“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
– Desmond Tutu
What is The Salvation Army?
The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.
Vision Statement
Wherever there is hardship or injustice, Salvos will live, love and fight alongside others to transform Australia one life at a time with the love of Jesus.
Mission Statement
The Salvation Army is a Christian movement dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus by:
• Caring for people
• Creating faith pathways
• Building healthy communities
• Working for justice
The Salvation Army Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and work and pay our respect to Elders, past, present, and future. We value and include people of all cultures, languages, abilities, sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions, and intersex status. We are committed to providing programs that are fully inclusive. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of people of all ages, particularly children.
Always hope
The saying ‘There is always hope’, exists in many languages, although the exact wording and cultural nuances may vary. Hope is, indeed, a universal concept and most of us hold onto it in different ways, especially perhaps, in the tough and uncertain times of life.
In this edition of Salvos Magazine, we look at hope and what it means to different people – belief in Jesus and his promises, strength for the present, assurances for the future, knowing God is bigger than our circumstances, fuel for change, and more.
We also feature stories of those offering hope to others – a Salvos officer (pastor) in Papua New Guinea who is a key figure in combatting violence against women, volunteers assisting people impacted by recent flooding in NSW, and those distributing warm blankets and sleeping bags to the homeless in Western Australia.
Founders: William and Catherine Booth
Salvation Army World Leaders: General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn
Buckingham
Territorial Leader: Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
Secretary for Communications and Editor-In-Chief: Colonel Rodney Walters
Publications Manager: Cheryl Tinker
Editor: Simone Worthing
Graphic Designer: Ryan Harrison
Enquiry email: publications@salvationarmy.org.au
All other Salvation Army enquiries 13 72 58
Press date: 30 May 2025
Printed and published for The Salvation Army by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas at Focus Print Group, Chester Hill, NSW, Darug Nation lands.
Donna also shares her story of homelessness, and how help from the Salvos to find a home and work on other issues gave her relief, security and hope.
For more hope-filled stories, go to salvosonline.org.au
Simone Worthing Editor
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That’s hope …
by Commissioner Miriam Gluyas
A young couple are finding it difficult to have a baby. A family member puts a blank photo frame on the TV stand and prays each day. That’s hope.
A lady in a developing nation wonders where the next meal for her beautiful family is coming from. She sends her children to their rooms to pray. She says it teaches them faith. And then adds, “Often someone turns up with a meal.” That’s hope.
A farmer goes outside to look to the sky. There are small clouds forming but still no rain. And the next day, and the next and the next. He believes that those rains will come. That’s hope.
A family ends up in a refugee camp. Someone suggests that they mention the name of their aunt in Australia. Seems crazy. What notice will people take? So, they do. They come to Australia and now have a new, beautiful life, still grieving from some of the loss, but happy that the unexpected occurred. That’s hope.
A young girl struggles, growing up in a very difficult area, in a very dysfunctional family. Some young women mentor her, pamper her, believe in her, love her. She’s the first in her family to ever graduate from university. That’s hope.
Hope, according to the dictionary, means ‘A feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen’. In the Bible, hope is described as a confident expectation of good things to come, particularly in God’s promises.
Is there always a positive outcome? No, not always. But all of us need hope. The world right now desperately needs hope.
That’s faith, hope and love.
Salvos believe that the hope of the world is Jesus. And, very often, he comes through, and sometimes in the most unexpected ways.
I want to encourage you today to hope, to be the hope and to put your hope in the one who we believe is the hope.
Commissioner Miriam Gluyas is the leader of The Salvation Army Australia.
Global courage award for PNG officer
Salvation Army officer (pastor) Major Velena Iga, of Papua New Guinea, was one of eight women to receive the International Women of Courage Award at the USA State Department on 1 April 2025.
The award recognises women from around the world who have demonstrated exceptional courage, strength and leadership – often at great personal risk and sacrifice.
Major Iga is The Salvation Army’s national contact person for modern slavery and human trafficking response in Papua New Guinea. She is a key figure in combatting violence against women, sorceryaccusation-related violence and human trafficking. Her work spans advocacy, training and direct case management, and has established her as a trusted adviser, counsellor and leader.
Fight for justice
In response to receiving the award, Major Iga said, “It makes me humble, because though I have my name on the tablet, I dedicate this award to
my women and girls of my country, the families who have gone through modern slavery and human trafficking, and other violence against women ...
“I will continue to fight for justice – not because of the award, but because it has always been a passion and a love for me to do what is right for the women and children of Papua New Guinea.”
Following the award presentation, Major Iga was interviewed by Priscilla Santos, International Modern Slavery and Human
Trafficking Response Coordinator. In the interview, Major Iga defined what courage meant to her.
Courage
“Courage is being strong. When you are strong, you are able to do something for the vulnerable, the unvoiced taking risks, taking action for justice for all. In uncertain times, when people are confused, when women do not know where they could go, what to do, you can be the one to help them find their answers.”
To view the video, go to bit.ly/44OBqdz
American First Lady, Melania Trump, left, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, presented the award to Major Velena Iga.
What means to me
Hope is the fuel for change, for things to be better than they are now. If our hope is a strong belief that things can be different, and better, then it is like rocket fuel. It will propel us into radical action that stretches our capacity to overcome our current situation and challenges.
If our hope is more like a wish for change, or we’re dissatisfied with our current situation and want things to be different, that indicates hope, and we can still harness its energy to work for change and do things that bring our wishes closer. Either way, there is not a better future without hope.
– Cliff
Having hope means believing that things are eventually going to get better – that everything is going to be okay. Hope is positivity. – Ben, 16
To me, hope means having friends and family who love and support each other no matter what. It’s about being healthy enough to enjoy life and be there for the people I care about. Most of all, my hope comes from my faith in God — knowing I’m never alone, no matter what life throws at me. Hope keeps me going and reminds me that love, faith and strength can get me through anything.
– Cheryl
Hope is the confident expectation of God’s ultimate blessing in this life and the life to come, based upon the goodness and promises of God. It gives me strength to hold on when times are tough. Strength to hold on in the dark times in life, a light in the distance to reach for.
With Jesus there is always hope!
– Jean
For me a simple symbol of hope is a dessert spoon. When you sit down at a meal and someone has set the table with dessert spoons, you know that something delicious is coming, even if you have to put up with all the vegetables in the meantime. The dessert spoon is, in a trivial way, a little piece of evidence that good is coming.
As a Christian, I believe that the person of Jesus is the ultimate dessert spoon. Like a dessert spoon, the appearance of the Son of God in our history is evidence that good is coming. There is a saying that hope is the thread that ties us to the future, draws us forward; the thread of belief that tomorrow will be better than today, that next week will be better than this week, that next year will be better than this year and that ultimately, the next life will be far better than this one.
– Phil
It means being optimistic about the future and being able to picture yourself in a better place than you are now. And it’s about knowing how to get there and having confidence that you can achieve it.
– Joel, 14
Hope is believing, amongst all the garbage that’s going on, God is bigger. Hope is believing past the circumstances to a better outcome.
–
Sherrie Hope to me is something important to offer to others and something that should be given often. I think hope is important because it’s something of a rarity in today’s times.
We always need hope and I thank God as he provides me with it all the time.
– Charli, 17
Playground project delights youngsters
The children who frequent the Mt Isa Salvos are delighted with the recently installed shade sails and evening lighting over the playground.
“The completion of this project is already making a difference and is being enjoyed by the community,” says Evelyn Charles, Chaplain at the Mt Isa Salvos.
“We are so grateful for the construction of the shade and installation of the light! Both will make
a huge difference to the quality of play for the local children, keeping them safe and making possible evening play.”
The playground plays an important role for the children from The Salvation Army’s Serenity House, and families who come to the Salvos for community meals. Serenity House is a residential homelessness support service in Mt Isa, offering five units for women and children experiencing homelessness.
The new installations were made possible by a generous donation from Glencore Mt Isa Mines.
Keeping rough sleepers warm in WA
The Salvation Army is distributing sleeping bags and blankets to individuals experiencing homelessness in Western Australia, courtesy of a donation from, and partnership with, The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA).
There were an estimated 9700 people (up from 9005 in 2016) who were homeless in Western Australia in 2021, with some projections estimating 127,680
people experiencing homelessness across the country in 2025.
“Sleeping on a hard surface in rough places is a harsh reality for many people,” says Warren Palmer, State Communications Manager for The Salvation Army. “A sleeping bag can at least provide a cushioned layer softening the impact and giving some level of insulation against the weather.”
“In WA, while there is no
clear, immediate relief in the state of housing, every sleeping bag given through this appeal is urgently needed and very much appreciated by all recipients,” Warren says.
SAES responds to NSW floods
SAES Response Coordinator for NSW Norm Archer
Staff and volunteers responded quickly to the flood crisis.
Salvation Army Emergency Services (SAES) teams have been on the ground in flood-impacted areas of NSW since 23 May. From north of Armidale down to Sydney, more than 50,000 people have been affected by record flooding that isolated towns and caused widespread destruction and devastation.
In the early days of the crisis, SAES staff and volunteers provided food, drinks and vital emotional support to those forced to evacuate their homes across 16 evacuation centres, including those in Taree, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Macksville and Maitland.
As the waters receded and the emergency response moved into
the recovery phase, Salvation Army volunteers began working in five recovery hubs – Taree, Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Macksville and Maitland.
Staff and volunteers are working in tandem with the New South Wales Reconstruction Authority to deliver timely services where they are most needed. SAES values meaningful relationships with governments and first responder agencies, and advocates through connections with businesses, academic and not-for-profit forums.
To find out more about SAES and their work in flood recovery efforts, go to salvationarmy.org.au/ emergency-services
KNOWING HOPE
Faith, resilience and the spark that drives us
by Jo-anne Brown
In June 1988, hundreds of thousands of Estonians gathered to sing songs long banned by the Soviet regime.
In August 1989, two million people joined hands across 690 kilometres through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – three Baltic nations occupied by the Soviet Union.
Two months later, thousands gathered in candlelit prayer around a church in Leipzig, East Germany, even as tanks and soldiers surrounded them.
These are powerful messages of hope. Who could have imagined that singing, holding hands and praying could confront the might of the Soviet Union?
Yet they did. The Singing Revolution in Estonia (1987–1991) was a series of peaceful protests where people gathered in song to express their desire and hope for freedom from Soviet occupation.
The Baltic Way literally linked millions across the Baltic states in protest, a
united, peaceful stand. By 1991, all three nations had regained independence.
In 1982, people began gathering for prayer in the St Nicholas Church of Leipzig, despite the surveillance of the Stasi (the secret police). By 9 October, 1989, 70,000 people turned up for prayer, carrying candles – symbols of peace, not violence. The following week, 300,000 took part in a peaceful walk of protest. The soldiers were ready for anything – except candles and prayer. Less than a month later, the Berlin Wall fell.
Ordinary people changed history – not with weapons, but with hope, courage and unity. Through song, linked hands, prayer and candlelight, they stood against the threats of violence and repression.
Confident expectation
Stories like these give me hope. As the Bible says, hope is the desire for something better and the belief that it can happen
forward
(Hebrews chapter 11, verse 1). It isn’t wishful thinking or naive optimism. It’s the confident expectation of good things to come, even if they cannot yet be seen.
In ancient Greek, elpis – the word for hope – contained both the promise of good and the fear it might not come. Hope often means holding that tension: wanting a better future, and working towards it, even when it’s hard to see.
Biblical hope is rooted in the belief that God will fulfil his promises. Often this involves waiting. Throughout history, people of faith waited years, even decades, for the fulfilment of what they longed for. This kind of hope offers strength and comfort in difficult times, however long it takes.
In the waiting, we can nurture that small spark of hope within us.
So, what gives you hope here and now?
For me, it’s the consistent rhythms of nature. In good times and bad, the sun rises
Hope is the desire for something better and the belief that it can happen.
and sets. The tides still ebb and flow. Despite pollution and climate damage, trees shed their leaves, bloom again in spring, and bear fruit in summer.
There’s also hope in humanity’s resilience. Research continues to reveal our immense capacity for connection, compassion, caring and creativity. The drive to thrive – to seek wholeness and healing for ourselves and for the world – is wired into us. Even when trauma or cruelty dims that drive,
‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
a spark remains, urging us toward something better.
Unchanging God
Above all, we can have faith in a good and unchanging God who holds everything and every one of us in his love and care.
And perhaps, when hope is hard to find, we can find it when we reflect on the words of Julian of Norwich,
written almost 700 years ago, during a time of plague, war, and upheaval:
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.
“For there is a force of Love moving through the universe that holds us fast and shall never let us go.”
– Julian of Norwich (1343–1416)
Housing, help and hope
Donna takes back ownership of her life
“I was facing homelessness,” Donna said.
“I had just left a domestic violence relationship. I didn’t really know what I was going to do with myself.
“I didn’t have a car. I had two of my own children and I also had my ex’s son. Everything was getting quite hard financially at the place where I was staying. And I was losing hope.
“The increase in rental prices was unbelievable. There were a lot of people that were facing homelessness.
“I was lucky that I had a social worker, [Other people] didn’t know where
to go. They didn’t know who to call. And it was my social worker who contacted The Salvation Army.”
No longer homeless
Captain Natalie Frame, corps officer (pastor) at Bayside Salvos in Brisbane, remembers that when she first met Donna, she was vulnerable and at risk of homelessness.
“There seemed to be a lot of barriers in her life, and it was apparent to us that if we could just help with the housing piece, there would be space for her to start to look at everything else that needed to be worked through and other supports that she needed.
“Bayside Salvos runs a program called Houses of Hope, which is here to bring housing, help and hope.
“The primary need for a lot of the families that we support is housing. We are able to act as lead tenants on rental properties and then provide a lease tailored to their needs. [This lease] is subsidised for a period, allowing them to get on their feet and work towards their goals.
“So, once we were able to establish Donna in the house, set up her family and support her to move in, she was able to look at other supports that she needed to re-establish in her life ...
Housing was the first step in Donna’s journey to rebuild her life and family.
“We were able to refer her to other people in the Salvos, like our Doorways (emergency relief and case management) caseworker or our Moneycare financial worker, and to work with her social worker to help link her with other services.
Security and relief
For Donna, moving into secure housing was a great relief. “Once I moved in, I didn’t have to worry so much and could focus on the supports for my children and getting them engaged with the necessary people,” she said. “I was able to focus on my studies. I felt like I could take a breath and plan my next move, without feeling like the world was crumbling around me.
“[The] Salvation Army was so kind to me. If they hadn’t helped us, I don’t know where I would have been. Me and my kids, probably on the street.
“Everything that they did, it’s what drove me to want to be a part of the Salvos. I signed up to be a volunteer to help with the garden and I have plans of learning more about support coordination and the legal processes, so that I might be able to give back the way that they gave to me.”
Natalie has huge admiration for Donna. “What I see is this amazing person of strength and resilience, so it’s been a really wonderful journey to see Donna flourish
and come alive and feel like she’s got a little bit of ownership back in her life.”
Reach out
“If I were to give any advice to a friend or other people that are out there,” says Donna, “it’s to be okay with the situation that you’re in. It’s not your fault ... reach out, because you don’t know who’s going to reach back.
“And people care. The Salvation Army cared for me, and they’ve taken great care of me.
“It gets better.”
To watch Donna’s interview, go to salvosonline.org.au/ post/houses-for-hopedonna-s-story
The sense of relief and security Donna now experiences has encouraged her to give back to others
Grandma’s boiled fruit cake
Ingredients
1 cup of mixed fruit (or sultanas); 1 cup sugar; 1 cup of boiling water; 1 tbsp butter; 1 tsp bicarb soda; 2 cups self-raising flour; 1 egg, slightly beaten Method
Pre-heat oven to 160°C.
In a saucepan, boil together mixed fruit, sugar, water, butter and bicarb soda. Stir well.
Take off boil, sit for 5 minutes. Add flour and egg, stirring well.
Pour into a prepared cake tin and cook 1 – 1 ½ hours.
Believe in Good: Tips
21 June – World Music Day
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.”
– Plato
This week, have a family gathering to listen to everyone’s favourite song or a karaoke night with friends.
Quiz
1. Who had hits with Johnny B. Goode and Roll Over Beethoven?
2. Fats Domino was noted for playing which instrument?
3. Red, 1989 and Folklore are all albums by which pop artist?
4. What is Elvis Presley’s home called?
5. In David Bowie’s Space Oddity, who are ground control trying to contact?
I have been named by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest singer of all time and am known as the Queen of Soul. �� Who am I?
As a singer, songwriter and pianist, I am one of the world’s best-selling music artists, with more than 75 million records sold worldwide.
�� Have a laugh
What do you call a pineapple that plays the trumpet?
Tooty-fruity!
Did you hear about the person who tried to make a pineapple smoothie without any pineapples?
How do you make a pineapple turnover?
Their efforts were fruitless! Roll them down a hill!
Why did the pineapple stop in the middle of the road?
On which page of this week’s Salvos Magazine is Tum-Tum hiding? It ran out of juice!
Tum-Tum
Answers
5. Major Tom I am: Aretha Franklin Tum-Tum: is hiding behind the volunteers on page 9.
3. Taylor Swift 4. Graceland
Quiz: 1. Chuck Berry 2. Piano
Word search
Words are hidden vertically, horizontally, diagonally, forwards and backwards. Enjoy!
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength ”
Isaiah chapter 40, verse 31 New International Version
