Faith and Friends April 2017

Phil Callaway's

Salvation Army in Africa

CNN Exclusive

CASE FOR EASTER P.22 KENYA DREAMING P.10 FINDING JESUS P.8

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

faithandfriends.ca

APRIL 2017

Fashion Cents SHOPPING FOR BARG AINS WITH THRIF T-S TORE BLOG G ER SHERI PAVLOVIĆ P.16

The Easter Crown The New Testament notes that Jesus’ Roman accusers mocked Him by placing a crown of thorns on His head.

He was beaten and whipped before He was crucified.

But His suffering, death and Resurrection that first Easter were not in vain. He freed us from sin and brought us spiritual peace.

The Easter story is one of grace and redemption, and Jesus’ sacrifice freed us to live the lives we were always meant to live.

“ He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”—Isaiah 53:5

To find out more about the meaning of Easter, mail the coupon on page 27, e-mail us at faithandfriends@can. salvationarmy.org or visit your local Salvation Army church.

Photo: Used with permission. © Ray Majoran, compassiongallery.com

April 2017

VOLUME 20 NUMBER 4

DEPARTMENTS SOMEONE CARES

5 Blessings Big and Small

Jeff Woods discovered God through his daughter’s daycare.

IN CONVERSATION

8 Finding Jesus

In time for Easter, the CNN series takes a fresh look at the New Testament.

FEATURES

14

COVER STORY

16

22

10

BEYOND BORDERS

10 Kenya Dreaming

The Salvation Army is hard at work in this African country.

Culinary Kindness

A cooking school in Victoria is overcoming barriers.

Refashionista Rules!

Fashion blogger Sheri Pavlović shares her thrift-store savvy with The Salvation Army.

On the Record

Celebrate the truth of the most outrageous claim in history.

DEPARTMENTS FAMILY TIME

25 By the Numbers

Cover photo: Kristin Ostensen

When it comes to God’s love for us, you just have to do the math.

LITE STUFF

28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Word Search, Sudoku, Quick Quiz.

25

EVERYDAY ETHICS

30 Money Talks

For every dollar a woman in Canada earns, a man earns $1.52. faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2017

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Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

Tower of Power

N

ot only is Pamela Richardson our crack copy editor and production co-ordinator but she is also a top-notch theoretical architect.

As part of an editorial department promotional campaign, she took pencil to paper and made some remarkable calculations.

It turns out that 656,000 copies of Faith & Friends were distributed in 2016, at Salvation Army churches, shelters and other facilities, in thrift stores and at Christmas kettles.

Pamela did the math and found that if stacked together, the magazines would equal 1,641 metres, or almost 5,384 feet. That’s more than a mile high and as tall as 3.6 CN Towers!

I wish I could build it, but I take solace in the fact that our little magazine is an eye-opener in other ways. Andre’s story is one example.

We profiled his remarkable life in February but he passed away shortly after the issue was published. Andre managed to hold the article in his hands before he died, and he used his story to illustrate God’s compassion and mercy. You can read about his legacy on page 24, and it’s something to think about during this Easter season.

Speaking of Easter, this month, Phil Callaway celebrates the truth of the most outrageous claim in history, that Jesus suffered and died for our sins and rose from the dead on the third day. You can also get a sneak peek at the CNN series entitled Finding Jesus, which takes a new and fascinating look at Jesus’ life and death.

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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 E-mail 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

SOMEONE CARES

Blessings Big and Small Jeff Woods discovered God through his daughter’s Salvation Army daycare. Today, he volunteers to give back.

by Melissa Wallace

Photo: HOLLYHOWEphotography

(left) Jeff Woods speaks on the occasion of the renovation of The Salvation Army’s Small Blessing Early Childhood Development Centre

E

leven years ago, Jeff Woods and his wife, Lisa, were looking for a daycare for their one-year-old daughter, Keira.

Childcare spaces were limited in Moncton, N.B., but a friend mentioned there might be some availability at The Salvation Army’s Small Blessings Early Childhood

Development Centre, located in the same building as Moncton Citadel Community Church.

Once enrolled, their daughter thrived at the centre, where staff teach children from six months to four years old in a safe learning environment.

“I've met people of different faiths

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Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

and beliefs for years, so the fact that it was a Christian centre didn’t bother me,” says Jeff.

But as he watched Army staff interact with parents and others, his curiosity about God grew.

“They showed so much love and caring, not only for those who came into the centre but for those beyond its walls,” he says. “I was intrigued.

Is it real? Do people actually feel this way?”

Jeff began volunteering for the centre as a parent council member, where he got to know the director of the centre, Lorraine Veysey, in addition to the staff. His son, Kolby, who is two years younger than Keira, also enrolled in the daycare.

(right) “You go through a new journey when you have children and you start reflecting on your life,” says Jeff, here with his wife, Lisa, and their children, Keira and Kolby

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Seeking Comfort Jeff was born and raised in Moncton, and while he struggled with anxiety throughout his childhood, his upbringing was relatively normal.

“I had my challenges and I questioned whether there was a God,” he says.

Jeff experienced grief over the deaths of two close friends. The first committed suicide at an early age, and, later in life, another friend had a heart attack at the age of 36.

He then discovered his grandmother was dying. Out of her 13 children and numerous grandchildren, she passed away in Jeff’s arms at the hospital.

“ I was intrigued. Is it real? Do people actually feel this way?” JEFF WOODS

“I was the only one present with her at the time,” he says. “For whatever reason, I was chosen to be with her at that moment.”

He remembered how scared she was as she approached death and how she reached out, calling for help.

“She was the only one who ever talked to me about God,” says Jeff.

“I remember thinking I wanted to know what a relationship with Christ meant so that when the time came, I wouldn’t be reaching out in a scared way, but in a way where I was comforted.

“So there I was at The Salvation Army, involved in who they were and what they stood for from the Small Blessings perspective. My decision to become a Christian was made over a number of years, witnessing the sort of true servant leadership I had never experienced before.”

Volunteer of the Year Though Jeff’s children outgrew Small Blessings, he continues to volunteer. He chairs their community board and serves on The Salvation Army’s community

and family services council. He also volunteers with the Army on Tuesday mornings, preparing and serving hot meals to approximately 80 low-income men and women in need. He was recently awarded the Volunteer of the Year award for his commitment.

“Every Tuesday, I ask God to grant the people who come through the doors the courage to face their challenges and the wisdom to make the right choices as they journey through the day,” he says. “I pray they see the love of God through what we do and know that He loves them.”

Today, Jeff is a busy 46-yearold father who works full time, volunteers several days a week for The Salvation Army and his church, and is completing courses toward a bachelor’s degree in organizational management.

“After being exposed to The Salvation Army, I realized I’ve always felt more fulfilled when I am helping others,” he says. “If there’s a need, I have to help.

“It’s just who I am. It’s in my DNA.”

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Faith&Friends

IN CONVERSATION

Finding Jesus In time for Easter, a CNN series takes a fresh look at the New Testament.

R

eturning to CNN this spring, Finding Jesus explores the ground-breaking archeological and scientific discoveries that are revealing more about the life and times of Jesus and His world.

Six episodes look at six purported artifacts—including the childhood home of Jesus, the tomb of King Herod, the bones of St. Peter, relics related to the Apostle Thomas, the Pilate stone and the tomb of Lazarus. It’s a dramatic way to retell “the greatest story ever told” while introducing a broad audience to the history, controversies and newest forensic science. In the process, it attempts to sort the facts from the fiction of would-be forgers and deceivers, drawing on experts from all over the world.

One of the principal consultants on both seasons of Finding Jesus is Dr. Mark Goodacre, professor of religious studies at Duke University.

The main focus of the English-born academic is the New Testament and early Christianity.

Faith & Friends interviewed Dr. Goodacre at his North Carolina home.

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How did you become affiliated with the series?

I was approached because I’ve done quite a bit of work for similar TV documentaries. I met with the producers in the early stages to brainstorm possible areas of interest. Later, I participated in script consultations and fact-checked the final result.

Were you pleased with the outcome?

Absolutely. Because it is airing on CNN, it avoids the kind of Da Vinci

Code sensationalism you sometimes get in fringe-network documentaries. The research behind Finding Jesus is outstanding, and gives the series a great degree of academic rigour and respectability.

Not only will you have Christians, Jews and Muslims watching but non-believers as well. Do you think that the episodes can satisfy everyone?

Finding Jesus strikes a balance. One of the things about the first season was that we got praise and criticisms from all camps. That means we got the balance about right. And the second season also keeps things as grounded and objective as possible.

Do the episodes make an allowance for faith?

I think so. To give you a specific example, one of the episodes deals with the raising of Lazarus from the dead, one of the most striking miracles in the Gospels. To try and take a purely historical approach is difficult but one of the things that the episode tried to do was make very reasonable allowances for faith. I don’t think anyone will be upset by the approach it takes.

Now is this actually Jesus’ home?

No one knows, but what it certainly seems to be is a first-century house in Nazareth, which is where Jesus was raised. So we’re trying to fill in the picture of what Jesus was like as a child. You can’t go to the biblical texts to get that, so this is where archeology fills in the gaps.

Has your faith deepened through your work with this series?

My knowledge, my interest and my intellectual stimulation is always increased by looking at the historical context of the biblical passages, and for me, that’s one of the exciting things about my job. I think that anybody who has ever studied Christian origins will find that there’s a fascinating world out there. It’s difficult to say whether that’s the same thing as one’s faith being deepened, but the more you get into the archeological context, the more intellectually stimulating it becomes. At the end of the day, it’s exciting when Christianity becomes something people want to analyze and study.

What’s your favourite episode of Season Two?

The episode where we look at what might be the childhood home of Jesus, simply because this is an area of Jesus’s life that we know the least about.

(left) Dr. Mark Goodacre is professor of religious studies at Duke University in North Carolina

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Faith&Friends

BEYOND BORDERS

Kenya Dreaming The Salvation Army is hard at work in this African country, making a difference in the lives of thousands.

Photos: Joel Johnson

by Joel Johnson

(above) In conjunction with Health Partners International Canada, The Salvation Army provides medicine to mothers and children.

The team consists of nurses and support staff who travel to rural areas to monitor pregnant women and new mothers

S

ince I was young, I’ve always dreamed of travelling to Kenya. The idea was put into my head by then Captain Ivor Telfer, who would tell me of his travels around the world and the projects that the Salvation Army department of overseas development—now world missions—was working on.

Many years later, I finally found myself standing in Nairobi. My first trip to Kenya was part of a three-month journey, an extended vacation around Lake Victoria with my wife,

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(above) For many people in Kenya West, there is now hope of a better future for families and communities (left) Major Rosemary Matunde ministers faithfully at the Kolanya Heath Centre in the western area of the Kenya West Territory

Laura. I fell in love not only with Kenya and its people but with East Africa as a whole.

As I looked over the images I took during our time there, I could only dream of returning.

Treasure Trove of Memories When the world missions department for The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory asked me to accompany them to Kenya as their photographer last year, I was ecstatic. This time, though, I was returning with my camera to capture the work of the Army in the Kenya West Territory,

a place I hadn’t travelled to as a tourist.

Kenya West is one of the fastest growing territories in The Salvation Army. The extent of the Army’s outreach there is vast, not only in the number of lives they touch but also in the distances that must be traversed in order to reach those people.

The trip was truly amazing and I returned with a wealth of images and memories.

Selfless Effort While on the trip, I met Major Rosemary Matunde, in charge of

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BEYOND BORDERS

(above) The Kolanya Health Centre is the base for the medical programs that The Salvation Army offers to the people of the Mount Elgon region. Major Rosemary runs mobile programs with the support of the world missions department to provide perinatal care

the programs and outreach in the Mount Elgon area of Kenya. She has an infectious smile, and when you speak to her, she listens as though there is no one else in the room.

She is dedicated to the people she ministers to, and her love for them is overwhelming.

Kenya, known for its wildlife reserves and national parks, has another side not included on the travel brochures. It is a deeply

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troubled country with many political and cultural issues that make the work of The Salvation Army more challenging.

In Kenya West and some of the regions that Major Rosemary ministers to, including Mount Elgon, there is the threat of violence.

In 2005, fighting in the region broke out between militia groups and the Kenyan army. The militia spread fear throughout the region, killing people and destroying property. At the end of the violence, the militia dispersed into the countryside and went into hiding.

Today, there are many scars left for the people of this region. There is a heavy security presence in the area

(left) Programs involve basic health education, from proper water treatment and personal hygiene to cooking techniques and malaria education. Due to poor literacy in the rural areas, flip charts and diagrams have been created as teaching aids

and there are fears that the militia might one day return.

Major Rosemary works throughout the Mount Elgon area, despite the threat of danger, visiting remote outposts. It is amazing to watch her interact with locals on every level, from police and government officials to farmers and tribal chiefs. She will forever remain etched in my mind and heart.

(left) The Salvation Army in Kenya addresses problems that affect every generation in the community

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Photo: Timothy Collins/Victoria News

(left) Chef Dan Hayes (right) of The London Chef cooking school watches over Daryl Makarenko as he prepares a chili meal for residents of The Salvation Army. The London Chef partnered with The Salvation Army to help teach the participants how to cook

Culinary Kindness

WITH THE SALVATION ARMY’S HELP, A COOKING SCHOOL IN VICTORIA IS OVERCOMING BARRIERS.

by Timothy Collins

T

he London Chef, a downtown Victoria cooking school, has partnered with The Salvation Army to help a community struggling with homelessness, poverty and addiction.

It’s an initiative of the Army’s Addictions and Rehabilitation Centre, designed to teach basic cooking skills to their clients as part of their 14 • APRIL 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

transition into mainstream society.

“It’s hard to imagine that too many people out there can’t cook for themselves and are unable to do even the most basic tasks required for food preparation. We’ve found that 70 percent of our clients are the product of the foster-care system and some of them never had an opportunity to learn even simple

“ Choosing and preparing food is not just one of the most important skills in life ... it’s also good for the soul.” DAN HAYES

Reprinted from Victoria News, November 10, 2016

food preparation skills,” says Jeff Baergen, The Salvation Army’s residential program’s manager, adding the organization’s goal is to provide individuals in their program with the skills they need to overcome obstacles to independent living.

“It’s one of a million barriers our people face, and cooking is such a fundamental skill that we all tend to take it for granted. Everyone can make a hard-boiled egg, right?

Not so.”

Delicious Partnership Chef Dan Hayes, who taught the dozen participants in the cooking class at The London Chef, was thrilled with the enthusiasm shown by the program’s participants.

“They kept telling me how much fun they were having. It was so heartwarming,” says Dan. “Choosing and preparing food is not just one of the most important skills in life ... it’s also good for the soul.”

Daryl Makarenko, one of the program participants, was very happy with the program, explaining the skills he acquired at the class were important and fun.

“We were taught so much in a short period of time, and I’d love to keep learning more about how to cook for myself,” says Daryl. “And the fact we were able to prepare a meal for the guys back at The Salvation Army was amazing. I can’t wait to serve something I helped make.”

Program participants prepared a large vat of chili, chopping the vegetables, browning the meat and adding the spices needed to complete the dish. The final product was taken back to The Salvation Army where, after an appropriate time to simmer and meld the flavours, it was served to the transition program’s 74 participants.

“The Salvation Army provided the food and sent each of the men who took the class back with the utensils needed for food preparation, a crock pot, and even dishes and cutlery so they can keep on cooking their own meals,” says Jeff.

Ashley Herlaar, manager of The London Chef, said her business was pleased to be able to partner with The Salvation Army in the initiative, and looks forward to hosting more sessions in the future. faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2017

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Refashionista Rules!

FASHION BLOGGER SHERI PAVLOVIĆ SHARES HER THRIFT-STORE SAVVY WITH THE SALVATION ARMY.

WHEN SHERI PAVLOVIĆ walks into a thrift store, she doesn’t just see clothing, shoes and housewares—she sees endless possibilities. A shower curtain becomes a new rain poncho. A red T-shirt is transformed into a funky necklace.

Sheri is a proud “refashionista,” taking old and used items and making them new and useful again. A popular fashion blogger specializing in thrift-store style, she has written nearly 1,000 tutorials and articles about ethical fashion.

And as a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s National Recycling Operations’ thrift stores, she’s showing shoppers how they can do it, too.

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A Passion for Fashion Sheri’s experience with second-hand shopping goes all the way back to her teen years. “I wanted to have clothes that my mom wasn’t willing to buy for me,” she laughs, “so I would save up my babysitting money and go to the thrift store.”

Over time, fashion became a passion for Sheri, who spent seven years working as a model in Japan.

Getting a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion industry was eyeopening for her.

“As a model, I got to see what goes into making the clothes, and it never sat well with me,” she says. “I saw how many ‘fast fashion’ brands were unethically produced, and I didn’t

Photos: Kristin Ostensen

by Kristin Ostensen

Sheri Pavlović is in her element at The Salvation Army’s newest thrift store, in Toronto

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

(above) “Refashioning is all about seeing the potential in things,” explains Sheri. “The dress I’m wearing right now was calflength and bell-shaped, which is not complimentary on anyone. But I loved the fabric, and it was very simple to shorten it and take it in on the sides. Now, I have a swingin’ ‘60s mini-dress!”

want to wear something that had hurt someone else to make.

“And so I never stopped thrifting, 18 • APRIL 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

even when I had access to free designer clothes,” she continues.

“I never saw the value in wasting money on new stuff when there’s so much great stuff available second-hand.”

Having ditched the designer duds, Sheri would now describe her style as quirky. “Some days, I’m a jeansand-T-shirt girl, other days I’ll put on an awesome vintage evening gown,” she says. “That’s one thing

“ I never saw the value in wasting money on new stuff when there’s so much great stuff available second-hand.” SHERI PAVLOVIĆ that’s great about thrifting: you can easily create a personal style that is 100 percent unique. Why put yourself in a fast-fashion box?”

No Limits Sheri didn’t set out to be a fashion blogger—when she started writing four years ago, she was living in Germany and wanted to chronicle her travel adventures. But two years ago, she started noticing that more and more refashioners like herself were offering tips and tutorials online. “I thought, I already have a blog. Why not give it a try?”

Her blog, Confessions of a Refashionista, took off, leading her to write 11 books and create her own YouTube channel.

Part of Sheri’s appeal is her offbeat sense of humour. “I want to teach people how to do things in a way that’s enjoyable and entertaining, while showing them just how easy it is.”

Now in her 40s, Sheri also hopes her blog will demonstrate that refashioning is not just for young people. “Some people may want to dress like a fashionista blogger, but they think, I’m 40, I’m 50, I can’t

pull that off. I’m here to say, ‘Yes, you can. Look at my blog!’ There’s no age limit on this.”

Perfect Fit When Sheri moved back to Canada last year, she was looking for ways to contribute to her community, and blogging for The Salvation Army was a natural fit. “That’s where I started thrifting when I was in high school, so I’m going back to my roots,” she says.

“Sheri has a wealth of do-ityourself knowledge and a passion for recycling,” says Krista Henry, national communications specialist for the Army’s National Recycling Operations. “Her strong belief in practising, and teaching others about, sustainable fashion really drew us to her as our newest creative expert.”

In Toronto, where Sheri lives, her favourite thrift store is the Salvation Army shop just a short walk away from her home. She visits at least once a week and the staff know her well.

“There’s a young woman there who knows what kind of stuff I like,” Sheri says, “and if she’s working when I go faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2017

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Fashion Facts • The average person throws away 81 pounds of textiles annually • North Americans send more than 10.5 million tons of wearable waste to landfills each year—95 percent of which could be recycled • Clothing and textile recycling has a greater impact on reducing greenhouse gases than the recycling of yard waste, glass and plastic • 99 percent of textiles donated to The Salvation Army are sold in thrift stores or recycled • Last year, over 68 million pounds of used clothing, household items and furniture were diverted from local landfills through Army thrift stores in Canada—40 percent of which were textiles

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(above) Thrift store employee Sandra Guarin helps Sheri pick just the right T-shirt for her project (opposite page)

in, she’ll call me over and show me a vintage dress that’s come in.”

For Sheri, that kind of atmosphere is what sets Army stores apart.

“The Salvation Army has always been a welcoming place. Everyone who walks through the doors is treated equally, and you know that the money you spend goes where they say it goes and helps people.”

In the coming year, Sheri hopes to begin offering in-person tutorials at Salvation Army stores, to show people how easy it is to become a refashionista like her.

“If I can do it, anybody can.”

Follow Sheri and The Salvation Army’s thrift stores online: Facebook: /SAThriftStoreCanada Instagram: @sathriftstore Blog: www.thriftstore.ca/blog

Turn a T-shirt into a Nifty Necklace

1

2

Step 1 Thrift a groovy cotton T-shirt and grab your scissors.

3

Chop off the bottom hem and the top of the T-shirt just below the underarm seams.

Cutting straight through from side to side, chop the remaining body of the T-shirt into 3- to 4-cm wide strips.

Step 2 Place each T-shirt strip around your hands and give them a good stretch. The fabric will roll back onto itself creating a lovely clean-edged loop.

Step 3 Grab two stretched-out T-shirt loops and place the end of one loop under the end of the other loop.

4

Pull the other end of the lower loop up, over the upper loop and through itself to create a secure knot.

Continue adding the rest of the loops.

Step 4 Once all of the loops are attached, cut and stretch a small piece of fabric from the top of the T-shirt, and tie the loose ends together.

Gather that long necklace to your desired length and pop it on! faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2017

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

On the Record AT EASTER, LET’S CELEBRATE THE TRUTH OF THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS CLAIM IN HISTORY.

by Phil Callaway

H

ave you ever made a claim that wasn’t true? Here are some accident-insurance claims that seem to me a little far-fetched.

• “A house hit my car.”

• “In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole.”

• “Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.”

• “The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.”

• “When I saw I could not avoid a collision I stepped on the gas and crashed into the other car.”

• “The pedestrian ran for the pavement, but I got him.”

Mythbusted Amazing claims those. But none are quite so outlandish as the claims of the oppressive former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. Official records reportedly claim that Kim learned to walk at three weeks, and was talking at eight 22 • APRIL 2017 I faithandfriends.ca

weeks. Most impressive. He also wrote 1,500 books in three years and six operas, which are “better than any in the history of music.”

The first time Kim picked up a golf club, he shot a 38-under-par round on North Korea’s only golf course, including 11 holes-in-one.

Each of his 17 bodyguards verified the record-breaking feat. He then decided to retire from the sport forever.

And then there’s the claim that a double rainbow and glowing new star appeared in the heavens to herald his birth on North Korea’s cherished Baekdu Mountain in 1942. Unfortunately, Soviet records indicate he was born in a Siberian village in 1941. Mythbusters didn’t have to work hard on busting Mr. Jong Il. “He is Risen” Last year, a man approached me who claimed to be Jesus. I asked if he had been raised from the dead.

He said, “Yes.” I said, “Can you bring me some friends to verify this?” He blinked and wandered away.

Surely the most outrageous claim ever is the claim of Easter. That Jesus, the Son of God, died, was buried and raised to life. If it is false, Christianity is a lie. If it is true, we dare not laugh it off or ignore it.

The letters of Paul were written just 15 to 20 years after Jesus’ death.

So how could Paul get away with his own eye-witness account and claims that the risen Jesus appeared to over 500 people at once—most of whom were still alive?

Try faking a resurrection in your town. Let me know how it goes. PHIL CALLAWAY

“He is not here. He is risen.”

Our guide stood before that empty tomb, smiled and said, “Three hundred thousand people a year come to see something that isn’t here.”

I am sometimes criticized because I love to laugh, but the truth of the Resurrection makes it impossible for me to stop for very long. We’re forgiven. The truly important issues were dealt with by Jesus on that cross. He defeated death and promised us eternal life. Let’s celebrate the truth of the most outrageous claim in history!

Photo: Ron Nickel Photography

Only Jesus had followers who went to their graves because they insisted He had been resurrected. Why would Jesus’ disciples do this? Unless they had seen Him risen. If you doubt me, I have a little suggestion. At my father’s graveside the thought hit me, What would it take to convince people that my father had risen from the dead? It’s impossible.

So if you doubt, try faking a resurrection in your town.

Let me know how it goes.

My wife and I marvelled as we visited His empty tomb in Jerusalem. It says, faithandfriends.ca I APRIL 2017

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Faith&Friends

MAILBAG

Andre’s Legacy of Faith Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

he was 15, foster homes by the time sexual and suffered physical and s. abuse in many of the placement in “Because of that, I lost interest ,” everything in interest lost I school. he says. last Andre ran away from the taller feet two was home. “This guy home than me and one day I came but I lost.” and I tried to fight back

I

on like this, to help me. I couldn’t go I had an in a black hole of despair. to drink experience then. The desire happened, just left me, and once that program I got myself into a 28-day in Elliot Lake, Ont.” AA for Andre was in and out of that I 22 years. “I just thank God to kept coming back and started the group,” share my testimony with

Photo: © Ingimage.com

first met Andre at “And he was.”

The Salvation Army’s In his final days, Barrhaven Church in Andre’s two sons came Ottawa. I was there for a to visit. Andre mustered God But for the Grace of photo shoot, and Captain enough strength to James Mercer, the pastor, say, “Another prayer “I suggested I write an answered.” Those article on Andre because proved to be his final he had quite a story. words. Andre passed I arranged to interview away in January. him. Andre was open and I kept hearing how Andre changed honest about his journey and his Barrhaven, as it had changed him. fight with cancer later in life. I found “People were strengthened by his him to be a kind and gentle soul. faith and by what they saw God doing The story was published in the in his life,” noted Captain Michelle February 2017 Faith & Friends, but Mercer, the co-pastor. around the time that the magazine The church family always looked went to press, I heard that Andre was out for Andre. “If he was ever absent facing some serious health issues. He from volunteering or from a group was, however, determined that we meeting, he would get tons of phone should print his story. calls, including one from me,” Andre spent the last week of his remembered Captain James. “The life in hospice care. Captain James church never abandoned him and said he will forever hold dear what that’s what kept him going.” At the Andre said to him: “I know where I funeral service, 300 copies of Faith am at and I know where I am going.” & Friends were passed out to the It was confirmation of Andre’s concongregation. viction and of his faith.

“Andre’s life and story have He was pleased to see his story in touched so many, and his legacy of Faith & Friends before he died. “He faith continues to be used by God told me for weeks, ‘If I can only be in amazing ways,” said Captain around to read my story, then I will Michelle. be fine,’ ” Captain James told me.

—Caroline Franks and loss, Through addiction, grief Andre never gave up.

by Caroline Franks

know I shouldn’t be alive,” in says Andre. “I was always and out of emergency rooms e. At or found passed out somewher alcohol times, I consumed enough was someone But horse. to kill a looking out for me.”

Andre credits both his Salvation Alcoholics Army church family and

him Anonymous (AA) for helping path. stay sober and on the right

Unmanageable he was Andre’s story begins after along with removed from his family, one of his two of his four sisters and foster care. brothers, and placed in out of 11 Andre says he was in and

y “You can’t maintain sobriet world if you are carrying the on your shoulders.” ANDRE

that’s he says. “That’s how it works; mainAA in a nutshell. You can’t the tain sobriety if you are carrying The streets world on your shoulders. abused. are full of people who were God and I I am so glad that I found found a way out.”

Andre discovered The Salvation trying Army in 1999 as he was When the out different churches. opened in Finding the Army Salvation Army church alcohol Andre had problems with Barrhaven, a suburb of Ottawa, 52, was he until 17 of full time. from the age Andre started attending the breakand that was the cause of 1977. As a down of his marriage in A Brother’s Loss his chilbut I result, he lost touch with “I had 13½ years of sobriety death of the after dren for many years. wagon fell off the in 1999,” came just “The turning point was my two brothers, which of the He was says Andre. “I’d had enough six days apart,” he says. out to God drinking and I reached

was After the incident, Andre and placed deemed “unmanageable” in a reform school.

I was 16 “When I left the school, authority,” and I had no respect for and says Andre. “I ran the streets the pain I got into alcohol to cover and shame.”

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Faith&Friends

FAMILY TIME

By the Numbers When it comes to God’s love for us, you just have to do the math.

by Diane Stark

(left) Number Crunchers: Diane and Nathan Stark hard at work

M

“

om, I got all of the answers wrong on my math test,” seven-year-old Nathan said. “My teacher made me bring it home so you could help me with it.”

One glance at the paper told me what the problem was. My son didn’t understand place value. For example, he’d said that 12 + 3 was 42. When I tried to show him his error, he folded his arms and said, “But 1 + 3 is 4, so

the answer is 42.”

“But, Nathan, you should have added the 2 and the 3 and gotten 15 for your answer,” I explained.

He shrugged. “Why?” I started to explain the concept of place value, but he was getting frustrated. “It just doesn’t make sense to me, Mom,” he said tearfully.

“All right, Honey. We’ll try this again a little bit later.”

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Faith&Friends

FAMILY TIME

“Nothing you can do would make Him love you more. Just imagine how much He loves you, Nathan.” DIANE STARK Additions and Subtractions But as so often happens in our busy house, “a little bit later” turned into “not happening today.” At bedtime, I apologized to Nathan.

“It’s OK, Mom. I still love you.”

“Even though I got busy and forgot about your math?”

“Yep, I love you a little bit more every day.”

“How much more?”

He thought for a minute. “It goes up by 10 each day.”

A lightbulb went on in my head.

“So how much do you love me today?”

“Today I love you a hundred.”

“So if you love me a hundred today, how much will you love me tomorrow?”

“Probably like a million.”

I laughed. “Silly! What’s 100 plus 10?”

“Two hundred,” he said immediately.

I grabbed a notepad and wrote the numbers down, carefully lining them up by place value. I explained that you add the ones place first, then the tens place, and then the hundreds place.

“So the answer is 110,” he said.

I high-fived him. “How much will you love me the day after tomorrow?”

When he answered correctly, I decided to get tricky. “How much

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did you love me the day before yesterday?”

He started to write down the subtraction problem, but then he shook his head. “It doesn’t go down, Mom. It only goes up.”

“I love you more every day, too.”

“Even when I act like a stinker?”

“Of course. My love for you never changes. God’s love doesn’t, either.”

“At Sunday school, they said that God loves us, no matter what,” Nathan said.

“That’s right. God loves you even more than Daddy and I do, and His love doesn’t depend on our behaviour.”

“So even if I’m bad, God never subtracts His love. Does He add more love if I’m good?”

“Nothing you can do would make Him love you more. Just imagine how much He loves you, Nathan.”

“I would just think of how much I love you and multiply it by, like, a million, but my teacher hasn’t taught us that yet.”

I laughed and hugged him.

Nathan prayed his bedtime prayers, thanking God for helping him understand his math a little bit better. And I thanked Him for the reminder that, no matter what, His love for us never changes.

Subscribe to Faith&Friends today!

Photo: © Ingimage.com

• inspiring true stories of hope and salvation • practical resources that will rejuvenate your spirit • uplifting articles that you can share with friends I want to: ❏ learn more about Jesus and how to be a Christian ❏ connect with a local Salvation Army branch ❏ ask for prayers for ❏ volunteer with The Salvation Army

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HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin BANANA BLUEBERRY PANCAKES TIME 15 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH maple syrup

Sudoku Puzzle

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

Answers on next page.

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2. Whisk in egg, mashed banana, milk and vanilla extract. Slowly stir in blueberries and allow to stand for 3 minutes.

3. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil or melt butter.

4. Pour ¼ of the batter on the skillet at a time and flip once the bottom of the pancake is browned, about 2 minutes on each side.

9 6

4

1

6 3

3

QUICK QUIZ 1. Who starred in High Noon, High Society and Rear Window?

2. What is the capital of Florida: Tampa, Tallahassee or Miami?

3. What Ontario city changed its name from Berlin in 1916?

1. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt in a medium-size bowl.

7 9

2 6

8 7

1

2

5

2

3 4

3

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Recipe photos: Erin Stanley/veganvirgin.ca

250 ml (1 cup) all purpose flour 60 ml (¼ cup) buckwheat flour 15 ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar 15 ml (1 tbsp) baking powder 7 ml (½ tbsp) cinnamon 3 ml (¾ tsp) sea salt 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 banana, mashed 250 ml (1 cup) milk 2 ml (½ tsp) vanilla extract 125 ml (½ cup) fresh or frozen blueberries 5 ml (1 tsp) oil or butter, or as needed

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

3 5 7 9 1 6 2

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3 9 6 2 8 4

5 6 4 2 3 8 7 1 9

7 2 8 1 9 4 5 3 6

4 7 2 8 6 1 9 5 3

3 8 6 9 2 5 4 7 1

9 5 1 3 4 7 6 2 8

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Grace Kelly; 2. Tallahassee; 3. Kitchener.

LATTE LUNGO MACCHIATO MAZAGRAN MOKA PERCOLATED PICCOLO POUR OVER RISTRETTO TURKISH VACUUMED VIENNA

4

CUBANO DECAF DOPPIO DRIP EISKAFFEE ESPRESSO FILTERED FLAT WHITE FRAPPÉ FRENCH PRESS GROUND KOPISUSU

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AFFOGATO AMERICANO BLACK BOMBÓN BORGIA BREWED CAFÉ AU LAIT CAFFEINE CA PHE SUA DA CAPPUCCINO COARSE CORTADO

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Faith&Friends

EVERYDAY ETHICS

Money Talks For every dollar a woman in Canada earns, a man earns $1.52, according to a 2016 report by the World Economic Forum. The report measures gender disparity around the world, focusing on four key areas: health, education, earning power and political representation. Out of 144 countries, Canada ranks 35th. The report also tracks progress toward gender equality over time. Based on the current rate of change, it will take 169 years for the world to close the economic gender gap.

Source: http://reports.weforum.org/ global-gender-gap-report-2016

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PM 40064794

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