Faith & Friends October 2017

Blade Runner 2049

HUMANITY’S END? P.12

Hope From the Rubble

HAITI P.5

Help for the Holidays

ARMY GIVES BACK P.22

Faith&Friends I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

faithandfriends.ca

OCTOBER 2017

The Sky’s the Limit

BORN WITHOUT LEGS, JEN BRICKER IS PROOF THAT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH FAITH AND DETERMINATION.

P.16

Change of Scenery

For many, being on a beach near the ocean has a calming effect. The rolling waves and the beautiful sound they make while gently meeting the sand are soothing to the soul. And beneath the waves, an entire new world exists and waits for exploration. “ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

— Matthew 11:28

Rest can often be simply a change of scenery, but Jesus offers much more than that.

You don’t need to jet off to the islands to get true peace of mind. Sit down with a Bible and take time to rest in God’s promises.

To find out more about the peace of mind God offers, mail the coupon on page 26, email us at faithandfriends@can. salvationarmy.org or visit your local Salvation Army church.

Photo: Used with permission. © Brian Klassen, compassiongallery.com

October 2017

VOLUME 20 NUMBER 10

5

DEPARTMENTS BEYOND BORDERS

5 Hope From the Rubble

The Salvation Army is providing assistance in Haiti.

COMMON GROUND

8 The Right Prescription

There’s no such thing as an “ordinary day.”

SOMEONE CARES

10 Forged in Fire

Salvation Army thrift store helps Fort McMurray evacuee.

FEATURES

12

COVER STORY

16

22

Future Shock

Blade Runner 2049 pits man against machine.

The Sky’s the Limit

Born without legs, Jen Bricker is proof that everything is possible with faith and determination.

Giving Back, Giving Thanks

Thunder Bay firefighters partner with The Salvation Army to help those in need.

22

DEPARTMENTS LITE STUFF

24 Eating Healthy With Erin

Word Search, Sudoku, Quick Quiz.

Cover photo: Jeremy Cowart

BETWEEN THE LINES

27 The Will to Live

John Trautwein is trying to prevent teen suicide before it is too late.

EVERYDAY ETHICS

31 Trick Or Treat

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Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

Him and Her

M

y best friend Dave Simpson’s father, Jack, was a polio survivor who had lost the use of both of his legs to the disease. But that didn’t stop him from being a loving husband and father of three and holding down a great job.

Not only that but he was the major force in minorleague sports in his hometown of Laval, Que. He was such a fireball of energy that I named my son after him. If my Jack can accomplish half of what his namesake did in his life, I’ll be content.

Watching Mr. Simpson, you never thought of him as being disabled, you didn’t notice the atrophied legs or the crutches. All you saw was him.

This is how I felt when I recently interviewed Jen Bricker, who was born without legs, at a Toronto hotel. Taking time from a punishing round of morning TV shows, she should understandably have been exhausted but you wouldn’t have known it. Jen is a dynamo, bubbling with enthusiasm. Already a motivational speaker and aerialist who has performed around the world, she continues to add to her to-do list, which comprises two full pages in her book Everything Is Possible. If Jen has her way, you’ll be seeing her on everything from the cover of Vanity Fair to swimsuit commercials to Dancing With the Stars. All you’ll see is her!

Her story is on page 16.

Elsewhere in this month’s Faith & Friends, you’ll read our review of the long-awaited Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to the iconic 1982 movie. You’ll also discover how The Salvation Army is still making a difference in Haiti and you’ll see how one man is determined to end the scourge of teen suicide.

Ken Ramstead 4 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

Mission Statement To show Christ at work in the lives of real people, and to provide spiritual resources for those who are new to the Christian faith.

Faith & Friends is published monthly by: The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4 International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England William and Catherine Booth FOUNDERS

André Cox, GENERAL Commissioner Susan McMillan TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Lt-Colonel Jim Champ SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR

Brandon Laird DESIGN AND MEDIA SPECIALIST

Timothy Cheng SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Pamela Richardson, COPY EDITOR, PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR

Ada Leung CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR

Kristin Ostensen STAFF WRITER, PROOFREADER

Giselle Randall STAFF WRITER Scripture Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are taken from New International Version Contact Us P. (416) 467-3188, F. (416) 422-6120 Websites faithandfriends.ca, salvationist.ca, salvationarmy.ca Email faithandfriends@can.salvationarmy.org Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6119 circulation@can.salvationarmy.org All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064794 ISSN 1702-0131

Faith&Friends

BEYOND BORDERS

Hope From the Rubble Years after the earthquake and hurricane that rocked Haiti, The Salvation Army is still on the island, providing support and changing lives.

Photos: Major John Murray

by John Murray

O

n January 12, 2010, Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, was rocked by a magnitude 7 earthquake. Approximately 3.5 million people were affected by the natural disaster and 230,000 Haitians died. More than 165,000 buildings were damaged while 105,000 were completely destroyed.

Thankfully, tragedy always seems to bring out the best in humankind, and this was the case for Haiti as countries and NGOs from all over the world responded with immediate aid and commitments for long-term recovery support.

In the fall of 2016, the island

(above) Colourful Haitian housing. The Salvation Army has played a prominent role in helping the island nation recover from natural catastrophies

country experienced another tragic setback in its recovery efforts as hurricane Matthew relentlessly pounded the island with lashing winds and rain for four days. But as the skies cleared, global NGOs and donors once again responded with care, compassion and kindness.

From Crisis to Confidence Sadly, this is the story of Haiti—a country of 10.5 million people with a long history of natural disasters and political turmoil that makes life

faithandfriends.ca I OCTOBER 2017

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Faith&Friends

BEYOND BORDERS

(right) Marie Therese thanks just some of the Salvation Army staff who made her new home possible

very difficult. Yet, Haitians are a resilient people, and Haiti is a country that has embraced and benefited from the work of The Salvation Army.

With 70 years of service across Haiti, The Salvation Army was uniquely positioned to provide immediate assistance and meaningful support during the long recovery phase. For the Canada and Bermuda Territory, this year marks the completion of the Integrated Family Support Project, a $3.6-million multi-pronged program, which was funded by Canadian donors and administered by the Canada and Bermuda Territory’s world missions department in partnership with the Caribbean Territory and Haiti Division.

This project provided direct support to 3,400 beneficiaries, although the reach was much broader when extended family relationships are considered. Salvation Army Community Assessment Teams identified 213 of the most vulnerable families across the region and built perma-

6 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

nent housing for them—houses that are earthquake-proof and hurricane-resistant. Another 900 beneficiaries, mostly women, participated in a micro-credit business program, which provided a $100 loan to start or expand community-based businesses. As well, 1,100 individuals participated in the agri-business program, which provided training for Haitians wanting to start a small agriculture business. A fourth program enabled 1,200 young adults to participate in vocational training in partnership with state schools.

While these statistics are encouraging and impressive, what did these programs mean to individual beneficiaries? Here are a couple of examples: · Beverly is a seasoned businesswoman. Prior to the 2010 earthquake, she operated a small consumer-goods business out of her home. Following the earthquake, Beverly was able to re-establish her business thanks to a $100 micro-credit loan, and it has blossomed. Today, her busy

(left) “My business would have folded if I hadn’t received the Salvation Army loan,” says Beverly

store, which is located on the main thoroughfare, stocks everything from groceries to household goods. “My business would have folded if I hadn’t received the loan,” said Beverly. Some days, she can’t keep up with the flow of people, she’s so busy, and she has repaid the $100 loan in full. · Marie Therese is a housing beneficiary. A single mother of eight children, she has four children living with her today. Her home was badly damaged during the earthquake and she needed a new house. She was quickly identified by the Community Assessment Team as a candidate for the livelihood housing program. “I praise

the Lord for the house, and I thank the people who have made this possible,” Marie Therese said during a recent visit to her lovely, well-kept home, adding, “I am never leaving this house.”

“The people we meet today are very different from those we met immediately following the disaster,” noted Webster Blaise, The Salvation Army’s Haiti acting program manager, adding, “They have confidence and their self-esteem is back. It’s very moving to see.”

For more information about The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory’s world missions department, please visit saworldmissions.ca.

(left) Major John Murray is the

territorial public relations and development secretary for Canada and Bermuda.

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Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

The Right Prescription A nasty bout of the flu taught me there’s no such thing as an “ordinary day”

by Marie Latta

O

ur family had the flu recently. Fever, chills, cough, nausea—the whole shebang. For days, we just managed to accomplish the basic necessities.

Energy levels were so low, no one moved much. Getting dressed every morning took great effort. Picking up a book taxed our strength.

Answering the phone tired us out.

Bringing in the daily mail and newspaper were dreaded chores.

I didn’t make meals because no one felt like eating and I certainly didn’t feel like cooking. Floors didn’t get swept, laundry piled up, grocery shopping was forgotten. When a friend brought over a big pot of homemade vegetable soup, it was a gift truly appreciated. A bowl of soup and crackers featured on our menu for several days.

Eventually, though, we all recovered. Soon we were back to the old routine of work, school and chores.

Thank You Now that we’re enjoying a clean house, fresh laundry and three squares a day, it would be easy to for-

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get the misery of the past two weeks.

But I don’t want to forget. I want to remember all that discomfort so that I can revel in the pleasure of ordinary days, know the happy feeling of going outside and breathing in fresh air, having the energy to cook a great dinner, and the enjoyment of taking the dog for a walk.

It feels so good not to feel bad. I want to say, “Thank You, God,” the minute I awake in the morning.

Thank You for the many blessings You bestow on us every day that I so often take for granted.

Thank You for good health, for not having to cough, for having an appetite. Thank You for friends who care and bring us soup. Thank You for sunshine and warm breezes. Thank You for so many things.

Photo: © Ingimage.com

Making the Most Help me to remember to think of others who may need help. The person in a wheelchair struggling to make her way up a grocery aisle.

The neighbour’s child in the line waiting for the school bus who falls and skins her knee. The new couple at church who aren’t sure where to sit or if their children should go to a class.

In each of these instances, I can offer assistance. In fact, I have.

In the case of the person in a wheelchair, she wasn’t able to manoeuvre around the unshelved

Thank You for sunshine and warm breezes.

Thank You for so many things.

merchandise stacked in her way and couldn’t reach the cereal she wanted. I helped her steer past the boxes, got the cereal for her and put it in her cart. The child who skinned her knee just needed a bandage and a hug and she was happily on her way back to join her friends in line. The couple at church were new to our city and it was a pleasure to invite them to sit with us and to introduce their five-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son to their smiling Sunday school teacher.

There will be other opportunities, I’m sure, and I am thankful for them. I’m thankful to God for things too numerous to mention. I guess, when I think about it, I’m even thankful for having the flu.

The big lesson, of course, is that there’s no such thing as an “ordinary” day. Each day is a special gift from God and it’s up to us to make the most of it. Perhaps I should make a wall hanging with the verse, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 English Standard Version). (left) Marie Latta is a

freelance writer and columnist. She loves puzzles, especially crosswords, and always does the Crossword Challenge in Faith & Friends.

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Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

Forged in Fire A Fort McMurray evacuee found a new home and family at a Salvation Army thrift store.

by Krista Henry

(left) Salvation Army thrift store manager Adam Burque proudly holds the plaque given by Heather Ryan (front, centre), standing with (clockwise from left) Terry Weatherbee, Jana-Dee Moser, Karla Fraser and Austin Latour

I

n May 2016, Heather Ryan and her family were among the 80,000 residents who fled Fort McMurray, Alta., following a devastating fire known as “The Beast.” The blaze destroyed 2,400 structures, nearly 10 percent of the city. Heather was among 1,500 people whose journey led her to a

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Salvation Army thrift store, where she found not only assistance but a new kind of home.

Returning Compassion Leaving everything behind, Heather, her husband and daughters evacuated Fort McMurray in the wake of the devastation. In the days fol-

lowing the fire, the family, now out of a home, work and school, made their way to Leduc, Alta. There, they received assistance from the Salvation Army thrift store’s voucher program, which provided clothing, household items and furniture free of charge to help them rebuild their lives. Coming to love Leduc, they soon settled in.

“I’ve always loved thrift stores— and especially Salvation Army thrift stores—so once we fully settled, I returned to the store in January to ask if they were hiring, and here I am!” Heather explains. “I absolutely love the work that is being done and the positivity of the team has made a huge impact on my life.”

Heather has lost much, but working as a store associate at the Leduc location has gifted her with a new family in her thrift store team.

Recently, she expressed her thanks through a surprise plaque, card and cake celebration for her Leduc team for the significant role that they played in helping to get her on her feet again.

“On the one-year anniversary of the Fort McMurray wildfire, my family is incredibly grateful to the Salvation Army thrift store and for all that has been done to help me, my husband and daughters

start over,” says Heather. “It takes a special kind of soul to help others selflessly, and to now be a part of the thrift store warms my heart. God does things for a reason. I couldn’t have met a more wonderful group of people.”

Says store manager Adam Burke, “She opened up to us about her experiences and stories from the evacuation, showing us how thankful she and her family are to the thrift store for being there for them in their time of need. She wanted us to see how proud she is to have been hired by us, to return the compassion and good works that were shown to her 12 months ago.”

Helping Hand The Salvation Army thrift store in Leduc, Alta., provided more than $150,000 worth of clothing and household goods through its voucher program for evacuees to shop free of cost to rebuild their lives. Through a national fundraising campaign under the GoodWorks@Work initiative, the thrift store raised $48,684 to assist The Salvation Army’s programs and services for Fort McMurray evacuees.

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Future Shock BLADE RUNNER 2049’S DYSTOPIAN VISION PITS MAN AGAINST MACHINE.

Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros.

by Geoff Moulton

Officer K (Ryan Gosling) enlists Joi (Ana de Armas) to help him with a long-buried past

T

his month, fans of sciencefiction are going back to the future with Blade Runner 2049, the sequel to the ground-breaking film that, along with Alien, put director Ridley Scott on the map. In the process, they’ll rediscover a haunting world where the line between human and machine has become blurred beyond recognition.

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Secrets Unearthed The original Blade Runner (1982) was based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Set in a dystopian future, the film imagines Los Angeles in 2019, plagued by overcrowded streets, darkness and incessant rain.

The story centres on Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a police officer tasked with hunting down repli-

“ If this information gets out, we’ve bought ourselves a war.” LIEUTENANT JOSHI

cants—sophisticated androids with a limited lifespan that are virtually indistinguishable from humans.

The replicants are created by the Tyrell Corporation, a massive multinational conglomerate, to work as manual labourers in “off world” space colonies. Due to their advanced intelligence and tendency toward violence, they have been outlawed on Earth. When certain replicants go rogue and try to pass themselves off as human, specialized police units called “blade runners” are tasked with hunting them down and “retiring” them.

Blade Runner 2049 picks up the story 30 years after the events of the first film. A new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling), unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what’s left of society into chaos. K’s discovery leads him on a quest to find Deckard (reprised by Ford), who has been missing for 30 years.

The setting is once again a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, albeit

one that spreads over much of the West Coast. “The climate has gone berserk—the ocean, the rain, the snow is all toxic,” notes Canadian director Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners, Arrival). The bleak atmosphere is reinforced by monolithic skyscrapers, deserted wastelands, and a moody, synthesized score, inspired

by Vangelis’ original from the 1982 movie. The corresponding moral decay of society earned this film its R rating.

There is a new villain at the Tyrell Corporation, milky-eyed CEO Niander Wallace (Jared Leto). “Every civilization was built off the back of a disposable workforce,” he states, leading a visitor through a hall of encased shells of replicants waiting to be “born.” He believes they are the future of the species, but laments, “I can only make so many.” If he’s to carry out his plan for world domination, he needs information that only K and Deckard can provide. And so the hunters become the hunted.

K’s superior, Lieutenant Joshi faithandfriends.ca I OCTOBER 2017

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

A post-apocalyptic Los Angeles is the setting for director Ridley Scott’s sequel

(Robin Wright), warns, “If this information gets out, we’ve bought ourselves a war.” Nothing less than the future of the human race is at stake.

Search for a Soul The conflict between humans and replicants probes at some puzzling questions: What does it mean to be human? What distinguishes us from machines? If replicants can develop memories and emotions, do they become more “real”? What happens to us after we die? Is there such a thing as a soul?

In the Bible, we can find answers to those questions. The New Testament tells of Jesus—a miracleworker, a teacher, a healer. Most importantly, Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, the Saviour who would redeem us from our sins. He came to show us what it meant to 14 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

be fully human.

This caused confusion for many of the religious leaders at the time.

Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, went secretly at night to question Jesus. “We know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with Him” (John 3:2).

But Nicodemus was puzzled about Jesus’ teaching, specifically about His instruction that people must be “born again.” He asked: “How can someone be born when they are old?

Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” (verse 4).

Jesus was not talking about a physical birth, but rather a spiritual one. He is talking about being “born to eternal life” through a relationship with God. It’s an affirmation that humans are more than just

flesh and blood—we have a soul and a God-given identity. What’s more, there is something greater waiting for us beyond this life. It’s the “good news” for all who would believe.

Nicodemus’ secret meeting with Jesus precedes the most well-known verse in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Cautionary Tale Like many science-fiction movies, Blade Runner 2049 is a cautionary tale. It reminds us that excessive pride and faith in human achievement can often be our own undoing. It’s a sin that goes back to the Garden of Eden: the desire to become “like gods.” Niander fancies

himself the leader of an army of replicants, but he cannot replicate a human soul.

Technology and scientific achievements are meaningless if they lead to a soulless world. Neglecting our fragile environment, prioritizing profit over people, choosing selfish desires over altruistic love—all of these things threaten not just our planet, but our moral fabric.

Jesus came to show us a better way: respect for our Creator and love for our neighbour. Blade Runner 2049 reminds us that when machines become more human than us, it’s time to take a hard look at our souls. (below) In Blade Runner 2049, Harrison Ford reprises his iconic role of Rick Deckard

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

The Sky’s the Limit BORN WITHOUT LEGS, JEN BRICKER IS PROOF THAT EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH FAITH AND DETERMINATION.

Photos: Courtesy of Jen Bricker

by Ken Ramstead

16 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

SHE’S A PROFESSIONAL aerialist, a champion gymnast and has travelled the world on tour with Britney Spears. She’s appeared as a headliner from Boston to Dublin, Dubai to Hong Kong, Sydney, Australia, to Las Vegas. There’s very little that Jen Bricker hasn’t done once she’s set her sights on it. Not bad for a farm girl from Illinois.

What’s even more remarkable is that Jen was born without legs.

“Everything is possible,” says Jen. “That’s my favourite Bible quote from Mark 9:23: ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’ See it, believe it, make it happen. Who would ever have thought it was that simple? Yet my life is proof.”

“Maybe from the outside looking in, it seems like I was dealt a bad hand,” she writes in her book Everything Is Possible. “But the way I see it, that was God protecting me. He had bigger plans. He knew He had to get me to the right place with the right people who could nurture my talents and gifts and teach me to embrace them.”

Early on, the doctors warned Jen’s parents that she might never be able to sit up, crawl or move from place to place without being carried.

(right) “I’m incredibly proud of and grateful for how far I’ve come and how far I still want to go,” says Jen Bricker

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Photo: Jeremy Cowart

Beyond Imagination Jen’s biological parents abandoned her on the day she was born, and she was adopted by Sharon and Gerald Bricker, who lived in Hardinville, Illinois, with their three sons.

(left) Jen was almost a year old when this photo was taken

(right) Jen’s brothers and the sisters she never knew she had (see sidebar on page 21)

Jen’s parents did not agree with the prognosis, and a new set of doctors at the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis were more encouraging.

“Mr. and Mrs. Bricker,” they said, “this little girl is going to do things you never imagined would be possible.”

Taking a Tumble And she did. Softball, swimming, roller-skating, Jen did everything a child with two legs could do, and more.

When Jen tried something and said in frustration, “I can’t do it!” her parents would respond, “ ‘Can’t’ is a bad word in our home, and you shouldn’t use it, Jennifer.”

“I grew up embracing the idea that I could do anything if I set my mind to it,” she says. “ ‘Can’t’ was never an option. Fear was never an option. I would rather fall flat on my face than regret not trying. And I’m blessed with parents who were courageous enough to let me try, let me fail, and let me find my way and my faithandfriends.ca I OCTOBER 2017

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

“ ‘ Can’t’ was never an option. Fear was never an option. I would rather fall flat on my face than regret not trying.” JEN BRICKER

trust in God.” Jen went on to gymnastics and mastered that with the same fierce determination she applied to any of her endeavours. She was the first disabled high school tumbling champion in Illinois and competed in power tumbling at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics, placing fourth.

But it was as an aerialist that Jen

(right) “When I perform, I get swept away, lost,” says Jen, “and no one and nothing exists but the moment”

20 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

has achieved the pinnacle of her success, literally and figuratively. “I was totally enthralled by the flowing fabrics’ beauty and fluidity,” Jen says, “and also by the physical demands of working with them.”

And the demands were immense.

“During the first month of learning this skill, my arms were purple, then black and blue from my elbows to my shoulders,” she says. But she

persevered and soon became a much-sought-after performer.

“In performing, I found something that had been missing in my life: a sense of calmness and wholeness,” Jen says. “Tumbling gave me strength and confidence, while performing gave me peace and clarity.

It lights me up from every space of my innermost being. I’ve been all over the world, and with each show, I know with greater certainty that this is what I was born to do.”

Amazing Journey Through it all, Jen’s faith has been a key part of her being.

“My life without God would feel empty—like a huge hole in my heart and soul,” she says.

“I’ve had my own faith journey just like anyone else,” she continues, “and I’ve gotten closer and closer to God as a result. The more success I get in my career, the stronger my relationship to God is, because it has to be. I can’t do all this crazy stuff and travel all over the world and give interviews and speeches and performances without that. In the midst of all the travel, in the midst of all the interviews, in the midst of the performing, my faith sustains me. And that’s the only way I can function.

“This is what I was created for,” she concludes. “I’m grateful and blessed to be able to do what I love, and God is changing people’s lives through me. That’s pretty amazing!”

Sister Act “I’m going to be an Olympic gymnast when I grow up,” sixyear-old Jen Bricker announced to her parents. She was passionate about the sport and her idol was gymnast Dominique Moceanu.

“She was tiny; I was tiny,” Jen says.

“She was fiery; I was fiery. She was born to Romanian parents; I was born to Romanian parents. We even looked alike, with the same tan skin, huge dark eyes and thick jet-black hair. I was drawn to her but couldn’t say why.”

A decade later, through a clerical error, 16-year-old Jen found out that she and Dominique were indeed sisters, and that Dominique’s parents had given Jen up for adoption. She reached out to her four years later and now they—and a younger sister, Christina—have become close.

“We’re probably at the best place we’ve ever been as sisters as far as our comfort level goes,” says Dominique. “It’s been a great emotional journey that we’ve both grown from.”

“The sisters’ reunion makes for an inspiring story of family ties broken and restored,” notes Nancy L. Segal in Psychology Today.

“But it also provides priceless material for research into the roles of nature and nurture in athletic prowess.”

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FEATURE

Photos: Brent Linton, The Chronicle Journal

Faith&Friends

Stephen Michano was one of the estimated 300 guests who enjoyed a free Thanksgiving meal at The Salvation Army Booth Centre in Thunder Bay

Giving Back, Giving Thanks THUNDER BAY FIREFIGHTERS PARTNER WITH THE SALVATION ARMY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

by Brent Linton

F

or Stephen Michano, last year’s Thanksgiving dinner at The Salvation Army’s Booth Centre in Thunder Bay, Ont., was a chance to show him as well as an estimated 300 other guests that they are not alone.

“This is a great opportunity for people who can’t afford a big meal like this,” Stephen said. “It’s a good 22 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

atmosphere and the people here are loving and helpful.”

Giving Back The dinner, which included many Thanksgiving staples such as turkey and pumpkin pie, was hosted by members of the Thunder Bay Professional Fire Fighters

“ This is an opportunity to spend time together and be thankful for and share what we have.” GAIL KROMM

Reprinted from The Chronicle Journal, October 11, 2016

Association. For the past 19 years, the association, family members and friends have given back to the community by helping out with the dinner.

Firefighter Kevin Anderson said they see the need every day.

“We see people who otherwise wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving dinner,” he said. “We are working on the streets, responding to calls. As a result, we deal with a lot of the less fortunate. So for 19 years, we have been just buying the turkeys. Guys come on their days off to volunteer, help serve, clean up, and it is just a way we can give back.”

Holistic Help First-time volunteer Julia Reynolds spent her afternoon serving tables

and said it was nice to be able to feed people. She said the experience gave her an idea about how important a meal can be.

“This is an opportunity to spend time together and be thankful for and share what we have,” said Gail Kromm, a Salvation Army publicrelations worker.

Gail said The Salvation Army is expanding its programs to help people be better equipped to live in their own home.

“We are helping them learn to care for a home, get along with their neighbours better and develop job skills,” she said. “It’s a holistic program called Journey to Life that helps men who are homeless or at risk of being homeless to have a full life that is independent of any assistance.”

(left) No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without pumpkin pie, here being passed out by a Salvation Army volunteer faithandfriends.ca I OCTOBER 2017

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin ALFREDO BROCCOLI PENNE TIME 30 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH garlic bread

Sudoku Puzzle

1. What comes after a million, billion and trillion?

2. What is special about manx cats?

3. What is the first name of fictional sleuth Miss Marple?

2. Add penne to large pot of boiling water. Cook, then drain.

Set aside.

3. In separate small pot, melt butter over medium heat and whisk in corn starch for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth, milk and cream until thickened, approximately 4 minutes.

4. Add onion powder, garlic powder, nutmeg (optional) and parmesan.

5. Pour mixture over drained penne and add broccoli and parsley.

5

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3 × 3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

QUICK QUIZ

1. Steam broccoli florets until soft.

7

4

6 3

9

5

9

3

8

2

2

4

6

8

8

9

Answers on next page.

24 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

4 3

8 1

2 6

2

1

7

5

8

3

6

7

2

3

7 5 9

Recipe photo: Erin Stanley/veganvirgin.ca

500 ml (2 cups) broccoli florets 250 g (8 oz.) penne 30 ml (2 tbsp) unsalted butter 5 ml (1 tsp) corn starch dissolved in 5 ml (1 tsp) water 175 ml (¾ cup) chicken broth 175 ml (¾ cup) milk 60 ml (¼ cup) heavy cream 1 ml (¼ tsp) onion powder 1 ml (¼ tsp) garlic powder 0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) nutmeg (optional) 60 ml (¼ cup) parmesan 30 ml (2 tbsp) dried parsley

Word Search Confusing Words, Part I O B K O K D B H H A R D Y F R P K C O R E F A I Y Y I A I Q B K M Z T K J K X F D V V L D S T A N C H I F N E I C I V D Q V P E G K P R Q D U Z O N E C I E I E R M S R E N N E E J S F P I C S R Q I S I R I S Y X P K D E T A E S U A N N U T U Z J M R O L R A L E F I O C H E O I B Z I Y H

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

9 3 7 5 4 1 2

1

3

1

7

4

8

5

2

6

9

4

8

2

1

9

6

3

7

8

5

5 2 9 4 3 6 7

6 2 4 8 3 7 5 9 1

7 9 3 1 5 6 8 2 4

4 3 6 7 1 8 2 5 9

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. quadrillion; 2. they have no tail; 3. Jane.

9 5 1 4 2 3 7

2 8 7 5 6 9 1 4

8

3

6

NAUSEATED NAUSEOUS OFFICIAL OFFICIOUS PRINCIPAL PRINCIPLE STANCH STAUNCH TACK TACT VERACIOUS VORACIOUS

6

GRISLY GRIZZLY HARDY HEARTY IMPLY INFER KEN KIN LATER LATTER MILITATE MITIGATE

8

ADVICE ADVISE BREACH BREECH CALVARY CAVALRY DISBURSE DISPERSE EXEMPT EXCEPT FOREWORD FORWARD

faithandfriends.ca I OCTOBER 2017

• 25

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HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

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BETWEEN THE LINES

Photo: ???

(left) John Trautwein and his son, Will, in happier days. “After we lost Will, my faith got even stronger,” says John. “I know God’s got him”

The Will to Live Former Boston Red Sox pitcher John Trautwein lost his son to suicide. He now helps others before it is too late.

by Jayne Thurber-Smith

“ As I entered Will’s room, I realized immediately I was no longer entering my boy’s bedroom. I was entering a new, unimaginable world full of such pain that I knew my life could never be the same again.”

— My Living Will: A Father’s Story of Loss & Hope

I

n former Boston Red Sox pitcher John Trautwein’s horrific story, he describes the utter devastation of finding his firstborn son after Will had taken his own life in the early hours of October 15, 2010.

Throughout the weeks prior, Will had been recovering from a breakup, but seemed fine overall. He was a

faithandfriends.ca I OCTOBER 2017

• 27

Faith&Friends

BETWEEN THE LINES

popular 15-year-old—athletic, musical, with everything going for him.

Just hours previous, Will and John had shared a pizza while discussing Will’s upcoming driver’s test. John wasn’t worried about his son’s driving abilities, but had no idea there was something much more serious to worry about.

The terrifying death scene included no farewell note, but his backpack contained a folder of heartbreaking song lyrics in Will’s handwriting that revealed a depression he had expertly concealed.

Helping Friends As John’s world was upended in every way, he leaned heavily on his faith, and God gave him direction through the darkness. He and his wife, Susie, were determined to do all they could to prevent this devastating tragedy from happening to other families.

They founded the non-profit Will to Live Foundation Inc., a charity dedicated to spreading awareness and prevention of teen suicide and depression. John also reached out to a sportswriter friend, Dan Shaughnessy, for help in getting their message out.

“He is a member of the saddest club on earth,” Dan wrote in The Boston Globe. “He is a parent who lost his son to suicide. And while he lives with the hole in his heart, John

28 • OCTOBER 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

Trautwein and his wife will make it their mission to find other troubled young men and women before it’s too late to help them and their families.”

John has co-ordinated with counselling experts to provide the resources and advice parents need in a world that is so different than when they were teenagers.

Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among young people aged 15-24. John has learned that sometimes simply saying “I don’t know either” instead of “You’ll be OK”—as most parents tend to say to a confused teen—is more helpful, because it doesn’t leave the kid feeling alone.

“In our outreach, I try to focus on the fact that the issues these kids have are very common,” John says. “It’s not so abnormal not to feel great. It’s OK not to be OK. When I speak in schools or training camps I say, ‘The people that best understand you are the ones right next to you, so talk to each other and realize that you have true hope right beside you.’ ” In his book, John writes that in the days immediately following his loss, his own lifelong friends were a lifeline for him: “Brian Holman, Gary Wayne and I were very close so many years ago, coming up together in the Montreal Expos minor league system. I smiled thinking of all the

Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death among young people aged 15-24. laughs, so many memories. Here they were, 25 years later, now life friends—life teammates—here for me, helping me.”

Will’s Gift John also had a heavenly Friend and Father to comfort him.

“I had always been strong in my relationship with God and it grounded me,” he says. “But after we lost Will, my faith got even stronger.

It became the foundation of everything I did, because without it, Will is just ashes and he’s not with God. I know God’s got him.”

John now gives more than 100 speeches a year on teen suicide awareness to schools, teams and other various organizations.

“Once when I was going to speak to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, I wanted to find a certain Bible verse to use,” he recalls. “I had been constantly telling kids to ‘love each other,’ so I Googled that phrase and the reference was found in John 13.

Verse 34 says, ‘As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’ The number 13 was Will’s lacrosse number, so I knew God was confirming my message.”

John wants people to feel OK with

sharing everything with their loved ones, the good and bad. Just as someone might say, “I have diabetes, I need insulin and medical supervision,” someone else needs to be able to say, “I suffer from depression, I need medication and my doctor’s supervision.” No matter what the tragedy, they need to make use of their support system because time doesn’t heal. Love does.

“Find and surround yourself with love,” concludes John. “It will inspire you no matter what you face. That message is Will’s gift to me.”

Take ACTion The Will to Live Foundation encourages teens to “ACT,” using an acronym created by Screening for Mental Health, Inc., a non-profit in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts: Acknowledge: Listen to your friend, don’t ignore threats.

Care: Let your friend know you care.

Tell: Tell a trusted adult that you are worried about your friend.

For information on the foundation, visit www.will-to-live.org.

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Together, We Made A Difference $4,452,463 given to individuals & families in need

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EVERYDAY ETHICS

Trick Or Treat Salvation Army food bank. What can you do?

• Organize a food drive.

• Instead of trick-or-treating, kids (and their parents) can go door to door to ask for non-perishable food items.

• Hold a pumpkin sale at your church, school or community centre.

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In 2015, Canadians spent $1 billion celebrating Halloween, averaging $137 for decorations, costumes and candy.

That’s more than double the average person’s monthly income in the poorest countries of the world.

Now that is spooky!

Help scare away hunger in your community by supporting your local

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