Salvationist + Faith & Friends January/February 2024

All Costs, No Benefits: The Affordability Crisis

Major Len Ballantine’s Life of Music Ministry

Talking About Racial Equality In Our Churches

THE VOICE OF THE ARMY

January/February 2024

Salvationist.ca

A Transforming Territory Partners in Mission campaign highlights the Army’s ministry in West Africa

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January/February 2024 • Volume 19, Number 1

CONNECT ONLINE Visit Salvationist.ca to add your comments and read web-exclusive articles

DEPARTMENTS 5 Frontlines

@salvationistmagazine Follow us on Instagram for the latest and best Army photos. Tag your photos #salvationists

8 Inbox 22 Talking It Over The Affordability Crisis

by James Read and Paul Barber

/salvationistmagazine Like us on Facebook for photos and updates. Interact with our community of 41,000+ followers

24 What’s Your Story?

Journey’s End

by Ken Ramstead

10

26 Cross Culture

FEATURES

28 People & Places

@Salvationist Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) for the Army’s breaking news. Use hashtag #SalvationArmy for your own updates and photos

10 A Transforming Territory

30 Q&A A Passion for Partnership Interview with Josh Draheim

Celebrating the growth of The Salvation Army in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

by Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray and Mark Yan, Photographer

COLUMNS

14 Sweet Land of Liberty

4 Editorial

Agricultural training, education and community development are making a difference in West Africa.

by Kathy Nguyen

A World of Opportunity

by Geoff Moulton

9 Onward

16 Ambassador of Peace

Faith in Motion

by Commissioner Lee Graves

Cover photo: Mark Yan

From doughnut seller to diplomat, Momo Gborkowkollie Douwee has dedicated his life to serving God through the Army.

by Abbigail Oliver

25 Grace Notes Sacred Spaces

by Captain Laura Van Schaick

issuu.com/salvationist Catch up on all the Salvation Army news and features on your tablet, desktop or smartphone

17 Young Liberia

READ AND SHARE IT! What Will Yours Say?

Telling a Story

Canstruction Zone

LIVING THE DASH P.8 MARGO‘S TATTOO P.5 HELPING THE ARMY P.10

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

The Salvation Army Polytechnic University College is preparing the next generation to succeed.

by Major Heather Matondo

18 The Gift of Music As he retires from active ministry, Major Len Ballantine leaves a worldwide legacy of music making.

by Kristin Ostensen

faithandfriends.ca

JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2024

Triple

Threat

21 Bending Toward Justice

18

Engaging in conversations about racial equality in our churches.

by Phylicia Rawlins

NATHAN FURBERT’S LOVE OF SPORTS, PASSION FOR MUSIC AND DESIRE FOR SERVICE MAKE HIM A STAND-OUT ON THE ISLAND OF BERMUDA. P.16

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 1

Salvationist January/February 2024

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EDITORIAL

A World of Opportunity

J

the Army and see the world.” This “ oin slogan was part of the British mil-

itary’s recruitment campaign in the 1920s, but it’s also true of The Salvation Army today. In our instance, however, it’s not through the lens of colonialism and conquest, but rather through partnership, respect and mutual benefit. We are blessed to be operating in 134 countries and counting. Just three months ago, the Army launched its work in Bulgaria in the Eastern Europe Territory. And so, we continue to grow.

This month, all being well, I will have the privilege of travelling to Africa to witness first-hand the Army’s work in Liberia and Zimbabwe. Members of our Canada and Bermuda communications team will be there to capture stories, meet with our African partners and learn from each other.

For this year’s Partners in Mission Self-Denial Campaign, we are spotlighting the work of The Salvation Army in the Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Territory. Primary education, health care and corps outreach are just some Army projects that are bettering the lives of people there. Check out our photo essay, starting on page 10. We also profile the Sustainable Agriculture in Liberia project (page 14) and the Polytechnic University College (page 17), which is bringing educational opportunities to hundreds of

Salvationist

is a bimonthly publication of The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory 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 Kristin Ostensen Managing Editor of Salvationist and Salvationist.ca Giselle Randall Features Editor Abbigail Oliver Staff Writer 4 January/February 2024

young people. Lastly, we invite you to meet Salvationist Momo Gborkowkollie Douwee, a peace ambassador who once was held captive by rebel forces and has since worked to rehabilitate former child soldiers (page 16).

Elsewhere in the issue, James Read and Paul Barber look at the affordability crisis and how The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to help. Is there any way to curb the dramatic rise in the cost of living? See their thoughtful discussion on page 22. Captain Laura Van Schaick explores sacred spaces and the role church design and architecture play in connecting us with the divine (page 25).

February is Black History Month and Salvationist Phylicia Rawlins challenges us to consider the importance of racial equality in our churches (page 21).

And we celebrate the legacy of Major Len Ballantine, who has spent a lifetime composing and making music that has touched lives around the world (page 18).

As we think of our world today, our hearts are saddened by the seemingly intractable conflicts and loss of life in many regions. We pray for peace. May God help us “see the world,” not

Lisa Suroso Graphic Design Specialist Rivonny Luchas Digital Media Specialist Emily Pedlar Junior Graphic Designer Ken Ramstead Contributor

just literally, but also in the way we strive to understand and appreciate people of different cultures and backgrounds— to see the world as God himself sees it.

As someone at the official launch of the Bulgaria Region put it, “The Salvation Army is always about other people.”

William Booth summed it up even more succinctly: “OTHERS!” During this Partners in Mission season, let’s support the worldwide work of the Army and demonstrate love for our neighbours, both near and far.

Salvationist

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Mission

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FRONTLINES

Territorial Leaders Embark on Welcome Tour

During their first stop, Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves join Lt-Col Sandra Stokes for a visit with the members of the corps youth and senior bands at St. John’s Citadel, N.L.

At Montreal Citadel, Commissioners Graves pray with Cpts Juan Chirinos and Indira Albert and Cols Eleanor and Glen Shepherd

A

t the end of October, Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves, territorial leaders, embarked on a welcome tour across Canada, visiting corps and ministry units from coast to coast. Accompanied by Lt-Colonel John Murray, territorial secretary for communications, Commissioners Graves began their tour in Newfoundland and Labrador, before making stops in five other provinces.

“It was uplifting and affirming to meet with officers, employees, Salvationists and friends across the territory, to be reacquainted with missional programming that we know well and to be introduced to exciting new initiatives,” says Commissioner Lee Graves, territorial commander.

Arriving in Newfoundland and Labrador, Commissioners Graves attended a welcome service at St. John’s Citadel, before visiting Mount Pearl Citadel and Carbonear Corps, supported by Lt-Colonel Sandra Stokes, divisional commander, Atlantic Division. The following day, they travelled to Halifax where they shared a lunch with employees at the then Maritime divisional headquarters and enjoyed a reception at the Army’s community centre with officers and mission partners.

The next day, they moved on to Quebec, first stopping in at Montreal Citadel’s community program, Stitch and Chat, with Captains Indira Albert and Juan Chirinos, corps officers. While in Montreal, they also visited the Booth Centre and the Rosemont (Nouveaux Departs) Corps. “Montreal reminded us of the richness of community-based ministry shared at the corps and the beautiful care provided through our social service work,” says Commissioner Graves.

Accompanied by Lt-Col Jamie Braund, DC, B.C. Div, Commissioners Graves meet with staff at Vancouver Harbour Light

In Calgary, the territorial leaders visited ministry units such as the new Forest Lawn Community Resource Centre, a 50,000-square-foot facility that will offer community-based ministry, including a full-sized gymnasium to engage skateboarders, the Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre and the Booth Centre.

They then travelled to Vancouver, visiting the British Columbia divisional headquarters, Belkin House and Harbour Light, where they were reminded of the valued community partnerships that support the Army’s social service work.

Commissioners Graves concluded their cross-country welcome tour with a visit to Saskatchewan, meeting with Salvationists at Saskatoon Temple, touring local ministry units and taking part in the corps retreat at the Army’s Beaver Creek Camp.

“Our priority is the ministry of presence,” says Commissioner Graves. “While we were only able to visit a limited sampling of the territory on this tour, what we witnessed and the conversations we shared provided insight into the ongoing positive impact of last year’s INSPIRE Conference and Congress, the responsibility and com-

Commissioner Lee Graves speaks with Kathy Blindenbach, chaplain at Calgary Community Services, about integrated mission

mitment carried out with passion and intentionality, and a dependency upon the Lord as we trust in his faithfulness.

“The Army is strong and progressive,” he continues. “We are blessed with soldiers and friends who are committed to being welcoming communities, and the gospel is being proclaimed by word and deed. Our mission partners in Canada and Bermuda are sharing the good news, providing practical support and fulfilling the purpose of The Salvation Army as a movement.”

Salvationist January/February 2024

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FRONTLINES

(Left) Comr Johnny Kleman presents the Salvation Army flag

(Above) Young dancers open the meeting celebrating the official launch of the Bulgaria Rgn

Salvation Army Launches Bulgaria Region

I

n October, The Salvation Army celebrated the official launch of the Bulgaria Region as part of the Eastern Europe Territory. Officers and church members from around the region gathered in Sofia, Bulgaria, to share in fellowship and celebration.

“We are grateful for the support we have received since coming to Bulgaria and recognize that God has a plan for his people and his kingdom,” said Colonel Kelvin Pethybridge, then territorial commander, as he presented awards to visitors who had been instrumental in creating the Bulgaria Region. He then presented a certificate to Captain Eduard

Lebedev, regional commander, Bulgaria, as a reminder of the mission of The Salvation Army and to commemorate the official launch of the Army in Bulgaria.

Commissioners Johnny and Eva Kleman, zonal leaders for Europe, shared a message from General Lyndon Buckingham, which read: “Thank you for your faith, prayers and perseverance … There are still people who need to hear the words of Jesus Christ. There are still real needs that need to be met. Be assured that you join a worldwide family of Salvationists where the blood-and-fire flag flies. Your brothers and sisters in Christ pray for and with you.”

Commissioner Eva Kleman, zonal secretary for women’s ministries, then invited the congregation to join her as she prayed for officers, soldiers, leaders and all those who call The Salvation Army home. She prayed that people would learn to know God through The Salvation Army, and she blessed the future of Army ministry in Bulgaria.

In closing, Colonel Pethybridge addressed the congregation once again, congratulating The Salvation Army in Bulgaria. “God made a way,” he said. “He can do the things that we think are impossible. He will continue to do this in Bulgaria.

May the Spirit of God burn within you.”

NEW DONATION OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR PARTNERS IN MISSION The international Partners in Mission Self-Denial Campaign is an opportunity for Salvationists around the world to support the global work of The Salvation Army. The international development department has announced two new donation options to help the Canada and Bermuda Territory reach a fundraising goal of $2.4 million this year.

GET 2024 TAR

ION $2.4 MILL 6 January/February 2024

Salvationist

•

Payroll deduction: this gives officers and employees the option to donate directly through payroll. To complete your charitable donation authorization form, contact SAID@salvationarmy.ca.

•

Online donation: give to Partners in Mission at salvationarmy.ca/pim.

FRONTLINES

Bermuda Community Unites to Build Garden

T

hroughout October, The Salvation Army in Bermuda participated in the “Housing4All” campaign. This movement brought different organizations in Bermuda together to take part in events to raise awareness about homelessness in the country.

To honour the campaign, The Salvation Army’s emergency housing shelter in Pembroke, Bermuda, hosted a volunteer event, which brought in people to build a new community garden outside the shelter.

Marjorie Armstrong, a caseworker at the emergency shelter, came up with the idea. She believed that building a garden would not only be a great volunteer opportunity but would also help the residents of the shelter in the long run. “It will help to feed them, and it will allow us to feed other people as well,” says Armstrong. “It is going to be self-sufficient. It will also help our people by keeping them busy.”

The community garden event gathered 15 volunteers from a charitable community group called Bermuda Is Love, as well as staff members from The Salvation Army including Lieutenant Lester Ward, executive director, Bermuda community services.

Volunteers from Bermuda Is Love and Salvation Army staff work together to build the garden

For Lieutenant Ward, the experience was rewarding in every aspect. Not only were they able to turn a piece of land into a garden in such a short time, but they also enjoyed their time and made new connections. “The biggest takeaway from this is not just the garden and the goods, but rather the relationships that have been built,” says Lieutenant Ward.

Thanks to the creation of the garden, the residents will now have something to care for that will provide food for them and others in the community. In addition, the Army opened new doors for future volunteer collaborations. “The volunteers loved it. They intend to continue to help us in any way they can,” says Armstrong.

Army Partners With Love New Canadians

L

ove New Canadians, a ministry founded by Rick and Patti Love from Calgary, is partnering with the Canada and Bermuda Territory to deliver a new program for ministering to newcomers to Canada.

Love New Canadians includes strategic curriculum, events and activities that help welcome and introduce people to Canadian life and culture, as well as teaching them English as a second language. Through delivering this program in their own church and community, the Loves discovered that many individuals were sensitive and responsive to spiritual

and religious connection. As such, the curriculum also helps introduce participants to Jesus and develop a relationship with Christ.

“Rick and Patti Love have a fabulous and extensive ministry in their church in Calgary,” explains Major Doug Binner, territorial corps life director. “This partnership will help us think about our ministry to new Canadians and how we can support immigrants, refugees and international students.”

Recognizing the substantial influx of immigrants across Canada, Major Binner sees this partnership as an opportunity to revitalize corps and engage with communities that are undergoing demographic shifts.

“Immigrants and refugees are moving into many if not all the communities that The Salvation Army serves. The fields

are ripe unto harvest,” he notes. “This is an amazing opportunity to start doing something new with more intention, and with all the tools and resources that we need to do it effectively.”

The Love New Canadians program, including curriculum resources, webinars, online coaching and in-person engagements, is now available to support Salvation Army officers, employees and lay leaders.

For more information, visit salvationist.ca/corps-mission/home/ or contact Major Doug Binner at Doug.Binner@salvationarmy.ca Look for an interview with Rick and Patti Love on Salvationist.ca in January.

Salvationist January/February 2024

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INBOX

Stewarding Privilege Captain Laura, what a thought-provoking article (“Parting with Privilege,” September/October 2023). It has reminded me today that I have so much privilege to be grateful for, but to be sure to leverage it as you so beautifully put in the benediction: “May we move beyond learning and listening toward accepting and acting, toward stewarding our privilege for the sake of our neighbour.”

Lieutenant Nancy Harrison

Freedom of Expression This is an interesting exchange and one that has some good points about free speech (“Truth and Justice,” September/October 2023). However, I would caution about tying the rights and responsibilities of free speech too closely together. One is not dependent on the other. The danger in connecting them too closely is that the rights may be withheld if the powers that be deem that the responsibilities have not been taken seriously. Which then begs the question: who determines what the responsibilities are? Is it government? Is it religion?

If religion, whose religion?

The use of the double entendre to state that our “rights” may become “wrongs” is clever, but unhelpful when considering the guarantee of civil liberties versus morality. The right of free speech is fundamental to our basic functioning and progress as human beings. That ought not be denied under any circumstances. A discussion on how Christians use that right (i.e., license) to act right (i.e., morally) is worthwhile, but it is a separate, albeit related, issue.

In many Salvation Army programs, we have a list of client rights and responsibilities. They are meant to convey both the intrinsic guarantees that belong to a client and also what our expectations of them are. But their lack of compliance to those expectations doesn’t negate their rights. A client may disrespect me or use drugs within the building. I may suspend his services in response, but I can’t negate his rights to privacy, safety or anything else we have guaranteed.

We should all worry when we allow others to limit our speech. It’s never a critical issue for us when we are in a position in which we believe we already have those rights. In those times, we like to talk more about our responsibilities than our rights and giving a voice to the “other,” which is all well and good. But one day we may find ourselves the “other” and lament our own loss of this freedom.

Major Juan Burry

To be considered for publication, letters to the editor must include your name and address, and a phone number or email address where you can be contacted. Letters may be edited for space and clarity, and may be published in any medium.

8 January/February 2024

Salvationist

The End of the World This article offered interesting views with a broad spectrum of references to apocalyptic writing and its interpretation from various cultural perspectives (“It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” October 2023). Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and 1984 by George Orwell also give us insight into two possible scenarios in the world to come. Orwell sees a state dominating us and controlling us, with technology reducing our humanity to a fear-based existence. Huxley conversely envisions a world that is so focused on enjoyment, pleasure and hedonism that we are lulled into an existence of being less than human with our focus in life being pleasure. Neither of these views are positive and both diminish the reality of our existence as humans made in the image of God. Thanks for the thought-provoking reflection.

Major Owen Budden

Grace and Truth Thanks for your reflections on polarization, Rebekah (“The Great Divide,” October 2023). Well said.

Even the healthiest of families have unresolved arguments. But at the end of the day, they still sit at the dinner table together because they value their relationships. They love each other. What would it look like if the church created a kind of dinner table where respectful conversations happen? A table intentionally set to deepen our relationships, not divide us. What if we started with some premises that we all agree upon and go from there?

Premises like these: We agree that we are called to love God with all our hearts, souls and minds, and we are called to love others as ourselves. We agree that we are committed to fulfil these callings. And we agree that, despite our best efforts, we don’t always fulfil them. Is that too pie in the sky?

Aimee Patterson

Such a thoughtful article. I truly regret the polarization that is becoming more and more apparent. We need to share and listen to each other.

Lt-Colonel Jean Moulton

Rebekah, I enjoyed your balanced and thoughtful approach to a subject we are facing in the church. I have always appreciated the last part of John 1:14, which describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth.” Our lives should always be full of grace and truth.

Major Eric Bond

For more responses to this article, visit salvationist.ca/ the-great-divide.

ONWARD

Faith in Motion Practising self-denial lets us give to others.

BY COMMISSIONER LEE GRAVES

Photo: Mark Yan

S

erving at International Headquarters (IHQ) as the international secretary for business administration provided me with great insight regarding our international Partners in Mission SelfDenial Campaign. While this appeal is an annual undertaking, the needs of the territories and regions supported by Self-Denial funds extend year-round.

Budget submissions from our supported territories A second-year always include requests for cadet in the extra resources to allow Liberia, Sierra them to move important Leone and Guinea mission work forward.

Tty gives the Army salute Generosity comes to mind when I think about the Salvationists and friends in Canada tries where the Army is at work. Funds and Bermuda who dig deep into their are distributed to each of our five zones pockets to support this Self-Denial approximately in these proportions: Campaign. This annual appeal invites Africa—26.7 percent; Americas and us to deny ourselves in some way so we Caribbean—20.3 percent; Europe—25 can contribute to the operational budgets percent: South Asia—20.2 percent; and of the international Salvation Army where South Pacific East Asia—7.8 percent. financial resources are limited. In many of If we are to reach our annual territothese areas, the work of the Army is strong rial Self-Denial goal of $2.4 million and and progressive, with people coming to continue helping IHQ meet ever-increasfaith and being discipled. Community ing requests for support, generosity is development programs, such as health required. Our theme this year, “Faith in clinics, schools or hospitals, require muchMotion,” invites us to practise the prinneeded funds to keep the doors open, ciple of sharing from what we have with lights on and staff in place. Our supported those who have differently, rooted in the territories and regions are accomplishfamiliar narrative of the birth of the New ing much with relatively little financial Testament church in Acts 2. The believresources. And yet, the Army is growing ers had everything in common, giving the kingdom of God and is a needed and what they had—resources, money, possesvalued presence in communities. sions—to those in need (see Acts 2:42-47).

Every territory and region of our This New Testament principle mirglobal movement participates in this rored the Old Testament principle of appeal, as those with much and those gleaning. God required the Israelite comwith little all make sacrifices to share munity to give from what they had to with each other, raising US$25 million share with “the poor and the foreigner” annually. IHQ distributes the funds to (see Leviticus 19:9-10; 23:22). God said to our 46 supported territories and regions his people, if you truly love me, provide that need assistance to accomplish our for them. When you harvest your grain kingdom mandate—which is the same fields, leave the edges and what falls on the whether in the Canada and Bermuda ground so others may also enjoy and benTerritory or in another of the 133 counefit from the bounty. When you harvest

your olive groves, leave some on the branches and what falls to the ground so that others may also enjoy and benefit from the bounty.

When you harvest your grapevines, leave some on the vines and what falls on the ground so that others may also enjoy and benefit from the bounty. In this way, you will be honouring me by caring for others.

“Faith in Motion” invites us to share from the bounty of our resources with others who have differently than we do. This is just one way we can celebrate our internationalism as a movement. Whether it be monetary donations, human resources, skills or talents shared, we are called to live by faith and respond to the invitation to be participants in the Self-Denial Campaign.

Your contribution to the Self-Denial Campaign this year will help us live out the words recorded in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I encourage you to get involved and help us realize the power of this year’s theme, “Faith in Motion.” Every dollar contributed represents an act of generosity, kindness and love to those who desperately need our mission support.

Let us find great joy in generously sharing from what we have with those who have differently. The act of doing so will both bless and be a blessing.

Commissioner Lee Graves is the territorial commander of the Canada and Bermuda Territory.

Salvationist January/February 2024

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A Transforming Territory

Celebrating the growth of The Salvation Army in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

BY LT-COLONEL BRENDA MURRAY AND MARK YAN, PHOTOGRAPHER

J

ourney with me through this captivating photo essay, which offers a glimpse into the transformative work of The Salvation Army across the West African nations of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Through a series of compelling images, we will explore the local Salvation Army’s unwavering commitment to alleviating hardship and inspiring hope in the lives of countless individuals.

From bustling urban centres to remote rural communities, the mission is an expression of “heart to God, hand to man,” with 114 officers, 19 cadets and 365 employees, overseeing 45 corps and 31 outposts, along with significant social ministry through schools, health clinics and community development projects.

The images you see here capture the resilient spirits of both the devoted volunteers and the beneficiaries whose lives have been touched by this Christ-focused humanitarian ministry. They also tell a story of a growing movement led by the Holy Spirit and bathed in prayer.

On March 1, 2023, the Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Command was granted full territorial status

by International Headquarters, bringing a real spirit of celebration across all three nations. This elevated status speaks to the growth of The Salvation Army in this region, evidenced in, and focused on, the spiritual and physical transformation of lives. With such growth, it’s not surprising that the territory’s theme for 2022-2023 was “A Year of Transformation,” based on the text: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).

As The Salvation Army marches into communities, meeting human needs and being a transforming influence, it quickly becomes apparent that the Salvation Army shield is a beacon of hope representing people with hands outstretched in love. And this is why the Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Territory is growing.

Lt-Colonel Brenda Murray is the director of international development in Canada and Bermuda.

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p “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,

the name of the Lord is to be praised” (Psalm 113:3).

The ministry in this territory is one of praise and thanksgiving. As the ocean’s tides ebb and flow, gently moving in and out, and as the sand shifts and takes new shape, just metres from territorial headquarters, it is our prayer that God’s light continues to shine in and through the people of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

 In August 2022, the work of The Salvation Army in Guinea was officially recognized, making it the 133rd country in which the Army is present. The Coya Corps members are excited about this pioneer ministry and give all the glory to God.

p Lt-Colonels Luka and Rasoa Khayumbi, territorial commander and territorial

president of women’s ministries of the Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Territory, are originally from Kenya. Both believe strongly that the future of The Salvation Army is in our young people, and they do everything they can to promote and provide opportunities for youth within the territory. Here, Lt-Colonel Khayumbi interacts with one of the young girls outside a school in Guinea. Who knows the impact this small gesture will have in the days to come?

p Rebecca, a Grade 12 student at The Salvation

Army’s John Gowans Junior and Senior High School, hopes to become an accountant one day. As a recipient of a scholarship through our Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program, Rebecca is grateful for the opportunity to have a high-quality education and she enjoys learning. In addition, Rebecca is developing great leadership skills as the songster leader at her corps.

p Jean Paul Kolie, an influential figure in the Coya community in Guinea, speaks

with Lieutenant Martin Abdul Kamara, the corps officer. Kolie has generously provided the Army with one of his properties so that the congregation has a place to gather for worship.

While travelling across the country, we observed that The Salvation Army’s presence here is welcomed. Near the Sierra Leone border, we stopped at a roadside stall to buy gas, and the shop owner expressed the community’s desire to have a corps established. Following a brief conversation, contact details were shared so a follow-up call could be arranged—the Army marches on.

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 The chant “No farmer, no food. No food, no farmer” rang through the air as we gathered with people involved in a conservation agriculture program at the Mount Barclay Corps in Liberia. Upon entering the church, we were inspired by the bounty of baskets covering the platform filled with fresh produce grown by the farmers.

 A bounty of ghost peppers.

The Salvation Army’s Sustainable Agriculture in Liberia (SAIL) project, funded by the generous donations of Canadians (see page 14), engages target communities in agriculture and business. By cultivating short-season crops, such as swamp rice, Chinese cucumbers and local vegetables, this integrated project addresses food insecurity. The Salvation Army in Liberia provides training, seeds and tools for conservation agriculture, transforming lives.

 In The Salvation Army, music is an integral part of worship, evangelism and community building, playing a significant role in expressing and strengthening our mission and values.

It provides a space for prayer and meditation and often evokes deep spiritual experiences.

At the Conakry Corps in Guinea, the vibrant music exudes passion, life and energy, while at the same time communicating a message of hope, salvation and transformation.

 A powerhouse of women, rooted in Scripture and radiating confidence and wisdom, gather in Sierra Leone for food and fellowship. Under the direction of Lt-Colonel Rasoa Khayumbi, territorial president of women’s ministries (bottom right corner), these leaders value the importance of empowering women in their communities, knowing that this promotes gender equality and enhances social stability. Empowered women drive progress, advocate for human rights and inspire future generations, creating a more equitable and prosperous world for all. And, as you can see, these women are on a mission.

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 Located in the red-light district on the outskirts of Monrovia, capital of Liberia, the William Booth Health Centre offers essential medical treatment including family planning, vaccinations, lab testing and maternity services.

Here, Major Lydia McKay, territorial home league secretary, looks on as an infant receives a vaccination, ensuring a healthy start in life. As with children around the world, he was not impressed with the needle, but quickly recovered as the nurse provided professional care.

 Matthew Karnga, a registered nurse and laboratory technician who has served at the William Booth Health Centre since March 2019, is busy working at the clinic. “The clinic makes a big difference in my community by helping sick people to get well through the quality of treatment we provide,” he says. He loves his job, but it isn’t without its challenges. “The challenge of the job comes with a shortage of lab reagents, medical supplies and equipment,” he says. But Karnga finds encouragement and blessing when territorial leadership and visitors come as it makes him feel help is on its way.  There’s nothing more special than the first day of school, when you wear your new clothes and have your backpack full and ready to go. The students here are from John Gowans Junior and Senior High School and they are living examples of the school’s mission to “prepare the next generation of morally upright leaders for the progressive development of Liberia and our one world, through first-class formal education and vocational training.”

Currently, the school has 74 students, but it has the capacity to accommodate 270 students. The gap in enrolment is because many in the community are unable to afford the minimum cost of tuition. This school has qualified teaching staff and a successful curriculum and could provide an education to others in this community if there was increased support. If you want to sponsor children’s education, please visit salvationist.ca/brighterfutures and make a lifelong difference for a child’s future.

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Sweet Land of Liberty Agricultural training, education and community development are making a difference in West Africa.

BY KATHY NGUYEN

“Thank you for giving me the chance to receive a better education,” says Aaron, a student at John Gowans Junior and Senior High School

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s I arrived in Liberia with a team to capture photos, videos and stories for the 2024 Partners in Mission campaign, I was pleasantly surprised to see that a group of Salvation Army personnel from the Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Territory—from Lt-Colonels Luka and Rasoa Khayumbi, the territorial leaders, to the chief secretary, field secretary, development officer and more—had come to welcome us. This was my fifth international trip with The Salvation Army, but my first time being welcomed at the airport in the middle of the night by a group of this size and magnitude.

“Welcome to Liberia, the sweet land of liberty!” said Momo Douwee, the social and medical secretary for the territory (see our interview with Douwee on page 16). Over the next three weeks, I came to realize what he meant. The Salvation Army has made a difference in the region through decades of educational, medical, agricultural, livelihood and spiritual support, and I was lucky enough to meet just a few of the people whose lives have been changed.

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Agriculture Over the past few years, Canadians have been financially supporting the Sustainable Agriculture in Liberia (SAIL) project. Since the project’s inception in 2021, more than 200 farmers have benefited from agriculture training, farming tools and equipment, seed inputs and additional coaching on their plots from trained farmers.

More than 30 farmers gathered at the Mount Barclay Corps to express their gratitude, sharing both the success they’ve had with their crops and their testimonies, and it was clear that there’s been so much growth beyond their farms.

“Farmers were struggling,” said Emmanuel Kimen, project manager for SAIL. “Without this project, they would’ve continued to struggle. SAIL has brought so much relief to them—their income capacity and skills continue to grow.”

One farmer, Marcus, was able to build a home with the funds he saved from his crops. “We are blessed with comfort and salvation,” he told us. “The Salvation Army has taught us a lot.”

Theophilus is now able to pay for his four children’s education. And Diana, the

youngest of the farmers, was able to pay for both her and her sister’s education.

Before we left the site, Diana, who had just come from her graduation ceremony and was still dressed in her full graduation attire, rushed to meet us and give The Salvation Army her thanks.

“I learned how to grow a garden,” she explained. “I used the money to go to school for beauty care, and today I graduated!”

Education When we went to the John Gowans Junior and Senior High School, we were welcomed by the students, teachers and principal, who are grateful for the Army’s support. Canadians have been supporting the school through the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program, and we were able to meet the 15 students who are being helped through tuition fees and school essentials.

“Thank you for giving me the chance to receive a better education,” said Aaron, a student at John Gowans. “Education is the key to our success. I love being with the Army and I want to be an Army man!”

Hope We also found friends of The Salvation Army in places we didn’t expect. As we were checking out of the hotel on our final night in Sierra Leone, we received a highly discounted price for our stay.

“I love and appreciate The Salvation Army,” said the hotel owner.

She told us that The Salvation Army supported her with food and clothing when she sought refuge from the war and that she will never forget the help she received.

Today, she owns the hotel and is thriving. Yet another reminder that hope lives everywhere, and when you wear clothing branded with the Army shield, sometimes you are lucky enough to see it in person.

Emmanuel Kimen, project manager for SAIL , and Lt-Col Brenda Murray, director of international development, with produce grown by farmers as part of the SAIL project

The Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Tty presents Kathy Nguyen with a traditional dress as a gift

Kimen speaks to farmers gathered at the Mount Barclay Corps

An interview with Diana, the youngest of the farmers, who was able to pay for both her and her sister’s education with the income she received from her garden

Photos: Mark Yan

To Love is to Liberate In West Africa, the people behind the Army shield care—and they dedicate their entire lives to showing it. This much was clear, and it’s why the territory has grown as much as it has. The Salvation Army was there when the country endured multiple civil wars. They were there when much of West Africa endured the Ebola outbreak.

They were there during the COVID-19 pandemic. And they will continue to be there through it all.

While studying international development in my undergraduate program, a professor once told our class, “Love is emancipation.” Those words ring true, especially in the context of the work happening in this territory. There is so much love, compassion and generosity that spills out of the team in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea—and because of that, people in this region have been liberated. I met families who had been liberated from generational poverty, students who had been liberated through education and a people who were helped by The Salvation Army amidst war. The stories I heard and the people I met are only a fraction of the amazing things happening in this territory.

“Communities are alive because of the Army’s support,” said Major Abraham Collins, development secretary for The Salvation Army in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

To love is to liberate, and I will always be honoured that I got to see love personified in what is called “the sweet land of liberty.”

Kathy Nguyen was the resource/media co-ordinator in the international development department.

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Ambassador of Peace From doughnut seller to diplomat, Momo Gborkowkollie Douwee has dedicated his life to serving God through the Army.

BY ABBIGAIL OLIVER Momo Gborkowkollie Douwee

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Photo: Mark Yan

ince he was a young man, Momo Gborkowkollie Douwee has been a faithful Salvationist, serving as a missionary in Liberia for many years and helping to expand The Salvation Army across the country. But his life of service was almost cut short when rebels captured him during one of his missions.

“I was nearly killed,” says Douwee.

“They saw me in a Salvation Army uniform and asked if I was a general. I said, ‘No, I’m a soldier for Jesus.’ ” Humble Beginnings Today, Douwee is the social-medical and public relations secretary of The Salvation Army’s Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Territory, as well as a Liberian diplomat and commissioned Ambassador of Peace and Goodwill.

“I have a unique background,” says Douwee, who was born in White Plains, Liberia, to parents from two different classes—his father a countryman and his mother, the great-granddaughter of American free slaves and part of a group referred to as the Congo people.

During the civil war, his family moved to Monrovia, Liberia, where Douwee sold doughnuts at the seaport.

One day, he saw a British man with a cornet playing What a Friend We Have in Jesus. His name was Captain Brian Knightley, a Salvation Army missionary who arrived in Liberia in 1991 with his wife, Dorothy. During his time in Liberia, Captain Brian Knightley— who retired with the rank of lt-colonel and was admitted to the Order of the Founder in 2004—became a valued mentor to Douwee.

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Spreading Salvation At Bushrod Island Corps, Douwee became a soldier and later a recruiting sergeant. Having promising leadership skills, Douwee joined Captain Knightley’s mission team.

The team travelled Liberia’s counties, conducting open-air services, evangelical meetings and Sunday services. “And that is how The Salvation Army rapidly spread,” Douwee says.

In the years that followed, Douwee took on greater leadership roles within the Army, and began working with a rehabilitation program for child soldiers and ex-combatants. “Our role was to spread the message to the world that not all kids in Liberia are child soldiers; there are some who know God and those few could be used to help change the lives of others,” explains Douwee.

“The Monrovia Chapel Corps was full of young people, including many excombatants,” he says. “God being on my side, a lot of them were converted.”

A Life-Changing Testimony Bomi County, Liberia, had established a Salvation Army corps and there was good prospect for growth there, but no officers had been assigned to lead it. So, Lt-Colonel Knightley asked Douwee to go there.

However, it was in Tubmanburg City, Bomi County, that he was captured by rebels.

Tied up by the rebels, Douwee prepared to say his final prayers, thinking of his family and how they might never forgive Lt-Colonel Knightley or The Salvation Army for sending him there. “I said, ‘God,

let this be a testimony that will inspire someone tomorrow,’ ” he remembers.

Then, a young man named Prince Padmore came up to the rebels and said, “The Salvation Army is a church. They don’t hold guns. They just believe that they are soldiers of God.” “Confusion broke out among them.

Finally, their commander came over and the young man said to them, ‘Before you kill this man, you have to kill me first.’

And because of that, he was wounded on his legs,” explains Douwee, who pledged to stay with the man at the hospital. But as Padmore healed, some rebels planned to attack the hospital. “So overnight, we escaped and walked four hours to get to Lt-Colonel Knightley. He paid money to the soldiers and they were able to cross us overnight through the border of two different rebel groups.”

The Salvation Army came to their aid, admitting Padmore to the William Booth Boys Hostel where he was enrolled in the William Booth Junior and Senior High School and graduated. He became a member of the Paynesville Corps, Liberia, and served with Douwee on the command mission team. He remains an active member of the Army and considers Douwee as a father.

“That is the man God used to save my life,” says Douwee fondly.

Today, Douwee has earned numerous professional certificates, degrees, various awards and honours, including valedictorian of the University of Liberia and the Ambassador of Peace Award from the United Nations International Association of World Peace Advocates—a testament of hope and goodwill within the Army.

Young Liberia The Salvation Army Polytechnic University College is preparing the next generation to succeed.

BY MAJOR HEATHER MATONDO Dr. Emmanuel Urey, president of The Salvation Army Polytechnic University College in Liberia, shows visitors around the school

Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.

—Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president emerita of the Children’s Defense Fund

Photo: Mark Yan

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n Monrovia, Liberia, The Salvation Army Polytechnic University College is raising up a generation of young adults who are impacting the world around them. Liberia is a country that has experienced many years of civil war, as well as an Ebola virus outbreak in 2014-2015.

The recovery from such tragic events is long and the people of Liberia are still in the process of rebuilding.

A third of its population are between the ages of 15 and 35, and many of these young Liberians are still without proper education or employment. About one in three are unemployed with many others earning a living through occasional informal employment.

The Salvation Army in Liberia is working hard to help rebuild and build up the younger generation by providing high-quality education. The territory operates 12 primary and secondary schools throughout the country, giving children the chance to learn, grow and succeed in life.

Although the territory has established itself in the realm of primary and secondary education, 15 years ago its involvement in the education sector began to expand through the construction of its first vocational school.

The Salvation Army Polytechnic was founded with the vision to not only help youth and young adults continue to succeed in life, but also help fill the human resources gaps in Liberia, Africa and the world by focusing on science and technology.

Once the polytechnic was established, it began to bring a high level of educational opportunities to youth and young adults throughout the country.

In 2017, the country’s Commission on Higher Education accredited the institution, bestowing the right to run tertiary education programs and offer associate degrees in various disciplines. It is now fully accredited to offer bachelor’s degrees and focuses on science and technology by offering degrees in a number of disciplines, including agriculture, business, education, theology, engineering and health sciences.

In 2018, at the official opening of the polytechnic as a recognized postsecondary institute, Commissioner Birgitte Brekke-Clifton, then international secretary for program resources at International Headquarters, said, “It is my anticipation that this new polytechnic will be a place of inspiration and hope for the future of the young people of Liberia.”

This has proven true year after year as hundreds of students have walked in the doors of the polytechnic as learners and walked out as professionals, ready to be change makers in their country and beyond. A country once devastated by civil unrest is now producing a new generation of citizens who have been prepared to succeed in the workforce.

They are stepping into roles that are helping to rebuild their country.

While the polytechnic is building up a generation of educated young people,

it also provides a spiritual environment for its students. As they grow through education, they also grow in their own spiritual journey.

Dr. Emmanuel Urey, president of the polytechnic, has said, “People’s lives are transformed because when they get here and get the kind of high-quality education they are supposed to get, then they go into the workforce, and we expect them to work and earn money to support their family. But also, more importantly, we want people to come out of here knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Saviour.”

The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory has been supporting education in Liberia for many years through the Brighter Futures Children’s Sponsorship Program. Recently, it was decided to fund even more students to attend the polytechnic, so they can provide a better life for themselves and their families. Through the support of sponsors in Canada and Bermuda, a group of students receive help paying their school fees every year. They are also given uniforms, supplies and help with transportation to and from the school.

The goal to provide a brighter future has become a reality for so many more individuals because of the dedication of The Salvation Army in Liberia to build up a generation of young people.

Major Heather Matondo is the sponsorship program manager in the international development department.

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The Gift of Music As he retires from active ministry, Major Len Ballantine leaves a worldwide legacy of music making.

BY KRISTIN OSTENSEN

L

ooking back on decades of music ministry in The Salvation Army, Major Len Ballantine admits he didn’t see music as a potential career when he was a young man.

“When you grow up in The Salvation Army, all of your music making is your gift to God, so I never had the sense of, I’m going to be a professional musician one day,” he says.

It was General Arnold Brown, then a commissioner leading the Canada and Bermuda Territory, who gave him his first professional musical role with the Army.

so singing and brass music were very much a part of our culture,” he shares.

“My father, who was the bandmaster at Windsor Citadel, loved opera, symphonies and piano music. When you surround a child with that amount of music making, it really shapes their life.”

His parents were also a powerful influence on his faith, guiding him as he gave his life to Christ at seven years old.

“I remember going to the mercy seat one Sunday evening, and my mother knelt with me there,” Major Ballantine shares. “And I was suddenly aware of the conflict of good and evil, I was aware of sin in my own little life, and I wept. My father took me to his bandmaster’s office, and we had a prayer there. I consider that my salvation experience, and I’ve always been a person of faith, no matter what was going on in my life.”

Special Efforts Before he came to the Army’s music department, Major Ballantine had many different musical roles—conducting choirs, playing for ballet classes, working as an organist at various churches, even writing jingles.

“It gave me a really rich and diverse background, so I was flexible,” he reflects.

“I wasn’t just interested in one kind of music. I loved it all—contemporary, jazz, pop.

“I gave my heart to everything that came along. It was so interesting.”

In his role as national bandmaster, Major Ballantine brought music to Salvationists across the territory.

One of his most significant contributions in those early years was through his involvement with the territory’s special efforts department, creating music

“When I’m composing, above all, I have to imagine where it’s going to be used and what it has to accomplish. And then you pray into it for inspiration, for the Spirit of God.”

Photo: Timothy Cheng

—Major Len Ballantine

“He found out that I was wrapping War Crys at the Triumph Press in Oakville, Ont., and he said, ‘This will never do. Let’s give this guy something in music,’ ” Major Ballantine shares.

Major Ballantine took the role of national bandmaster in 1975 and retired as leader of the Canadian Staff Songsters last fall, leaving a global legacy of music making—a gift to God and the Army world.

Surrounded by Music As a young boy in Windsor, Ont., Major Ballantine’s home was filled with music.

“My parents loved classical music and they were lifelong Salvationists, 18 January/February 2024

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As a young adult, Major Ballantine attended the University of Toronto with a scholarship in piano performance. But after he joined the university’s concert choir, under the direction of esteemed conductor Lloyd Bradshaw, the course of his life was forever changed.

“The power that this man had, when he was conducting, to draw the best out of people,” he recalls. “I sat there and said to myself, ‘I want to do that.’ ” In the end, he switched from piano performance to composition. “That gave me the nuts and bolts, the harmony, the counterpoint—all of that nerdy analytical stuff that makes you understand what makes music what it is,” Major Ballantine says. “That background in composition served me really well later on.”

programs for television with Ian Adnams.

“It was almost clandestine because it wasn’t normal for us to be involved in television work,” he says. “But I had a boss that would allow me to do things. So, for several years running, we produced a half-hour television show that went out across Canada during Christmastime when stations are looking for free material that they can broadcast. And the Army got wonderful publicity because of it.”

A Great Journey Major Ballantine became national music secretary in 1984, a position he held until he and his wife, Heather, who was working for the Army in social services, entered training college in 1988.

United Kingdom and Photo: Courtesy of the Major Len Ballantine

(Above) Then Cpt Ballantine (front row, left) and the International Staff Songsters near St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England

Photo: Courtesy of

“Always the call,” he says. “When you’re a child growing up in The Salvation Army, you are aware of the call of God on your life.”

Then Lieutenant Ballantine was an officer for just two years when he was asked to lead the International Staff Songsters (ISS) in England.

“It was a complete surprise,” Major Ballantine says. “I remember the day we got the call about the appointment and I began to weep because here was a choir that one could only dream to aspire to lead.”

He was just the second leader of the ISS, which had been established in 1980 by Lt-Colonel Norman Bearcroft.

“I was somebody that had a lot of experience behind me, and yet it was fearful going,” he admits. “I was following the founding director who had written yards and yards of music for this group. So, I went with fear and trepidation. But it was exciting and humbling, and we embraced it.”

During his six years with the ISS, Major Ballantine travelled the British Isles, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, with a focus on choral clinics and worship workshops. He also recorded seven albums with the group.

But he considers his primary contribution to be “bringing to them something of the modern, seeing people who had been accustomed to the traditional Salvation Army music of the time, open up to contemporary modes of expression,” he says. “To watch that transition happen was really exciting.”

“His work with the ISS broke new ground and paved the way for a creative outpouring,” says Andrew Blyth, head of music editorial in the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory. “As an aspiring writer and admirer of vocal music, I was captivated by Len’s ability to communicate the gospel and write songs that struck right into the heart of the gospel message.”

Ireland Tty

Photo: Mark Yan

Mjr Len Ballantine conducts the songsters at Christmas With The Salvation Army at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall in 2019

The Ballantine family in 1992, just before their departure for England: then Lts Heather and Len, with David and Kathryn

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“There is no doubt that Len’s tenure as the conductor of the

ISS represents a golden era for the group,” adds Stephen Cobb,

Photo: Courtesy of Major Len Ballantine

director of music and creative arts for the United Kingdom and Ireland Territory and conductor of the International Staff Band.

“He is an outstanding musician, communicator and preacher whose gifts were so powerfully used with his ministry with the ISS.” Looking back now, Major Ballantine says six years with the ISS was too short. “They were wonderful musicians and people to be with. It was a great journey.”

Lighting a Fire Coming back to Canada in 1998, the Ballantines were appointed to Westminster Park in London, Ont.—a considerable change from the ISS, but an appointment they accepted with enthusiasm.

“When we left England, we brought something with us—the experience of going to Holy Trinity Brompton in London and doing the Alpha leaders course,” Major Ballantine explains.

“We came back from England wanting to put Alpha to work and wanting to minister to people. Alpha changed us, and it changed the corps.”

Majors Ballantine officially retired in 2015, but he did not stay retired for long. For the next year, he was working behind the scenes to get a new musical group up and running: the Canadian Staff Songsters (CSS).

“I think there has been a need for a staff songster group in our territory for a long, long time,” he says. “When the CSS started in 2016, we were mindful of the need to light the fire of singing under our territory, to light the excitement of what it means to sing the sung gospel.”

To that end, the CSS would aim to encourage and inspire local Salvationists wherever the group went, and raise up leaders from within the CSS who would have a positive influence on choral ministry at their own corps.

Cathie Koehnen, who has just taken on the role of songster leader for the CSS, is one example of the group’s leadership development, as well as Major Ballantine’s own impact as a mentor.

His influence stretches all the way back to when Koehnen, then 14, was at Beaver Creek Camp in Saskatchewan and he was the musical guest.

“That changed my life because he brought music that I wasn’t used to hearing in The Salvation Army. It was more contemporary,” she says. “That’s when I caught the bug and became even more involved with music in the Army.”

Koehnen sang with Major Ballantine when he was the leader of the Covenant group at Toronto’s Etobicoke Temple in the 1980s, and worked with him in various capacities over the years leading up to the CSS, when he chose her to be deputy songster leader.

“He has always encouraged me and supported me,” she says.

“I can’t imagine my musical life today without his influence and impact.”

Looking back on his time leading the CSS, Major Ballantine says one highlight for him was performing on the streets of downtown Calgary during the Stampede in 2018.

“It felt like we were doing something which could not be done at any other time,” he says. “We were releasing into the air the praise of Jesus and people stopped and listened, when on an ordinary day they wouldn’t have. It was not unlike Victorian England when the Army went out on the streets and did things to attract attention.”

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Mjr Ballantine, Cathie Koehnen (second from right) and members of Etobicoke Temple’s Covenant group

The Heart of Worship Composing music since he was a young child, Major Ballantine is as well regarded for his compositions as he is for his conducting.

“For a long time, I have affectionately called Len ‘Maestro,’ which is a warm and sincere nod to his musical and creative genius,” says Lt-Colonel John Murray, territorial secretary for communications and executive officer for the CSS. “He is a brilliant and thoughtful composer whose compositions stir the inner soul of the listener to the heights of worship.”

“When I’m composing, above all, I have to imagine where it’s going to be used and what it has to accomplish,” Major Ballantine says. “And then you pray into it for inspiration, for the Spirit of God. “If it’s hard work, I throw it in the basket,” he adds. “It’s not ready to sit on the page yet. It’s got to have some breath behind it.”

When asked what his favourite composition is, Major Ballantine admits he usually says the last one he wrote (“If I don’t love it, then it’s not finished”). But if pressed to choose one, he says it’s Whom Have I in Heaven, But You?, which is based on Psalms 73 and 74.

“It goes on a little harmonic wandering—it doesn’t stay in the same key all the time,” Major Ballantine explains, “and I think it suggests some of life’s journey—turmoil, change, drought, storm, but it comes home again. ‘Whom have I in heaven, but you?’ ” Reflecting on his life of ministry, Major Ballantine says the most important thing for any musician, any worshipper, to remember is that “it’s all about you, Jesus,” quoting Matt Redman’s The Heart of Worship.

“When the music is not there, what’s left?” he asks. “It should be our hearts crying out to God—our prayers through music, our aspirations through music. That’s why the staff songsters are relevant; they’re bringing Scripture alive.

“It can’t ever be perfunctory. It comes from the heart.”

Listen to the full interview with Major Ballantine on the Salvationist podcast, to be released on January 3, 2024.

Visit salvationist.ca/podcast.

Bending Toward Justice Engaging in conversations about racial equality in our churches.

BY PHYLICIA RAWLINS Phylicia Rawlins with her husband, Cameron Rawlins, and daughter, Adelai

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f there’s one thing I’ve learned the hard way in the pursuit of justice and peace, it’s that change is incredibly slow. This may seem like an obviously incorrect statement in our fast-paced world, which is changing drastically and quickly— particularly for readers who long for a time gone by when life appeared simpler. However, as a multi-racial Black woman, now raising a multi-racial Black daughter, the pace of social change just isn’t quick enough, for me or for her.

I came to The Salvation Army at 15 years old, drawn in by a church family who truly lived out what Jesus teaches.

This community was, and still is, loving and passionate about serving God and serving others. Growing up in mostly white suburbs, I’ve grown used to being the only Black person in a room (or an entire school). This was often true of my church as well. One of the challenges that comes with environments like these is that subtle racism, micro-aggressions and flippant remarks and jokes are often explained away or excused with the assumption that people just don’t know any better. Times are changing too quickly for people to keep up.

My question is, if we conclude that people just don’t know any better, what do we plan to do about it? As I grow older and reflect on the loving church family that my daughter is going to inherit, I can’t help but want to take active steps to participate in making it more loving, more inclusive, and safe.

More than anything this Black History Month and every month, I want Black people in our churches to be seen. To be valued for, among many other things, our Blackness, our histories, our expertise and our experience. I’m praying for shalom. This Hebrew word, as I understand it, means to make something whole, to have an inward sense of completeness, of wholeness. This means seeing all of me, including my race.

“I don’t see colour” (referred to as colour-blindness), while well-intentioned, is untrue and unhelpful. It communicates to me that you don’t see my struggles and, therefore, don’t see my triumphs either.

How can we overcome our colour-blindness? The only

way I know how is through education. To me, this looks like examining our bookshelves and podcasts and evaluating whose voices we’ve identified as authoritative when it comes to biblical interpretation and study. Who have we heard preaching from our pulpits and who has been quoted over and over again in our sermons? Do theologians and authors of various ethnic backgrounds have equal authority as teachers of God’s Word?

As issues of racial justice are being discussed on the news and in classrooms across the country, are they also being wrestled with, in loving community, in our churches? As a church, are we listening to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) members when it comes to issues within and outside our walls? Is fear leading us away from those on the margins or are we following Jesus, who is leading us to them?

In the sermon I quoted at the beginning of this article, Dr. King also said: “Yes, we do live in a period where changes are taking place. And there is still the voice crying through the vista of time saying, ‘Behold, I make all things new; former things are passed away.’ ” As a Black worship leader, the songs and Scriptures that have transformed my faith and ministry are the ones that describe God’s coming kingdom here on earth.

I wait with anticipation for that kingdom, knowing that one day Jesus will return and make all of this right.

What I don’t do is wait passively. Dr. King was not suggesting we wait for the arc of moral justice to bend on its own.

God’s kingdom is being built right here, right now. Church, “we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). Or, as my corps officer, Captain Carolyn Reid, recently preached, “We are God’s good work and he has good work for us to do!” I believe that this work is good. Engaging in these conversations at the local church level is not easy, but for me and others who look like me, it’s not optional either.

Phylicia Rawlins attends Northridge Community Church in Aurora, Ont. Salvationist January/February 2024

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Photo: Silas Allen

We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.

—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.”

Speech given at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., March 31, 1968

TALKING IT OVER

The Affordability Crisis

More and more Canadians are struggling to make ends meet.

How can we create meaningful change?

BY JAMES READ AND PAUL BARBER

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Photo: Igor Vershinsky/iStock via Getty Images Plus

hristians need a newspaper in one hand and a Bible in the other— according to theologian Karl Barth.

In our Talking It Over series, James Read invites thoughtful Salvationists from around the world to reflect on moral and ethical issues. Here, he speaks with Paul Barber about the rising cost of living.

Paul, I don’t know what life is like in New Zealand right now, but here in Canada the cost of living is top of mind for lots of people. Politicians are calling it an affordability crisis. Overall inflation was 6.8 percent in 2022, a 40-year high. The cost of food rose 9.8 percent that year and the rise in the price of gasoline was a whopping 28.5 percent. The inflation rate in 2023 is much lower—about three percent overall. That’s making the economists who set a target of two percent happy.

But to reach that target, the banks have driven interest rates to their highest level since 2001. Since incomes have not kept pace, that has meant hardship for middle-class people who have mortgages to pay, and higher rents for those who don’t own their homes.

—Jim The big picture is similar in New Zealand. In the past 18 months, the cost of living went from something not often talked about to far and away the top concern in public polls, and it was 22 January/February 2024

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a central issue in our 2023 election. But in The Salvation Army’s contribution to the public debate, we at the social policy and parliamentary unit are focusing on what life is like for the 150,000 people we work with every year in The Salvation Army in New Zealand and whose circumstances are the focus of our annual state of the nation report.

For them it’s not just about inflation, it’s about those other social and spiritual impacts that come with rising costs.

Most will be receiving some form of welfare benefit. If they have work, it’s often inadequate and poorly paid.

They may be homeless or applying for scarce social housing or struggling to pay rent. Food insecurity is a constant or frequent reality for one in five New Zealanders—and this in a country of five million that produces enough food to feed a population of 50 million.

—Paul Something’s very wrong with this picture. No one in your country or ours should have to worry about whether they will have food for the day. Yet the reports say that more Canadians than ever are relying on food banks. According to Food Banks Canada, usage in March 2023 was 78 percent higher than in March 2019.

Approximately 400,000 people received food hampers and toys from The Salvation Army this past Christmas.

These are staggering numbers.

But sometimes I need to be reminded that the “costs of living” are not just material. My wife and I are retired now. We own our home, and we are mortgage-free. With decent pensions from work and with Canada Pension Plan income, we have been pretty well insulated from inflation. That means the facts you and I have been relating so far can feel quite abstract and bloodless. When that happens, I need to remember that every social issue has a face.

I try to put myself in someone else’s place. What would it be like to wonder what to do when the credit cards are maxed out, the kids are still growing and the fridge stops working? When I’m afraid I won’t have coverage if I get sick? And on and on. I have prided myself on being a “good provider” and so I can only imagine the feelings of failure that would engulf me if I sensed that I couldn’t make ends meet.

I know I would do a lot to protect my kids from the embarrassment of being poorer than their classmates. Could I bring myself to get a food hamper from “the Sally Ann”? If I were to do that, would they treat me with syrupy condescension? Would they want to know if I deserved the aid?

The personal and social dimensions of the cost-of-living issue seem so complex and interconnected,

TALKING IT OVER

it’s hard to know where to start.

There is no simple solution.

—Jim I think there is a simple answer: make sure people have enough income to live with dignity.

Our previous government introduced the Child Poverty Reduction Act that set goals to more than halve child poverty by 2028. That means there was moral and legislative pressure to act and report. And it has been quite successful, in that over the five years for which we have reporting, there was an average of a 43 percent increase in the incomes of welfare households.

The minimum wage was increased, as were social welfare benefits that were demonstrably too low, not giving people enough to live on. Though the gap in household incomes is still large, it has been narrowed, and not only has child poverty itself been reduced but there is also improvement in the hardship measures.

The legislation received cross-party support when it was first introduced, and so we hope that we will continue to see goals pursued by the parties that will form the new government. I feel we have a really strong evidence base to say we know what works. It’s not easy and in some ways it’s expensive, but if you put people first, that’s what you do.

—Paul These are really encouraging results, Paul. And the “people first” principle jives well with the economic framework that the International Moral and Social Issues Council developed in 2012.

That framework contends that “the economy only functions in accordance with God’s plan when it works to bless a community.” And it goes on to say, “The bounty and goodness of God’s total creation implies that there should be enough available for all to live a decent life. God’s creation is generous and his plan is that there be no poverty, deprivation or exploitation.”

Would you agree with that? Are there other parts of a Christian and Salvationist perspective that shape your thinking about the economy?

—Jim I think of Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan, naturally. The compassionate response to people in immediate need

cuts close to the heart of Christian ethics. At the same time, we need to ask upstream questions. For instance, if everyone knew the road on which the Samaritan found the injured man was dangerous, why had there been no preventative intervention? As the saying goes, it’s good to have an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, but let’s put guard rails at the top, too.

—Paul As you say that, I think of the words of Isaiah 58:12: “You will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.”

—Jim

What would it be like to wonder what to do when the credit cards are maxed out, the kids are still growing and the fridge stops working?

It doesn’t have to be an either/or. You can provide both “ambulance drivers” and “road engineers.” Let me give you a good example from our recent experience in New Zealand. Mobile traders (shopping trucks) abound in lower socio-economic communities throughout New Zealand, where shops are a distance away and cars are in short supply. The shopping trucks offer a range of products, including electronic goods, tableware, household items and food, sold directly to customers at their homes. The prices have been substantially higher than comparable goods at mainstream retail outlets. If they have needed it, customers have been offered credit to make their purchases—at rates as high as 800 percent per annum.

In early 2019, the Army pioneered a demonstration project as an ethical alternative to this exploitative mobile shopping industry. The idea of “The Good Shop” (as the Army vans were called) was to compete with the

established mobile traders in selected areas, arranging the purchase and delivery of goods at retail prices directly from mainstream stores.

Interest-free credit was provided.

The aim was to be as disruptive as possible, shut the market down, provide an alternative, build financial capacity for people, be financially sustainable for an appropriate season and then be replaced by ethical commercial initiatives, no longer requiring The Salvation Army’s intervention.

At the same time, The Salvation Army aimed to raise public awareness of the predatory and exploitative practices that were trapping the poor with crippling debts and advocated for the government to intervene. The result? In the year and a half of “The Good Shop” project, 511 interest-free loans were provided to impoverished customers, and the government passed laws that put caps on the non-bank interest rates that could be charged.

Both immediate relief for the poor and long-term protection from falling further into poverty— ambulances and guardrails.

—Paul Fascinating. I find it noteworthy that The Salvation Army in New Zealand has actively advocated for legislation to reduce poverty. Not that Salvationists in Canada would necessarily disagree with what was advocated for, but we don’t have a “social policy and parliamentary unit” in our territory. And when elections are called in Canada, unlike New Zealand, the Army doesn’t distribute “pressing issues” papers in our corps, encouraging people to use these papers as they consider who they will vote for and what issues they will consider when they vote. I wonder how Canadian Salvationists would react if we did. Perhaps I should ask.

It has been great chatting with you, Paul. Grace and peace in abundance be on you and your ministry, —Jim Dr. James Read, OF, was the executive director of The Salvation Army’s Ethics Centre for many years and served as chair of the International Moral and Social Issues Council. Now retired, he attends Heritage Park Temple in Winnipeg. Paul Barber is a social policy analyst in the social policy and parliamentary unit in the New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory.

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WHAT’S YOUR STORY?

Journey’s End For Cadet Jen Thompson, the route to officership happened in God’s timing, not hers.

BY KEN RAMSTEAD

“I get to point people to the hope of Jesus,” says Cdt Jen Thompson

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Photo: Jerimi Jones

ometimes when we sense that God’s saying something to us,” says Cadet Jen Thompson, “we jump to the conclusion that God means right now. But sometimes, he has a journey to take us on in terms of developing us and making us ready for that calling.

The key is to know when to wait.”

Opening Doors Jen has been part of The Salvation Army all her life.

“My family goes quite a ways back, actually, within the Army,” she says. “We suspect that we had some relatives that were likely on the streets of England with the Booths, so it appears that I’m a sixth-generation Salvationist.”

Jen’s parents are retired Salvation Army officers.

“I was at training college with my parents as a child,” she says. “I saw them step into ministry, and I moved around with them to a couple of different corps before I left home. It gave me a neat perspective, and I’ve met lots of great people within the Army world because of that.”

Jen became a soldier at the age of 14. Why? “Being raised in the Salvation Army context, that’s what you did at 14,” she says, “but I also knew that I wanted to develop a personal relationship with Jesus and live out my faith within the context of the Army community.”

As Jen grew from a teen into an adult, that faith became more personal and profound in her life.

“I sensed that God was opening doors for me to serve in those ways within The Salvation Army and to deepen my faith in him through those years.”

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Ongoing Conversation Jen met her future husband, Neil, who also came from a Salvation Army family, at Camp Sunrise in Gibsons, B.C., where they both worked. They began a relationship, and the 20-year-olds were married the next summer.

In their first year of marriage, the couple went to an Officership Information Weekend, where they sensed that fulltime ministry might be something God was leading them toward. Ultimately, they decided that weekend that it wasn’t the right time or season for that.

“But all through our marriage, it’s continued to be a conversation, and something that we’ve tried to discern,” says Jen. “There were seasons where it was less prominent in our minds, perhaps, or less of a conversation, but there were certainly times where God brought it to the forefront and we felt more strongly about it.”

Over the last 18 years, Jen has worked for The Salvation Army in Vernon, B.C., in a number of different capacities.

“I’ve loved the opportunity to serve our community,” she says, “to journey alongside people in various circumstances, witness their discovery of faith and see them meet Jesus and have renewed hope in their lives because of that.”

Journey to Officership About four years ago, Jen and Neil began to talk seriously again about officership.

“We couldn’t deny that God was tugging on our hearts about full-time ministry,” says Jen. “We went to another Officership Information Weekend and we felt certain that God was going to say, ‘This is it. You’re moving to Winnipeg,’ where the training college was then located.

‘You’re entering training. Here we go.’ ” But what they got instead was God telling them, “I want you in full-time ministry.

But I’m not finished with you in Vernon.”

The couple had no idea how to square that circle but God did when, a few months later, they were presented with the opportunity to serve as auxiliary-lieutenants.

“That really felt like that was God’s confirmation of the call he had specifically for us,” says Jen. The couple became cadets in September 2022 through a new field-based training program where they would continue to lead the corps in Vernon while conducting distance learning with CFOT. “We feel blessed that God has opened the door for us to serve in this way here, and we’re excited about what he has in store for us for the future,” she smiles.

Daily Miracles “I love the mission of The Salvation Army,” says Jen. “I love that we strive daily to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”

Through the Army, Jen gets to daily live out her faith in very practical ways.

“I love the opportunity that I have to meet so many different people and journey with them in all the different situations of life they find themselves in,” she says. “I count it a privilege that people are willing to share their story with me, and that I can come alongside them, whether it be in crisis or whether it be in a season of celebration. I get to play a small part in reminding them who God is, that he’s present with them no matter what season they find themselves in, and point them to the hope of Jesus.

“The Salvation Army is a place where that gets to happen to me on a daily basis.”

GRACE NOTES

Sacred Spaces Do church buildings matter?

BY CAPTAIN LAURA VAN SCHAICK

Photos: pressmaster, jeremetok, jesus/stock.Adobe.com

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early 15 years ago, what was then Woodroffe Temple in Ottawa took a leap of faith, making the decision to leave their meeting space of more than 40 years to move into the dynamic and growing community of Barrhaven in south Ottawa.

After what has been an often-strenuous journey, one in which patience was tested and God’s faithfulness was demonstrated time and time again, this group of Salvationists, which now meets under the banner of The Salvation Army Barrhaven Church, is finally preparing to move into their new worship space.

As a corps officer in Barrhaven, I’ve had countless individuals ask, “So, when does the new church open?” This precipitates a wonderful teaching opportunity whereby I often respond that the church consists of people, not buildings, so … we’ve been open all along. Cheeky? Yes, a bit.

And yet, during the days of COVID lockdowns, when meeting online from the isolation of our homes was our only option, many found themselves asking if there was still a need for a physical space set apart for the meeting of God’s people.

Do church buildings matter?

In early 2022, the Christian research group Barna set out to answer this question in light of our post-pandemic reality.

They posed a series of questions about transcendent spaces—physical places that bring one closer to experiencing connection with something beyond the physical world—to 2,000 adults in the United States.

The results were telling. Only 31 percent of respondents shared that they regularly visit a place they would consider spiritual or transcendent, with this figure rising to only 37 percent for self-identified Christians. More than half of American adults, including Christian adults, say they do not regularly visit a space they consider transcendent, and I would suggest that Canadian figures are likely similar.

But the results of the survey also demonstrated the benefits of such places.

Many respondents, especially Christians, reported feeling peaceful, safe and hopeful when sitting in a Christian church, while a much smaller portion indicated feeling

anxious or judged in the same setting.

What makes a Christian church different than any other building? What makes any physical space transcendent—a place where people feel closer to God? Over the years, Christians have had various attitudes toward how to design a building for the purposes of worship gatherings. Indeed, when the first permanent dwellings were built by humans, they often built even more substantial homes for their gods. In Exodus 25, God commands Moses and the Israelites to build a tabernacle for worship, saying, “Have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Later in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings and then

again in Nehemiah, the Israelites establish and then re-establish Jerusalem as the centre of their society, with a permanent temple as their centre of worship. And while the earliest Christians gathered in their homes, “they continued to meet together in the temple courts” as well (see Acts 2:46). As early as the third and fourth centuries AD, Christians began to erect their own elaborate worship spaces, architectural wonders that have proven to be some of the most majestic spaces in existence.

Many will argue, of course, that any space can be transcendent, if we take the time to lean into the presence of the Holy Spirit. Several survey participants even indicated they have special spaces in their home that feel more sacred than others, perhaps a nod to those pandemic days of worshipping from our living rooms.

In the 15 years since Barrhaven Church left Woodroffe Temple, they have found transcendence in a school gymnasium on Sunday mornings. And yet, in Barrhaven Church’s two most recent Natural Church Development health surveys, “inspiring worship” has scored lower than any other health index. Could this stem from the reality that only 20 percent of the Barna survey participants considered schools to be a place of transcendence, while 62 percent responded affirmatively of Christian churches? Is it harder to worship in a school than it is a church? Perhaps.

Despite our human attempts throughout history to create awe-inspiring places of worship, God reigns supreme as the ultimate designer, with nature topping the ranking of transcendent spaces at 70 percent. God continues to meet with us from the grandeur of creation more than anywhere else on earth, including the most majestic ancient cathedrals or modern worship venues. Ultimately, God can and will reveal himself to us whenever we gather with the intention of meeting with him.

Captain Laura Van Schaick is the corps officer at Barrhaven Church in Ottawa, and the divisional secretary for women’s ministries in the Ontario Division.

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CROSS CULTURE

NEW & NOTABLE The Power of Forgiveness

BY BOB ARMSTRONG

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he Power of Forgiveness by Salvationist Bob Armstrong explores the intricacies of forgiveness in Christianity. Drawing from a blend of biblical, psychological and relational perspectives, Armstrong discusses the impact of both giving and accepting forgiveness, and offers valuable insights and practical solutions for navigating the process.

The book uses humour, real-life examples and structured checkins that invite readers to reflect on forgiveness in their own lives.

“Forgiveness seems to be one of the many natural relationship-

repair mechanisms available to anyone who wants their past to stop negatively impacting their future,” explains Armstrong.

Armstrong holds a diploma in post-graduate ministerial studies, a master of arts in counselling, and is the author of the Couple Care Marriage Preparation Manual, Along the Way and Broken Church Restored. He draws from his extensive experience in pastoral ministry and clinical counselling to demonstrate how forgiveness is not just a moral virtue but a pivotal aspect of spiritual health and well-being.

The Power of Forgiveness comes highly recommended

by Salvationists and officers, as well as professionals in counselling, pastoral care and psychology.

Copies of this book can be ordered directly from Bob Armstrong by emailing bobandpennyarmstrong@gmail.com.

Suffering Well and Suffering With: Reclaiming Marks of Christian Identity

My Single Story with Meisha Watson

BY AIMEE PATTERSON

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n Suffering Well and Suffering With: Reclaiming Marks of Christian Identity, Aimee Patterson, a Christian ethics consultant at The Salvation Army Ethics Centre and adjunct faculty at Booth University College in Winnipeg, explores topics of suffering, identity and compassion within a Christian

framework.

“In this post-Christendom era, the church suffers decline of membership and social influence. The Salvation Army is no exception. We can choose to reclaim these things by seeking power, or we can choose to reclaim Christianity as a faith of and for suffering people,” says Patterson, who was inspired to write this book after her own experience of suffering with brain cancer.

Along with her personal experiences, Suffering Well and Suffering With features stories from Scripture and Christian history that convey what it means to suffer profoundly. Patterson explores how we as Christians can use that knowledge to train ourselves and others in our communities to be compassionate. “When we identify with those who suffer, we place our hope not in our own power but in a God whose kingdom will transform all suffering to joy,” she says.

“Isn’t this who Jesus was? Isn’t this what God has called The Salvation Army to be?”

Suffering Well and Suffering With is intended for Christians and for those engaged in ministry. Each chapter includes reflection questions that prompt open-ended responses and can be used independently or in a group setting.

Suffering Well and Suffering With is available to purchase on Amazon.

Listen to an exclusive interview with Patterson about her new book on the Salvationist podcast, to be released in February 2024.

Visit salvationist.ca/podcast.

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y Single Story is a podcast hosted by Meisha Watson and produced by Crossroads Media, offering a candid and supportive space for single Christian women. It discusses topics such as inter-church dating, the healing journey, marriage and navigating ministry life.

“Within my own life, as a single woman of God, I always felt that there was a gap in ministry for single people,” explains Watson. “I wanted to create this podcast to have open conversations about creating a single-friendly church community, and how we can equip single women to live fulfilling lives where they aren’t just thinking about marriage as a next step for them, but instead thinking about God’s purpose and plan for their lives.”

My Single Story also serves as a resource to help pastors and other ministry leaders better understand the unique needs and perspectives of single Christians, who are increasingly entering worship spaces, joining congregations and assuming leadership roles.

“This podcast is for everybody,” says Watson. “It is for people who say, ‘I’m single and I’m loving it,’ ‘I’m single and I’m hopeful,’ and ‘I’m single and I’m having a hard time, but I believe in God and I trust in God.’ Either way we want to hear their story. It’s not just about the good stuff; we want to hear about all of it because God is present in all of it.”

My Single Story is available on various platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Look for a feature article about Watson in the May/June 2024 edition of Faith & Friends.

Saturday, April 6, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Featuring the International Staff Songsters and the four U.S.A. Staff Songster brigades Supported by the Canadian Staff Band Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 1585 Yonge Street, Toronto Visit Salvationist.ca/ChoralConvocation for more details

WHERE COMPASSION MEETS ACTION

Change lives, spark hope, serve with us!

Salvationist January/February 2024

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PEOPLE & PLACES

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT.—Two adherents and two senior soldiers are enrolled at Sault Ste. Marie Corps. From left, Mjr Sean Furey, CO; Roger Shaule and Corinne Roy, adherents; John Lalonde, holding the flag; Frances Schryer and Michelle Wade, senior soldiers; and Mjr Marilyn Furey, CO.

OTTAWA—(Top) Ian Pollard, divisional manager of emergency disaster services, B.C. Div, is the recipient of the Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award for outstanding work in emergency management. (Above) Dan Millar (centre), assistant territorial EDS director, accepts the award on Pollard’s behalf in a ceremony at Parliament Hill.

TORONTO—Dr. Raphael Rush of the Toronto Grace Health Centre is the recipient of the 2023 Community Rheumatology Award from the University of Toronto department of medicine, division of rheumatology. This award celebrates doctors who demonstrate outstanding contributions to the field of rheumatology in the Greater Toronto Area. From left, Adam Kovacs-Litman, outgoing chief rheumatology resident; Raphael Rush; Dana Jerome, rheumatology residency program director.

BELLEVILLE, ONT.—Belleville Corps celebrates the enrolment of two senior soldiers.

From left, Mjr Wayne McTaggart, soldiership classes teacher; Rodney and Noella Allport, senior soldiers; Mjr Sharleen McTaggart, soldiership classes teacher; Mjrs Cindy and Curtis Butler, COs. 28 January/February 2024

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PEOPLE & PLACES

TRIBUTE HAMILTON, ONT.—Major Elaine Banfield was born in Halifax, where she attended the North End Corps. After marrying her husband, Harry, she worked for The Salvation Army’s Maritime divisional headquarters and at a long-term care home. Following God’s call to full-time service, Elaine and Harry entered training college as members of the Servants of God Session and were commissioned in 1984. For 25 years, they ministered in a variety of appointments in Ontario and New Brunswick, including various corps, family services centres and shelters, before retiring in 2009. Throughout her ministry, Elaine demonstrated a love and compassion for people in order to meet their physical and spiritual needs and bring them to Christ. Though she suffered from a prolonged illness in recent years, Elaine remained faithful to her Lord whom she had served during a lifetime of sacrificial ministry. She is missed by her loving husband of 57 years, Harry; two chosen children, Heather and Scott; grandchildren Steven, Justin, Isaac and Delilah; and several nieces and nephews.

BELLEVILLE, ONT.—Janice Longhurst (centre) is commissioned as corps treasurer at Belleville Corps by Mjrs Cindy and Curtis Butler, COs.

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS Do you know the difference between the CCM and the CSM? What about the YPSM and JSS? And what exactly is a TPWM? See below for a list of some common acronyms that appear in the pages of Salvationist.

BM/SL—bandmaster/songster JSS—junior soldier sergeant leader NRO—National Recycling CC—community church Operations CCM/CCMS—community care RS—recruiting sergeant ministries/community care TC/DC/AC—territorial ministries secretary commander/divisional CFOT—College for Officer commander/area commander Training TPWM/TSWM/DDWM/ CO—corps officer DSWM—territorial president of women’s ministries/territorial CS—chief secretary secretary for women’s CSM/YPSM—corps sergeant- ministries/divisional director major/young people’s of women’s ministries/ sergeant-major divisional secretary for women’s ministries EDS—emergency disaster services Tty/Cmd/Rgn/Div—Territory/ Command/Region/Division IHQ/THQ/NHQ/DHQ— International Headquarters/ territorial headquarters/ national headquarters/ divisional headquarters

Guidelines for Tributes

Salvationist will print tributes (maximum 200 words), at no cost, as space permits. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Tributes should be received within three months of the promotion to glory and include: community where the person resided, corps involvement, Christian ministry, conversion to Christ, survivors. A high-resolution digital photo or high-resolution scan of an original photo (TIFF, EPS or JPG; 300 ppi) should be emailed to salvationist@salvationarmy.ca; a clear, original photograph mailed to 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto ON M4H 1P4 will be returned.

GAZETTE INTERNATIONAL Appointments: Jan 1—Cols Ralph/Susan Bukiewicz, TC/TPWM and territorial leader for officer development, U.S.A. Eastern Tty, with rank of comr; Lt-Cols James/Sue-Ellen Betts, national CS/national secretary for personnel, U.S.A. NHQ, with rank of col; Cols Jenine/ Paul Main, territorial leader of leader development/TC, United Kingdom and Ireland Tty, with rank of comr; Cols Julie/Peter Forrest, territorial secretary for leader development/ CS, United Kingdom and Ireland Tty; Cols Cheralynne/Kelvin Pethybridge, secretary for leader development/CS, IHQ; Lt-Cols Ann/Richard Borrett, TPWM/TC, Eastern Europe Tty, with rank of col; Lt-Cols João Paulo/Karin Ramos, CS/TSWM, Eastern Europe Tty; Mjrs Nigel/Stacy Cross, CS/TSWM, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand Tty, with rank of lt-col; Feb 1—Cols Geoff/Kalie Webb, TC/TPWM, Kenya West Tty; Lt-Cols Agripina/Gerardo Góchez, TC/territorial leader for officer development, Mexico Tty; Mjrs Juan Mercado/Lydia Mercado Berberena, CS/TSWM and territorial secretary for leader development, Latin America North Tty, with rank of lt-col TERRITORIAL Birth: Cpts Bethany/Brian Dueck, daughter, Makena Lucy Dueck, Oct 2 Appointments: Mjr Glenda Davis, CO, North York Temple, Toronto, Ont. Div; Mjr Carson Decker, territorial candidates’ secretary, CFOT; Mjrs April/David McNeilly, interim COs, East Toronto Citadel, Ont. Div; Mjrs Barbara/William Pearce, COs, Islandview Citadel, Musgravetown, N.L., Atlantic Div Post-retirement ministry: Mjrs Linda/Wade Budgell, COs, St. John’s Citadel, N.L., Atlantic Div; Mjr George Crocker, CO, Englee, N.L., Atlantic Div; Mjr Clyde Guy, CO, Arnold’s Cove, N.L., Atlantic Div; Lt-Cols Audrey/Raymond Rowe, COs, Chance Cove, N.L., Atlantic Div; Mjrs Garry/Sandra Ward, COs, Triton-Brighton CC, N.L., Atlantic Div Long service: 25 years—Mjr Glenda McKenzie Promoted to glory: Mjr Eva King-St. John, Sep 21; Mjr Lulu Brace, Oct 6; Mjr Melva Duffett-Wareham, Oct 12; Mjr Nancy Beauchamp, Oct 15; Mjr Maisie Goodyear, Oct 18; Mjr Dorothy Young, Oct 30

CALENDAR Commissioners Lee and Debbie Graves: Jan 16-19 divisional retreat, Atlantic Div; Jan 23-26 divisional retreat, the former Alta. & N.T. Div; Feb 3-4 Simcoe CC, Ont.; Feb 3-7 Mission Delivery Leaders Forum, Halifax; Feb 16 National Advisory Board Colonels John and Lani Chamness: Jan 9-12 divisional retreat, B.C. Div; Jan 21-22 CFOT, Toronto; Jan 30-Feb 2 divisional retreat, Ont. Div; Feb 3-7 Mission Delivery Leaders Forum, Halifax; Feb 16 National Advisory Board Canadian Staff Band: Feb 3-4 London Citadel, Ont. Canadian Staff Songsters: Feb 3-4 Simcoe CC, Ont. Salvationist January/February 2024

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Q&A

A Passion for Partnership Mobilizing the community for good.

Josh Draheim is the community partnerships co-ordinator for The Salvation Army in Chilliwack, B.C., where he was part of a team that developed “Plant a Row For Us,” a gardening program that has brought in more than 18,144 kilograms of produce for the Army’s community food bank since last June.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Saskatoon, but my family moved to Chilliwack when I was two years old. My mom and younger brother are both teachers, and my wife, Brianna, is an ICU nurse. We got married at the beginning of October, so I am still getting used to calling her “my wife,” but it is also so fun!

What’s your favourite family tradition?

Every Christmas, my family, along with my oma and opa, would go to Stanley Park in Vancouver to see the Christmas lights display and ride the train. My oma would pack sandwiches to eat for dinner in the parking lot before we went in, and I remember it was bitterly cold whenever we went. But it rung in the holiday season for me for many years, and while I always treasured that time with my grandparents, it means even more to me since my opa passed away in 2021.

Tell us a little about your spiritual journey.

Photo: TJ Galmut

My family started attending The Salvation Army a few years after we moved to Chilliwack. It made a profound impact on me to be at a church that encouraged me to put my faith into action. I have such fond memories of volunteering at kids’ camps, with emergency disaster services, and on the worship team. I was even the summer-student worker at the thrift store as a teenager. I was surrounded by people I consider heroes of the faith, people who made me feel valuable and loved, people who modelled a Christ-centred life so well, and these spiritual role models were a big part of my life.

What disciplines or practices have helped you grow on your spiritual journey?

In a time when a lot of people are disillusioned with the church as an institution, I have found it so 30 January/February 2024

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important to remember how vital community is to the Christian life. The church is not just an organization, it’s a body of believers first and foremost, and Christ calls the church his bride. That means that while we may fall out of love with the church and become jaded by leaders who fail us and church people who hurt us, Christ has never stopped loving the church, and he calls us to do the same. This hasn’t been easy in the last few years, but I have found the pursuit of Christian community the most impactful and fruitful spiritual practice in my life over the last two or three years.

Who has had a significant influence on your life, and why?

My opa was and is very special to me. Though he has passed away, his impact on my life and my values will carry on for the rest of my life. He was not the most affectionate person, but he showed love with his time. He and Oma lived more than an hour away from me, yet no matter what, they always showed up whenever I asked them to attend a soccer game or a school concert. The gift of his time is such a profound lesson for me as I start my marriage. My opa taught me many things about leadership, godliness and life, but the way he used time and attention to show love beyond words is something I will never forget.

What is your role with The Salvation Army? What does that look like on a day-to-day basis?

As the community partnerships co-ordinator, my job is to build friendships with people in the community and educate them on what The Salvation Army is doing and how they can help us in our mission.

What inspires you about the Army’s history and heritage, or mission and vision?

I just love that The Salvation Army has always been there to remind the invisible and left behind that there is a God who loves them, and that because he hasn’t forgotten about them, neither have we. It’s a privilege to carry on this legacy.

What song always puts you in a good mood?

There are so many songs that can boost my mood (shout out to my childhood musical hero TobyMac), but a more recent pick would be Paper Rings by Taylor Swift. That song played as we were pronounced husband and wife at our wedding, so, every time I hear it, I can’t help but smile.

What are you most passionate about?

Am I allowed to say everything?

Formula 1 drama, the Canucks, vacation planning, whatever happened during my day, a juicy story, everything!

Strengthen Your Spiritual Care Ministry A Conference for Chaplains and Spiritual Care Providers

April 26-27, 2024

Booth University College, Winnipeg, MB

Join us for lectures, workshops, and panel discussions on: • Celebrating and advocating for chaplains • Building resilience • Medical Assistance in Dying and other ethical issues • And much more

For more information, please contact Dr. Mariciel Nuyda at: Mariciel.Nuyda@boothuc.ca,, or reach out to our School for Continuing Studies at: SCS@boothuc.ca boothuc.ca/spiritualcareconference BOOTHUC.CA

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For address changes or subscription information contact (416) 422-6119 or circulation@salvationarmy.ca. Allow 4-6 weeks for changes. PM 40064794

What Will Yours Say?

LIVING THE DASH P.8

Telling a Story

Canstruction Zone

MARGO‘S TATTOO P.5 HELPING THE ARMY P.10

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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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY

2024

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NATHAN FURBERT’S LOVE OF SPORTS, PASSION FOR MUSIC AND DESIRE FOR SERVICE MAKE HIM A STAND-OUT ON THE ISLAND OF BERMUDA. P.16

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Love Story The story of Romeo and Juliet is revered as one of the most romantic in literature. So great is the couple’s love for one another, they would deny their own families to be together.

Yet, despite their love, William Shakespeare’s drama ends in tragedy.

By the end of the play, the star-crossed lovers have both lost their

Perhaps Romeo and Juliet is not so romantic after all.

On Valentine’s Day, many of us will celebrate those we love. But any love, no matter how great, pales in comparison to God’s love for us.

As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:38-39, “I am convinced that neither death nor life … nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Now that’s the greatest love story ever told.

To learn more about God’s eternal love for all of us, visit our website at faithandfriends.ca or contact us at: The Salvation Army Editorial Department, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto ON M4H 1P4.

Illustration: jaz_online/stock.Adobe.com

lives.

January/February 2024 VOLUME 27 NUMBER 1

GOD IN MY LIFE 5

Every Picture Tells a Story Margo Goodger’s unusual way to share her faith.

ANALYZE THIS 8

Living the Dash What will yours say?

THE BIG PICTURE 10 Canstruction Zone

In London, Ont., The Salvation Army is using a unique event to raise awareness of food insecurity.

5 FEATURES

What Will Yours Say?

Telling a Story

Canstruction Zone

LIVING THE DASH P.8 MARGO‘S TATTOO P.5 HELPING THE ARMY P.10

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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JANUARY/ FEBRUARY 2024

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NATHAN FURBERT’S LOVE OF SPORTS, PASSION FOR MUSIC AND DESIRE FOR SERVICE MAKE HIM A STAND-OUT ON THE ISLAND OF BERMUDA. P.16

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COVER STORY

14 Always Extraordinary When it comes to helping others, there is no such thing as ordinary.

16 Triple Threat Nathan Furbert’s love of sports, passion for music and desire for service make him a stand-out on the island of Bermuda.

22 A Sign(ing) From Heaven At a Salvation Army church in Ontario, God used Jimmy to reach out to two other souls.

14

BIG QUESTIONS 25 My Agnostic Uncle

Cover photo: Kiersten Bulloch

How could Jeanette Levellie share her beliefs without offending him?

LITE STUFF 28 Eating Healthy With Erin

Sudoku, Quick Quiz.

NIFTY THRIFTY 30 Shell Game

This simple, low-budget project looks stunning!

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 3

Faith&Friends

FROM THE EDITOR

What Next?

T

his was the question Salvation Army Major Margo Goodger asked herself. She’d spent the better part of her life criss-crossing the country with her husband, Martyn, sharing the gospel with those who would listen and helping all who needed help. But even though she was now retired, the pastor’s need to reach out to people was as strong as ever. Though she was not as spry as she once was, she still had the desire to serve. But how?

You can read all about her inventive answer on page 5.

“What next?” resonated for me in another story in this issue. In a way, Major Beverly Ivany also pondered that question in “Living the Dash” on page 8, where she looked at the unique symbol found on every headstone, and what it signified-or should signify-for all of us.

As a new year begins, we might all ask ourselves, “What next?” What can we do next to help those around us-our family, school, workplace, community, even our country and the world? And it’s not about us, though that would be a wonderful byproduct.

While he may not have uttered those exact words, Nathan Furbert, a young man from the island of Bermuda, has taken that question and answered it in the best way he can. A passionate soccer player and an enthusiastic member of his church band, he brings a desire for service to others that we all can take to heart.

Nathan’s story starts on page 16.

Maybe instead of some vague resolution this year, we might all use “what next?” as a springboard for a deeper discussion of what it means to live 2024 to its fullest.

Happy new year!

Ken Ramstead 4 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 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 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, Abbigail Oliver STAFF WRITERS 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) 422-6119 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

Faith&Friends

GOD IN MY LIFE

Every Picture Tells a Story Margo Goodger’s unusual way to share her faith.

by Ken Ramstead

Photo: Courtesy of Margo Goodger

W

hat next? thought Salvation Army pastor Margo Goodger. The retired major was not as spry as she used to be, but the desire to do what she and her husband, Martyn, had done for years at churches from coast to coast— spread the Word of God to those who would listen—was as strong as ever.

“We had a wonderful time in ministry,” she says, “seeing people grow spiritually, especially women and children.”

With her outgoing personality, Margo had always had a desire to reach out to people.

What can I do now that will stand the test of time? she thought to herself.

And then the idea came to her: a tattoo.

Don’t Give Up “I reflected on the future and decided that, whatever happened to me, I wanted to be marked for the Lord,” says Margo.

She thought the idea was inspired; her husband, not so much.

“I had to cut Martyn some slack,” smiles Margo. “After all, he is a fourth-generation member of The Salvation Army, and tattoos are frowned upon generally. So I had a challenge on my hands. We wrestled with it for months.”

It finally reached a point where Margo told her husband, “Listen,

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 5

Faith&Friends

GOD IN MY LIFE

“My tattoo had to be personal and universal.”

MAJOR MARGO GOODGER

Photo: Courtesy of Margo Goodger

if you don’t take me to get my tattoo, I’m going myself.”

The couple found a tattoo parlour and drove over to make an appointment, but when they got there, Margo took three determined steps—and went flying face-first into some ornamental bushes.

As she was taking inventory of anything she might have broken, Margo thought wryly to herself, I’m going to hear about this from Martyn!

Sure enough, when she hobbled back across the road and got into their car, an amused Martyn smiled and said, “Well, the way I look at it, that was God telling you not to do this.”

Margo replied, also smiling, “Well, the way I look at it, that was God saying, ‘Be steadfast. Stay with it. Don’t give up.’ ” “For God” It took Margo a few weeks of thought and prayer to figure out what she wanted to get tattooed on her arm (see sidebar on page 7).

“It had to be personal and universal.”

But when she did, the resulting positive feedback pleasantly surprised her.

“I showed the tattoo to an older Salvationist and, to my surprise, he was amazed and thrilled.

“And one by one, people started asking me at church about my tattoo,” she says.

Far from disapproving, her Salvation Army friends thought her tattoo was marvelous.

“I have had so many opportunities to witness,” she says.

At restaurants, wait staff approach her to ask about her tattoo.

“And when I explain its meaning, they reply, ‘That’s beautiful.’ ” Margo will often approach someone who is tattooed and says, “You know, you’ve got incredible tattoos.

How would you like to pick out your favourite, most meaningful one?

Tell me about yours and I’ll tell you about mine.

“And when I share, they listen!”

Margo has interacted with dozens of people in this fashion.

“I’ve had so many different opportunities to speak to people, and I keep at it. Even Martyn has come around!”

“God, use this tattoo for Your honour and glory,” she prays.

“Not my honour and glory,” she is quick to add. “This is for God.”

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EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY

Margo Goodger's TATTOO IN HER WORDS

Rejoice!

Butterfly

“I am glad and thankful every day because I belong to God and He belongs to me.”

“I looked at that little butterfly and thought, that’s the perfect picture to explain my joy and how I feel, the flight I feel in my spirit.”

John 3:16 “My faith in a nutshell: ‘For 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.’ ”

Three Dots “The three dots represent the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.”

Hebrews 11:1

Faith, line, two circles and flowers

“This is my favourite verse in the Bible: ‘Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’ ”

“The line represents the earth and the two little circles cradle seeds.

Nobody knows they are even there, but you believe they are. It isn't until little bright green shoots break through into the sunshine that the ‘God-mystery’ (faith) is confirmed.”

Heaven “Once we have lived this life, we are eligible for heaven.”

Growth, a tree and a present • Galatians 5:22: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

• “As Christians, we should produce the things that God has designed us to produce. That’s our responsibility.”

• Romans 12:6: “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”

• “That is the gift that God provides, taking into consideration our personalities and our growth, and God gives as He sees fit.”

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 7

Faith&Friends

ANALYZE THIS

Living the Dash What will yours say?

by Beverly Ivany

H

ave you ever noticed something common on every headstone? I don’t mean the names. I’m talking about what’s between the dates of birth and death.

It’s the dash. Have you ever stopped to think about that prominent mark?

Photo: lotharnahler/stock.Adobe.com

Beyond the Numbers

I recently read a poem by Jon M. Nelson called The Dash, which speaks to that marking, and what it represents. It got me thinking. What will that dash represent for me when my time comes?

For many, the dash on the stone represents all that particular person has accomplished in their lifetime.

But should the dash represent more than this? Should it not embrace all the qualities of the person’s personality, how that individual has impacted the lives of others—even if only a life in existence for a few days or merely hours?

When people see the dash on our gravestone one day, what will it say about us? How can we live out our dash?

Three things are needed: • Make a Difference The first is to strive to make a positive difference in the world.

Simply being real, being authentic, is an extraordinary quality.

Having a good work ethic is also

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Living the dash is both exciting and exhilarating!

BEVERLY IVANY

vital—whether at work or at home. We also need to be honest and trustworthy, transparent and open. Intentionally desiring to make a positive difference has a meaningful and lasting impact on others—making the world a better place in which to live.

• Care for Others Secondly, we need to develop a deep desire to care for others, to be compassionate and empathetic.

We need to care for everyone, not just family and friends, for each person is God’s child. If we want our lives to count for something, to have meaning and purpose and value, we must always be thinking of those around us, how our actions—or lack of action—will impact others.

• Think Ahead Finally, we must always be looking onward and upward. No matter

our age, we need to always think about what we can do for the greater good. God wants us to use our gifts and talents to benefit His Kingdom in any way possible.

To move onward, as we embrace new ideas for the betterment of humankind, and to look upward, as we daily seek God’s guidance and wisdom for what He desires for our lives.

Living the dash is both exciting and exhilarating! That’s not saying troubles and heartaches won’t come.

They will. But it’s how we cope and embrace life’s challenges that really matters.

When our time on earth has come to an end, hopefully the dash on that stone—separating the dates of our birth and death—will represent a life that has been lived to the full, accomplished through God’s amazing grace and love.

(left) Major Beverly Ivany is a retired Salvation Army pastor and the former writer of Words of Life, a daily Bible reading devotional series published by The Salvation Army.

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Faith&Friends

THE BIG PICTURE

Canstruction Zone In London, Ont., The Salvation Army is using a unique event to raise awareness of food insecurity.

Photos: Courtesy of Canstruction

by Ken Ramstead

Y

ou don’t have to be a globe trotter to take in some of the greatest wonders of the world—the 52-storey F&F Tower in Panama City, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Rome’s Colosseum—and all conveniently located at White Oaks Mall in London, Ont.

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(Below left) India‘s Pride SBM’s Taj Mahal (Bottom left) Symbol of Singapore Marina Bay Sands Hotel, being assembled by the EllisDon team

A Few Words Nathan Fehrman, Canstruction event planner and founding partner of Michael + Clark, at the awards ceremony

Twisted Masterpiece Zedd Architecture members pose next to their F&F Tower

It’s all part of Canstruction, a global non-profit charity that creates structures out of full cans of food, which raises food, funds and awareness for food insecurity.

In London, The Salvation Army is the chief organizer of this fundraiser to aid the hungry, in collaboration with local firms.

“Canstruction is about people really wanting to get involved in giving back to the community,” says Rebecca Thiessen, integrated missions manager at the London Salvation Army’s community and family services, who oversees the event. “Plus, it’s a really fun event!”

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 11

Faith&Friends

THE BIG PICTURE

New York City‘s Finest The Guggenheim Museum, built

by Matter Architectural Studio

Intricate Installations

Every year, local architects, builders and engineers are invited to participate in the event, where nonperishable cans are used to recreate famous landmarks.

These installations are large and intricate structures that require very detailed and designed plans.

“It takes something like 200 person-hours to make this happen, and that’s before the teams even arrive to build it,” says Rebecca.

“Every year, each team contributes anywhere between 1,000-5,500 cans per structure,” she goes on to say. Added up, the total comes to more than 23,000 cans, which translates to 20-25 skids of food.

The individual teams purchase the food cans that they use in their structure, which represents a huge donation to the community.

“That’s their way of giving money, time and effort back to the community,” explains Rebecca.

Street Cred There are six award categories: Best Meal, Structural Ingenuity, Best Original Design, Most Cans and Best Use of Labels.

“The sixth award is People’s Choice, and this is where the City of London comes in,” says Rebecca.

The public is invited to come out to the mall and vote on their favourite structure.

“We call it ‘donate to vote,’ ” smiles Rebecca. The public can vote as many times as they wish, and each vote costs $5. There is an online voting option as well.

“It’s really about bragging rights, street cred,” Rebecca says. “The winning company can brag to all their fellow construction companies, designers and architects that they won the People’s Choice Award.

‘They liked us the best’—at least, until next year!”

Winners from this competition then go on to compete internationally in these categories.

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Getting the Word Out

“Canstruction is about people really wanting to get involved in giving back to the community.”

REBECCA THIESSEN

Ultimately, the financial proceeds— and all that food—get circled back into Salvation Army programming that fights food insecurity in London.

“There’s so much more need now, and the need is increasing,” says Rebecca. “Every month, there’s a 23 percent increase in clients to our food bank. So that tells us that people that have never needed to use our food bank in the past are now in a place where they’re experiencing food insecurity.

They can’t provide for themselves and their kids, and so they come to us.”

The teams are giving back in a huge way and, by coming out to vote, so are the good people of London.

“We’re excited about what The Salvation Army is doing and how we’re investing in our neighbourhood,” says Rebecca. “And by getting the word out through Canstruction, we want people to know that The Salvation Army and our different services are a safe place for people to come when they need help.”

Photos: Courtesy of Canstruction

Job Well Done Canstruction‘s event partner team pose at White Oaks Mall.

From left, Nathan Fehrman, Jeff Wilson, Nancy Kerr, Rebecca Thiessen, Cassidy Rath-Gregory, Sheryl Rooth and Nathan Tervit faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 13

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Always Extraordinary WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING OTHERS, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ORDINARY.

by Diane Stark

O Photo: Courtesy of Lionsgate

rdinary Angels, in theatres this February, tells the true story of a troubled woman who rallied a Kentucky community to save a three-year-old’s life.

Fitting Right In In the early 1990s, Sharon Stevens (Hilary Swank) is working as a hairdresser, trying—and failing—to stay sober. A friend advises her to find a reason to live that is bigger than she is.

That’s when she reads a newspaper article about the Schmitt family. Ed (Alan Ritchson) is the father of two young daughters, Ashley and Michelle, who were both born with a rare liver disease.

Two years before, Ashley had undergone a liver transplant. Now, Michelle is on the waiting list, her condition worsening every day. Ed is grieving the sudden loss of his wife, worried about his daughters’ health and drowning in medical bills.

Sharon can’t fix the first two problems, but she can help with the third. She starts soliciting donations for the family, raising tens of thousands of dollars to pay off their medical debts.

Sharon grows closer to the Schmitt family, even helping to care for the girls, but Ed is hesitant to allow her into his daughters’ lives.

“That woman is a mess,” he tells his mother, Barbara (Nancy Travis).

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Even though we can’t fix every problem for every person, we can almost always do something for someone. DIANE STARK Barbara just smiles and replies, “That’s perfect. She’ll fit right in.”

To Save a Life?

Then in January 1994, the Schmitts get the call they’d been waiting for. There is a liver available— in Omaha, Nebraska, almost a thousand kilometres from their home. The transplant could save Michelle’s life, but they have only hours to get there.

Sharon had already arranged for a private jet to fly them to Omaha when the call came. Overnight, however, the worst snowstorm in the state’s history hits the area. The roads are closed, and there is no way Ed and the girls can make it to the airport.

The hospital suggests sending a medical helicopter to pick them up, but with the blanket of ice and snow on the ground, there is nowhere for it to land safely. And Michelle’s life depends on getting to Omaha that night.

Sharon calls the radio stations, asking for volunteers to clear the parking lot of a local church so the helicopter can land there. Despite the unprecedented storm, dozens of people show up with shovels, ready to help.

Will their efforts be enough to get Michelle to Omaha in time to save her life?

Role of a Lifetime Sharon didn’t have her life together when she stepped in to help Ed and his daughters. A friend asked her how it had become her responsibility to save Michelle.

“Because I’m here and because I can,” she answered.

She just did what she could to improve their situation.

As Christians, we’re called to help people when we can. And even though we can’t fix every problem for every person, we can almost always do something for someone.

There are lots of roles to play.

Many of them may appear to be quite ordinary, but never underestimate what we can accomplish when we work together with God’s help.

Our role might be to offer someone in need a meal or a place to stay.

Our part might be babysitting for a single mom or changing the oil in her car. And maybe someday, God might even ask us to shovel out a church parking lot so that a medical helicopter can land and save a life.

Whatever we do in the name of God is always extraordinary!

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 15

COVER STORY

Photo: Kiersten Bulloch

Faith&Friends

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Triple

Threat

NATHAN FURBERT’S LOVE OF SPORTS, PASSION FOR MUSIC AND DESIRE FOR SERVICE MAKE HIM A STAND-OUT ON THE ISLAND OF BERMUDA.

by Jayne Thurber-Smith IN HIS PODCAST “LEARN FASTER,” neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman made the following statement: “If you’re young, what should you do? Learn as much as you can about as many things as you possibly can. Have some sense of what excites you and try and get really good at that thing.”

Twenty-year-old Nathan Furbert is definitely learning as much as he can about as many things as he can. Besides taking business classes at Bermuda College, he is a vibrant band member of the North Street Citadel Salvation Army church in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Like Son, Like ...

Nathan Furbert (right) with his father, Albert, inside The Salvation Army's North Street Citadel church in Bermuda

Music and Sports Love of music and dedication to the church runs strong in the Furbert family—his father plays the drums and his mother plays the trombone in the band. Nathan can play several instruments. faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 17

Faith&Friends

COVER STORY

Pillars of Strength Nathan and Captain Kendacy Barnes outside the church

“I was playing the baritone, and then switched to the euphonium after my bandmaster asked me to,” Nathan says. “It’s a bit more challenging, but I enjoy it. I’ve been in the senior band since I was 14.

Before that, I played trumpet in the junior band for six years.”

He attended school at Bermuda’s Whitney Institute and Berkeley Institute, before attending boarding school in Maryland at The Calverton School. Nathan was an active participant in both the music and sports programs at each of these schools. Nathan now plays soccer for Bermuda in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) league. Concacaf is one of FIFA’s six continental confederations, servicing 41 member associations from Canada in

the north to French Guiana in the south.

“I like playing in different countries,” Nathan says. “I love all the players on our team, and we’re making our way along. The older guys look out for us younger players, trying to teach us whatever they can. I have also been coaching soccer to eight to 11-year-olds, and it’s rewarding to see their progress.”

Lifelong Connections It’s been a balancing act trying to find time for all his activities, but Nathan feels it’s worth the effort.

“It helps that my bandmaster understands soccer comes first for me right now, so he still lets me play in the band even if I might have to show up a little later,” he grins.

His bandmaster, Sheldon Fox, comments that Nathan has always

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On a Happy Note Nathan playing in the church band

“While in Jamaica, we visited the School for the Blind,” recalls Sheldon. “It was great to see the joy and excitement of the 40-plus students as we served them ice cream at afterschool activities.”

During a Sunday service in Jamaica, Nathan witnessed the enthusiastic expressions of worship and interacted with the many young people in attendance.

“I believe that the connections he made over that weekend can develop

“I have been privileged to be included in this church community I’ve known my whole life.”

NATHAN FURBERT

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Photos: Kiersten Bulloch

had a keen interest in music.

“He’s eager to learn as much as he can about the music craft and continuously seeks opportunities to hone those skills,” Sheldon says.

When Nathan learned about an opportunity to attend a Salvation Army regional youth conference in the Western Jamaica Division, he jumped at the chance to combine his passion for music with his desire for service as a young Salvationist.

COVER STORY

Photos: Kiersten Bulloch

Faith&Friends

Goal!

Nathan at soccer practice. “I love all the players on our team," he says, "and we’re making our way along"

into lifelong friendships around the Salvation Army world,” says Sheldon.

“A Different Lens” Captain Kendacy Barnes was another of Nathan’s supporters at North Street Citadel. Now a Salvation Army pastor in the United States, she believes the secret to keeping young people involved in churches today is to emphasize the greatest commandment: Love the Lord with all our hearts and love each other as ourselves.

“If this command can remain foundational in the lives of our youth,” she says, “then even within the shifting cultures of the world or in personal pursuits, our young people can navigate this ‘me-first’ generation with a ‘God-first’ attitude. We can glory in the truth that

God’s power to transform lives and make impactful changes in communities remains the same throughout all generations.”

Nathan enjoys playing with the Salvation Army band, especially when they visit local neighbourhoods on Christmas Eve to share Christmas music and cheer.

“We played in the evening throughout different neighbourhoods, then ended up at the radio station at 3 a.m.,” he recalls. “The euphonium is kind of heavy to carry around, but it was worthwhile to bring Christmas joy to others.”

He knows whatever time contribution he can make to the church is time well spent.

“This year has opened my eyes a lot, seeing how the church is actually run,” Nathan comments.

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Tricks of the Trade Nathan showing off his skills. “It helps that my bandmaster understands soccer comes first for me right now, so he still lets me play in the band even if I might have to show up a little later”

“It definitely changes your outlook seeing those in need being helped.

So much effort and organization goes into the feeding programs The Salvation Army offers! A lot of work goes on behind the scenes. My dad is the maintenance supervisor for the premises and there was one point when they were trying to hire a cleaner for the building. I helped my parents clean every Friday until they found someone.”

Nathan is proud to be a part of

what The Salvation Army is doing in Hamilton.

“I am at the point in my life where I’m seeing things through a different lens,” he says. “I’m learning to understand the importance of the little things. When I look at my schedule and my life, I know it’s the least I can do to give a few hours a week to outreach. I know I have been privileged to be included in this church community I’ve known my whole life.”

(left) Jayne Thurber-Smith is a wife, mother of four and freelance writer from Nova Scotia who presently resides in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She enjoys tennis, horseback riding and reading. faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 21

Faith&Friends

FEATURE

Signing On Jimmy leads the congregation in worship by signing

A Sign(ing) From

Heaven

AT A SALVATION ARMY CHURCH IN ONTARIO, GOD USED JIMMY TO REACH OUT TO TWO OTHER SOULS.

by Shirley King

L

ast September, I had the pleasure of meeting a gentle man who had come upon some unfortunate events and needed help.

Jimmy had been living in his car.

During the cool fall evenings and nights, it was manageable, and while I cannot imagine having to live like that, this was Jimmy’s story.

Jimmy came to church and was beaming each time I saw him. I expressed concern for the approaching cold weather and wondered what he was going to do as winter set in.

He graciously accepted help with food and extra clothing and a few dollars for gas.

A Place for Jimmy On Thanksgiving Sunday, Jimmy again attended church. He was hungry and cold, but beamed as he joined in worship and fellowship with the people and declared through signing (Jimmy is hearing impaired) that he had angels watching over him.

It was a miserable, wet and cold

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weekend. The weather changed from cool to freezing. During those drastic drops in temperature, Jimmy had spent one night sleeping in his car on the church parking lot, without warmth due to a defunct heater and no money for gas.

I felt helpless, not knowing the community very well (having just moved here) and what resources were available. But I needn’t have worried. The Salvation Army’s Acton Community Church in Ontario was poised to meet the need in our community. People stepped up to help.

I watched kindness in action as one of the congregants used his own resources to ensure Jimmy had a warm place to stay, a hot meal to eat and dry clothes to wear. But we knew it was a band-aid solution. What about the long term?

After one night in a motel and despite the seemingly hopeless reality of finding a place for Jimmy to be in from the cold, I made a phone call to a Salvation Army program with hope that there was space available for this dear man. And there was!

We got him packed up from the motel and he headed to a very comfortable place of shelter.

A New Community Jimmy has been faithful in attending our worship services. He has eagerly volunteered at the thrift store and loves to join in church fellowship times. The people at our church have been exceptionally accepting of Jimmy. And today, in our church service, a beautiful thing happened!

Jimmy enjoys the singing at the church. He signs through most of the service and, from where I sit, it is beautiful to watch him as he enters into worship with his signing.

As we were singing, I watched as he beautifully signed the words. I felt the urge to have him come to the platform and sign for the congregation. And he did so, willingly and beautifully!

What I didn’t know until after the service was that a young couple, one of whom is also hearing impaired, signed along with him, newcomers to our church.

God spoke through Jimmy to reach two other souls, so that they could follow His prompting and experience a new community. And as with Jimmy, we’ll continue to work with them, as well.

Who knew? God did!

(left) Major Shirley King is the pastor at The Salvation Army’s Acton Community Church in Ontario. faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 23

Faith&Friends

MAILBAG

“One of Those Thousands” I am writing because of an article in the May/June issue of Faith & Friends entitled “Taking Some Good From the Bad” by Joseph Lauren.

I am currently serving a 20-month sentence in a correctional centre in Ontario. After finally hitting true rock bottom, I realized I needed to start making real changes in my life, and I started asking hard questions. I have been reading all I can about God, Christianity and spirituality, and I am now a Christian.

I won’t lie; it’s hard! But I am taking Bible study courses and I am doing, studying and learning all I can.

Since it’s a Christian magazine published by a Christian organization, I picked up Faith & Friends. I didn’t even notice the article at first. But when I read the last paragraph of the editorial that stated, “discover why a neardeadly prison altercation saved a man’s life instead of ending it forever,” it sounded like something I should read.

To say I was hooked would be an understatement! I kept discovering connections with the writer. I was also at one time an inmate at Kingston Penitentiary, so to read an article about a place where I had been just before it closed was surprising. And I can attest to just how violent a place it was.

Like Joseph Lauren, I had never been much of a religious person. I’m also originally from Toronto, and I was even a resident at a Salvation Army halfway facility.

I have learned recently that a Christian should try to make amends for the things he or she has done.

I believe that my actions are ones that God is calling to my attention. I fully intend to make what amends I can upon my release.

The article made me realize not only the mountain of mistakes I have made in the many, many years of my criminal activity but also how many people have tried to help me—and how many bridges I have burned. I don’t feel I have earned the forgiveness God has given me and that Jesus died for, but I am at least finally aware of the changes I need to make. I have a lot to make up for.

Being a new Christian is hard enough but being uncertain all the time about everything doubles my difficulties.

Joseph’s story and all the little details that we share has let me know that God is there, that I am not alone in my journey and, most importantly, that I am headed in the right direction, especially when I sometimes feel I have no direction at all.

So I want to thank Joseph for his story. If that can be conveyed to him, or this letter finds its way to him, I would be extremely grateful. I feel that God has compelled me to write this letter to let Joseph know how much his story has meant to me.

Joseph stated in the article, “If I can help even one person, out of the thousands of people who have heard me speak, it will be worth it.”

I don’t know if I am the one of those thousands, but the article has certainly helped me.

—Daniel

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Photo: InsideCreativeHouse/Stock.Adobe.com

Faith&Friends

BIG QUESTIONS

My Agnostic Uncle How could I share my beliefs without offending him?

by Jeanette Levellie

“W

ow. Uncle Fred really backed me into a corner this time.”

I read my uncle’s e-mail again, trying to figure out a way to answer his questions without offending him.

Change of Heart I loved Uncle Fred like a father.

During my first year of high school, when my parents were talking divorce, I’d lived with Uncle Fred and Aunt Lucy. I even started calling them “Dad” and “Mom.” They’d guided me through a tough time, when I doubted my worth.

Fifty years later, I still used some of the advice they’d given me.

But my aunt and uncle were not believers. They acknowledged that there might be a God, but they’d never felt a need to become Christians. After all, they contended, they were good people.

They helped others, never cheated, stole or murdered. Why should they need a Saviour?

They’d also felt disrespected when the minister at my grandmother’s funeral preached an evangelical message. Uncle Fred sent an angry letter to my mother—who’d planned the service—telling her that in the future they didn’t want to talk about religion, and they refused to argue the merits of Christianity versus any other belief system.

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 25

Faith&Friends

BIG QUESTIONS

Would I be risking my close relationship with someone I dearly loved by speaking the truth about God’s Word?

JEANETTE LEVELLIE

Over the last 50 years, I’d prayed that God would send people across their path to share the good news of the Bible in a way that would open their minds to their need for salvation. After all, I often thought, Jesus Himself declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Not one of the ways to God, but the only way.

Aunt Lucy had passed away a few months earlier. She and Uncle Fred, college sweethearts, were married nearly 70 years. I wondered if her death caused Uncle Fred to doubt his long-held beliefs. Or should I say, “non-beliefs”? Had he changed his mind about discussing religion?

Perhaps I was now free to share Jesus with him. The big question was, how could I do that in a loving, nonjudgmental way?

Help Me, Jesus!

After I prayed for wisdom using my favourite prayer—“Help me, Jesus!”—I emailed back. I told

Uncle Fred what I believed—that Jesus was the only way to heaven.

Because we believed in Him to save us and forgive our sins, we’d go immediately into the presence of Jesus after we died and live in freedom and bliss for eternity.

Uncle Fred’s reply shocked me.

“You didn’t answer my question, Jeanette. I don’t want to know what you think will happen to you. I wanted to know what you believe about someone who is not a Christian or has no faith at all. I don’t ask for the sake of argument. I would never get mad at you for sharing your beliefs in a non-judgmental way. I’m trying to enlighten myself and have asked several people this same question.”

Now, I really felt cornered. It seemed as if Uncle Fred wanted to know what I thought happened to Aunt Lucy. He had assured me he wouldn’t argue with my answers, but I was still worried. Would I be risking my close relationship with someone I dearly loved by speaking

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“Dear Dad” I took a deep breath—several, actually—then asked the Lord to give me wisdom on how to explain my faith to my agnostic uncle. Finally, I sat down at the keyboard.

“Dear Dad,” I started. “Since you asked, I’m going to shoot from the hip. Unlike many Christians, I do not believe that people of no faith will go to heaven. But I’ve come to know, over the decades, the heart of God. He is absolutely good, merciful and love personified. So based on that knowledge, I believe that at the moment of death, Jesus offers each person one final opportunity to give their lives to Him.” And then I held my breath. I knew I may be putting my relationship with my uncle on the line. But perhaps my words would make him thirsty to know more about Jesus.

Photo: InsideCreativeHouse/Stock.Adobe.com

the truth about God’s Word?

I realized this was a test of my belief. If I said, “I don’t know what happens to people of no faith,” I’d be denying Jesus’ claims about Himself.

I prayed so.

The following day, I received Uncle Fred’s reply.

“Thank you, Jeanette, for your honest answer. I truly am seeking to know the truth.”

Relief flooded my heart. But not only relief. Now I felt hopeful that my dear uncle had opened his heart a crack. That he might be willing to listen to the truth of God’s Word, that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

(left) Author of five books and hundreds of published articles, Jeanette Levellie and her husband make their home in Paris, Illinois. Jeanette’s hobbies include spoiling her three grandchildren, pampering her cats and inventing new ways to avoid housework. Find her splashes of hope and humour at jeanettelevellie.com.

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 27

Faith&Friends

LITE STUFF

Eating Healthy With Erin CRISPY TOFU “STEAK”

Recipe photos: Erin Stanley

TIME 20 min

MAKES 4 servings

SERVE WITH stir-fried rice

420 g (13 oz.) package of firm tofu 60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce 45 ml (3 tbsp) maple syrup 15 ml (1 tbsp) rice vinegar 5 ml (1 tsp) sesame oil 2 ml (½ tsp) paprika 2 ml (½ tsp) red pepper flakes 45 ml (3 tbsp) water 45 ml (3 tbsp) cornstarch 45 ml (3 tbsp) coconut oil sesame seeds to garnish

1. Remove tofu from package, drain, wrap in paper towel and squeeze out liquid.

2. In small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, paprika, red pepper flakes, water and 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the cornstarch.

3. Remove tofu from paper towel and cut into triangles.

4. Place 30 ml (2 tbsp) of cornstarch on a plate and coat each side of tofu.

5. Heat coconut oil in pan over mediumhigh heat and cook tofu on each side until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

6. Pour marinade into pan and reduce heat to low. Allow it to bubble and then flip tofu so it coats both sides.

7. Place on a plate and garnish with sesame seeds.

SIMPLY STIR-FRIED RICE TIME 10 min MAKES 4 servings

SERVE WITH crispy tofu “steak”

15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil 2 garlic cloves, diced 60 ml (¼ cup) onions, diced 250 ml (1 cup) carrots, diced 250 ml (1 cup) chicken or vegetable broth 250 ml (1 cup) bell peppers, sliced 500 ml (2 cups) broccoli 500 ml (2 cups) bok choy 750 ml (3 cups) cooked rice 5 ml (1 tsp) sesame oil salt and pepper to taste

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1. Heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté garlic, onions and carrots for 5 minutes.

2. Add vegetable broth and remaining vegetables.

Cook for 3 minutes.

3. Add rice and sesame oil.

Fry together for 2 minutes.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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

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7 4 6 2 9 5 1

7 2 3 4 6 8 1 9

8 1 6 2 9 7 5 3 4

4 9 3 8 1 5 2 7 6

© www.kevinfrank.net

Quick Quiz Answers: 1. four; 2. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2; 3. books.

HEAVEN’S LOVE THRIFT SHOP by Kevin Frank

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NATHAN FURBERT’S LOVE OF SPORTS, PASSION FOR MUSIC AND DESIRE FOR SERVICE MAKE HIM A STAND-OUT ON THE ISLAND OF BERMUDA. P.16

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Canstruction Zone

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Telling a Story

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

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What Will Yours Say?

LIVING THE DASH P.8 MARGO‘S TATTOO P.5 HELPING THE ARMY P.10

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QUICK QUIZ 1. How many months of the year have 30 days?

2. What two NASA space probes were launched in 1977?

3. What does a bibliophile love?

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Sudoku Puzzle

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Faith&Friends

NIFTY THRIFTY

Shell Game This simple, low-budget project looks stunning!

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t’s always fun to take something from drab to fab that is not only decorative but functional as well. I found these shells at my local Salvation Army thrift store and upcycled them into organization dishes for my jewelry.

Supplies Needed: Shells, tissue paper, Mod Podge, sponge brush, gold leaf (optional), acrylic paint (bronze, white, black), scissors, X-Acto knife.

Step 1 Find some large shells at your local Salvation Army thrift store or out in the wild if you are fortunate enough to live by a beach.

Step 2 Gather your materials. I chose a decorative tissue paper for my project, but feel free to try paper, gift wrap, etc. I then used a bronze paint with black as my trim since it matched my tissue paper. Note: I included gold leaf since it added a bit of pizzazz and covered any imperfections when I decoupaged the tissue paper.

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30 • JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 I faithandfriends.ca

Step 5 Paint the outside of the shell with your chosen accent colour. I used bronze for a couple of my shells and a mixture of bronze and black for the other two shells. Allow to dry.

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Step 3 Use a sponge brush to cover the inside of the shell with Mod Podge. Cut a piece of tissue paper slightly larger than your shell, then massage the paper into the shell. You can use your fingers or a dry sponge brush to help cover the shell and work the paper into the grooves. Allow to dry.

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Step 6 Add a trim around the edges of the inside of the shell. Allow to dry.

Finally, add a coat of Mod Podge to the inside and outside of the shell.

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Step 4 Once the Mod Podge is dry, use scissors or an X-Acto knife to trim the edges of the paper.

Add another coat of Mod Podge and spread pieces of the gold leaf on the tissue paper. Allow to dry.

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

Find a thrift store near you at thriftstore.ca.

faithandfriends.ca I JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 • 31

Winter Hits Hard for Vulnerable People

For families struggling to make ends meet, winter means precious resources are devoted to keeping warm.

Life’s necessities become harder to afford, forcing the most vulnerable to face hunger and experience homelessness.

Thanks to your generosity, The Salvation Army continues to provide practical assistance to more than 2.7 million people each year, inspiring them to see hope in their future.

Donate today at SalvationArmy.ca/Friends

1-800-SAL-ARMY

PM 40064794

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