The
Faith
Friends
SALVATIONIST GLENDENE BARROW‘S FAITH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS HELPED HER THROUGH A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS. P.16
PHRASE BE is an ongoing series highlighting the dozens of everyday sayings that originate with biblical text.
In this issue, we unpack:
YOU PREACH PRACTISE WHAT
PHRASE: Practise what you preach.
DEFINITION: To behave in the same way that you tell other people to behave.
EXAMPLE: The popular manager practised what he preached when it came to taking time off.
SOURCE: “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to His disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practise what they preach.”
—Matthew 23:1-3
During Jesus’ ministry on earth, He was always on the lookout to condemn hypocrisy in any form, and the actions of the Jewish religious elites—those pious but truly unrighteous leaders—particularly attracted His ire. Jesus set us a perfect example of practising what He preached, mirroring the kind of life we all need to aspire to.
Practising what you preach is one important way to live like Jesus did. As Christians, we should be called out to live our faith with humility, gentleness and patience. It’s not always easy but our actions do speak louder than our words. Whether as parents, workmates or friends, we must let our actions match our words. And people are watching.
12 A Perfect Fit
With Love
Salvation Army ministries in British Columbia express gratitude for weekly vegetable donations.
Learning to read the Bible for all its worth.
A single mother finds relief.
Carpenter David Williams was at his lowest when he walked through the doors of The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light program in Bermuda. He’s never looked back.
16 Back From the Brink
Glendene Barrow almost died from a life-threatening illness, but her faith, family and friends pulled her through. 22
One ...
In Lilo & Stitch, family is more than just a word. It’s a way of living.
Thanks to a talented Manitoba artist, a Salvation Army church welcomes the community with traditional art.
Since 2021, The Salvation Army’s Sustainable Agriculture in Liberia (SAIL) initiative has helped hundreds of farmers.
Have You Heard the News?
News buff that I am, in these trying and worrying times, I have been drawn to the last five minutes of any newscast. That’s when the “good news” segments usually air.
Segments such as a recent story from Toronto where a frightened cat found her way under a streetcar stopped at a traffic light. Returning from a veterinarian’s appointment, the cat escaped from her owner’s satchel and promptly scootched under the vehicle, where she stubbornly refused to budge. But the predicament brought out the best in the passengers. While the transit driver stopped traffic, the passengers gently cajoled the feline out with the help of some cat treats. To the cheers of passersby, the streetcar continued on its way.
While this was a great story, I find myself returning to the truly good news in the Gospel of John that “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Talk about good news! For Faith & Friends is all about the Gospels, which literally means “good news.” The New Testament accounts of the life and teaching of Jesus Christ are the central message of Christianity today, and we hope that shines through every page of Faith & Friends.
This month, we conclude our three-part series on the Bible and why that good news is still relevant. You’ll also see how a man living in Bermuda was helped to overcome his addiction, and how a shipment of peppers in British Columbia has changed lives for the better at Army facilities. You might even say they are ... a-pepper-ciated.
Ken Ramstead
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 bimonthly by:
The Salvation Army 2 Overlea Blvd, Toronto Ontario, M4H 1P4
International Headquarters 101 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4P 4EP, England
Lyndon Buckingham, GENERAL
Commissioner Lee Graves
TERRITORIAL COMMANDER
Lt-Colonel John P. Murray
SECRETARY FOR COMMUNICATIONS
Geoff Moulton, DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND LITERARY SECRETARY
Pamela Richardson
ASSISTANT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Ken Ramstead, EDITOR
Kristin Ostensen
MANAGING EDITOR OF SALVATIONIST AND SALVATIONIST.CA
Lisa Suroso
GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST
Emily Pedlar
JUNIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Rivonny Luchas
DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Giselle Randall
SENIOR EDITOR OF SALVATIONIST
Abbigail Oliver
EDITOR OF JUST FOR KIDS AND STAFF WRITER
Logan Graves
CIRCULATION CO-ORDINATOR
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@salvationarmy.ca
Subscription for one year: Canada $17 (includes GST/HST); U.S. $22; foreign $24 P. (416) 422-6153
circulation@ salvationarmy.ca
All articles are copyright The Salvation Army Canada & Bermuda and cannot be reproduced without permission. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064794
ISSN 1702-0131
Peppers Aplenty Corne (left) and Paul Moerman are fourth-generation growers at Sunnyside Produce Ltd.
Serving Up Joy Chef Hung Joe Kwok prepares peppers donated by Sunnyside Produce Ltd.
Peppered With Love
Salvation Army ministries in British Columbia express gratitude for weekly vegetable donations.
by Melissa Yue Wallace
Photo: Sunnyside Produce Ltd.
Photo: David Yang
“As Christians, we believe it’s important to help people who are struggling and to donate to people in need.”
Community meals at The Salvation Army Vancouver Harbour Light are enjoyed by men, women and children in need of nourishment and food. Offering a range of dishes, seven days a week, in a caring, safe environment, guests from all walks of life can feel welcome, and connect with staff for information or for other resources.
So, when Sunnyside Produce Ltd., a family-run greenhouse that grows 34 hectares of bell, mini and other specialty peppers in Surrey and Delta, B.C., were reviewing their annual giving options, they had an idea.
Spreading the Peppers
“Every year, we make donations to different organizations, and we know The Salvation Army does a lot of good work locally,” says Corne Moerman, a fourth-generation grower. “Last year, we got to talking about setting up a program where we ship a pallet per week, which we’ve been doing for a few months now.”
Since last May, Sunnyside Produce Ltd. has shipped more than 200 kilograms of bell peppers a week to Salvation Army ministry units across
CORNE MOERMAN
British Columbia, totalling more than 3,000 kilograms.
According to Cindy Cheung , community engagement co-ordinator, Vancouver Harbour Light receives 30 percent of the donation, which is used to support their community residential facility, shelters and recovery clients who are working through programs to quit substance use and reintegrate safely into the community. This support also extends to helping the broader community in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.
The rest of the peppers are distributed to Army ministry units in Richmond, New Westminster and North Vancouver, where they assist with food banks, family services and homeless outreach.
Filling a Need
“Vancouver Harbour Light serves approximately 500 to 550 meals daily through our community meals service and residential programs,” says Cindy. “Food has a significant impact not only on filling empty bellies but helping clients focus on their program goals toward recovery and reintegration.”
Chefs incorporate the peppers into a variety of dishes, such as roasted pepper sides, stir-fries, stews, cold soups such as gazpacho, and a salad bar.
“The peppers have helped us add an additional variety of fresh produce to our rotating menu,” Cindy explains. “This enables our kitchen to find and create numerous dishes for a balanced diet for our clients across the programs.
“Knowing that the peppers come fresh weekly from a local farm makes us feel grateful and proud that we are putting high-quality ingredients on
our clients’ plates. We are thankful for community support.”
For Corne and his family, giving to organizations such as The Salvation Army is an outward expression of their faith.
“As Christians, we believe it’s important to help people who are struggling and to donate to people in need,” he says. He notes that organizing a weekly pickup ensures the produce is delivered as fresh as possible and can be used right away.
“For us, donating peppers is a small thing we can do, and we hope it helps fill a need and will go a long way.”
Pepper Producer
The Salvation Army’s Vancouver Harbour Light’s community meal service provides approximately 500 to 550 meals daily
Photos: David Yang
(left) Melissa Yue Wallace is a development stewardship specialist at the Salvation Army territorial headquarters in Toronto.
Beautiful Bounty Fresh produce is especially needed for food banks and shelters to help individuals eat healthier
Always Relevant Learning to read the Bible for
all its worth.
by Mal Davies
In the final article of a three-part series, Major Mal Davies talks about the world’s bestselling book—the Bible—and how it is still relevant, and needed, today.
In Act 1, Scene 3 of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a young man called Laertes is about to travel away from Denmark and he bids farewell to his sister, Ophelia, and his father, Polonius. As a wise and loving father, Polonius offers his son some advice.
He tells Laertes to be friendly to others but avoid being vulgar; to be wary of entering into arguments; to listen and speak with wisdom and discernment; and to watch
his spending habits. He concludes by saying, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” It’s a fitting final word about being guided by his own conscience and moral code.
Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in about 1600, and the advice Polonius gives Laertes is still good advice today, more than 400 years later. I’d give my son the same advice if he was going on a long trip today. Good advice is timeless.
There are many reasons I read the Bible, primarily to know God better and to observe how Jesus lived, but I find myself also constantly turning to it for advice on how to live. MAL DAVIES
Still Relevant?
Some people challenge the Bible by asking if it’s still relevant and applicable to life in the 21st century. After all, parts of it were written many thousands of years ago, and even the most recent parts were written nearly 2,000 years ago.
However, I’d suggest that the advice, lessons and teaching it offers are still highly relevant and well worth reading, reflecting on and putting into practice.
In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus spoke about our duty of care to those in need. If someone is experiencing a crisis, we’re not to run them through a questionnaire on their life choices and lifestyle first! We’re expected to help them.
Jesus also said not to put too high a priority on accumulating money or possessions, but to consider these things in correct priority order with loving God and others. As He said of one man and his wealth, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (Luke 12:20).
Greatest Teachings
Some of Jesus’ greatest teaching was in relation to showing humility and about serving others. It was common for rabbis in the Jewish faith to have disciples who would revere and respect their teachers greatly. Jesus’ disciples (followers) considered Him their rabbi and they loved and admired Him. Imagine their shock when, once, He washed their feet after travelling and advised them to offer similar humble service to others.
In our modern era, where mentalhealth issues are experienced by so many people, Jesus advised us to love others but also, importantly, to love ourselves. It’s the sort of word so many young people especially need to hear these days—you’re worthy, you’re valued, you’re seen, you’re important—love yourself!
Perhaps one of Jesus’ most important teachings was to treat others as you would like to be treated. Do you want people to be kind to you? Be kind to them. Do you want people to show you grace? Show grace to others. Do you want people to forgive you when you
mess up? Forgive others. Do you want people to respect you? Respect others.
As I said earlier: good advice is timeless. And this is the enduring attraction of history’s bestselling book, the Bible—it’s loaded with good, relevant, current, applicable, wise advice.
There are many reasons I read the
Bible, primarily to know God better and to observe how Jesus lived, but I find myself also constantly turning to it for advice on how to live. Its advice was true and helpful for my grandfather, for my father, for me, for my son and for future generations.
Good advice is timeless.
Reprinted from Salvos Magazine (Australia), May 18, 2024 (salvosonline.org.au/salvos-magazine)
(left)
Major Mal Davies is a Salvation Army pastor and writer living in Australia.
Photo: MIA Studio/stock.Adobe.com
Crucial Assistance
“Without The Salvation Army, I’m not sure how I would have gotten by,” says Amanda Bree
Amanda Bree from Houston, B.C., is a single mother of four. Due to the current high cost of living, making ends meet is a constant struggle.
“I'm on a very tight income and can’t afford to get food sometimes,” Amanda shares.
Getting By
When the pressure of providing for her family became overwhelming, a friend told her about the local Salvation Army food bank. Despite the potential relief this opportunity could bring her, Amanda initially hesitated to seek help.
“I was shy to ask for help and felt a little nervous,” Amanda remembers. However, she soon discovered that the support from the food bank was just what she needed. Over the past year, Amanda says her overall experience has been very positive.
“It has helped a lot,” Amanda says.
Hope for the Future
Single mother finds relief thanks to Salvation Army food bank support.
by Juan Romero
She adds that the Army has made it possible for her to fill the gap between paycheques, ensuring her children don’t go hungry.
Although Amanda is proud to be doing her best to keep her children well, she credits the food bank for its crucial assistance to her family.
“Without The Salvation Army, I’m not sure how I would have gotten by.”
There to Help
Aside from food assistance, the Army has also provided Amanda’s children with back-to-school supplies. It helps her relieve a cost that, multiplied by four children, can add up.
The Salvation Army’s support has given Amanda hope for the future.
“My outlook looks better than it did a year ago,” she says.
While she works hard to provide for her family, Amanda knows that whenever times get tough, the Army will be there to help her.
A Perfect Fit
CARPENTER DAVID WILLIAMS WAS AT HIS LOWEST WHEN HE WALKED THROUGH THE DOORS OF THE SALVATION ARMY’S HARBOUR LIGHT PROGRAM IN BERMUDA.
HE’S NEVER LOOKED BACK.
by Ken Ramstead
When a sked how The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light program in Bermuda changed David Williams’ life, the carpenter prefaces his remarks with, “I’m not good at telling stories; I’m not a storyteller,” and then proceeds to narrate in meticulous detail the story of his life.
“I came to Harbour Light when I was 45. And I got my life together. And things have been going pretty good since then.”
A Summer’s Start
David was born in 1964 and came from a very religious family. He didn’t have any issues until he became a teenager.
“When I was 16, I start smoking marijuana and drinking beer,” he says. And things did not get better for close to three decades.
David’s turning point came one June day.
“I looked awful. I weighed 120 pounds, and I stunk,” he says now at the memory. “I was in bad shape.”
Measured Response
“I still have bad days, but my worst day today is better than my best day back then,” David Williams says
Photo: Chandra-Lee D. Bascome
Photo: Birgit Korber/stock.Adobe.com
Hard at Work
“I have been able to use the tools that I was equipped with at Harbour Light and stay clean one day at a time,” says David
A customer called David to ask if he was interested in a cabinet-making job.
“This is my ticket out of here,” he thought happily. “I’ll do these cabinets, get paid a lot of money, pay my back rent.”
But the customer took one look at David and said, “I don’t want you to do it. I’ll get someone else.”
“What am I going to do?” a distraught David asked himself.
On his walk home, he stopped. While he’d always been a praying man, David’s “praying” consisted of “cutting deals.”
“I’d say to God, ‘If You help me, I’ll do this and I won’t do that.’ But that never seemed to work.”
Now, he prayed. Really prayed. “I didn’t try to cut any deals,” he
says. “I just asked for help. And I stood there for quite a while. Once I was finished, I started walking home again, but I felt a huge weight taken off my shoulder.”
When he returned home, a rejuvenated David contacted someone he knew who was in recovery, who, in turn, connected him with the people at The Salvation Army’s Harbour Light Addiction and Life Skills Program in Hamilton, Bermuda.
“They told me to come on June 22, 2010, right after the first day of summer,” says David. “I did. I reeked of alcohol. And I started my journey.”
Valued Alumni
David stayed at Harbour Light for a year and a half.
Photo: Chandra-Lee
D. Bascome
“I looked awful. I weighed 120 pounds, and I stunk. I was in bad shape.”
DAVID WILLIAMS
“What they did was keep me away from alcohol and drugs long enough for me to be able to get over the addiction,” he says.
It was supposed to be a sixmonth program but when David approached his counsellor and told her he felt it was time to leave, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“She didn’t mean to,” smiles David. “However, she was right. I realize now that I was nowhere near ready.”
But when he approached her after a year and told her he felt he was ready to leave, she surprised him by saying, “David, you’re helping a lot of people here. Why don’t you stay around a little longer?”
“I mentioned that I’m not a good storyteller,” he says, “but I would listen to people and encourage them, even be a peacemaker if that was what was needed.”
After a year and a half, David was called to the office, and the staff told him he could leave on October 26, 2011.
He was not done with Harbour Light, though.
“David has been an active alumnus for the Harbour Light program,” says Chandra-Lee Bascome,
social missions
assistant executive
director at Harbour Light. “He’s always come around and, in fact, gives back a lot to the program. Because he’s a carpenter by trade, he’s helped save us money by using his expertise to fix things around here. He stays connected to The Salvation Army.”
A Day at a Time
Besides helping David to conquer his addiction, Harbour Light helped deepen his faith.
“Now, I’ve got the biggest, baddest bodyguard ever,” he laughs.
“You know,” he continues, “God’s helped me through daily life when situations come up. Instead of trying to figure it out myself, I take it up in prayer. And the answers to the questions just pop in my head.
“I have Someone I can depend on.”
When asked where he would be without Harbour Light, David replies, simply, “I don’t think I’d be alive, to be honest.
“I have been able to use the tools that I was equipped with at Harbour Light and stay clean one day at a time.
“Everything has changed,” he concludes. “I still have bad days, but my worst day today is better than my best day back then.”
Lorem Ipsum Tktk
Back From the Brink
GLENDENE BARROW ALMOST DIED FROM A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS, BUT HER FAITH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS PULLED HER THROUGH.
by Janice Keats
For most people, having the flu usually means being sick for a few days, snuggled up in a blanket with some hot beverages. For Glendene Barrow, it meant a 26-week stay in hospital and a neardeath experience.
An Ambulance Built for Two “I was unwell through most of the fall of 2023,” Glendene explains. “I had gone through a couple of rounds of antibiotics, and I was on medication for my arthritis and psoriasis, which breaks down my immune system.”
Despite the care she was receiving, her health was declining rapidly with no explanation. But the high school teacher from Gambo, N.L., toughed it out and kept moving forward— until the day in January 2024 when she couldn’t move.
In a twist of fate, her husband, Don, also fell ill.
“I spent all one Friday and Saturday in my recliner while Don was sick in his chair downstairs, neither of us realizing it!
“I was struggling to stay awake by this time, while Don had fallen and couldn’t get up.”
Help arrived when their friends, Byron and Sylvia Diamond, decided to check in on them, and an ambulance was called.
“The paramedics mentioned the word ‘septic,’ which scared me,” Glendene recalls. “I don’t remember anything after getting in the ambulance and being placed on oxygen.”
Home at Last Don and Glendene were diagnosed with influenza and strep A, with double pneumonia added for Glendene.
“I spent two days at the Gander, N.L., hospital, where Don was,
Photo: Alyssa Brennan Photography & Makeup
Keeping the Faith Glendene Barrow attends the Salvation Army church in Gambo, N.L.
“I did not ask, ‘Why me?’ I took the bumps along the way and fought back .”
GLENDENE BARROW
Loving Couple
Don Barrow visits with his wife, Glendene, at her hospital bedside
but they quickly realized there was nothing they could do for me,” Glendene says. “They tried to stabilize me and organized an emergency airlift to St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital in St. John’s, N.L. The doctors feared I would not survive the flight, but by some miracle, I did.”
In the days that followed, Glendene’s health remained
precarious, and she was in and out of consciousness. She spent 11 weeks in the ICU until she slowly stabilized. During this time, Glendene was fed by a feeding tube and breathed with the help of a tracheotomy.
“I did not fully wake up until late February,” she says. “My mom’s birthday, February 22, is the first thing I can somewhat clearly remember. At that time, I was still
Photo: Courtesy of Glendene Barrow
experiencing delirium—nightmares. It was a scary time for me. Once I woke fully, there were weeks of recuperation for my lungs.”
Glendene spent a total of 16 weeks at St. Clare’s followed by five weeks of rehab in Gander, and then another five weeks in St. John's. She returned home on June 28, using a walker for mobility.
“Don was not hit as hard as I was,” she says. “And he was not in the hospital as long—11 days versus my 26 weeks in all.”
“Not Done Yet”
As her situation remained bleak, Glendene’s family signed a do-notresuscitate (DNR) order because the
medical team did not believe she could handle additional trauma.
“I had everything going against me,” she smiles now.
Not everyone felt that way. Major Barbara Pritchett, the hospital chaplain at St. Clare’s, remembers the day she accompanied the family to meet with the doctors in charge.
“The news that day was grim,” she says, “presenting the idea of removing life support. Don joined us by conference call because he was battling his own illness in Gander. I will never forget Don’s response as he forcefully replied, albeit with a voice compromised by his own illness, ‘My wife is a strong woman. She is not done yet.’ ”
Vital Support
Salvation Army Major Barbara Pritchett, the hospital chaplain
Photo: Courtesy of Major Barbara Pritchett
Salvationist Support
During all this time, Glendene received tremendous prayer support, and her family and friends never gave up hope. She had many visitors and well wishes during her lengthy stay at the hospital. A member of The Salvation Army and a former pastor herself, the church rallied to her cause from all over the world.
Fighting Spirit
“I would encourage anyone in a similar situation to keep the faith and keep fighting for what you want,” says Glendene
“Local pastors were in the midst of their annual meetings in St. John’s when I was hospitalized,” she says. “Many of them took the time to come see me at the hospital. I was not awake at the beginning, but they prayed over me and surrounded me in prayer. People everywhere were assuring my family of their prayer support.”
Throughout the darkest moments
Ties That Bind Don and Glendene with their daughters, Mikenzie and Madison
Photo: Copurtesy of Glendene Barrow
Photo: Alyssa Brennan Photography & Makeup
of this illness, Glendene continued to reach out to God, and she experienced peace, never doubting His presence.
“I remember always feeling at peace,” she says. “I did not ask, ‘Why me?’ I took the bumps along the way and fought back. My stubbornness and strong will were a positive for my recuperation.”
Green for Glendene
Glendene’s high school colleagues and students at Smallwood Academy in Gambo never forgot her, either. On February 29, they held a green day—her favourite colour—and named it “Green for Glendene.” Everyone was invited to dress in green and share their photos, and with that, they created a video to lift her spirits.
“It was very touching,” says Glendene. “This started at school but it went viral. Family and friends from all over shared their photos with me. I still watch the video when I need to be encouraged. Students also dropped by with frog figurines, something I collect.”
“Keep Fighting” Prayer continued for Glendene’s healing. She had been in a coma for several weeks, but many people and churches continued in prayer.
“As I walked through the doors of the ICU one day,” says Major Barbara, “Don motioned over to me. There was Glendene, eyes wide open, responding to her loved ones.
“Right before my eyes, I witnessed a miracle.”
Glendene has come a long way on her healing journey.
Today, she is still on the road to recovery but she is now back to work part time and is enjoying her time with her students.
Her goal was to be able to walk again and, with the support of a cane, she is once again feeling positive that a road to a full recovery is in full view.
“It was a fight to get through the healing process, but I remained strong in my faith, and I wanted to return to my previous lifestyle,” Glendene states. “I would encourage anyone in a similar situation to keep the faith and keep fighting for what you want.”
(left)
Janice Keats is the emergency disaster services trainer for The Salvation Army’s Atlantic Division. Residing in Conception Bay South, N.L., she has authored three books and is actively engaged in sharing her faith story.
A Loyal Friend
Stitch may be a strange blue creature from a distant planet, but Lilo loves him anyway
All for One ...
IN LILO & STITCH, FAMILY IS MORE THAN JUST A WORD. IT’S A WAY OF LIVING.
by Diane Stark
Lilo & Stitch, in theatres this month, is a live action/CGI remake of Disney’s 2002 animated film of the same name.
Adopt-an-Alien
When six-year-old Hawaiian Lilo Pelekai (Maia Kealoha) and her 18-year-old sister, Nani (Sydney Agudong), lose their parents in a car crash, their whole lives change. Nani becomes Lilo’s legal guardian, but the girls are under constant threat of being separated and put into foster care by a social worker named Mrs. Kekoa (Tia Carrere, who voiced Nani in the original film).
When Lilo starts to feel lonely,
Nani takes her to the animal shelter to adopt a pet. There, Lilo meets Stitch (Chris Sanders), a strange blue creature that everyone assumes is a dog. But in reality, Stitch is Experiment 626, an alien designed by Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis), a mad scientist from a distant planet. Stitch escaped his captors in an alien spacecraft, crash-landed on earth and ended up at the animal shelter. After adopting Stitch, Lilo tries to teach him to behave, but Stitch was designed for destruction—and he’s quite good at it.
Stitch causes many problems for Lilo and Nani, but Lilo doesn’t care. As she and Nani firmly believe,
“Ohana means family. Family means no one gets left behind or forgotten.” When Dr. Jumba tries to capture Stitch, Lilo and Nani find themselves in danger, and their loyalty to their odd new family member is tested. Does family really mean sticking together, even when people aren’t who we thought they were?
Who Is My Neighbour?
Ohana refers to family in an extended way—not only people who are bloodrelated but those who are adopted and people we choose as our family. Many of us find our chosen family at church. We share the bond of faith, so it’s easy to form other connections, too. Some of us may even feel closer to our chosen family members than to our biological ones. And while the Bible is clear that we are to love and respect our biological family members, it also clearly embraces the idea that our families—those who can count on us to help them in times of trouble—should be more than just those with whom we share a blood tie.
In Luke 10, an expert in the law asked Jesus who the Bible is referring to when it says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” In reply, Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan, a man who happened upon a stranger who’d been robbed and beaten. The Samaritan looked after the man, sacrificing his own time and money to help him. The Samaritan was not the man’s neighbour, but he cared for him as though he was. Jesus tells the expert
in the law, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).
Honouring God
Jesus instructs us to love those around us as though they are our neighbours and our families. And this love shouldn’t be just a friendly feeling toward others. This kind of love takes action when others need help.
Like the Good Samaritan, it is likely to cost us some of our time or money. This could mean donating canned goods to our local food bank, helping someone move, babysitting for a single parent or buying a meal for someone in need. It could even be as simple as smiling or offering an encouraging word to a stranger who’s having a rough day.
1 John 4:21 says, “Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” Who are our brothers and sisters? Again, the Bible is referring to more than just the people in our biological families.
Loving those around us isn’t an easy task. Jesus understands this. After all, He had to listen to His disciples—whom He loved as brothers—bicker over who among them was the greatest and who should sit at His side in heaven (see Mark 10:35-45). Asking God for patience and wisdom in dealing with others is a prayer He loves to hear. It shows our desire to honour God by loving His children.
In Hawaii, ohana means family. And in God’s kingdom, family means all of God’s children.
A Shared Sanctuary
Thanks to a talented Manitoba artist, a Salvation Army church welcomes the community with traditional art.
by Kristin Marand
The pillars flanking the doors to the chapel at The Salvation Army’s Weetamah church in Winnipeg welcome visitors with bright new images depicting the Seven Sacred Teachings that are valued and practised by many Indigenous people. Seven colourful animals are accompanied by traditional woodland-style motifs reaching to the ceiling, as well as
freshly painted walls with pictures of a thunderbird and a teepee.
The sanctuary is the heart of the building, and everything that takes place here—the classrooms for literacy, upskilling and computer skills, the kitchen and food pantry that feeds the community, the gym that houses the Christmas toy program and other activities, and the spaces shared with other community
Welcoming Entrance Vibrant artwork graces The Salvation Army’s Weetamah church in Winnipeg
organizations—flows from the centre. The new mural intends to make the entrance more welcoming, acknowledge the land on which the building sits, honour the people who visit the building and share the teachings with everyone who enters.
“Taking Action”
“The significance of the mural is a very explicit nod to the relationship we have with those whose homeland we have the honour of sharing,” explains Captain Ian Scott, who was the pastor at Weetamah when the mural was commissioned. “We felt it was a great opportunity to visually acknowledge the place in which we worship and create community and
Talented Family
Janine Twoheart (left) and David Boulanger (right) with their children. “It’s beautiful to pass it on to our family, what we made together, so the traditions and practices live on,” Janine says
Sharing Understanding
Traditional woodland-style motifs reach to the ceiling
the connection to all people who come through the building.”
The mural was created by Manitoba artist David Boulanger, whose spirit name is Gwiiwizenz Dewe’igan niindigo, which means Little Boy Drum. He is Anishinaabe from Peguis First Nation. David teamed up with Robert Aymont to paint the walls, and his family helped paint the pillars.
David recalls the “happy accident” of being asked to paint the mural.
“My wife and kids and I were working in the building with a group of residential school survivors, sharing land-based knowledge and cultural practices on the land. A good friend referred us to Captain
Photos:
Kristin Marand
Ian, and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share a visual interpretation of some of our culture in the building as well.”
Captain Ian and David discussed their shared vision of expressing and sharing something symbolic of reconciliation, inclusion and indigenizing the space.
“There has long been a desire to be appropriate and relevant to all people in our community and this is a small step that will have such huge impact on creating that welcoming space,” says Captain Ian. “Also, the consideration was given that The Salvation Army is a signatory to the conditions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to do our part in taking action.”
A Family Affair
The mural depicts the Seven Sacred Teachings—courage, respect, wisdom, humility, honesty, love and
Community and Connection
The walls have pictures of a thunderbird (far left) and a teepee (inset)
Symbolic Expression
“This is a small step that will have a huge impact,” says Captain Ian Scott (right) seen here with his wife, Captain Deanna Scott
truth—each represented by a different animal. The bear represents courage, the bison represents respect, the beaver symbolizes wisdom, the wolf represents humility, the sabe (or sasquatch) symbolizes honesty, the eagle represents love and the turtle stands for truth. The teachings, also known as the Seven Grandfathers, originate from the Anishinaabe people and make up the laws of living a good life in peace and harmony with all of creation and a moral respect for all living beings.
“I figured it was a good opportunity to share the ‘real’ understanding and open the conversation about the significance of these teachings,” says David. “We were hoping to begin the conversation about decolonizing the understandings of these words and meanings and help shed some light on our beliefs and practices through this mural.”
Photos: Kristin Marand
“The significance of the mural is a very explicit nod to the relationship we have with those whose homeland we have the honour of sharing.”
CAPTAIN IAN SCOTT
He has been a multi-media artist since the 1990s. His band, Burnt-Project 1, won Aboriginal recording of the year at the 2006 Juno Awards. David’s wife, Janine Twoheart, creates jewelry and authentic traditional art, cultural and ceremonial items for community and personal ceremonial use.
“I started about seven years ago when I met David,” she says. “He introduced me to the culture because I didn’t grow up with it, and then it just blossomed from there. I really jumped into it, and it is something that I am very passionate about and genuinely love, making traditional art, learning, culture sharing and preserving beautiful traditions and practices.”
You can find her creations on Facebook and Instagram on her page By Niizhode. The couple’s four children, Mino’de (kindhearted person),
(left)
Isbyming (the heavens), Nyaabe (looks in the future in a good way) and Aadizookaan (the legend/the collective knowledge of the people/ the sacred stories), have always been surrounded and included in cultural activities and ceremony when the family visits and works in the community. The two eldest helped paint the pillars at Weetamah. Art is truly a family affair.
“It’s so beautiful to be able to share it with the family,” says Janine. “As the girls are getting older, they want to be a part of it, too. And they are our future. Because my family wasn’t very traditional, it’s beautiful to pass it on to our family, what we made together, so the traditions and practices live on.”
David has also been tapped to paint another mural for the Army’s Winnipeg Centre of Hope’s SonRise family shelter in the near future.
Kristin Marand is the manager of communications for The Salvation Army’s Prairies and Northern Territories Division. With a background in media and a passion for weaving language and sharing stories, Kristin is a proud Métis on her own journey of reclamation.
Eating Healthy With Erin
BBQ FLANK STEAK
TIME 2 hrs 35 min MAKES 6 servings SERVE WITH tacos
1 kg (2 lbs) flank steak
10 ml (2 tsp) coarse salt
5 ml (1 tsp) black pepper
10 ml (2 tsp) apple cider vinegar
5 ml (1 tsp) oregano
1. Cut steak in half down the middle to create two large steaks. Using the tines of a fork, poke holes all over each side of the steaks.
2. Rub salt and pepper into each side. Add apple cider vinegar and oregano to each side, rubbing it in. Cover and place in fridge to marinate for 2 hours.
3. Cook on barbecue between 260-280 C (500-550 F) for 20 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes.
EASY TACO RICE BOWL
4. Remove from barbecue when the steak has reached an internal temperature of 63 C (145 F) (medium-rare). Transfer to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil to rest on the counter for 10 minutes to arrive at a medium-cooked steak.
5. Cut steaks again down the middle so you have 4 steaks, then cut into strips.
TIME 35 min MAKES 4 servings SERVE WITH flank steak or on its own
500 ml (2 cups) water
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
1 ml (¼ tsp) salt
1 ml (¼ tsp) pepper
250 ml (1 cup) uncooked basmati rice
15 ml (1 tbsp) butter
500 ml (2 cups) black beans, canned
30 ml (2 tbsp) salsa
500 ml (2 cups) bell peppers
250 ml (1 cup) avocado
250 ml (1 cup) cheese
250 ml (1 cup) canned corn
1 L (4 cups) fresh spinach
60 ml (¼ cup) black olives
250 ml (1 cup) sour cream
250 ml (1 cup) salsa
1. Add water, olive oil, salt and pepper to a pot and bring to boil. Add rice, reduce to simmer with a lid on and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Remove pot from heat and allow to sit covered for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add butter, beans and salsa. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Slice peppers and avocados. Grate cheese and rinse corn.
5. To assemble your bowl, start with a layer of fresh spinach at the bottom. Add a scoop of rice in the middle, then arrange the rest of the ingredients around rice. Top with olives, sour cream and salsa.
QUICK QUIZ
by Kevin Frank
Word Search Colour Your World
Harvest of Hope
Since 2021, The Salvation Army’s Sustainable Agriculture in Liberia (SAIL) initiative has enabled more than 200 farmers to receive seed packages and to be trained in seed selection, soil preparation, sowing, pest control, harvesting methods and crop storage. As well, demonstration plots in the community enable them to learn sustainable farming methods.
Here, Emmanuel Kimen, SAIL project manager, and Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray, director of international development, showcase produce from farmers assisted by the SAIL initiative.
“Lives are being improved every day,” says Lt-Colonel Brenda.
