Faith & Friends February 2020

The Trouble With Tribble

CATTY PROBLEMS P.5

Army Helps

MOPPING UP P.11

Road to Recovery

JASON’S STORY P.26

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

faithandfriends.ca

FEBRUARY 2020

Transplanted Love KEITH AND SHONA PIKE’S MARRIAGE VOWS TOOK ON DEEPER MEANING WHEN HE NEEDED A NEW KIDNEY. P.16

What are you wishing for this Valentine’s Day? A card? Chocolate? A diamond ring?

Cards grow dusty with age, and even diamonds lose their lustre.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love …

—Psalm 103:8, 11

God’s love, on the other hand, is forever. It can’t be bought and doesn’t come in a box. And best of all, it’s free for all who believe in Him.

To find out more about God’s love, visit our website (www.faithandfriends.ca), contact us at The Salvation Army Editorial Department, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto ON M4H 1P4 or visit your nearest Salvation Army church

February 2020

VOLUME 23 NUMBER 2

COMMON GROUND 5 No More Climbing the Walls

Is Joyce Starr Macias as bad as her cat?

BETWEEN THE LINES 8 Good Book Turned Bad?

Correcting misconceptions about the Bible.

BEYOND BORDERS

FEATURES

14

COVER STORY

16

22

8

11 Mopping Up

Why a workshop in the Bahamas is “the happiest part of The Salvation Army.”

Race Against Time

In 1917, two British soldiers are tasked with a daring mission. If they fail, hundreds will die.

Transplanted Love

Keith and Shona Pike’s marriage vows took on deeper meaning when he needed a new kidney.

The Red Geranium

When Jeanette Levellie was faced with her poor attitude, a surprise gift helped her change her ways.

SOMEONE CARES 26 The Journey of Change

The Salvation Army gave Jason the tools he needed to escape homelessness, poverty and addiction.

LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search.

31

NIFTY THRIFTY 31 Sweet Hearts

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Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

For the Long Haul

W

hen writer Kathy Nguyen submitted an article on the good work being done by The Salvation Army Adult Blind Centre and Workshop in Nassau, Bahamas, I immediately asked her if they had suffered any loss in the wake of Dorian, the category 5 hurricane that ripped through the island nation last September.

Fortunately, I learned that the facility had emerged intact.

I also found out that while other agencies had moved on, Army relief operations had adapted to meet the changing needs of the islands, with teams providing services in three main locationsNassau, Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands.

“The Salvation Army was in the Bahamas before this disaster, during this disaster and will remain here well after this disaster,” states Damaris Frick, deputy co-ordinator for The Salvation Army’s emergency services. “We are committed not only to providing immediate relief but are here for the long haul-for the recovery and reconstruction of life, infrastructure and livelihoods.”

Kathy’s article is on page 11.

Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll meet Majors Keith and Shona Pike, husband-and-wife Canadian Salvation Army pastors. When Keith needed a kidney transplant, Shona had no hesitation in offering one of hers.

“Now, we are proof positive we’re a match made in heaven,” smiles Keith.

The Pikes’ remarkable story is on page 16. On page 22, see how a simple red geranium was a reminder of grace for one pastor’s wife, and read all about the misadventures of Tribble, a cat with a weakness for flashlight beams, on page 5.

Ken Ramstead

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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

Brian Peddle, GENERAL Commissioner Floyd Tidd TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Lt-Colonel John P. Murray SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS Geoff Moulton, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ken Ramstead, EDITOR

Brandon Laird SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Hannah Saley DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST 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) 422-6217 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

COMMON GROUND

No More Climbing the Walls Am I as bad as my cat?

by Joyce Starr Macias

Photo: Eric Isselée/stock.Adobe.com

M

y cat, Tribble, rarely showed interest in store-bought toys, but he would literally climb the walls when chasing a flashlight beam.

I would start out tracing a pattern on the carpet, smiling at him as he went round and round after a light he could never catch because it was constantly moving out of his reach.

Tribble was part Maine Coon, which meant he was a pretty big boy long before he was full grown. Being so large, he was less than graceful in his leaps around the living room.

And his co-ordination was even

worse when he’d chase a light that I had aimed part way up the wall!

Up he’d go, paws flailing, never quite able to catch the evasive light.

I sometimes felt a little bad for teasing him that way, but I’d remind myself that an indoor cat needed exercise, whatever form it came in.

Guilty as Charged But it isn’t just cats who spend a good part of their time running in circles.

When I thought about his antics from a different point of view, I began to see that there were

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COMMON GROUND

I plead guilty to wasting an awful lot of time spinning my wheels when I could have used it much more productively. similarities between his behaviour and my own.

No, I didn’t run circles around the living room, nor did I climb the walls.

But I plead guilty to wasting an awful lot of time spinning my wheels when I could have used it much more productively.

Part of that is my tendency to be less than well-organized despite my occasional spurts of effort in that direction, usually after reading a how-to article or excerpts from books such as Organizing for Dummies.

No, my desk isn’t piled high with books and papers, but neither is it always what I’d call neat. And I can spend an awful lot of time looking for things around the house that aren’t where they are supposed to be.

My time-management skills aren’t too great, either. A one-hour project can so easily stretch into half a day, especially since I work from home where there’s always another load of laundry to throw into the machine or

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a magazine that’s itching to be read.

Focused Effort Part of the frustration I feel when I fall for these time-wasting habits stems from knowing that there’s a better way, and it’s found in a book that doesn’t give me a new formula for revamping my kitchen cabinets or my office.

The instruction book I need the most, especially on those “chasing the flashlight beam” days, is one that’s been around for centuries: the Bible.

The most important reason for reading it is that it helps me grow closer to God and more in touch with its advice about how to live.

The Bible contains advice that can precisely fit our needs, such as the verse that says, “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

It doesn’t stop there. The Bible also shows us how to approach life, as well as how to be more productive. We can look to verses

A Fine Feline Tribble at rest

such as, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In other words, you won’t have to waste time on paths that run every which way and don’t get you where you want to be.

Trust in God grows when we spend time in His Word and in talking to Him in prayer.

The times I’ve done that, ideas that save me time and effort just pop into my mind—things I had never thought about trying. And they always work!

Learning to trust God to guide my steps helps me focus on getting things done in “a fitting and orderly way.” I’m not perfect, for sure, but I like God’s way a whole lot better than behaving like a cat fruitlessly chasing a flashlight beam up the wall.

(left) Joyce Starr Macias is a retired newspaper reporter who lives in Apache Junction, Arizona, with her husband, Everett, who is a deacon at their church. As a freelance writer, her stories have been published in numerous Christian magazines and short-story collections.

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Faith&Friends

BETWEEN THE LINES

Good Book Turned Bad? Correcting misconceptions about the Bible.

by Andrew Stone

A

uthor Nick Page has a surprising opinion on what is arguably the best known book in the world.

“We’ve been told wrong things about the Bible,” he says. “We’ve been misinformed.

“For example,” he continues, “sometimes we’re given the impression that God wrote every word in it, but the Bible is the writing of many people across thousands of years.

“Some other Christians treat the Bible like it is God and end up worshipping it. But the Bible isn’t God—it was written and created by men.”

Bible by Committee Another problem Nick identifies is that people do not always realize that

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the Bible is a collection of writings.

“Because it is bound together, some people think the Bible is one book,” he explains. “The fact is, it wasn’t bound together until about 350 AD. Before then, some of it would have been on scrolls and some on codices, early forms of books.

“In a sense, we need to unbind it.

Then we would have more awareness that these are different books written by different authors.

“As well as being bound together, it is also translated by committees, which flattens all the voices so that it sounds like it has one author.

“For example, the final book of the Bible, Revelation, was written in extremely bad Greek, by someone for whom Greek was their second language. It’s a very important piece of

writing, but it would have been full of grammatical errors. You never find the grammatical errors in the translations, though—it’s always tidied up.”

Encountering God In an attempt to rectify such misconceptions, Nick has written The Badly Behaved Bible.

“The aim of the book is to come to the Bible and see what it actually is as a text,” he states. “We have to remember that it’s an ancient text, and its writers didn’t have the same categories of writing that we do. We go to it expecting the history parts to be our type of history. But the writers had no concept of writing history as we have.”

Nick makes his point by highlighting the first book of the Bible, Genesis, which has an account of God making the world in six days— something at odds with the scientific evidence of today.

“It doesn’t matter to me whether

or not everything in Genesis actually happened,” he disarmingly admits.

“Genesis is not a scientific treatise, so expecting it to be is wrong.

“The first two chapters of Genesis contain two different accounts of creation. The people who put Genesis together didn’t see any problem with including two accounts. So I don’t see that they were ever trying to deliver an absolute statement on how the earth was created.

“I see in Genesis primal stories about what it is to be human. Genesis tells us that human beings are made in the image of God. Now, that’s a massive statement, because it means that every human being is precious and unique.

“Genesis also talks about a God who has personal relationships— that’s a constant of the Bible in whatever part we’re reading, and I believe the Bible is a place where we can encounter God and begin a relationship with Him.”

Making Sense of Scripture “Genesis is not a scientific treatise,” says Nick Page, “so expecting it to be is wrong”

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BETWEEN THE LINES

“ It doesn’t matter to me whether or not everything in Genesis actually happened.” NICK PAGE Encountering God That was certainly Nick’s experience.

“The Bible has had a massive impact on my life,” he says, as he recalls his own conversion.

Having grown up in a Christian home, Nick drifted away from faith as a teenager and found a “different direction.” However, when he started university and felt homesick, he found himself turning to the Bible.

“For some reason, I read John’s Gospel. Previously, my impression of Jesus was of Him being slightly hippy, wandering around Galilee in His nightie, being meek and mild and with a lamb around His shoulders.

“But when I read John’s Gospel, a very different image leapt out at me.

It was someone who was challenging, rebellious and passionate. Jesus was someone who was deeply concerned for the poor and the excluded and was deeply against religions that

excluded people.

“After reading that, I thought that this was someone I could follow and give my life to. Since then, when I have read the Bible, verses have continued to leap out at me.”

It is because of the positive impact the Bible has had on his life that Nick hopes his book will encourage other people to read it and have their lives changed as a result.

“I talk about the Bible as being a place of encounter, a way in which God communicates with us,” he enthuses.

“I want people to realize that, if they read the Bible, they face the possibility that God may say something to them through its words and that their lives may be changed.

I think that’s an exciting way of viewing the Bible, and that’s what is so special about it.”

Reprinted from The War Cry (England), August 17, 2019

(left) Salvation Army Major Andrew Stone is the editor of the British War Cry.

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Faith&Friends

BEYOND BORDERS

Mopping Up Why a workshop in the Bahamas is “the happiest part of The Salvation Army.”

by Kathy Nguyen

Man at Work Blind since the age of 15, Desmond has been working at The Salvation Army Adult Blind Centre and Workshop in Nassau, Bahamas, for more than 25 years “ I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”–Isaiah 42:16

T

he Salvation Army has been a driving force in supporting blind and visually impaired individuals in Nassau, Bahamas, for decades. As in many societies around the world, there are little to no employment opportunities for people with visual impairments.

The Salvation Army Adult Blind Centre and Workshop was created to address this gap and, in doing so,

developed a program that teaches students vocational skills and helps them become employable.

At this workshop, students learn how to make brooms and cushions; how to use yarn-cutting machines; how to bundle and pack mops; and how to label them. Here, their visual impairments are not seen as limitations or roadblocks. Here, they are given something that they sparingly receive—opportunity.

Branded Hope “There was a need to create opportunities for people who are blind and visually impaired,” says

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BEYOND BORDERS

Cleaning Crew Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray, The Salvation Army's director of world missions, watches as Desmond and the rest of the workers assemble their mops

the manager of the mop factory, Sidney Albury. “Most people with disabilities would stay at home, idle and unproductive.

This workshop is a vital lifeline for them to have purpose and to earn a sustainable salary.”

These high-quality mops are sold all over the Bahamas. In hotels, government agencies, schools, cruise ships, business establishments and hardware stores, you’ll find a mop branded with the Salvation Army shield. The employees are compensated fairly, receiving aboveminimum wage and earning a commission for each mop sold.

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Positive Contribution This small but mighty factory employs six blind individuals who produce 300 mops every day.

With their strength of character and fast-paced workmanship, it is easy to forget that they are blind.

They exemplify what it means to be hard-working and dedicated.

Walk into the factory and you can see that they all work at a quick rhythm, never missing a beat.

You’ll find Ervens, the youngest, with earphones on, listening to music while plastering labels on each mop. Next to him, you’ll find Kendal bundling the mops in

All over the Bahamas—in hotels, government agencies, schools, cruise ships, business establishments and hardware stores—you’ll find a mop branded with the Salvation Army shield. sets of six. He hands them off to Elliot, who covers them in plastic.

Next to the yarn-cutting machine, you’ll see a man with sunglasses vigorously cutting the yarn into the necessary sizes and assembling the mop pieces. This is Desmond, the patriarch of this little family.

“At the age of 15, I went totally blind,” says Desmond. “Blind people have limited opportunities— not because we don’t have the abilities, but because society doesn’t understand that people who are blind or visually impaired are able to make a positive contribution.”

Desmond has been at this factory since 1994, with no signs of stopping. Every day for more than 25 years, he has enjoyed going to work, utilizing his skills, and enjoying the companionship and camaraderie with his co-workers and friends.

“We always say that this is the happiest part of The Salvation Army,” he says, grinning from ear to ear.

Setting an Example Nearly 60 years ago, Salvationists came together to address a profound need in society—a need to employ people who, though visually impaired, were willing and capable to join the workforce.

The Salvation Army Adult Blind Centre and Workshop provides more than just employment and productivity. This is also a place where vulnerable people are given fulfilment and a purpose.

“Our factory sets an example for what can and should be done for persons with disabilities in the rest of this country, and the world,” says Sidney.

(left) Kathy Nguyen is the office co-ordinator at The Salvation Army’s world missions department in Toronto.

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FEATURE

Race Against Time IN THE MOVIE 1917, IN THEATRES NOW, TWO BRITISH SOLDIERS ARE TASKED WITH A DARING MISSION. IF THEY FAIL, HUNDREDS WILL DIE.

Photo: Courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures

by Ken Ramstead

I

t’s the spring of 1917. For more than two years, German, British and French armies have been mired in unremitting trench warfare on the western front, where thousands of soldiers have perished in bloody attacks, and advances have been measured in metres.

When the Germans pull back to new positions on the Hindenburg Line, British forces seize the opportunity to prepare a massive 14 • FEBRUARY 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

assault that will end the war once and for all.

But the British troops are about to advance into a trap.

Aerial intelligence has revealed the bolstered German defences and uncovered the carefully laid trap.

With field communications knocked out, lance corporals Blake (DeanCharles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) are given the task of delivering the message and halting

the attack.

“If you fail,” says their commanding officer (Colin Firth), “it will be a massacre. Good luck.”

This is no walk in the park. The two soldiers have to navigate their way across the apocalyptic landscape of no man’s land—shattered trenches, foul mud, rats, decaying bodies strewn on rusted barbed wire, smoldering ruins, waterlogged shellholes—to deliver the all-important message.

The clock is ticking. If they fail, hundreds of men—including Blake’s own brother—will be slaughtered.

Mission Accomplished?

This is the life-and-death premise of 1917, the First World War movie directed by Sam Mendes, in theatres now.

The movie was inspired by the director’s grandfather, who published a memoir of his wartime experiences.

“From the very beginning I felt this movie should be told in real time,” Sam Mendes said in a behindthe-scenes featurette. “I wanted people to understand how difficult it was for these men. Every step of the journey, breathing every breath with these men, felt integral. And there is no better way to tell the story than with one continuous shot.”

Because this technique required the use of 360 degrees of each exterior, 1917 could only be shot using natural light, a process that made the shooting schedule entirely dependent on ideal weather condi-

tions. A five-minute window of the sun ducking behind clouds sent cast and crew scrambling into position.

“It was like a piece of theatre on every take,” actor George MacKay says. “Once you start, you can’t stop.

If something goes wrong, you just have to keep going.”

The shooting mirrored the plot of the movie itself. Blake and Schofield cannot stop despite the many obstacles in their path.

Neither moments of bravery nor horrific events are dwelled upon for the two soldiers. What matters is accomplishing their mission.

Run for Your Life Most of us will never be asked to undergo an arduous mission through enemy lines to save hundreds from certain death.

But that doesn’t mean that we lead uneventful lives. Our actions—or inactions—have consequences, even when we think no one is watching.

Like Blake and Schofield, Christians are also running a race, the race to stay true to God. Sometimes the path is uneven and temptations abound, and we stumble and fall. But what keeps us going is God’s abiding love. As the Apostle Paul said, “My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

KEITH AND SHONA PIKE ALWAYS TOOK THE “IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH” PART OF THEIR MARRIAGE VOWS SERIOUSLY, BUT NEVER MORE SO THAN WHEN KEITH NEEDED A NEW KIDNEY.

by Ken Ramstead

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Photo: Courtesy of National Recycling Operations

Canadians Across the Pond Majors Shona and Keith Pike are Salvation Army pastors currently stationed at International Headquarters in London, England

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COVER STORY

The Pause That Refreshes Keith receives a blood transfusion

THERE ARE AS MANY WAYS to celebrate Valentine’s Day as there are people to celebrate it, but few can match how Canadian Salvation Army pastors Majors Keith and Shona Pike spent February 14, 2018.

“I was in a hospital room being prepped to donate a kidney to my husband,” says Shona.

“When we met 39 years ago, I knew we were a pretty good match.

But now we have medical science to back up how compatible we are!”

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“Normal” “I tell people it was love at first sight for Shona,” smiles Keith, “but she doesn’t quite remember it that way.”

Both members of The Salvation Army, the 15-year-olds met while on an exchange trip between their respective church’s musical groups in 1980. They continued to correspond even after Keith’s pastor parents were transferred to Newfoundland and Labrador.

The friends lost track of each

other after some years but reconnected through a mutual friend.

Shona was attending university in Toronto, and the two started corresponding again. As it happened, Keith had some health concerns, which necessitated his journeying to Toronto for a consultation with a nephrologist in 1986.

The two stayed in touch, and romance blossomed.

“There was always a certain attraction,” says Keith, “and we connected on so many levels.”

“We also felt the same calling to ministry,” adds Shona.

Both trained to become Salvation Army pastors, she in Toronto and he in St. John’s, N.L. After commissioning, they were married in 1990.

Over the next 29 years, the Pikes were posted to various appointments throughout the country.

“And life was ...” starts Keith. “... normal,” finishes Shona.

Out of Time In early 2017, though, Keith’s doctor informed him that his healthy blood levels were beginning to decline, an indication that the kidney transplant he’d had in 1988 was failing.

Keith says, “I was thankful for the time I’d had with the first kidney,” which was donated by his brother, John. “The average lifespan for a transplanted organ is about 15 years, so I was fortunate it lasted almost 30.”

Of course, Keith’s doctors knew this would eventually occur, so the process of looking for a donor kidney began in earnest that summer.

Keith’s sister was an obvious transplant choice and began preliminary testing to donate her kidney.

She had to be excluded due to some complications that required further testing, which would take a year to rule out—time that Keith’s failing kidney did not have.

“ I wanted to be there for my husband.” SHONA PIKE

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COVER STORY

Ace in the Hole At around this time, Keith and Shona received orders transferring them to Salvation Army International Headquarters (IHQ) in London, England.

“IHQ knew that the transplant— when it happened—would be done in Canada, and they were willing for us to work remotely until it did,” explains Shona.

In the meantime, the couple had to undergo routine medical examinations in preparation for the move.

“I asked my doctor what my blood type was,” says Shona. “She didn’t know, but since they were doing all the blood work anyway, they’d find out.”

When the results came back, Shona discovered she had Type O, which meant she was a universal donor.

“Keith has Type B, so I could be considered as a donor for him.”

Mere curiosity did not prompt her request.

“We didn’t know at that time that his sister would be excluded,” Shona says, “but I wanted to be there for my husband.”

Safe for Surgery And so Shona began rigorous medical tests.

“I had to move through the testing and consultation phases and pass each one before they’d move me to the next,” says Shona. “Health questionnaires, blood tests, X-rays and 20 • FEBRUARY 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

scans. I was even interviewed by a social worker to make sure that I was mentally prepared to become a donor.”

In late 2017, Shona was cleared for surgery. An October transplant date was scheduled but just as the couple was leaving the hospital after the pre-op appointment, Keith’s specialist called.

“We have to put the surgery on hold,” he told them.

Keith’s hemoglobin levels had dropped to a point where there was a danger in performing the surgery.

“We were devastated,” he says.

Rigorous testing determined that Keith’s body had built up resistance to one of the anti-rejection medications that helped him produce hemoglobin.

As a result, Keith needed regular transfusions while the specialists sought out which medication was the culprit, but each transfusion ran the risk of building up antibodies to Shona’s blood.

Hard as it was to hear this news, the Pikes continued to trust the wisdom of the medical team and God for the best possible results for Keith’s long-term health.

Fortunately, once the problem medication was discovered, Keith’s hemoglobin levels improved to a level considered safe for surgery.

A Gift of New Life A tentative date was set for March 2018 when Shona and Keith received

a call from their donor co-ordinator, asking them if they would be available for a surgery date of February 14, due to a cancellation on the surgery schedule. The couple was thrilled.

“We’d been waiting for God to answer our prayers and then all of a sudden things just started moving forward,” says Shona. “We had less than a week to prepare for a Valentine’s Day surgery.”

Keith was admitted to the hospital on the evening of the 13th to prep.

Shona came in the next morning and was taken right into the operating room.

The same doctor performed both three-hour surgeries, one after the other.

“I was out of the hospital after

three days, while Keith was in for 10,” says Shona.

“We experienced an overwhelming sense of God’s peace and protection on the journey, and we’re grateful for the gift of new life.”

Stronger Together Still stationed in the United Kingdom, the Pikes are an important part of the IHQ team in the youth and children department.

And in terms of their relationship, the transplant made a strong marriage even stronger.

“We took the ‘for better or for worse, in sickness and in health’ part of our marriage vows very seriously,” says Keith.

“We discovered that when you love somebody, it means sharing all of life,” says Shona. “It means the good days, the challenging days, the unexpected journeys, everything. This was certainly our experience, but we knew that whatever happened, we were going to be stronger together.”

Three Kidneys, Two Transplants John Pike (left) donated one of his kidneys to his brother, Keith. When that one failed after almost 30 years, Shona stepped in faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2020

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FEATURE

The Red Geranium

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WHEN I WAS FACED WITH MY POOR ATTITUDE, A SURPRISE GIFT HELPED ME CHANGE MY WAYS.

by Jeanette Levellie

A

s my husband, Kevin, and I started our afternoon walk from our house across the parking lot of the church he pastors, the air exploded with angry voices.

At the entrance to our church, a pickup truck and a van faced each other. The air above their heads turned blue with embarrassment as a young man and a 40ish woman exchanged obscenities.

I raised my voice another notch.

“If you don’t leave right now, I’m calling the police!” That’s when the woman stepped forward.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I’m his mom, and he just ran out of gas.

Now, I’m going to have to go into town and then bring it all the way back here to him!”

Now I was not only irritated but appalled. What kind of mother

Photo: womue/stock.Adobe.com

Now I was not only irritated but appalled. What kind of mother screams at her son like that? JEANETTE LEVELLIE The closer Kevin and I came to the two, the worse their language seemed to become. My boss had chewed me out earlier that day and I was not in the mood to listen to another shouting match. I marched closer and yelled over the din, “Can you please take your fight somewhere else? We don’t want to hear it!”

The young man faced me and said, “Sorry,” but immediately resumed his fight. I don’t usually holler at strangers. But after all, they were in front of our church only a few metres from the highway. What will people think?

screams at her son like that? I wanted these people and their nasty words out of my space, and now.

“Well, you need to take your fight elsewhere, because there is no excuse for your language,” I volleyed back. Finally, they drove away in the mom’s van, leaving the pickup in front of the church.

Act of Contrition As Kevin and I walked, I began to think more clearly. My outrage moved out to make room for embarrassment.

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FEATURE

Photo: Juanmonino/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Faith&Friends

love with those two,” I told Kevin, feeling the heat of shame creep up my neck. “Do you think I should write a note apologizing for my outburst, and leave it on the truck?”

“Yes, it would be good to say you’re sorry you lost your temper.”

I made my note simple: “I apologize for being so hard on you earlier. I hope you got the help you need.” Then I signed my first name and taped the note to the pickup’s windshield.

The next morning when I went to the church building to pray, I found a two-page letter taped to the door and a potted red geranium on the porch.

In the letter, the mother apologized 24 • FEBRUARY 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

profusely for the day before. They were in the process of moving, she explained, she’d worked a 5:30 a.m. shift that day, and her son hadn’t shown up to help them pack.

“Then I saw him parked in your church parking lot, out of gas,” she had written. “That’s when I pulled over and gave him a piece of my mind and you saw me and my son yelling at each other. I try to be a good person every day. I ask for a forgiving heart and patience to get me through the day. But today I was weak and you witnessed it.”

She ended by saying how ashamed she was for her behaviour and

that my note on her son’s windshield helped her get through the rest of the day. Then she signed it, “I’m leaving this flower for you as a thank-you. With all my love, Candy.”

Sharing Grace I gazed down at the red geranium, feeling about as low as the dirt in

which it was planted. I was a pastor’s wife; I had no excuse for yelling at Candy and her son, just because they were screaming at each other in my earshot.

What kind of hypocrite am I? I asked God. Instead of telling them to take their fight elsewhere, I should have asked them how we might help them. That would have shown Your heart of kindness to them—not given them the idea that Christians are too good to listen to swear words.

I prayed for Candy’s family, that their move would go smoothly, that God would bless their relationships with each other, and that somehow they’d discover Jesus loves them and wants to help them, in spite of my poor example.

I wondered where to plant the geranium. I chose the planter under the church sign, hoping that Candy might drive by and see it. Then she’d know I accepted her apology and appreciated her gift.

But the red geranium wasn’t only for Candy. I, too, needed this bright reminder that God’s grace is deeper than my sin and shame. And since I never know what kind of day someone is having, I need to remember to share that grace with them.

(left) Author of five books and hundreds of published articles, Jeanette Levellie and her husband make their home in Paris, Illinois.

Jeanette’s hobbies include spoiling her three grandchildren, pampering her cats and inventing new ways to avoid housework. Find her splashes of hope and humour at www.jeanettelevellie.com. faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2020

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Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

The Journey of Change The Salvation Army gave Jason the tools he needed to escape homelessness, poverty and addiction.

by June Li

F

or more than two decades, Jason called the streets his home. Things went from bad to worse when he began experimenting with drugs. He became addicted to narcotics, and soon his life went on a downward spiral.

Ticket to Ride Looking for some peace and solace, Jason visited The Salvation Army.

26 • FEBRUARY 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

“Whenever I wanted a break from my insane world, I would visit the Vancouver Harbour Light,” says Jason. What began as a temporary visit soon turned into something much bigger. Jason enrolled in Harbour Light’s treatment program, which treats addiction through education, group therapy and oneon-one counselling.

After three months, Jason

“ I went back to where my roots were, and that place was The Salvation Army Gateway.” JASON completed the program. “I disconnected from the outside world, which is what I needed, and in August 2014, I walked out of Harbour Light for the last time as I successfully completed the program.”

Though Jason was now sober, he had nowhere to go. For those who have experienced chronic homelessness, finding safe and stable housing can be difficult. Looking for assistance, Jason contacted his outreach worker, and was given a ticket back home to Toronto.

With $30 in his pocket and a backpack full of food, Jason embarked on his new journey.

Breaking the Cycle “When I arrived in Toronto, I went back to where my roots were, and that place was The Salvation Army Gateway.”

Jason soon registered in the Gateway’s intensive case management program, which focuses on housing and building supports around the individual and their needs.

“The model we use is called CTI, also known as Critical Time Intervention,” says Josh McClement,

case manager at the Gateway. “This model uses the journey of change, which moves someone from being stuck in an area of life to being independent.”

Through stable housing and extended support, this program strives to help individuals stay housed and break the cycle of homelessness.

Life Today Today, Jason is enrolled at Ryerson University, has sustainable income and has been housed at the Gateway for more than a year after being displaced due to high rent increases.

“I’m not the only homeless postsecondary student at Gateway or at any other shelter in the city,” he says.

“Thanks to Gateway, I have a roof over my head.”

“We have seen some amazing changes in Jason as he has gone through his journey,” says Josh. “He has worked very hard and deserves all the credit for his success in this program.”

“I often wonder how I got here,” says Jason. “The Gateway gave me the tools I needed to escape from poverty and addiction.”

faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2020

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin CHICKEN ENCHILADAS TIME 1 hr 20 min MAKES 6 servings SERVE WITH salsa and sour cream

Recipe photo: Erin Stanley

Filling:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves 60 ml (¼ cup) onion 1 garlic clove, diced 250 ml (1 cup) green pepper 540 ml (18 oz) black beans 15 ml (1 tbsp) chili powder 5 ml (1 tsp) cumin 5 ml (1 tsp) vegetable seasoning Enchilada Sauce:

1. Preheat oven to 175 C (350 F).

2. In medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until juices run clear and it is no longer pink. Add onion, garlic and pepper, and cook until soft. Add black beans, chili powder, cumin and vegetable seasoning. If mixture appears dry, add water or chicken broth. Set aside.

Enchilada Sauce:

1. In medium pot over medium heat, melt butter until bubbling, then whisk in flour to thicken. Stir frequently for a couple of minutes.

2. Pour in crushed tomatoes and salsa.

Stir until thickened.

3. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano, and cook together over mediumhigh heat for a few minutes. Whisk in vinegar, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

45 ml (3 tbsp) butter 45 ml (3 tbsp) flour 500 ml (2 cups) crushed tomatoes 45 ml (3 tbsp) salsa 15 ml (1 tbsp) chili powder 5 ml (1 tsp) cumin 2 ml (½ tsp) garlic powder Assembly: 2 ml (½ tsp) onion powder 1. Pour one third of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 22 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in.)

5 ml (1 tsp) oregano baking dish.

5 ml (1 tsp) vinegar 2. Fill and roll each tortilla, placing in 5 ml (1 tsp) fresh lime juice dish seam side down until mixture is salt and pepper to taste gone.

3. Top with remaining enchilada sauce 6 large tortillas and cover with cheese.

175 ml (¾ cup) mozzarella 4. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes and cheese, grated then broil at 205 C (400 F) for a few 1 avocado minutes to allow the cheese to bubble. fresh cilantro to taste 5. Top with avocado and fresh cilantro.

28 • FEBRUARY 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

Volunteering to Recovery

KEVIN’S STORY P.26

Hope for the Bahamas

THE ARMY HELPS P.8

Just Mercy Movie

NOT GUILTY? P.14

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

faithandfriends.ca

JANUARY 2020

More in Store

WHEN A SALVATION ARMY THRIFT STORE WAS THREATENED WITH CLOSURE, THE COMMUNITY RALLIED TO SAVE IT. P.16

Subscribe to Faith&Friends

• inspiring true stories of hope and salvation • practical resources that will rejuvenate your spirit • uplifting articles that you can share with friends

Visit faithandfriends.ca/subscribe or call (416) 422-6119 today!

Sudoku Puzzle

7

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

3

QUICK QUIZ 1. Who was Robin Hood’s true love?

2. Who is the god of love in Roman mythology?

3. What does the “X” in “XOXO” stand for, hugs or kisses?

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© www.kevinfrank.net

HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

Answers on next page.

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faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2020

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Word Search Shakespeare’s “Star-Cross’d Lovers” R E H H Y E I Q Y O J C H H K B T H Q X P P J C A S J H I T X I X C B I Z W D O X J R U F W P T R E O A C S V S L I T A L Y G E L E U D L P Y J G U K E S I R A P T N U O C A U L U T I M Y E P I H S T R U O C R L T Z Q C L T U O M H U N O N O G A E U V P I L Y G I M F L F Y E Y B N T M A O D F B A L T H A S A R M S F E U D L E I A T O E L C P A E C O H U A K J N R L N V S E S C S H J N R G T M X I S T O N N G E S A W F N G O B C T L T L M E T H E N U R S E P L M I W A F I O B T N C Q U A R T O O C E N S O S M O G E N H O J R A I R F P G O L Z P E G A I R R A M F S P M C F R I A R L A U R E N C E G O O E B A N O R E V S G P E C T G G N D B Y APOTHECARY BALCONY SCENE BALL BALTHASAR BENVOLIO CAPULET CHANCE COUNT PARIS COURTSHIP CRYPT DAGGER ELEGY

FATE FEUD FIRST FOLIO FRIAR JOHN FRIAR LAURENCE ITALY JULIET LOVE MARRIAGE MERCUTIO MESSENGER MONTAGUE

POISON PRINCE ESCALUS PROLOGUE QUARTO ROMEO ROSALINE SONNET SUICIDE THE NURSE TIME TYBALT VERONA

30 • FEBRUARY 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Maid Marian; 2. Cupid; 3. kisses 4

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Faith&Friends

NIFTY THRIFTY

Sweet Hearts Make your loved one a thrifty gift for Valentine’s Day. Looking for the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day? Show your loved ones or friends how much you care with a sweet, love-infused present by restyling a thrifted Mason jar.

Supplies Needed: Mason jar, duct tape, sponge brush, acrylic paint, Mod Podge, sandpaper, chocolates, fabric, elastic bands, cord or ribbon.

Step 1 Score a Mason jar and some fabric from your local Salvation Army thrift store. Wash the jar. Use duct tape to create a heart shape and stick it to the front of the jar.

Step 2 Cover the outside of the jar with pink or red acrylic paint. I used silver paint for the first coat, then added 2-3 coats of pink on top.

Allow paint to dry between coats.

Step 3 Once paint dries, carefully remove the heart. Softly sand the paint to give it a shabby-chic finish.

Dust off the paint powder, then add a coat of Mod Podge to seal the finish.

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Step 4 Fill the jar with chocolates.

Cut a square of fabric to use as a lid. Secure the fabric with elastic bands. Add a ribbon or cord for decoration.

(left) Denise Corcoran (aka Thrifty By Design) is an author, upcycler, community builder and workshop facilitator based in North Vancouver. She shares her enthusiasm for crafting and upcycling by facilitating “Crafternoons” throughout Vancouver. She is also a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s thrift stores.

Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.

faithandfriends.ca I FEBRUARY 2020

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PM 40064794

For address changes or subscription information contact (416) 422-6119 or circulation@can.salvationarmy.org. Allow 4-6 weeks for changes.