CAPTURE PUTS CCTV IN THE FRAME

What is The Salvation Army?

2 COMMENT AND CONTENTS • WAR cry • 31 August 2019

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

From the editor’s desk LAST year 1,575 people in the UK became organ donors after they died. That is 162 more than in the previous 12 months. But, with more than 6,000 people needing a transplant, it was not enough, and 408 people died because of a lack of suitable donors. That grim statistic is why more action needs to be taken to encourage people to be organ donors. In this week’s War Cry we speak with the Rev Charles Kwaku-Odoi, who is the chief officer of the Caribbean and African Health Network. Charles’s role is to encourage people in black communities to agree to donate their organs after they die. One way he reaches them is through a network of churches – which is appropriate, as the issue is a matter of faith for Charles. ‘The Bible encourages us to give,’ he explains. ‘If I’m in the privileged position where after my life is ended I could benefit between seven and nine people, what better way is there to express grace than that?’ Supporting organ donations is one way we can affirm the value we place on the gift of life. But that gift is not guaranteed. This week we also speak with Cole Moreton, who explains how his personal experiences of fertility treatment helped to inspire his new novel. Cole says that, even decades on, he is still affected by what he and his wife went through. But he also emphasises how his faith helped him, describing God’s constant presence as a ‘beautiful song playing in the background’. He adds: ‘Being alive and being in the presence of God feels like the greatest gift.’ It is a person’s own choice whether they want to experience God’s presence with them like a beautiful song. But it could be our decision on organ donation that determines if someone has the life within them to make that choice.

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.

SINCE 1879

140 YEARS

OF THE WAR CRY Issue No 7438

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major Deputy Editor: Philip Halcrow Production Editor: Ivan Radford Assistant Editor: Claire Brine Assistant Editor: Sarah Olowofoyeku Staff Writer: Emily Bright Editorial Assistant: Linda McTurk Graphic Designer: Rodney Kingston Graphic Designer: Mark Knight War Cry office: 020 7367 4900 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 Founder: William Booth General: Brian Peddle Territorial Commander: Commissioner Anthony Cotterill Secretary for Communications: Lieut-Colonel Dean Pallant

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 and Wales 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

FEATURES 3

You’ve been framed? Police have questions about what they see as TV drama begins

A trend worth following Being positive on Twitter

Be a lifesaver Encouraging more people to be organ donors

Jumbo-sized care Heathrow chaplains explain their roles

‘For five years the process was all-consuming’ Author talks about his experience of fertility treatment

REGULARS 4

News and media

Browsing the Bible

Now, There’s a Thought! and Quick Quiz

14 Puzzles 15

What’s cooking? Front-page picture: BBC/Heyday Films/NICK WALL

BBC/Heyday Films/NICK WALL

31 August 2019 • WAR cry • TELEVISION 3 Rachel wonders whether she should trust Shaun

CANDID CAMERA? OLDIER Shaun Emery CCTV footage condemns S is desperate to be seen as innocent. He

has cleared his name after being convicted for a murder in Afghanistan, and returns to life as a free man with his young daughter. But, in BBC One’s new thriller The Capture, which begins on Tuesday (3 September), his life takes a shocking turn when incriminatory CCTV footage from a night out in London comes to light. Newly appointed DI Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger) is drafted in to investigate Shaun (Callum Turner), and she quickly learns that the truth can sometimes be a matter of perspective. What she sees on a CCTV tape suggests that Shaun is guilty of assault and kidnap, but he insists that he is innocent. Rachel is at a loss to know who or what to trust: Shaun or what she has seen? Viewers may find the drama series unnerving as it hits on questions close to home about whether our reliance on technology is always a good thing. Executive producer Rosie Alison explains to the War Cry: ‘This series is a real moral maze. It’s about the possibilities of technology – how it is used and whose hands it is in. So the series is definitely not about heroes and

soldier as guilty until proven innocent, writes Linda McTurk

villains. It is full of nuance and shades of grey.’ With the rise of fake news, it can be difficult to know who and what is trustworthy. In our own lives, we can sometimes feel overwhelmed by fear, uncertainty and

It’s about technology and whose hands it is in the grey areas that we encounter. It can be difficult to know the best course of action to take. We may get caught up in the ‘what if’ scenarios and feel paralysed by our concerns about the future. Such anxieties are nothing new. David, whose story is told in the Bible found solace in God when he felt anxious. In one dramatic episode in his life, when he was fleeing from an enemy who was seeking to kill him, he wrote: ‘I sought the Lord, and he answered

me; he delivered me from all my fears’ (Psalm 34:4 New International Version). Even in times of trouble David experienced peace, because his sense of security was based on God, not on his circumstances. He saw that no matter how great his fears were, God would always be greater and would never leave him. We can also find reassurance about whatever worries us if we put our faith in God, who is trustworthy and loves us deeply. If we go to him for help, he will deliver us from our anxieties. He will be with us in every situation, even when life feels uncertain. And he will give us a peace that can conquer even our greatest fears. Focusing on God allows us to see life differently.

4 NEWS AND MEDIA • WAR cry • 31 August 2019

Support for church buildings is good news, says Huw

Students support Sunday service STUDENTS at Oxford, Cambridge and Durham universities are more than twice as likely to attend Sunday services as the general public, according to an academic study seen by The Times. Up to 1,388 students attend Sunday services across 40 of the college chapels at the universities. Extrapolating this to all 54 chapels, the attendance represents 2.9 per cent of Oxbridge and Durham THE Sunday Times has highstudents. Currently 1.3 per cent of the lighted the work of a former English population attend church. convict and gang member who ‘There is a significant increase became a Christian pastor and now in students asking about faith and teaches schoolchildren about the danspirituality within a more obviously gers of knife crime. academic, rather than confessional Mo Timbo was stabbed four times setting,’ explained the Rev Professor 14 years ago, and was arrested three Anthony Bash, chaplain at Durham’s years later for dealing hard drugs. Hatfield College. ‘They start with During his nine-month term at Thorn an academic question … but [in] Cross prison in Cheshire, he decided exploring that they explore their to turn his life around. own faith.’ Mo works alongside Humberside police, giving seminars in schools about the risks of knife crime. He and nine other former criminals perform rap and drama and give presentations. The Home Office awarded £24,000 to Mo’s project, which has worked with 30,000 children since it began a year ago. ‘I’m not handing out drugs any more, I’m handing out words of life and helping people,’ said Mo. ‘Once upon a time, I was dishing out death, [and] all of a sudden, I’m dishing out life.’ Amber Homer-Wooff

A FAMILY have received religious n asylum in Glasgow after a sustained campaign from the Church of Scotland to

prevent their deportation to Pakistan. Umeed Bakhsh, his wife and two teenage sons now have ‘limited leave to remain’ in the UK until February 2022, and both parents will receive UK work permits. The family fled to Glasgow in 2012 after Umeed received death threats from Islamic extremists as a result of his Christian faith. More than 94,000 people signed two online petitions by the Church of Scotland, calling on the Home Office not to deport the family to their birth country.

The National Churches Trust

BROADCASTER Huw Edwards has expressed his support for the National Churches Trust’s award of grants to 48 churches across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The churches include St Mary the Virgin in Herefordshire, which was well known by English poets Samuel Taylor Coleridge and William Wordsworth, as well as St Mary and Holy Trinity in Bow, which is one of the only surviving medieval buildings in east London. ‘The UK’s historic churches and chapels are a vital part of our national heritage,’ he said. ‘But to survive, many need to carry out urgent repairs and install modern facilities. ‘So I’m delighted that the trust is providing grants of £290,000 to keep more churches and chapels in good repair so that they can remain open and benefit communities.’ Last year, the National Churches Trust supported 202 projects through grants totalling £1.2 million. Huw Edwards

AN urgent appeal for school supplies n has begun at a Salvation Army church in east London, reports the East London and West

Essex Guardian. The Ilford church is looking to raise £500 to purchase new shoes for up to 15 families, and spend any surplus money on school-specific uniform jumpers and cardigans. More than 200 families with children under the age of 18 who are living on extremely low incomes are already receiving support from Ilford’s Salvation Army. Last year it spent £400 on school shoes and uniforms, while also collecting and distributing secondhand uniforms.

A GIANT 3D globe n featuring detailed Nasa images of the Earth’s

surface is open to visitors at Peterborough Cathedral until 15 September. Seven metres in diameter, the artwork Gaia features images of 18km of the Earth’s surface. During evening opening times, the 3D installation rotates once every four minutes, 360 times faster than the Earth, while a specially made surround sound composition by Baftaaward winning composer Dan Jones is played. The Dean of Peterborough, the Very Rev Chris Dalliston, invites visitors ‘to spend time just reflecting on the beauty of the Earth and the wonderfully rich but fragile planet we inhabit’. The globe was made by installation artist Luke Jerram.

31 August 2019 • WAR cry • FEATURE 5 A FORMER soldier who received n addiction support from a Salvation Army centre in Coventry is raising funds to

Tweet positive

set up his own non-profit organisation. Harley West was signed off work with posttraumatic stress disorder and found himself in a cycle of drug addiction and depression, Coventry Live reports. But thanks to Harnall Lifehouse, he has transformed his life and is now running litter picking sessions with homeless people in the city. Food and transport are provided as part of community litter picking days out. He is now planning to set up his own organisation called Clean Up Your Act, to consolidate the initiative and help others within the community. ‘I’m positive this … will manifest a new hope for our volunteers to begin a drug-free life while building a new love and respect for nature,’ Harley explained.

Willmott Dixon

RESIDENTS of a Salvation Army housing project in Leamington Spa helped construction firm trainees create a training space at the centre. Willmott Dixon trainees offered their free services to convert an unused garage at the church and charity’s Newbold Lodge into a training space, which will be used to assist the residents in developing construction skills themselves. The centre’s garden was also refurbished through the installation of new paving, a barbecue and vegetable planters in which residents can grow their own produce. The training centre will give residents the ability to gain certification to show that they can work on a professional building site. John Gateley of The Salvation Army’s housing association said: ‘Enabling the residents to assist in the delivery of the new space by training them on how to lay flooring provided both a sense of ownership and a taste of what it’s like to work in the construction industry.’

There’s room for character development on social media, writes Sarah Olowofoyeku ISAGREEMENTS are not breaking news. Whether the subject is D politics, money, parenting or dating, there will always be a difference of opinion among people. But what has changed in recent years is

where people express those differences, and one of the new places is Twitter. The social networking site was created in 2006, and today has 126 million daily users. That’s a lot of opinions. On the one hand, tweeters find it amazing to share experiences with so many others and to learn from them, even if they disagree with their opinions. But people aren’t always particularly pleasant in the way they express their Users shared positive opposing ideas. experiences of Twitter As a result, think tank British Future established Positive Twitter Day, which took place yesterday (Friday 30 August). Its aim was to promote more civil political debate by encouraging people to disagree better. Users took part by tweeting (caps lock off) those they disagreed with and sharing positive experiences of using Twitter. But the organisers also wanted the day to spark a longer-term conversation about how to change the negativity on the platform. Twitter user Adam from southeast London often finds himself at the heart of debates and subjected to abuse because of the political nature of his tweets. ‘Social media can be a whole other world that you get lost in,’ he tells the War Cry. ‘Things such as your pride and ego can motivate you, so I have to be intentional about letting my faith guide me.’ And the principles of his faith centre on others. ‘I love people,’ he says. ‘So my social media isn’t about fighting or humiliating people. It’s rooted in love and care.’ He quotes the Bible writer Paul, who gave early Christians advice on living well with others, saying: ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up’ (Ephesians 4:29 New International Version). While the Christian message can make an impact on us personally, it can also mean good news for those we engage with, on and offline. When we receive God’s love, we can send it on to others in our networks and be a positive influence. Now, that is a truth worth retweeting.

6 INTERVIEW • WAR cry • 31 August 2019

Giving life Ahead of Organ Donation Week, which begins on Monday (2 September), the Rev CHARLES KWAKU-ODOI tells Emily Bright why he is encouraging churches to talk about the issue

L The Rev Charles Kwaku-Odoi

Religious concerns exist because the subject hasn’t been discussed

OW organ donation rates among Black British communities have become a matter of life and death. Last year, 31 people died while waiting for a transplant, with hundreds more still on the waiting list. In a study conducted this year by the London Assembly, 51 per cent of people in black, Asian and minority ethnic groups who were unwilling to donate their organs said that the practice conflicted with their religious belief. Yet 43 per cent said that encouragement from their faith or community, or being provided with more information would make them more likely to donate. Now one non-profit organisation, the Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN), is taking action. It is visiting churches in Greater Manchester to tackle religious concerns and encourage people to sign up to the organ donor register as part of a project called Precious Lifesavers, which was launched earlier this year. As part of the project, CAHN offers workshops in health literacy for church leaders in Greater Manchester, and

invites specialist nurses to explain the transplantation process to community members. The team also visit Sunday church services in Greater Manchester, taking a ten-minute slot to speak to congregations about organ donation and providing people with the opportunity to sign up to the register afterwards. CAHN’s chief officer, the Rev Charles Kwaku-Odoi, says that utilising links with churches is key in promoting organ donation because of their integral role within communities. ‘Within Manchester there is no umbrella organisation for the black Caribbean and African community. CAHN is the quickest way we can get through to people, through the network of churches,’ he explains. ‘Probably about 84 per cent of black people would have an affiliation to a church, even if they didn’t go to church regularly. So there would be people who no

31 August 2019 • WAR cry • INTERVIEW 7

f r o m d e at h longer attend church but who still respect the minister and the institution.’ One of the key challenges the project faces is combating misconceptions about organ donation. Charles outlines some of the most common erroneous beliefs that he has encountered. ‘Some people thought that, if they signed up to the register, doctors wouldn’t treat them when they were ill,’ he reveals. ‘But the majority of what we’ve come across is religious concerns. And those exist mainly because the subject hasn’t been widely discussed in the church circles that people have grown up in.

We have an opportunity to change people’s lives They’ve never really had to engage with the subject. ‘Some said that they don’t want to be in Heaven with one kidney, or without body parts. ‘But resurrection into eternal life is a spiritual thing. You don’t need your body parts. And that is where we have to challenge those myths and concerns.’ The idea for Precious Lifesavers emerged after CAHN launched a community leadership programme to boost the health literacy of pastors and church leaders. Charles says that the overwhelming feedback was for

more of the same. ‘The 27 pastors that attended said: “We want to be able to better support our congregation members. We would be willing to give up time to learn a bit more about health issues.”’ Since receiving government funding in January this year, the project has sought to create a lasting legacy. Charles recounts the story of how one individual’s decision to sign up to the organ donor register transformed a family for ever. ‘Someone’s brother was killed, and he’d signed up to the register. One of the brother’s donations benefited a couple who had been waiting and hoping that one day they’d have their own children. Now they have a child. That is the blessing that could come from being generous.’ The issue has never been more relevant. A new opt-out system for organ donation comes into force in spring next year. Unless people have deliberately chosen to opt out, or are exempt from the legislation, they will be automatically placed on the organ donor register after their death. So why should we donate our organs after we die?

Charles says that for him, it’s a matter of faith. As a Christian, he feels called to be compassionate and generous to others, following Jesus’ example. ‘The Bible encourages us to give, and Jesus told us to love our neighbour as ourselves. If I’m in the privileged position where after my life is ended I could benefit between seven and nine people, what better way is there to express grace than that? ‘We have an opportunity to change people’s lives, irrespective of their faith background, by signing up to the organ donor register. If we can help others and extend their lives or improve their quality of life, then let us do so generously.’

l For more information on organ donation visit organdonation.nhs.uk

8 INTERVIEW • WAR cry • 31 August 2019

SOLE passenger sat on board a flight from west London to Paris. The newspaper reporter was documenting the first scheduled international passenger service, which took place on 25 August 1919. One hundred years later, this and countless other journeys have been taken by millions of passengers all over the world. The British group that sent out the first flight is now known as British Airways, which also marks its centenary this year. Every day some 145,000 passengers fly with the airline, which serves more than 200 destinations in 75 countries. Its home base is at London Heathrow, Britain’s busiest international airport. The airport is also where Majors Stephen and Christine Perkins spend part of their week. The retired Salvation Army ministers volunteer as chaplains at Heathrow, where every year 80 million passengers pass through. ‘It’s a ministry of presence,’ Stephen

says. ‘I find that when I sit in a busy area with my high-vis jacket on, people often approach me. Several times on a shift, I’ll pray with someone. ‘Passengers will often open up to us, where they might not open up so much at home. They know they’re never going to see me again, so they offload. If there is a problem, I offer to get in touch with their church, their doctor or a counsellor in their home or destination country.’ Stephen and Christine are part of the Heathrow multifaith chaplaincy team, which is made up of about 20 chaplains

SARAH OLOWOFOYEKU

This week was the 100th anniversary of the launch of the first international air passenger service. To mark the occasion, Salvation Army chaplains Majors STEPHEN and CHRISTINE PERKINS talk to Sarah Olowofoyeku about their work at Heathrow airport, which is situated just one mile from the first flight’s historic take-off

Christine and Stephen Perkins who represent different faiths, including Christianity. Stephen is based in Terminal 3 while Christine is based in the Chapel of St George, a crypt in the central terminal area where services and times of prayer take place every day of the week. Christine is responsible for events at the chapel and engages with people, who can use it at any time of day. Stephen’s role involves moving round the airport, looking out for people who may be in need, whether that is just of a chat or more serious support. There are also occasions when chaplains are asked to assist in particular situations, and they have access to most areas of the airport. ‘Quite often we are called in for a death on board,’ Stephen explains. ‘When the plane lands, it’s a crime scene until the death is known to be natural. The

We are the softer face while legalities take place

31 August 2019 • WAR cry • INTERVIEW 9

police go on board and then they always call a chaplain and the coroner. We support the next of kin who might have been travelling with the deceased, as well as the staff and other passengers. ‘We are also sometimes called by the immigration authorities. If, for example, someone is being trafficked, or the authorities are holding a family, we are often the softer face while the legalities are taking place.’ Another aspect of the work is the link that the chaplaincy team has with Heathrow Travel Care, a crisis social care team at the airport. ‘There are a lot of rough sleepers at the airport,’ says Stephen. ‘Some of them are working but can’t afford the rent and find themselves on the street. We work closely with Travel Care, offering support and encouragement.’ Christine acknowledges that while there are emotional needs to be met, there are also physical ones. ‘My biggest challenge

is guiding people in the right direction,’ she says, laughing. ‘It’s a huge airport so people are often lost.’ There are people in the airport, though, who know its layout well. They are the 75,000 members of staff who work across the four terminals. ‘We are able to minister to passengers, though they are passing through. But the staff are more static, so we get to know them,’ says Christine. ‘As we build relationships with them, they share with us about their families and their personal situations.’ For staff members and passengers

alike, the airport can be a hectic environment. ‘We offer people a sense of calm, peace and assurance at a time that can be worrying,’ says Christine. ‘We’re being the hands and feet of Jesus, so it’s not necessarily through our words but through the compassion we show them. And when we do use words, God helps us with what to say.’ ‘The best part of what we do is getting to minister with people in the various circumstances of their lives, in joys and sorrows,’ she adds. ‘Many people are going to happy events, such as family reunions or celebrating anniversaries. But there is also family bereavement and sadness, and some people might be being trafficked. So it’s a broad but very important ministry.’

We offer people a sense of calm, peace and assurance

10 INTERVIEW • WAR cry • 31 August 2019

‘I was not going to have children unless this treatment worked’ JAMES BLOOMFIELD

Award-winning writer and broadcaster COLE MORETON talks to Linda McTurk about the personal experiences of fertility treatment behind his latest book

RITER and broadcaster Cole Moreton loves to tell a story. In his journalism career, he has written for many publications, including national broadsheets. His interviewees have included Boris Johnson, Scarlett Johansson and Tiger Woods. He has also told the extraordinary story of how one teenage boy’s death saved another boy’s life in the award-winning Radio 4 show The Boy Who Gave His Heart Away. Heart-rending tales are nothing new to Cole. But his latest book, about it in real life,’ he says. ‘There The Light Keeper, strikes a personal were some things that I wanted to chord. Based on his own experience explore that were best done in the of fertility treatment, Cole’s novel area of story and imagination because focuses on a fictional couple, Sarah otherwise it was just too close to and Jack, who are desperate to home. It took me ten years to write have a baby but go through years of the novel.’ heartache unable to conceive. Today the couple have four almost While The Light Keeper is not grown-up children. But Cole admits autobiographical, the themes of the that even now, decades on, he still novel are intensely personal to Cole, feels wounded by the struggles and his wife. with infertility that he and his wife ‘It is easier for me to explore experienced. infertility in fiction than it is to talk ‘My wife and I both suffered a form

It is easier for me to explore infertility in fiction than it is to talk about it in real life

Cole Moreton

of post-traumatic stress disorder through it. It was that traumatic,’ he says. ‘I know that having a child is not the answer to life’s problems and also that many people choose not to have children, for good and worthwhile reasons. But we really wanted to, and the process of trying happened over five years and became all-consuming. ‘Initially my wife was suffering from polycystic ovaries, but we didn’t know that there would be any difficulty conceiving. Then she went for treatment and we kept trying, but it didn’t work. Years went by as we went through a series of medical investigations.’ After exhausting all the NHS possibilities for fertility treatment, Cole and his wife were faced with a difficult decision. They would have either to give up on receiving medical help, or raise enough funds to pursue private fertility treatment. Despite there being no guarantees that it would be successful, the couple decided to pursue costly

31 August 2019 • WAR cry • INTERVIEW 11

God is always there, like a beautiful song playing in the background private treatment. For Cole, making that decision brought home to him the reality of the situation he and his wife faced – and it was almost too much to bear. ‘I saw that this wasn’t about me helping my wife to get over her problem, but that this was both of us in it up to our necks,’ he says. ‘I realised that I was not going to have children unless this worked. The full force of the sadness hit me like a sledgehammer. I went outside and collapsed on the pavement. I couldn’t stop crying.’ In his darkest moments, Cole found it challenging to reconcile his faith with his circumstances. ‘After years and years of trying to hold my Christian faith together in the midst of infertility, it all just fell apart,’ he remembers. ‘My heart felt strangely chilled. For a time I thought, I’m just going to let my faith go. ‘That lasted for a while, until my son was born. Then at an Ash

Wednesday church service, as I held my infant son in my arms, I wrestled with the question, “Is this baby a miracle of science or a miracle of faith?” And the answer came back, “Yes”. That was the beginning of a renegotiation of my relationship with faith, of being able to explore the mysteries of it and to be more at ease with what I don’t know.’ Cole returned to his faith after his son was born. But would he have stayed away if he and his wife were not able ever to have children? ‘Absolutely not,’ Cole answers. ‘Because once I had been touched by God, I couldn’t then be untouched. God is there whether I choose to engage or not, but obviously it would be much better if I do engage. And God doesn’t owe me anything. Grief and suffering exist and we have no automatic right and protection because we have faith. ‘God is always there, like a beautiful song playing in the background to everything that we do. And once someone hears it, they can’t unhear it. It is a relationship. Sometimes God and I really don’t get on. Other times, we have sweet moments together. ‘Whether or not our struggles have meaning is a mystery that’s beyond me. But I do know that, as well as the struggles, there is such joy in life. Being alive and being in the presence of God feels like the greatest gift that anyone could possibly have.’

l The Light Keeper is published by Marylebone House

12 INNER LIFE • War Cry • 31 August 2019

Prayerlink YOUR prayers are requested for Zena, who is unwell; and for Matthew, who is in prison and feeling depressed. The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances. Send your requests to Prayerlink, War Cry, 101 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BN. Mark your envelope ‘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

Micah contemporary of the prophets A Isaiah and Hosea, Micah is prophesying to Judah and Samaria (the northern

kingdom of Israel) before the fall of Jerusalem, Judah’s capital, in 587BC. Micah warns that God is angry with his people for breaking their covenant with him through the worship of idols. God warns that he will break all of the idols: ‘All her Temple gifts will be burned with fire; I will destroy all her images’ (1:7). His anger will also be directed at the wealthy who misuse the privilege and power that money brings – those who seize houses and land; those who cheat people out of their possessions (2:2); and those who reduce men to poverty and drive women from their homes (2:8 and 9). There are leaders who, although they know what justice is, ‘tear the skin from my people, and the flesh from their bones’ (3:1 and 2). God admonishes them and says he will also bring disgrace on the prophets and diviners who have made false prophecies and readings (3:5–7). As a result of his people’s sins, God will reduce the city of Samaria to rubble (1:6). He will bring disaster upon the wicked (2:3), and Jerusalem will be destroyed (3:12). But all is not lost. God also promises restoration. From his weak-but-righteous people, God will make a remnant. The Lord

himself will rule in Jerusalem and dominion will be restored (4:7 and 8). Bethlehem will be the birthplace of a ruler who will ‘shepherd his flock’. Under him, the nation will live securely and he will bring

But all is not lost. God also promises restoration peace (5:2–5). (Christians see this prophecy as being fulfilled by Jesus Christ.) Israel knows what God requires of them – ‘to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ (6:8). Israel, fallen because of her wilful breaking of the Ten Commandments, may be reduced to dust, but one day, says Micah, she will rise (7:8–20).

Key verse hrathah, ‘But you, Bethlehem Ep ong the though you are small am you will clans of Judah, out of ll come for me one who wi h 5:2 ica (M be ruler over Israel ) on New International Versi

Looking for help? Just complete this coupon and send it to War Cry 101 Newington Causeway London SE1 6BN Basic reading about Christianity Information about The Salvation Army Contact details of a Salvation Army minister

Name Address

31 August 2019 • WAR cry • EXPRESSIONS 13

Now, there’s a thought!

Quick quiz 1. Who wrote the play King Lear?

2. Who played the character of Jack Dawson in the 1997 film Titanic? 3. Alex Ferguson led which football club to Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup success in 1983? 4. In 1967, what band had a No 1 hit with the song ‘All You Need is Love’? 5. What was the name of the first mammal that was cloned from an adult cell in 1996? 6. What is the nickname of the Gravelly Hill Interchange on the M6? ANSWERS 1. William Shakespeare. 2. Leonardo DiCaprio. 3. Aberdeen. 4. The Beatles. 5. Dolly the sheep. 6. Spaghetti Junction.

CBAD a warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk Twitter: @TheWarCryUK Facebook.com/TheWarCryUK

B www.salvationarmy.org.uk/warcry

by Justin Reeves

Rickety shed led to moving experience HEN my wife and I bought our new house we inherited a rickety W old shed. Not only was it rickety, but it also rested on some dubious foundations. It leant to one side and was positioned in the

wrong part of the garden. All this shed was good for was acting as a halfway house for junk before it was taken to the recycling centre. But we decided that, with some TLC, the shed could be moved and given a new lease of life. Having identified a patch of waste ground (where the previous owner had dumped several years’ worth of unwanted building materials), we set about clearing a space and building a solid base for the shed. That was the easy bit – we then We decided the shed had to move it. After watching a number of online could be given a videos that demonstrated how not to shift a shed, we decided the best new lease of life option was simply to pick it up and walk it to its new home. However, sheds aren’t exactly light, so to achieve this move we needed some serious people power. One sunny afternoon, a bunch of mates joined us in our back garden and, with the help of five lengths of two-by-four, we eased the shed to its new home. Our shed now sits level and true on firm foundations at the bottom of our garden. A lick of paint later and our children use it as a playhouse and a place to store their outdoor toys. Since moving the shed it has occurred to me that this is similar to what Jesus can do for us. If we find ourselves in the wrong place, feeling rotten and on shaky ground, he can pick us up and make us like new. For those of us who might be stubborn or unwilling to move on from a bad situation that we’ve become used to, Jesus puts people around us to help us and ease us into a better place. And, without us even realising it, he prepares the ground for us, making sure we have solid foundations for a brighter, happier future.

14 PUZZLES • War Cry • 31 August 2019

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Throw (4) 3. Agent (3) 5. Study (4) 7. Pantomime character (9) 9. Former singing partner of Sonny (4) 10. Venerable monk (4) 11. Yorkshiremen (5) 14. Honey-yellow (5) 15. Bight (5) 17. Be (5) 18. Highest Scottish ben (5) 19. Anything (5) 20. Of the sun (5) 23. Courageous man (4) 25. Individual (4) 27. Christian ceremony (9)

HONEYCOMB

by CHRIS HORNE

28. Diplomacy (4) 29. Conclude (3) 30. Fashionable man (4) DOWN 1. Mineral (4) 2. Box (4) 3. Pass on (5) 4. Petulance (5) 5. Cot (4) 6. Labyrinth (4) 7. Plant-eating animal (9)

8. Careless (9) 11. Lock (5) 12. Whale food (5) 13. Stringed instrument (5) 14. Bristle (3) 16. Songbird (3) 21. Pigment (5) 22. Broadcast (5) 23. Otter’s home (4) 24. Usurp (4) 25. Employer (4) 26. You (4)

SUDOKU

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

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

1. Large grasshopper 2. Prawns served fried in breadcrumbs 3. Art of cultivating miniature trees 4. No man is an… 5. Straighten 6. Title for a man

Wordsearch

Answers

BAKING POWDER BICARBONATE OF SODA BROWN SUGAR BUTTER CASTER SUGAR CINNAMON CREAM OF TARTAR EGGS GELATINE HONEY ICING SUGAR MAPLE SYRUP ROLLED OATS SALT VANILLA EXTRACT WHITE FLOUR WHOLEMEAL FLOUR YEAST

Look up, down, forwards, backwards and diagonally on 6 1words 8 associated 7 5 3 with 4 baking 2 9 the grid to find these

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

HONEYCOMB 1 Locust. 2 Scampi. 3 Bonsai. 4 Island. 5 Unbend. 6 Mister. QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Toss. 3 Rep. 5 Cram. 7 Harlequin. 9 Cher. 10 Bede. 11 Tykes. 14 Amber. 15 Inlet. 17 Exist. 18 Nevis. 19 Aught. 20 Solar. 23 Hero. 25 Unit. 27 Eucharist. 28 Tact. 29 End. 30 Rake. DOWN: 1 Talc. 2 Spar. 3 Relay. 4 Pique. 5 Crib. 6 Maze. 7 Herbivore. 8 Negligent. 11 Tress. 12 Krill. 13 Sitar. 14 Awn. 16 Tit. 21 Ochre. 22 Aired. 23 Holt. 24 Oust. 25 User. 26 Thee.

3 9 1 6 7 2 4 5 8

1 3 8 5 4 6 9 2 7

9 2 7 1 3 8 6 4 5

5 4 6 2 9 7 8 1 3

6 5 3 7 2 9 1 8 4

8 1 9 3 5 4 7 6 2

2 7 4 8 6 1 5 3 9

SUDOKU SOLUTION

3 9

1 3

9 2

5 4

6 5

8 1

2 7

Corrections needed by… 31 August 2019 • WAR cry • WHAT’S COOKING? 15

Apple, carrot and ginger soup with kale crisps 2tsp ground turmeric Few large kale leaves

750ml vegetable stock

1tsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Garlic powder Extra virgin olive oil 1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 4 large carrots, scrubbed and finely chopped 2 apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped 3tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

Serves

½ lime, juice

4tbsp balsamic vinegar, plus extra to season

Aimee Ryan/Wallflower Kitchen

1kg new potatoes, quartered

Balsamic roasted new potatoes with asparagus 250g asparagus tips, halved

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

Salt and pepper

Spoon the garlic-infused olive oil and vinegar with a pinch of salt into a large roasting tin. Add the potatoes and toss to coat fully. Roast for 30 minutes.

1tsp extra virgin olive oil

Serves

Place the kale leaves on a baking tray, leaving plenty of space between each leaf. Use another tray if needed. Lightly toss the leaves in the olive oil. Season generously with salt and garlic powder. Roast the leaves in the oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. When cooked, turn off the oven but leave the kale inside until the oven has cooled.

½ lemon, juice

2tbsp garlic-infused olive oil

Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 1.

Add the asparagus and extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat and cook the dish for a further 10 minutes. Season with extra balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin olive oil and gently fry the onion over a medium heat for 3 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and continue to fry for a further 3 minutes. Add the carrots, apples and ginger. Mix together well and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the lemon and lime juices and turmeric. Mix well. Pour in the stock and cover. Bring to a simmer and cook over low heat until the carrots are thoroughly cooked. Remove from the heat and purée the soup in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and gently reheat. Serve immediately with kale crisps on the side or crumbled over the soup.

Recipes reprinted, with permission, from the Vegan Society website vegansociety.com

focus

the Lord clarity of vision others heart of love Allen Satterlee