Faith & Friends September 2020

Home-Schooling

IS IT FOR YOU? P.12

Making a Difference

ZAMBIA P.5

Family Supports Army

NICKELS AND DIMES 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

SEPTEMBER 2020

VICTOR IOUS

Victoria

WITH THE HELP OF THE SALVATION ARMY, HUMANTRAFFICKING SURVIVOR IS PUTTING HER LIFE BACK TOGETHER. P.16

Body and

Soul

itual no spir he — d o s in t y in G orkout isciise dail “ Exerc ss, please! W d a t u b e , flabbin m are useful, ore so, fitness e l a ic s y iu m s h r W es to p g ym n a cious. od is fa d forit com h-cons gym. life in G oth today an ge) lt a d e e When h n li e e p b sa f us ar o to th of a he M e s you fit many o , cycle and g making imothy 4:7-8 (T suit r u p ur n u e T r 1 t th r ead yo walk, ever.”— fine, bu pense of ou g but r is in to e is le c is r c x c ee exe the Exer or cy dy at th us hollow at n’t stop s well. Walk o o b D s d u e e ton aves we’r religio aily, a l life le f God, le that Bible d uild up your rt and soul spiritua hout a love o c B a y . ic h h b c it ary ody, e chur core. W ing a station Your b . s le c . s rid or it mu simply owhere fast. k you f n ill than s w u s t e g If you want to find out more about God’s spiritual workout program, 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.

September 2020

VOLUME 23 NUMBER 9

BEYOND BORDERS 5 Doing Good in Zambia

A video project in Africa gave Aaron Bowes a new appreciation for the international work of The Salvation Army.

SOMEONE CARES 8 Supplying Hope

Salvation Army back-to-school program draws community support.

FAITH BUILDERS 10 A Writer’s Life

8 Home-Schooling

IS IT FOR YOU? P.12

The Personal History of David Copperfield looks at Charles Dickens’ masterpiece with fresh eyes.

FEATURES

Making a Difference

ZAMBIA P.5

Family Supports Army

NICKELS AND DIMES P.26

Faith&Friends

12

I N S P I R AT I O N F O R L I V I N G

faithandfriends.ca

SEPTEMBER 2020

VICTORIOUS

Victoria

WITH THE HELP OF THE SALVATION ARMY, HUMANTRAFFICKING SURVIVOR IS PUTTING HER LIFE BACK TOGETHER. P.16

COVER STORY

16

23

From ABCs and 123s to DIYs and TLCs

Home-schooling may not be as daunting as you think.

One Strand at a Time

Human-trafficking survivor Victoria Morrison is putting her life back together.

In His Hands

Diagnosed with a rare illness, Cindy Moore experienced God’s love in a way she never had before.

Cover photo: Mark Spowart

23

COMMON GROUND 26 Nickel-and-Diming It

Angila Holden and her four grandchildren are helping The Salvation Army during the time of COVID-19.

LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz, Word Search.

NIFTY THRIFTY 31 A Class Act

Get back to school in fashion.

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Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

Her Strength Within

W

riter Shannon Wise first met Victoria Morrison over dinner on a chilly January evening this year. Their conversation lasted well over two hours.

“I felt as if I was chatting with a girlfriend of mine that I had known for years,” says Shannon.

“Victoria was confident, well-spoken and driven to tell her story with the hope of helping others.

“And she is one heck of a fighter,” continues Shannon. “Her willingness and ability to share her story is remarkable. After the unthinkable violence she was subjected to at the hands of another human being, her vulnerability is astonishing. Very few would be as brave as Victoria has been. She gives me hope.”

And after all she’s been through, she trusted Shannon to tell her story.

“Victoria is a reminder of the strength women can find within, even in their darkest days,” concludes Shannon. “This was an experience that will stay with me well beyond the pages of this article.”

Read Victoria’s inspiring story on page 16.

Elsewhere in this issue of Faith & Friends, you’ll find out how a Salvation Army church is preparing for back-to-school time, read how one woman’s faith has deepened over the course of a devastating illness and see how a Salvation Army mission trip to Zambia changed how one man viewed the world.

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

Leigha Vegh 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

BEYOND BORDERS

Doing Good in Zambia A video project in Africa gave me a new appreciation for the international work of The Salvation Army.

Photos: Courtesy of Aaron Bowes

by Aaron Bowes

Zooming In Aaron Bowes sets up a shot for an interview at Salvation Army headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia

O

n one of the last days of our campaign resource gathering visit to Zambia, our Salvation Army film crew wandered onto a field where a soccer match was going on. No fancy cleats on display, no team jerseys. Just kids of all ages kicking a threadbare ball around in joyous abandon.

As we were setting up to shoot some footage, a man started to march

toward us, obviously not liking the fact that we were going to film his friends. But his intimidating manner evaporated when he saw the Army shield on our jackets. “Oh, Salvation Army,” he smiled. “You’re free to come in here whenever.”

It was at that moment that it hit me: everywhere in Zambia, people understand the good The Salvation Army is doing.

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Faith&Friends

BEYOND BORDERS

A Joyful Noise Salvation Army soldiers at the Army’s Livingstone Corps in Zambia

African Adventure As a Salvation Army digital media producer, I was asked to accompany a team from the world missions department on a fact-finding trip to Zambia earlier this year. I would help film a dozen or so videos that would highlight the Army’s work there.

While I was nervous about protocols for filming in public overseas, I was also excited to go as I’d never been to Africa before. Conversations with colleagues who had been on such trips before put my mind at ease.

Though the 30-hour trip from Toronto to Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, was long, I couldn’t wait to start work. Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray, director of world missions and our team leader, told me later that I always seemed to have a grin on my face. And I did!

For me, it was more of an adventure than work, despite the

6 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

gruelling 16-hour-a-day pace we set for ourselves.

Earned Respect Every day was an early start because we had four to five shooting locations on our agenda, each one telling a tale of the Army’s work. We’d assemble at the hotel breakfast bar, and the team would look to me for the overall shooting plan.

While we had a vague idea of who we were interviewing, once we got to the location, whether in a rural farm area or an inner-city informal settlement, we never knew who would show up or what was in store. But we stuck to the itinerary and everything worked out.

One of the places we visited was a Salvation Army church deep in the inner city of Lusaka, where we were privileged to take part in a church service. We also toured an Army-run

Zambians know the amount of development work that the Army is doing in the country, and they respect that. AARON BOWES school in a Lusaka informal settlement and saw hospitals in rural communities where The Salvation Army operates schools and development projects.

Even in the midst of my busyness, the setting up of interviews and filming B rolls, I couldn’t help but notice the respect Zambians have for The Salvation Army. They know the amount of development work that the Army is doing in the country, and they respect that.

Changing Lives While the team was overseas, the COVID-19 pandemic overtook our plans and we realized that it was time to get home before the world shut down. We managed to accomplish

everything on our to-do list and returned safe and sound.

I was safe. Sound? It’s one thing to read and hear about the work The Salvation Army is doing internationally, but quite another to actually see it with one’s own eyes and witness the impact being made.

On a deeper level, the trip changed my appreciation of things I had taken for granted. For instance, clean water for me was just an everyday part of life. But in Zambia, water is a matter of life or death, and the Army’s cleanwater initiatives are changing lives for the better in rural communities across the country.

My trip to Zambia is something I’ll never forget, especially when I think about the impact the Army has there. It makes me proud and happy to realize that The Salvation Army is helping people who need help all around the world.

Object of Attention Students in Chikankata, Zambia, watch Aaron as he films

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Faith&Friends

SOMEONE CARES

Supplying Hope Salvation Army back-toschool program draws community support.

by Janice Keats

W

hen Lieutenant Shelley Oseil of The Salvation Army in Dartmouth, N.S., launched her first back-toschool initiative in 2017, little did she realize the response she’d receive.

Welcome Support Recognizing the need for back-toschool essentials, she reached out to the community.

“I contacted the police department asking if they could support a back-to-school program by allowing a police car to be filled with school

School-Ready Donations displayed and ready to distribute

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Distribution Day Families receive backpacks and school supplies

supplies,” she says.

Management at the local Staples store gave permission to use a section of the parking lot for the campaign. There was ample space for all community vehicles that were involved.

“By the second year, there were four police officers and two radio stations present, as well as the Salvation Army community response vehicle,” Lieutenant Shelley recalls, and the program has continued to grow.

The patrons of Staples are very generous, with many of them inten-

tionally purchasing and placing school supplies in the police cars as they exit the premises.

“Some of them had heard the announcement on the radio so they came to offer support even though they themselves did not have schoolaged children,” Lieutenant Shelley says.

Needed Assistance The donated supplies are sorted at The Salvation Army Dartmouth Community Church and placed in backpacks to be given away on distribution day. Many volunteers come out to help with the set-up and distribution of the backpacks, and the community response unit is on site offering refreshments.

Lieutenant Shelley is always excited and pleased with the response, which shows on the faces of the parents and children who receive the school supplies each year.

“We are planning to hold the backto-school event this year, but we’re unsure what distribution will look like due to the COVID-19 pandemic,”

reports Lieutenant Shelley. “We look forward to again partnering with Staples as they have chosen to make The Salvation Army their main benefactor for donations of back-to-school supplies. And with the relocation of our facilities to a larger community, we anticipate an increase in the number of families needing assistance,” she concludes.

Come and Get It Volunteer Tom Banfield serves lunch from the community response vehicle

(left) Janice Keats is the emergency and disaster services coordinator at The Salvation Army’s divisional headquarters in Halifax.

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Faith&Friends

FAITH BUILDERS

A Writer’s Life The Personal History of David Copperfield looks at Charles Dickens’ masterpiece with fresh eyes.

Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate UK/Searchlight Pictures

D

by Ken Ramstead

avid Copperfield is widely considered to be Charles Dickens’ masterpiece. Adapted numerous times for stage and radio, it’s also been made into a film or TV version more than a dozen times.

Why would anyone ever consider tackling this 1850 novel again?

“I grew up as a huge fan of Dickens,” director Armando Iannucci says.

“People have him down as this longwinded Victorian novelist. But he’s also very magical. I’ve always admired how he uses comedy to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, but then uses that platform to deal with challenging issues. Like, say, factory conditions, poverty or homelessness.”

Iannucci’s take, The Personal History of David Copperfield, is only in wide release now. Delayed due to COVID-19, it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2019.

Audiences were favourably impressed, but the ultimate compliment came when the Dickens family invited the director to a supper in his honour to celebrate the author’s legacy and for preserving the spirit of the novel.

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A Shot of Optimism In the movie, as in the novel, the goodhearted David Copperfield (Dev Patel) sets out to be a writer. On the way, he meets an array of friends and enemies as he pursues family, love and position.

Despite obstacles thrown in his path by antagonists such as his stepfather, Edward Murdstone (Darren Boyd), and Uriah Heep (Ben Whishaw), the villainous clerk who almost ruins David’s Aunt Betsey (Tilda Swinton), David never gives in to despair. He’s determined to look at people and life in the best possible light, as seen in his care of his aunt.

“It’s what I wanted to celebrate,” says Iannucci. “The Personal History of David Copperfield celebrates community, friendship and kindness.”

It’s just the shot of optimism we need in the middle of a pandemic.

Charles Dickens was never afraid to speak truth to power, and David Copperfield tackled issues such as the quality of schools, the status of women and the criminal justice system, issues The Salvation Army has always held dear.

BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER 2019 – 2020

We Give Back

$816,733 for GoodWorks@Work® cause related initiatives

We do this together through the support of:

86,298,351 lbs of clothing, textiles & household items diverted

• + 14 million generous guests & donors

• 105 Thrift Stores & Donor Welcome Centres

• 2,285 Employees • 317 Volunteers • +20 Partnerships with

40,510

vouchers redeemed by neighbours in need

municipalities and waste organizations

The Salvation Army Thrift Store, National Recycling Operations WE OFFER A UNIQUE WAY TO SERVE THROUGH RETAIL & RECYCLING

www.thriftstore.ca

FEATURE

Photo: xavierarnau/gettyimages.ca

Faith&Friends

From ABCs and 123s to DIYs and TLCs HOME-SCHOOLING MAY NOT BE AS DAUNTING AS YOU THINK. JUST ASK SUE AND GEORGE.

by Helena Smrcek

D

uring the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of parents were faced with school closures. Suddenly, their children’s education became their responsibility.

“I can’t be their mother and teacher at the same time,” said a friend of mine, overwhelmed and exasperated. How could I help? And then I thought of Sue and George.

12 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

No Degree Required Faced with a major life transition, the couple decided not to enrol their children in school until they found a permanent home. Sue would home-school.

“For one year, at the most,” she says, “but we loved it so much, no one wanted to go to school.” Racheal was in Grade 4, John in Grade 2, Meghan in kindergarten and Lora in pre-

school. Today, their daughters hold graduate degrees, and John works in the family business.

“Our typical day?” Sue’s memories go back a decade or two. “Breakfast at 8:30 a.m., school at nine. The kids would be done at 11. You can get six hours of school done in two, because you see immediately if your child understands the concept or not, and you are there to help.”

Sue holds a bachelor of science and physiotherapy. “But that doesn’t matter. A parent doesn’t need a degree to do this,” she adds. “Perhaps high school, if I didn’t understand, I’d send them to school, but up to Grade 6, any adult should be able to teach their children.”

Flexible Teaching Curriculum makes all the difference.

“First, I taught them to read, but once they knew how, the only time I taught them was when they said; ‘Mom, I don’t get this.’ ” The family did not jump into home-schooling, hoping for the best.

“I made a schedule for the entire year,” Sue continues. “Two hundred days for each child, for each subject.” The lesson plans were placed at the front of their binders.

This gave the home-schoolers the freedom to do any subject they chose. If they wanted to do all their math on Monday, they could. The only rule was that everything had to be done by Friday. “We taught them independence, responsibility and

self-discipline,” explains Sue. “It was up to them to finish their work. If they didn’t, they couldn’t participate in a fun activity on Friday afternoon, until they completed all their lessons.”

Knowing the children’s learning styles gives home-schooling parents a definite advantage. “John was so active as a boy,” Sue recalls. “The girls would sit and study.” But it wasn’t the same for him. “When I saw he was getting frustrated, I would let him go outside for 10 to 15 minutes, then I’d call him in. It worked.”

A Fair Shake But home-schooling goes far beyond math and science. Social development is a huge part of education.

Sue had read Growing Kids God’s Way, by authors Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo, which talked about firsttime obedience, which means a child obeys a parent’s instruction the first time, no questions asked.

She discussed the idea with her husband, and they put it to practice. “Because we expected first-time obedience, it was up to me and George never to exhaust them, agitate them or treat them unfairly.” This made it easy on the kids, as the family developed an extraordinary level of mutual respect.

“I can’t take credit for any of this,” Sue says. “This is all God’s grace. He put the right people in my path.

“Life skills are so important,” she adds. “Everyone had chores.

We took turns and kept it fair. faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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FEATURE

“It’s all about give and take, balancing work and play, but most of all it is about love.” SUE And the children learned.”

Lifetime Lessons Sue’s advice for parents considering home-schooling? · Schedule your day. “Get the kids involved. Ask what they would like to do after they have finished the work. Make it special and rewarding. Lora loved art and therefore we enrolled her in advanced art classes.”

Simple principles such as “We take good care of things that God has given us” or “Love your neighbour as yourself” will stay with your children for a lifetime, just as math, reading and writing. Home-schooling isn’t only about homework and good grades; it’s about nurturing the next generation, fostering social skills and coaching children as they grow into godly people who are ready to do good in this world.

OH MY WORD!

© J.Sanko/C. Layton, 2020

by John Sanko

· Incorporate life skills into learning. “Teach the kids to make beds and clean their room.

Take the time to learn together.

As a parent, explore that world.

This is an amazing time to bond with your children.”

· Be fair. “Never favour one child over the other. Children have a great sense of justice; do not exasperate them. It’s all about give and take, balancing work and play, but most of all it is about love.”

Jesus: I have come to ‘REDEEM.’ Vendor: We don’t accept coupons anymore.

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Volunteer Gives Back

MEETING NEEDS P.8

Helping Schoolkids

Go Ahead

FOOD FOR THOUGHT P.10

SMILE! 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

SEPTEMBER 2019

Faith & Friends Wins Big

T

Come From Away

BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE SMASH BROADWAY MUSICAL. P.16

Au bord du précipice

L’amour n’a pas d’âge

UN APPEL À L’AIDE p. 4

ÉPOUSE-MOI? p. 10

Foi&Vie POUR MIEUX VIVRE

armeedusalut.ca

FÉVRIER 2019

MALGRÉ LES MILLIERS DE KILOMÈTRES QUI LES SÉPARAIENT, L’AMOUR LES A UNIS. p. 6

Des Bermudes aux Fidji What to Do When Holidays Are Difficult

How to Livestream Your Worship Service

General Brian Peddle: “Spread the Word!”

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

December 2019

Salvationist.ca

Joy to the World Sharing the good news at Christmas

he Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory’s magazines, website (Salvationist.ca) and digital media came away with 18 awards at the annual Canadian Christian Communicators Association ceremony this summer. The CCCA (formerly the Canadian Church Press) includes representatives from 60 member publications, including mainline, Catholic and evangelical churches, and the awards are judged by accomplished journalists and academics from the media.

Faith & Friends received eight awards for articles published in 2019. Major Jennifer Hale’s article in the June issue, Seeing Things, won first place in the Biblical Interpretation category. Kristin Ostensen’s interview with figure skating legends Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in March secured second place, as did our November front cover, Faith On High, and Dennis Jones’ artwork in the same issue. Tim Boyle’s stunning photograph of tightrope walker Nik Wallenda in January and Linda Leigh’s Help After the Hurricane in February both secured third-place nods.

The September Faith & Friends took home an Honourable Mention for Edition Layout and Design and, most importantly, our little magazine took home first place in the coveted General Excellence category, a first for Faith & Friends.

Foi & Vie, the French Canadian version of Faith & Friends, received second place for its February cover and our sister magazine, Salvationist, won six awards. Salvationist.ca and our digital media received three awards, including a first place in the Use of Social Media category. Check out all of our winning entries online. faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

One Strand at a Time WITH THE HELP OF THE SALVATION ARMY, HUMAN-TRAFFICKING SURVIVOR VICTORIA MORRISON IS PUTTING HER LIFE BACK TOGETHER.

by Shannon Wise LOOKING AT VICTORIA Morrison now, you would never know she fell victim to human trafficking.

She is as strong and confident as they come—living proof that you can take your life back and transform despite your circumstances. Victoria is articulate, poised and resilient. It’s because of her powerful traits that Victoria has been able to help other victims. But there was a time when she was a victim herself.

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Speaking Out Victoria Morrison shares her story at The Salvation Army’s annual Hope in the City breakfast in Winnipeg last fall

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COVER STORY

Photos: Mark Spowart

Faith&Friends

With just the clothes on her back, stained with her own blood, Victoria didn’t look back.

A victim of human trafficking who had been forced into prostitution, she had endured one brutal beating too many. Now, her survival instincts kicked in. She phoned a sex buyer to ask if he could drop her off a pack of cigarettes.

When Victoria walked out to the curb to meet him, she opened the front door of the vehicle and 18 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

Living Witness “You can rebuild your life,” Victoria says.

“There are a lot of supports—you don’t have to do it alone”

realized this was her chance to escape.

“Take me to a police station,” she pleaded as they sped off.

The Will to Survive Victoria had a happy childhood and was a straight-A student. Fast forward to her mid 20s, Victoria was

A man she thought was her boyfriend became her trafficker— and Victoria sank deeper into addiction. working at a strip club and deep in the midst of her addiction.

How could that happen?

“I was in first-year university and I was enjoying it,” she says, “but I became friends with someone who worked as a dancer at a strip club.

I thought I could pay my way through school and work nights at the same time. But eventually I was drinking at night and too tired to go to school in the daytime, so my grades slipped.”

Victoria thought she could take a year off school and save up some money, but she soon got caught up in the lifestyle that comes with that environment.

“Mostly cocaine, sometimes pain pills, drinking,” says Victoria.

She then started dating a man she met through mutual friends.

“He was really nice at first—they all are.”

It was a perfect match. She was addicted to drugs and he was dealing drugs. In the spring of 2018, he forced her to move to Winnipeg,

threatening her family and friends if she didn’t. A man she thought was her boyfriend became her trafficker—and Victoria sank deeper into addiction.

“I couldn’t do what he made me do sober,” she explains. “Being high was a way to deal with it.”

Victoria endured unthinkable violence at the hands of her trafficker, violence almost too disturbing to print; she was electrocuted, choked, struck with a metal pole and suffered a broken nose. Victoria’s spirit was completely broken. Oftentimes, she thought, I’m going to die here.

“I kept thinking, If there is a God, I swear I will use my life to do good.”

Three and a half months after she was forced into prostitution, she saw a chance to escape—and had the extraordinary courage to do so.

“I left everything—no money, no ID. I didn’t care. I was free.”

From One Survivor to Another Victoria spent five days in the hospital where she discovered her faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

kidneys were failing because of the beatings she’d endured. That was where she met Alice (not her real name), a correctional and justice services worker with The Salvation Army in Winnipeg.

“I received a call from the local police and was told there was a young woman who had escaped her trafficker with only the clothes on her back.”

Alice packed a gym bag with some clothes, hygiene products and thoughtfully selected items “so she wasn’t going home so broken.”

When Alice arrived at the hospital, Victoria was in a wheelchair and could barely move to take a shower. Alice told Victoria she was employed by The Salvation Army

Helping Others Victoria speaks regularly about her past, her struggle with addiction and the trauma she suffered

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and talked to her about her past and her own struggle with addiction.

“I’ve been where you are,” Alice told her. “I’ve been exploited, and I know what it’s like to be controlled by a substance.”

A Piece of Her Heart The extent of Victoria’s injuries was so severe that she couldn’t even lift her arm to wash her own hair. After sharing stories with one another, a bond was formed. It was then that Alice performed an act as touching as it was simple.

“She brushed my matted hair,” Victoria says.

“I put conditioner in her hair and worked out each knot, showing her I cared,” Alice says.

The Scourge of Human Trafficking Human trafficking is a form of modern slavery. It’s a multi-billion-dollar criminal industry that denies freedom to an estimated 40.3 million people around the world. Within this estimation, 20.9 million people are forced into different forms of labour and sex trafficking.

Canada is not immune to this. No matter where we live in Canada, chances are it’s happening nearby—from the young girl deceived to sell her body out of a hotel room to the man picking fruit on a farm in deplorable, exploitative conditions to the woman working in the restaurant deprived access to her passport and without dignity.

It is important that every caring person is aware of this injustice and is able to recognize warning signs of possible human-trafficking situations.

Here are a few warning signs that someone may be a potential victim of human trafficking. Although the presence or absence of any of these indicators neither proves nor disproves that human trafficking is taking place, the presence of multiple indicators should be cause for notice.

Victoria was surprised and appreciative when Alice offered to comb it out. “I will never forget that as long as I live.”

The Salvation Army arranged for Victoria’s flight back home, where she was reunited with her mother and sister. Victoria boarded

• Being controlled by others, driven to and from locations and escorted at all times; • Being controlled and watched by others, having someone speak for them in public; • Not having a passport or other forms of ID in their possession; • Not having control of their own money or cellphone; may have more than one cellphone in their possession; • Not being familiar with the neighbourhood they live or work in; • Being moved frequently; claim to be “new” or “just visiting”; • Not being allowed to contact family or friends; • Lying about age/false ID; • Providing scripted or rehearsed answers to casual questions; • May be in possession of excess cash outside their financial means and have hotel keys.

(Source: Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking) If you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, call Canada’s National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010.

the flight with the only tangible item to her name—the gym bag Alice gave her when they first met.

“When she got on the airplane and went home, a little piece of my heart went with her—or maybe a piece of her stayed in my heart,” says Alice. faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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COVER STORY

“ I kept thinking, If there is a God, I swear I will use my life to do good.”

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Sharing Her Story Like the hairbrush used to untangle her matted hair just a few months earlier, Victoria began putting her life back together, one strand at a time.

In October 2018, Victoria graduated with honours from a charitable organization that provides programs and services to women who are battling substance misuse.

Now sober and thriving, the 27-year-old is working for a property management company and has her own apartment.

“I’ve never had my own place until now.”

Victoria speaks regularly about her past, her struggle with addiction and the trauma she suffered. Her motivation? To educate people.

In fact, she spoke at The Salvation Army’s annual Hope in the City breakfast in Winnipeg last fall. The Salvation Army invited her to be their keynote speaker and share her story in front of 400 people.

Victoria now assists other human-trafficking survivors, facilitating meetings and creating a solid community of support.

Her goal is to begin a social work degree at a Canadian university this month.

“You can rebuild your life,” Victoria says. “There are a lot of supports—you don’t have to do it alone.”

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

In His Hands

IN SPITE OF BEING DIAGNOSED WITH A RARE ILLNESS, CINDY MOORE EXPERIENCED GOD’S LOVE IN A WAY SHE NEVER HAD BEFORE.

by Ken Ramstead Time to Recharge Cindy Moore on a brief visit to the family cottage

Y

ou think you’re having a bad day? Cindy Moore can relate.

She is not only dealing with an illness with no cure, her time is spent dealing with a myriad of medical procedures, such as treatment for pain, intestinal problems and consistent nausea. Due to Cindy’s medical conditions, she’s not able to eat anything and is fed through total parenteral nutrition (TPN) using an IV each night.

“This past week, I had another procedure. It’s another bag and dressing that I need to deal with. I was also told by my palliative care doctor that I need to carry around a pump with me 24-7 to help with the pain.

“It hit me as a nurse was putting on the pump. She asked me, ‘How does it feel to look at this and know it’s going to be attached to you for the rest of your life?’ Strong words to hear. I went to bed, blown away with how much my life has changed in such little time.

“To top it off,” she continues, “I was told by my insurance company that I’m never allowed to go back to work: my illness is too severe and complex. My job was amazing and the people there were extremely supportive. I will miss them a ton!”

But instead of wallowing in pity, Cindy goes on to say, “I do believe in miracles. And although I have bad faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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Faith&Friends

FEATURE

“I do believe in miracles.” CINDY MOORE days every now and then, I will continue to keep the faith and turn my eyes to the only One who knows what tomorrow brings.”

Counting Her Blessings “Four years ago,” Cindy says, “I could eat anything, I was able to work and enjoy my job at North York General Hospital’s ICU. I was healthy.”

But after a series of health concerns drove her weight down to 80 pounds, she was finally diagnosed with visceral myopathy, a rare pathological condition characterized by impaired intestinal function and motility. It affects the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract and sometimes the urinary tract and has already resulted in the removal of her colon.

She has a support team of 14 doctors as well as family and members of her church. In the evenings, friends keep her company until a nurse hooks up her last IV of the day, then they walk Spencer, Cindy’s little dog and her faithful companion.

“It’s crazy to get your head around,” Cindy says. “It’s a 24-hour job keeping up with my health, all my dressing changes, medications and communication with 14 doctors.

24 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

“I’m positive considering everything that’s going on because I can’t just focus on the negative. It’s not going to do me any good, physically or emotionally, so I just try to count my blessings.”

Living in the Moment “I’ve been a Christian my whole life, and a Salvation Army member for most of that,” Cindy says.

“When my brother, Rob, was five years old,” she explains, “he saw the yellow school bus going by for Sunday school at Agincourt Temple Community Church in Toronto. He wanted to go on the bus—so that’s how I started going to church!”

Cindy now attends The Salvation Army’s Oshawa Temple in Ontario.

“I know I have people who are interceding for me in prayer, when I’m too exhausted to pray myself.”

But they can only do so much.

“God’s been carrying me through,” Cindy says. “I can’t predict what tomorrow brings, so I’m just taking it day by day. I have to live in the moment.”

A Difficult Journey While there is no cure for visceral myopathy, the one hope for Cindy

might be a multi-organ transplant.

Ironically, her liver would have to fail for her to get on a transplant list, but if she did, she’d receive a large colon, small intestine, stomach, pancreas and perhaps a spleen.

“Sometimes I feel bad when people ask about my story,” Cindy says.

“It’s not a story with a miracle in the end, or a story about healing.

“My story is about a God that is carrying me along a very difficult road. The rest of my journey is up to

Him. It might end up with a miracle, or it might not.

“I’ve always had a deep faith but it took something like this for me to realize the power of God’s love.

Nothing can help me like my faith in God, and the love that He has for me. That’s really what’s been carrying me through. It’s really indescribable.

“I’m not worried about what tomorrow may bring. God has me in the palm of His hand.”

Welcome Treat Cindy gets a visit from her therapy dog, Spencer, at North York General Hospital faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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Faith&Friends

COMMON GROUND

Nickel-andDiming It Angila Holden and her four grandchildren are helping The Salvation Army during the time of COVID-19.

A

ngila Holden has taught her grandchildren well. For more than two years, Zander, two, Ethan, four, eight-year-old Braysen and 11-year-old Tyson have been collecting their nickels and dimes and donating them to a worthy cause of their choice.

“They don’t spend their spare change, even when they sell something online or they get money for chores,” Angila says. “When they receive their allowance, they’ll buy a toy or a treat but they’ll give me the change. My grandkids know the dimes and nickels we collect are for a charity—to help others.

“I am trying to show them,” she explains, “that giving is better than receiving.”

As a result, the grandchildren have

26 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

Photo: Gwyneth Woods

by Ken Ramstead

Milk Run Angila Holden and her four grandchildren (clockwise from top left) Zander, Ethan, Tyson and Braysen, have raised money to provide milk for The Salvation Army’s community and family services in Listowel, Ont.

donated between $50 and $100 a year.

Milk Run This spring, with the onset of COVID-19, Angila gathered the children together.

“I explained to them what was going on now, in Canada and around the world. A lot of people are out of work and many families aren’t as fortunate as we are. I proposed we donate milk to the Salvation

Army food bank, and the grandkids thought that was an awesome idea,” she says.

While Angila has taken time off work to care for her grandchildren—one of whom is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to a medical condition—she contacted her manager and assistant manager at Walmart, and they suggested

“I believe in giving back to the community, and no one does more for the community than The Salvation Army,” she says. “My grandkids understand that, too.”

“What we do is about more than just a bag of food,” says Gwyneth.

“We strive to be a haven in our community, a place of comfort and an encouragement to our guests. What

“I believe in giving back to the community, and no one does more for the community than The Salvation Army.” ANGILA HOLDEN gift cards that would go toward the purchase of milk. Angila e-transferred the money to Walmart, then she contacted Gwyneth Woods, the community and family services manager at The Salvation Army in Listowel, Ont., who was thrilled to receive the donated gift cards.

“How incredibly thoughtful of you to take the time to do what you did,” Gwyneth emailed the boys. “Rest assured that this will be used to help people in the community and kids just like you.”

Saving to Give Again Angila was gratified with the grandchildren’s decision.

a blessing to see people not only move forward, but to give back and then to teach their children to do the same, like Angila has done.”

And The Salvation Army has also helped Angila and her family, when they needed help.

“The Army has always been there for me,” says Angila. “Gwyneth has helped me, and if I ever need to talk, she’s there.”

While many families in the community now have milk thanks to Zander, Ethan, Braysen and Tyson, their job is not complete as far as they are concerned.

“They’re already saving to give again,” smiles Angila.

faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin MEXICAN-STYLE POWER BOWL

Recipe photos: Erin Stanley

TIME 40 mins MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH creamy lime cilantro dip

250 ml (1 cup) uncooked quinoa 425 ml (1¾ cups) water 5 ml (1 tsp) olive oil 2 ml (½ tsp) salt 30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil 60 ml (¼ cup) onion, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 250 ml (1 cup) green pepper 250 ml (1 cup) red pepper 250 ml (1 cup) diced kale or spinach 5 ml (1 tsp) chili powder 2 ml (½ tsp) cumin 1 ml (¼ tsp) paprika 5 ml (1 tsp) lime juice 500 ml (2 cups) refried beans 250 ml (1 cup) corn paprika to garnish 1 avocado, sliced 125 ml (½ cup) cherry tomatoes, diced

1. Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer under cool water and allow to drain.

2. Place water and olive oil in pot and bring to rolling boil. Add quinoa and salt. Lower heat to simmer, cover with lid and allow to cook for 15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and allow to stand covered for 3 minutes.

Remove lid, fluff with fork and allow to stand 5 more minutes.

4. Heat vegetable oil in pan over medium heat and add diced onion and minced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until fragrant. Add diced peppers, kale or spinach and spices, and cook for 5 minutes or until peppers are soft.

Squeeze lime over top, stir and set pan aside.

5. Pan-fry refried beans and corn in separate pans until warm. Add a pinch of paprika for garnish.

6. Assemble bowl and add avocado and cherry tomatoes.

CREAMY LIME CILANTRO DIP TIME 3 mins MAKES 5 servings SERVE WITH tortilla chips

250 ml (1 cup) sour cream or full-fat plain Greek yogurt 250 ml (1 cup) cilantro 10 ml (2 tsp) lime juice Salt and pepper to taste

28 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Joy Rediscovered

GOD’S WAY P.5

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ONE OF A KIND P.8

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HAMILTON MOVIE P.10

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

faithandfriends.ca

AUGUST 2020

COVID-19

Front-Line Chaplain JULIANE MARTIN SEES FAITH WITH NEW EYES. P.12

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

Sudoku Puzzle

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

5 5 8

QUICK QUIZ 1. Who won the best supporting actor Oscar for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood?

2. How many countries are on the continent of North America?

3. How long a period of time is a quadricentennial?

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6 1

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© www.kevinfrank.net

HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

Answers on next page.

7

faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Word Search Our Best Friends N E D L O G W S Y C U E I L L O C V K P H X W E I R I S H S E T T E R I M O O X P R K G P D R I C L I O J Z V M Q K O M N F S N N R H Y G I I S G E S E N A V A H A M F O U M A G L W R F H N N C U P L N N W P A T E A H A E O I S D S A D R O C W L H G B I N J A J H R N N N I H H U T R U R P I E V T E T U U U A C O N E M P A P A Y B K P O Z G O C I W A S G N D E N I C O H Y U U F H B T X E O A O T W O O Y E J R D W P D Y A A D H R S C D E M R S S E E A B O N M L G Q Z L R H Y D B E R N E S E O K L F X E G P E K I N G E S E C D A L U A N B A E U D D N U O H T E S S A B I D D N U O H K L E F F I T S A M Y Q J E I T S E W K R E I R R E T N I O P AFGHAN BASSET HOUND BEAGLE BERNESE BICHON FRISE BLOODHOUND BULLDOG CAIRN CHIHUAHUA CHOW CHOW COCKER SPANIEL COLLIE

DALMATIAN ELKHOUND GERMAN SHEPHERD GOLDEN GREAT DANE GREAT PYRENEES GREYHOUND HAVANESE IRISH SETTER JONANGI LABRADOR MALTESE

MASTIFF NEWFOUNDLAND PEKINGESE POINTER POMERANIAN POODLE PUG SHIH TZU TERRIER VIZSLA WESTIE WHIPPET

30 • SEPTEMBER 2020 I faithandfriends.ca

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. Brad Pitt; 2. 23; 3. 400 years.

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Faith&Friends

NIFTY THRIFTY

A Class Act Get back to school in fashion.

September signals the return of back-to-school shopping trips.

Invest in a whole new-to-you wardrobe without making a major financial investment by keeping these three tips in mind on the next trip to your local Salvation Army thrift store.

Find the Perfect Pair of Jeans Jeans are the timeless staple of any backto-school wardrobe, from skirts to pants, skinny to boot-cut. Be sure to check sizes both up and down from your usual, as different brands and vintages are sized differently.

Incorporate the Loungewear Trend Sweatpants and track pants remain as popular as ever. Make this trend work for you by finding

a structured, tapered pair for a comfortable yet polished look that will make studying a breeze.

Top It Off With Layers Layering is chic and functional. Cardigans and light jackets are must-have layering pieces to easily adjust to fluctuating fall temperatures. Try a cardigan with jeans for a more traditional look, or a denim jacket with track pants to follow the loungewear trend.

Back-to-school shopping is perfectly suited for your local Salvation Army thrift store. You can find a wide range of items, sizes and styles at affordable prices to make this tradition fun and budgetfriendly. See you at the thrift store!

(left) May Strutt is an avid thrifter with more than a decade of shopping experience in thrift stores across Canada. She is also a communications and engagement specialist with The Salvation Army’s thrift stores. Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.

faithandfriends.ca I SEPTEMBER 2020

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