Faith & Friends March 2019

A Pachyderm’s Problem

DUMBO MOVIE P.8

Trouble at Work

My Brother’s Keeper

HUGGING IT OUT P.10 JAMES & THE ARMY P.13

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

faithandfriends.ca

MARCH 2019

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

ICONIC FIGURE SKATERS TALK ABOUT WINNING OLYMPIC GOLD AND SUPPORTING THE SALVATION ARMY. P.16

“ You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing Your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise You forever.”—Psalm 30:11-12 Do you ever have days when everything seems to go wrong? From time to time, life can throw us a curve ball— something unexpected happens.

It might be trivial, or it might cause great concern, especially if it relates to people or relationships. If we have somehow hurt someone or they have hurt us, it’s hard to focus on anything else and a kind of darkness can envelop us.

We cry out, thinking we can’t bear it.

The torment and grief are far too great.

When unpleasant things happen— causing us grief, sorrow or heartache— God wants us to call out to Him, for He is there for us. It’s then God comes, bringing peace, comfort and healing for our broken spirit.

And with time, we can lift ourselves up—even to the point of praising God and expressing our joy in Him. To learn more about how to praise God, email us at faithandfriends@can. salvationarmy.org or visit your local Salvation Army church.

Beverly A. Ivany, Words of Life May-August 2018, London, England

Lifted Up

March 2019

VOLUME 22 NUMBER 3

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GOD IN MY LIFE 5 Prayer in a Prison Cell

Beaten down by life, Kathleen Metzger changed direction when she met The Salvation Army.

FAITH BUILDERS 8 A Pachyderm’s Predicament

Dumbo reminds us that—big or small— God loves us just the way we are.

COMMON GROUND 10 Hugging It Out

A simple gesture bridged the gap between two co-workers.

FEATURES

13

COVER STORY

16

22

My Brother’s Keeper

When James’ meth addiction nearly drove him mad, The Salvation Army stepped in.

Hearts of Gold

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir on winning the Olympics, finding hope in hardship and supporting the Army.

God and the Giant Veggies

Do miracles happen? Ask the good people of Almolonga.

LITE STUFF 24 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search.

SOMEONE CARES

Cover photo: Greg Kolz

27 Faint-Hope Strategy

Thanks to The Salvation Army, Zach Scott-Pershaw is above the rest.

NIFTY THRIFTY

27

31 Build a Basic Wardrobe

Start fresh without breaking the bank.

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Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

All About James

J

ennifer Venner thought she knew all about her brother James’ addiction and recovery, but she gained new insights when she interviewed him for the article on page 13 in this month’s Faith & Friends.

“I wasn’t sure how James would feel about it—he doesn’t like to talk about those years anymore— so I was pleased when he agreed,” she says. “It was tremendously uplifting to hear him talk about his experiences with such gratitude, even wonder.”

Jennifer found out that James has never been surprised when good things happened to him, when people appeared just when he needed them, when he found the strength to keep going.

“Miracles for me were commonplace,” he told her.

“He’s maintained faith in something greater than himself through some difficult years,” Jennifer relates. “One thing I didn’t know was that he almost relapsed when he got out of jail in 2011.

In fact, he was on his way to get high when a good friend from the Salvation Army rehab pulled up in his car and asked what he was doing, just as James was walking by the facility itself! While he lied to his friend, James considered that a sign, turned around and entered the facility, spending three months there. He’s been clean ever since.

He considers it another of those ‘miracles’ that saved him from going back to that terrible life.”

Miracles abound in this month’s Faith & Friends. Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll see how a prison prayer turned Kathleen Metzger around from abuse and addiction, and you’ll read how Zach Scott-Pershaw transformed his life of alcoholism to one of sobriety with the help of The Salvation Army.

Ken Ramstead 4 • MARCH 2019 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

Brian Peddle, GENERAL Commissioner Susan McMillan TERRITORIAL COMMANDER

Lt-Colonel John P. Murray 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) 422-6217 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

GOD IN MY LIFE

Prayer in a Prison Cell Beaten down by life, Kathleen Metzger changed direction when she met The Salvation Army.

Photo: © AZemdega/iStock.com

by Kimberly McIntyre

I

“

thought my life was too damaged to ever begin again,” says Kathleen Metzger.

At the time of her incarceration in 2016—the eighth in three years for assault and disturbing the peace—she was suffering from severe alcohol withdrawal.

“My world had collapsed, and felt real and unreal at the same time,” she says.

Kathleen was beaten down by the alcohol and the lifestyle she was living.

“I thought I was degraded, demoralized and worthless as a person. I was unlovable. I was desperate,” she recalls.

“If there was a God, it was now that I needed Him.” So Kathleen fell to her knees in prayer, right there in her prison cell.

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GOD IN MY LIFE

Photo: © AZemdega/iStock.com

Faith&Friends

The Breaking Point Kathleen’s life journey had been a challenging one. As a teenager, she dropped out of middle school and suffered sexual abuse. “I lost one child and the two that I had became Crown wards; I would not see them again until they were adults themselves,” she says.

“I was alone and spent time only with others who drank as I did and lived as I lived.”

Despite all this, Kathleen often turned to God in prayer as best as she knew how.

“I always felt God was near but just out of my reach somehow.”

To compound matters, Kathleen faced a multitude of physical and mental health issues.

She developed a tumour in 2015 that required a year of radiation

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therapy and surgery. She also dealt with homelessness after losing her apartment due to her repeated incarceration.

“Worse, my husband and I were separated. He’d even taken my dog because I was so irresponsible.”

After being incarcerated in the fall of 2016, Kathleen hit her breaking point.

“I had a broken heart,” she says.

“I was afraid of life, but I was even more afraid to die.”

That was when she got down on her knees and prayed.

Message of Hope “Where are you, God? Please come into my life and change my heart,” she pleaded.

Within days of that prayer, against all odds, changes started to

“ I was afraid of life, but I was even more afraid to die.” KATHLEEN METZGER occur in Kathleen’s life.

She was offered a spot in a sixmonth rehabilitation program, ahead of a long wait list, and she was released from prison within the week to attend it.

“While I was in treatment, I was able to focus on making a new beginning for myself and formed a foundation for recovery,” she says.

Kathleen knew she needed a place where she could feel safe and have around-the-clock support in order to be successful in her day-to-day recovery. That was when she learned about The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light and its many programs.

Once Kathleen completed her time in the rehabilitation program, she moved to the Harbour Light transitional housing facility in Toronto. While there, she attended college and took English and creative writing courses.

One of the staff at Harbour Light was a former English professor and encouraged Kathleen in her writing.

She is now writing her memoirs.

“I know God brought me to Harbour Light and is leading me toward my destiny of doing His will,” she says. “I regularly meet with my case worker, who listens to my concerns and helps provide direction when I need it. The people here have been a blessing and I am forever grateful to The Salvation Army and Harbour Light.

“I’m being led down a path to share a message of hope, and to be an example of that.”

Kathleen is loving her life. She is thriving in her college program and continues to grow in her faith.

“With perseverance and hard work, and by surrounding myself with positivity and positive people,” she concludes, “anything can happen.”

(left) Kimberly McIntyre is the development co-ordinator at The Salvation Army’s Booth University College in Winnipeg.

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Faith&Friends

FAITH BUILDERS

A Pachyderm’s Predicament Dumbo, in theatres now, reminds us that—tall or short, big or small—God loves us just the way we are.

Disney’s Dumbo revisits the 1941 animated film of the same name

I

n 1941, Walt Disney released the animated classic Dumbo. Dumbo tells the story of a young circus elephant who is ridiculed for his enormous ears. But thanks to a kindly mouse and a “magic” feather, Dumbo discovers that his giant ears serve a unique purpose.

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This month, theatregoers will be treated to a new, live-action version of the film. In it, Max Medici (Danny DeVito) plays the owner of a struggling circus. He enlists the help of a former circus star (Colin Farrell) and his children to care for a baby elephant who is the laughingstock

Photo: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

by Diane Stark

of the circus because of his giant ears. But the discovery that Dumbo can fly breathes new life into the struggling circus. This comeback attracts the interest of entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who purchases Dumbo for his theme park, Dreamland. There Dumbo performs his high-flying act to cheering crowds, but Dreamland is not the haven it seems.

aren’t good enough the way we are.

But no matter what the world says about us, God made us exactly how we are supposed to be. Psalm 139:13-14 says, “For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And even more than that, Genesis 1:27 says that God created us in His own image.

So often, people tell us that there’s something wrong with us, that we aren’t good enough.

Will the lifelong bullying he’s endured prevent Dumbo from reaching his potential? Or will he finally recognize that being different from the other elephants is actually a gift?

Right With Us Every one of us has something we wish we could change about ourselves. Some of us wish we were taller, or thinner, or had differentcoloured hair. (Some of us may even wish for the days when we had hair!)

Maybe, like Dumbo, we wish we had smaller ears.

So often, people tell us that there’s something wrong with us, that we

We are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image, and He loves us just as we are. He created us with unique attributes for a very specific purpose. He has a job for each one of us to do, and He gave us the exact qualities we need to complete the work He has for us.

When people criticize us, we can remember that we serve an audience of one. We don’t need to worry what the world says about us as long as we are doing the job our heavenly Father has given us to do.

And God’s not sitting in the audience cheering us on. He’s right beside us, helping us every step of the way.

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Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

Hugging It Out A simple gesture bridged the gap between two co-workers.

Photos: © Flamingo Images/stock.Adobe.com

by Jeanette Levellie

S

unny. That was her name. But her disposition was more like a tsunami.

Sunny had been secretary to a bank president and was proud of it.

After retirement, she volunteered for several non-profit organizations, one of them being the senior-citizen centre where I worked as office administrator.

Whenever I saw her return

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address in an email at work, I took a deep breath and prayed for wisdom. She nitpicked over the way I formatted a memo, made unreasonable demands on my time and wrote multi-page explanations of why she needed a flyer designed in a particular manner.

Since Sunny was the volunteer who put in the most hours taking the seniors on field trips and

Oh, dear, I thought. Sunny did not seem like a hugger to me. JEANETTE LEVELLIE organizing fundraisers, the board of directors was reluctant to admonish her. Oh, they knew she’d caused grief for the former administrator, but they asked me to tolerate her quirks and do the best I could to keep the peace.

I knew Sunny to be a person of faith and did my best to treat her kindly. I acquiesced to her requests, chatted with her when she popped into my office and treated her in the same pleasant manner as I treated the other volunteers. I also asked God to help me practise His command to “be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3).

A Rough Year But after two years of Sunny’s shenanigans, I’d had enough.

“If I ever quit, she’ll be the reason why,” I confided to a co-worker.

One afternoon, Sunny came into the centre. A few minutes later as I passed her in the hall, a familiar

voice whispered low in my heart, “Give her a hug.”

Oh, dear, I thought. Sunny did not seem like a hugger to me.

But I knew that voice. I also knew that if I listened to it, I wouldn’t regret it. So I turned around, walked over to Sunny and said, “Can I give you a hug?”

Sunny opened her arms wide, grinned and crushed me in an affectionate embrace. And to my great surprise, I found myself saying, “I love you.”

Oh, well, I mused. I guess you can love someone and not like them too well.

“Thank you for that,” Sunny said, her eyes pooling with tears. “This has not been the best year for me.

Two years ago, my doctor diagnosed me with clinical depression. I thought retirement might ease some of the darkness, but it hasn’t.”

Her voice cracked as she related how her family didn’t understand what she was going though. “My sister, Coral, who’s always been my best friend, asked me recently what I was upset about. She doesn’t get

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Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

it that depression isn’t about your circumstances; it’s what’s going on in the chemistry of your brain.” Her shoulders sagged as she admitted that she’d been irritable lately. “I think the medicine they have me on has lost its effectiveness. I may need to get my prescription changed.”

Creating a Change Now it was my turn to tear up. I grasped Sunny’s hand and said, “Let’s pray right now.” I poured out my heart to God, asking Him to take pity on Sunny and give her the answers she needed.

When I finished, she thanked me for listening and praying. Walking back to my office, I marvelled at God’s timing. He knew I needed to see that Sunny was just like me, with

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hurts, disappointments and bruises on her heart.

After that day, I noticed a shift in Sunny’s attitude: she was more appreciative of tasks I did to help her and a bit less demanding.

But the real change took place in my heart. Because I viewed Sunny with more compassion, my ire didn’t rise as easily when she corrected my emails or asked me to create detailed memos. I no longer gritted my teeth when Sunny walked into the room. I enjoyed her company and even found myself praying for God to give her release from the torment of depression.

I can’t take credit for this soul transformation. Only God can create such a change. Sometimes, He uses a hug to do it.

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

My Brother’s Keeper

WHEN JAMES’ METH ADDICTION NEARLY DROVE HIM MAD, THE SALVATION ARMY STEPPED IN.

by Jennifer Venner

Photos: Kristin Ostensen

Safe Space “From the age of about 26 to 29, The Salvation Army was basically my home,” says James

J

ames is a tall, seriouslooking man who sells bread at a Toronto market. He’s friendly and knowledgeable and his customers love him.

But if you had told James 10 years ago that he would someday be sober and have a steady job, he would have said: “That can’t be me. I only make bad decisions.”

Clean Break James is my youngest brother. From

1994 to 2008, my family and I were helpless to intervene as he chased his coloured dragons: green marijuana, white crack, black opiates, red meth.

Addiction is an illness, and one of its symptoms is poor judgment.

James spent almost 15 years making the worst mistakes of his life. He lived with drug dealers, was jailed multiple times for petty theft and breaking probation, and slept in shelters or on the street. faithandfriends.ca I MARCH 2019

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Though he used them for their connections to drugs, James never fit in among the criminals in the underworld of London, Ont. More than anything, drugs isolated him from everyone, and when his meth addiction finally drove him to the edge of psychosis, he sought the people at The Salvation Army for comfort.

“I was using The Salvation Army as a resource for everything, including the running dialogue I had in my head, the insanity I was suffering,” he

at The Salvation Army in Windsor, Ont. He needed a complete break from his former life if he was to have any chance of staying clean.

Little Brother/Big Brother James had never attended a rehab meeting, and was surprised to learn that other people shared his experiences. They were all “reaching back into reality” and confronting their own bad decisions, James says, and suddenly he didn’t feel so alone anymore.

James needed a complete break from his former life if he was to have any chance of staying clean. JENNIFER VENNER says. “From the age of about 26 to 29, The Salvation Army was basically my home. I knew all the staff members.”

However, James was using drugs the entire time because he’d convinced himself that his lifestyle was a choice.

Though his childhood had been stable, he’d been estranged from our family since he was 14.

“I’d never seen what it’s like to live a well-structured life, other than jail,” he says now.

Finally, after years of cycling through his addictions, James took an offer of a ride to a detox in Thamesville, Ont. There, he was well cared for and agreed to go to rehab 14 • MARCH 2019 I faithandfriends.ca

During that time, he experienced a spiritual awakening. “I felt like the good choices I made were not choices I was making on my own,” he says now. “The more I focused on the idea that I was getting help from something bigger than myself, the more serenity I found in life.”

Our family’s reunion with James was at that Salvation Army facility in Windsor. The once suspicious and belligerent kid was now cheerful, hopeful. He had a plan for his future.

He’d made friends. We had never seen James so focused. He seemed illuminated from within. Recovery had given him a sense of identity and

Standing Together The author with James. “For a time after I’d divorced my husband and struggled with alcohol myself, my baby brother became my big brother,” Jennifer Venner says

that, in turn, gave him the confidence to make more good choices.

James had setbacks, including one relapse and a diagnosis of hepatitis C, but by the time he moved to Toronto in 2013, he was ready for new challenges. He enrolled at Seneca College and got top marks, graduating in civil engineering.

For a time after I’d divorced my husband and struggled with alcohol myself, James lived with me and gave me support. My baby brother became my big brother.

The Man He Is James has just celebrated his 40th birthday and has been clean since 2011. My kids don’t remember the

shadowy man who once haunted The Salvation Army in London.

Their uncle is warm and kind, with a generous spirit.

James knows why he is the way he is.

“The world is not an easy place to live and so I do my best,” he says.

“Every day when I interact with other people, there’s a shared kinship with my workmates and my friends and my family.”

The Salvation Army gave James the space in which to be open and vulnerable, where he could accept help, from people and God alike.

With that support and guidance, he made the right choices to become the man he is today. faithandfriends.ca I MARCH 2019

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Hearts of Gold

TESSA VIRTUE AND SCOTT MOIR ON WINNING THE OLYMPICS, FINDING HOPE IN HARDSHIP AND SUPPORTING THE SALVATION ARMY.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are legends in their sport. With five Olympic medals—including two golds at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang—and many other titles, they are the most decorated Canadian ice dance team of all time. Yet their path to victory was not always so smooth.

In December, Tessa and Scott headlined two Hope in the City fundraising events for The Salvation Army in Victoria and Vancouver.

Staff writer Kristin Ostensen spoke to them in Vancouver about overcoming adversity, supporting The Salvation Army and why, after 21 years, they’re still better together.

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How does it feel to be back in Vancouver, where you first won Olympic gold in 2010?

Tessa: It never ceases to amaze me

how special it feels coming back.

We’ve had so many significant moments here.

Scott: The city and the country really came together. We were so proud to be Canadian during those two weeks, and during the Paralympics as well, because of the volunteers.

They made all the difference.

Tessa: In both Sochi and Pyeongchang, there were Canadians donning their blue coats [worn by volunteers at the 2010 Games], still showing their support and so proud to have contributed to that Olympic experience. That’s what set the tone

Photo: Greg Kolz

CANADIAN FIGURE SKATERS

Moulin Rouge Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue perform their gold medal-winning free dance routine at the 2018 Winter Olympics

Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Photo: Jill Fitz Hirschbold

Kettle Campaigners Tessa and Scott ring the kettle bells at The Salvation Army’s Hope in the City event in Victoria

for the 2010 Games—the way we welcomed the world and showcased what it means to be Canadian.

Despite your incredible success, you’ve also faced a lot of adversity—especially, Tessa, dealing with years of debilitating leg injuries, and Scott, losing your best friend in 2016. How did you find hope in those circumstances?

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Tessa: We’ve been fortunate to have

been surrounded by a great network of people who always believed in us and offered that safety net. In your lowest lows, you need to rely on others and find hope. That’s such a great word. I think it epitomizes what The Salvation Army offers so many people, but it’s also something we all need in our daily lives.

Hope epitomizes what The Salvation Army offers so many people, but it’s also something we all need in our daily lives. TESSA VIRTUE Scott: There are people who are

a lot worse off and don’t have the opportunities that we’ve had, who are dealing with not having human necessities. That’s the hope The Salvation Army delivers—shelter, food and so on. So it’s hard to talk about our hardships. But leaning on each other is what makes us human.

When I was going through the hardest thing in my life—my best friend passing away—I leaned on my other best friend. I relied on Tessa and she carried us through—“Get on my shoulders and here we go.”

Not literally because that wouldn’t work very well. (laughs) Tessa: We tried that move. (laughs) Given the challenges you faced, how did it feel to win gold again in Pyeongchang?

Tessa: That was the goal. But when

we got on the plane to Pyeongchang, we felt we had already won because we had done everything in our power to prepare. During the two

years leading up to the Games, every moment, every fibre of our beings was focused on winning. And when you invest that much in something and commit yourself fully, that’s the rewarding part—the process of it. It’s not just that fleeting moment when you stand on the podium and receive your medal. As special as that may be, that’s the cherry on the cake.

Do you have any personal experiences with The Salvation Army?

Tessa: Of course, it’s synonymous

with Christmas. My parents were supporters of The Salvation Army in London, Ont., and the kettle campaign was always something that we made sure to contribute to and be a part of. I think of the enormous impact and the social services that the Army offers in 131 countries—it’s phenomenal, the reach. And the tangible difference the Army makes, contributing faithandfriends.ca I MARCH 2019

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Photo: Greg Kolz

Perfect Partnership After 21 years of skating together, Tessa and Scott are the most decorated Canadian ice dance team of all time

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to people’s lives. It’s an easy organization to get behind, that’s for sure.

Scott: Like most Canadians, I think of kettles at Christmastime, but the scope is much bigger than that. So these Hope in the City events have been fantastic. In Canada, we’re a lot more fortunate than many of the countries The Salvation Army is in.

But poverty still exists here. There’s still human trafficking happening in our country. These are real issues that we can’t turn a blind eye to.

Are there any social justice issues that you’re passionate about?

Tessa: I’m always conscious of

gender equality, equal rights and empowering women. It’s a great time right now because we’re using our voices. We can’t let off the gas.

It’s easy to think that many of those issues have been touched on and fixed, but that’s something that is important to us, especially as a team.

What are your plans going forward?

Tessa: We’ve had 21 years of a

very positive partnership and we love working together. We’re conscientiously choosing projects that we can work on together, on and off the ice.

Scott: In many ways, this feels like the beginning for us, now that we can spread our wings, and there are so many different directions we can go. A lot of that will be

working together, but some of that will be going in different directions.

You [Tessa] want to do your MBA, so we’ll have to come apart a bit to come back together, and that’s exciting as well.

Tessa: We have such different personalities and interests that it makes sense to navigate those separately, but with the support of one another.

Scott: We’ve spent a lot of time together in the last 21 years—in the last 10 years, super intensely. I think we’ve come to appreciate our relationship that much more, the more we get away from the training and the grind of it all, and all the pressure.

Do you think you’ll still be working together in five years?

Tessa: I hope so!

Scott: You never know where life

will take you. But whenever we have a difficult task or question come up, or an interesting project, we don’t really know what we think of something until we know what the other person thinks of it. We need to bounce things off each other.

Along with your excellence in skating, how do you hope you’ll be remembered?

Tessa: We’re passionate people and

we love what we do, but it has to extend beyond our skills on the ice.

We’ve always said that we just want to be good people. That’s what I hope. faithandfriends.ca I MARCH 2019

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

God and the Giant Veggies DO MIRACLES HAPPEN? ASK THE GOOD PEOPLE OF ALMOLONGA.

by Phil Callaway

A

farmer purchased an abandoned farm. The house was falling apart, the fences were broken down and the fields were overgrown with weeds. The town preacher stopped by to bless the man’s work, saying, “May God and you work together to make this the farm of your dreams!”

A few months later, the preacher returned. The once-dilapidated farmhouse was rebuilt. Broken-down fences housed livestock happily munching grass. The fields were filled with crops planted in neat rows.

“Amazing!” said the preacher. “Look what God and you have accomplished together.”

“Yes, Reverend,” said the farmer, “but remember what the farm was like when God was working it alone.”

The truth is, we do our part, but without the Creator, there would be nothing to start from.

A Changed Town The people of Almolonga agree.

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Located in the cool highlands of Guatemala, the town was once ravaged by poverty, fear and violence.

A city of 19,000, Almolonga’s four prisons were so packed that overflow prisoners were bussed to a nearby city. Alcoholism was rampant. Stroll through town in the morning and you had to step over men passed out on the street.

The times were dark. Most locals worshipped idols and ancestral spirits.

Christians were a despised minority. Preachers were chased away with sticks and rocks.

One day, a local pastor, Mariano Riscajche, was abducted by six men, and a gun barrel was shoved down his throat. Mariano silently prayed for protection. A man pulled the trigger.

The gun clicked, but didn’t go off.

Mariano called his small congregation together to fast and pray day and night. Each Saturday, they held a prayer vigil for their community.

Things began to change. Men began leaving the bars and coming to

church. Many cut ties with the spirits they feared. Churches grew; lives changed. The crime rate declined.

In 1994, the last of Almolonga’s four prisons was closed.

Today, locals insist that as the spiritual climate changed, the land changed, too. Talk about climate change. As people were set free, they began working the land more efficiently and harvesting bumper crops.

Growers once exported four trucks of vegetables a month. Today, their payload exceeds 40 trucks a week!

A man pulled the trigger. The gun clicked, but didn’t go off. PHIL CALLAWAY

Now, I’m not a come-to-Jesus-andyour-veggies-will-explode kind of guy. “The rain falls on the just and the unjust,” said Jesus (see Matthew 5:45).

But God also promises, “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Over and over, the Bible tells us that our heavenly Father longs to pour out His blessing on those who love Him and there won’t be room enough to store it. So let’s take care of the small stuff and watch Him take care of the rest.

When reporters and researchers drop by to find out why the town’s veggies are so big, they find carrots the size of a man’s forearm, and they find grinning farmers who give the credit to God. Blessing From On High “God had nothing to do with it,” skeptics say. “It’s just better farming principles.” But few can argue that the veggies are the only thing that has been altered. Almolonga is a stunning picture of the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. faithandfriends.ca I MARCH 2019

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LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin MAPLE CRANBERRY CHOCOLATE GRANOLA TIME 45 min MAKES 3 servings SERVE WITH vanilla Greek yogurt

500 ml (2 cups) rolled oats 60 ml (¼ cup) sliced almonds 60 ml (¼ cup) dried cranberries 1 ml (¼ tsp) cinnamon 60 ml (¼ cup) melted coconut oil 60 ml (¼ cup) pure maple syrup 2 ml (½ tsp) vanilla extract 30 ml (2 tbsp) dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 175 C (350 F).

2. Toss all ingredients except chocolate chips in bowl and mix well.

3. Arrange the mixture on the lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes on the middle rack.

4. Roughly chop chocolate chips and then sprinkle on top.

DARK CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT-DIPPED STRAWBERRIES 1 dozen strawberries 85 g (3 oz.) dark chocolate bar 15 ml (1 tbsp) coconut oil 60 ml (¼ cup) crushed salted peanuts

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1. Wash and dry strawberries.

2. Break chocolate into 25 mm (1 in.) pieces and melt slowly over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, stirring frequently.

Once melted, add coconut oil and continue to stir until mixed.

3. Line small baking pan with parchment paper.

4. Dip each strawberry in chocolate and then crushed nuts. Place on pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Recipe photos: Erin Stanley/veganvirgin.ca

TIME 20 min MAKES 3 servings SERVE WITH hot chocolate

No-Drip Zone

“HONEY ...” P.10

On the Edge of Death

A CALL FOR HELP P.8

Army Provides Hope

HURRICANE! P.13

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

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Beyond the Headlines

IN AN AGE OF FAKE NEWS, AWARDWINNING TV HOST MOLLY THOMAS FIGHTS TO TELL THE TRUTH. P.16

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Sudoku Puzzle

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

QUICK QUIZ 1. How many muscles do we use to take one step?

2. True or false? God made the sun, moon, stars and planets on the fourth day of creation.

3. In what sport is a double armlock performed?

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© www.kevinfrank.net

HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

Answers on next page.

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Word Search Shakespeare’s Characters N N R E T S N E D L I U G O T H V O R O S E N C R A N T Z A T U R E U C S D G S S U I R T E M E D Q G L F T H U O A U R S U L A L B U N J E F A A K T Y R I H O B U R E R A L N U V M E H U Q R R T P D E L A B C A D I L O E B R E A A J N G R S R L I C A E F L B N B C F G L A U E O E N A T T M L Z D Y S E O I N E A M O R M I M I O G D D R U R E L I C E P U U D S L U A I T C B C E C S S O A H I R U A L O R E P S O R P N U B T P D E I N C U S Y N O T N A O I I R L D P D Z D T M H T E B C A M L R A A A V U E E B I O N D E L L O U Z P C S B A R A S A H T L A B R R J U L I E T L E I N A H T A N V A L E N T I N E C F G M R A E L G N I K C O L Y H S ANTONY BALTHASAR BANQUO BIONDELLO CAIUS LIGARIUS CALPHURNIA CLAUDIUS CLEOPATRA DEMETRIUS DUKE OF MILAN GLOUCESTER GUILDENSTERN HAMLET

HELENA JULIET JULIUS CAESAR KING LEAR LADY CAPULET LORENZO MACBETH MACDUFF MARCUS BRUTUS MONSIEUR LEBEAU NATHANIEL OCTAVIA OTHELLO

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PERDITA PRINCE OF ARRAGON PROSPERO QUEEN GERTRUDE REGAN ROMEO ROSENCRANTZ SHYLOCK URSULA VALENTINE

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. 200; 2. true; 3. wrestling 7

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SOMEONE CARES

Photos: Roderick Macdonell

Keeping Fit Zach Scott-Pershaw and a close friend recently bought the Perth Athletic Centre. The gym evokes vivid memories for Zach, who used to shower at the centre after his release from Salvation Army rehabilitation, when he was sleeping on friends’ sofas in Perth, Ont.

Faint-Hope Strategy Thanks to a sympathetic judge and effective rehabilitation provided by The Salvation Army, Zach Scott-Pershaw is above the rest.

by Roderick Macdonell

Z

ach Scott-Pershaw spent the first 10 years of his adult life drinking to excess, partying and driving while impaired.

“It’s good to remember where I was and what I went through to get

where I am,” he recalls. “I did some crazy stuff. I went on benders, to casinos or to strippers. I could blow $1,000 on a weekend.”

But Zach’s escalating joyrides finally ended in the fall of 2013 when

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SOMEONE CARES

“ I had a place to be and a reason to be sober.” ZACH SCOTT-PERSHAW Ottawa police pulled him over and charged him with drunk driving, the fourth time in as many years. He was denied bail and spent the next three months in the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre.

Faced with the loss of all he held dear, a desperate Zach reached out to The Salvation Army.

Taking the Stand Zach devised what amounted to a faint-hope strategy. He contacted the Anchorage addiction treatment program at The Salvation Army’s Ottawa Booth Centre. By attending, he hoped to retain joint custody of his son and daughter, then two and four. But all depended on a sympathetic judge granting Zach bail to do so.

In November 2013, Zach appeared before Ontario Court Justice Robert Beaudoin. In humble tones, he told the judge why he needed to attend Anchorage.

“I have been trying to clean up my life in the last few years,” he told

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the judge. “I have young children, and I keep making mistakes due to alcohol.”

Zach’s mother, Vicki Charlery, then testified.

“I believe that Zach has changed,” she told the judge. “He has two children he’d do anything for, and he has not been able to see them or talk to them.”

While the Crown prosecutor was dead set against Zach’s appeal, Zach’s faint hope astonishingly came true.

Judge Beaudoin granted Zach bail and permission to attend Anchorage, noting the rigorous and thorough nature of The Salvation Army’s treatment program.

“There is a stabilization phase and a treatment phase during which there are random drug testing and room searches,” the judge commented.

“The program consists (among other things) of independent counselling, problem solving, relationship skills, anger management and job training.”

Zach began the program on November 7, 2013.

Two Reasons to Fight Zach risked losing custody of Rylee (left), and Tulli, now eight and seven, respectively, if he was refused bail

Reason to be Sober His rehab lasted 16 weeks, and every Friday, Zach’s mother drove her grandchildren one hour from her home in Lanark, Ont., to fetch him at Anchorage. It took another hour to drive everyone back to Lanark. She reversed the drill on Sundays.

The manager of Anchorage at the time, Krista Holts, wrote in a letter of support: “One of the largest motivating factors in Mr. Scott-Pershaw’s recovery has been his two children.

He has taken a weekend pass each of 16 weekends to care for them.”

Zach also learned from listening to fellow clients.

“Hearing other people’s stories is a big thing, knowing that other people make major changes in their lives,” Zach says. “I could have gone and drank—but I had a place to be and a

reason to be sober. I talked with the group about the way to cope with things.

“You have to want to turn your life around.”

The Salvation Army’s treatment program and Zach’s will to recover went hand in hand. He completed his rehab treatment with success and was discharged from Anchorage on March 7, 2014.

Grateful Thanks Zach was now ready to do his time for the drunk-driving conviction.

Ontario Court Justice Ann Alder ordered him to serve a 90-day sentence on weekends and not to drive for 10 years.

In June 2014, with sentence remission, Zach was finally free. But now he needed to earn money.

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Legal Aid Ontario Court Justice Robert Beaudoin gave Zach a break, sending him to The Salvation Army’s Anchorage rehab program

“I borrowed a tool belt from my uncle and I started working,” he says. “I started getting jobs from a local contractor here in Perth, 85 kilometres southwest of Ottawa. I teamed up with another guy with a truck and did roofing. Bang! We were doing roofs!”

Two years later, Zach set up his own roofing firm, appropriately titled Above the Rest. He now has 13

employees and they do sub-contracting for larger Ottawa roofers.

Life has settled for Zach and his children.

“I have two of my kids full-time now,” he says proudly, “and I share custody of my third-born!”

Zach also gives inspirational talks at the Anchorage facility to men attending a rehab program similar to the one he took five years ago.

Zach has turned his life around but there would have been no recovery if Judge Beaudoin had upheld the prosecutor’s objections to Zach attending The Salvation Army’s rehabilitation program.

“I wish I could thank him,” Zach says.

(left) Roderick Macdonell is part of the administrative support team at The Salvation Army’s Booth Centre in Ottawa.

Faith&Friends

NIFTY THRIFTY

Build a Basic Wardrobe Start fresh without breaking the bank.

Tired of feeling like the items in your wardrobe don’t really work together? Spring is the perfect time to clean out the closet and build a better look. Evaluate the pieces you have, donate clothing you no longer wear to a Salvation Army thrift store, and then use this list (right) to create a great thrifted wardrobe.

1. Tops and Bottoms Start with a good neutral base. This will allow you to create many outfit combinations.

2. Shoes Add versatile footwear that will go with all outfits, eliminating the need for multiple pairs.

3. Accessories A basic wardrobe doesn’t have to be boring. Dress it up with nice jewelry and a leather bag.

Tops Basic T-shirt Button-down shirt (white or denim) Sweater (neutral colour) Black dress Bottoms Blue jeans Black pants Everyday skirt Shoes Neutral flats Black boots Casual runners Accessories Large leather bag Neutral leather purse Jewelry

(left) Tijana Popovic is the frugalista behind A Plentiful Life, a lifestyle blog that shows readers how to live their best life on a budget.

She is also a creative expert for The Salvation Army’s thrift stores. Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.

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